Study Buddy (Explorer): Where a food blogger goes for roast pork belly, char siu and Hakka cuisine in Hong Kong
- Kelvin Ho, also known as Epicurus Hong Kong, shares his favourite spots in the city for tasty bites that come with a story
- Each week, this page presents an interesting story that we have adjusted to be more accessible for all English learners
Pig stomach tips with red fermented rice lees and salted pickles is among the classic Hakka fare available at Kong Hing Restaurant. Photo: HandoutContent provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] I prefer food with a story, whether it’s classic or contemporary. Price is not as important as the idea and the taste. As a kid, I joined my mother for British afternoon teas and my father at his Chiu Chow business dinners with endless XO cognac bottles and mahjong tables.
[2] We lived in Malaysia before migrating to Australia, where I enjoyed Italian, Greek and Lebanese food, and the cafe culture. I later returned to Hong Kong, where dim sum is the height of local brunch food.
[3] It’s slightly unfair to highlight just a few places since so many chefs in the city are amazing. But based on precision and technique, I prefer Man Ho (3/F, JW Marriott Hotel, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty) with chef Jayson Tang. His char siu puff pastry has the best execution.
[4] Spring Moon (1/F, The Peninsula, 22 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui) is famous for teas, crispy taro puffs, well-layered radish pastries, and recently, Hungarian Mangalica pork cheung fun and Sicilian red prawn xiao long bao.
[5] A secret dinner spot is Come-Into Chiuchow Restaurant (1-2/F, 18 Prat Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui). It opened in 1976 and has kept its classic Chiu Chow flavours, from salted lemon duck soup to braised spring haruna vegetables with spare ribs.
[6] For roast meats, one of my current faves is Chung Gor’s Kitchen (Shop 8-9, Grand Metro, 121 Prince Edward Road West, Prince Edward). They use a sophisticated marinade for their char siu with properly charred edges. The roast pork belly there is also among the best, with wafer-like crackling. On Hong Kong Island, Dragon State Kitchen Restaurant (Shop 38B, Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan) remains the most consistent for char siu.
[7] I’m a carb lover, and a favourite for Italian food is Tosca di Angelo (102/F, The Ritz-Carlton, ICC, Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui). I am really into risotto and pasta, and chef Angelo is the undisputed king when it comes to making risotto Acquerello with Hokkaido sea urchin or scampi. The busiate trapanese (pasta with Sicilian tomato and almond pesto) and mezzi paccheri (pasta tubes) with red prawns are also sensational.
[8] A good late dinner option is Kong Hing Restaurant (79-81 Tsuen Nam Road, Tai Wai), specialising in old-school Hakka cuisine: red fermented rice lees and salted pickles with stir-fried pigs’ stomach tips. I would totally take a new visitor here.
[9] For special celebrations, I have an affinity for chef Uwe Opocensky’s food at Petrus (56/F, Island Shangri-la, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty). His seasonal creations require a lot of technical construction and multiple micro steps. Perhaps my architectural training makes me appreciate these details.
[10] I love eating overseas. To pick one stand-out chef, it would be Christian le Squer of three-Michelin-star Le Cinq (Four Seasons George V, 31 Avenue George-V, Paris). The chef does the best veal sweetbread dish, and his menu planning is beyond exemplary. The courses flow effortlessly. His perfectly baked kouign-amann (a classic Breton cake) with caramelised almonds makes the subtlest statement as a finale.
Source: South China Morning Post, March 16
Questions
1. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is the LEAST of the writer’s concerns when deciding what to eat?
A. how the food tastes
B. how much a dish costs
C. the story behind a meal
D. none of the above
2. In paragraph 2, what phrase does the writer use to show his appreciation for how dim sum is prepared in Hong Kong?
3. Decide whether the following statements are True, False, or the information is Not Given in paragraphs 3 to 5. Blacken ONE circle only for each statement. (4 marks)
(i) The writer’s main reason for enjoying Man Ho’s food is how chef Jayson Tang infuses creativity into his dishes.
(ii) The Sicilian red prawn xiao long bao has recently become a popular menu item at Spring Moon.
(iii) Salted lemon duck soup is a typical dim sum dish.
(iv) Come-Into Chiuchow Restaurant is the oldest of the three restaurants.
4. In paragraph 6, the ________ gives the char siu at Chung Gor’s Kitchen its blackened edges.
A. part of the pig used
B. temperature the pork is roasted at
C. mixture that the pork is soaked in before cooking
D. device that is used to slice the meat
5. What is chef Angelo’s signature dish according to paragraph 7?
6. Which word could replace “sensational” in paragraph 7?
A. remarkable
B. outstanding
C. astounding
D. all of the above
7. At what time of the day is one MOST likely to find the writer dining at Kong Hing Restaurant?
A. 7am
B. 12pm
C. 6pm
D. 9pm
8. Which restaurant mentioned in the article is NOT located in Hong Kong?
9. Match the list of recommended dishes to the restaurants where they can be found, according to the article. (4 marks)
Answers
1. B
2. the height of local brunch food
3. (i) F; (ii) T; (iii) F; (iv) NG
4. C
5. risotto Acquerello with Hokkaido sea urchin or scampi
6. D
7. D
8. Le Cinq
9. (i) crispy taro puffs; (ii) red fermented rice lees; (iii) roast pork belly; (iv) char siu puff pastry