Malaysian actress and Hong Kong Superfan, Koe Yeet enjoying a cup of milk tea at Mido Café.
FOOD is a big part of travel. We smell and taste the history and tradition of different countries we visit and that lends to the entire experience.
When travelling to Hong Kong, for a taste of culture, the neighbourhood of West Kowloon is known to have upped the ante on its time-tested eateries and craftsmanship, while also home to the new swanky West Kowloon Cultural District as an arts and culture destination.
This neighbourhood is also one of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)’s latest instalment to promote the district’s rich heritage and vibrant street life in Yau Ma Tei and Jordan.
Flanked by stunning historical architecture, it is also home to eateries that are centuries old.
Culture and tradition have been well-preserved in these century-old landmark food shops and continue to be the heart and soul of West Kowloon.
Instagrammable spots
One of the best spots to take pictures for your feed is the nostalgic interior of Mido Café. Retaining its charm since 1950 this cha chaan teng-bing sutt combo has also made cameos in movies like ‘The World of Suzie Wong’ and ‘Street Fighters’.
Be sure to check out the wall mural outside the cafe too, before heading in for a cup of milk tea and taking in the atmosphere of well-worn coloured windows, mosaic tiles and ceiling fans.
Malaysian television and film actress Koe Yeet has been spotted enjoying a cup of milk tea as part of the Hong Kong Superfan programme, a community of fans worldwide who share their love and interests about Hong Kong.
Don’t forget to stop by the Public Square street art content for your Instagram feed on your way to the next heritage eats.
The Woosung Street temporary cooked food hawker bazaar has been serving up delicious foods for some 35 years.
Not-so-temporary instalment
Some 250m from the Public Square street art, you would be able to find Woosung Street ‘temporary cooked food hawker bazaar’.
Try out some of Hong Kong’s more interesting eats and food stalls, with outside seating coupled with foldable tables and a bunch of rickety stools – well-known and loved as dai pai dong.
Despite the word ‘temporary’ in its name, the hawker bazaar has been around for over 35 years, and this year it has been newly renovated and is populated by some of the most beloved eateries in the area.
But don’t fill up on dessert just yet, as just a stone's throw away or about a three-minute walk are some of the most coveted deserts in this neighbourhood, with long stand tradition to boot.
Kung Wo Tong is famous for its guilinggao.
Desserts galore
Mrs Fong Dessert is famed for its Cantonese sweets and snacks that are getting increasingly harder to find. This second-generation run bakery is best known for its white sugar cake, which is touted as one of Hong Kong’s best.
Feeling a little heaty from all the heritage eats? No more than 200m away is a traditional and well-loved dessert guilinggao – also known as tortoise jelly – made by Kung Wo Tong.
Selected as one of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage sites in 2006, guilinggao is served either as a jelly with syrup, or in liquid form as a tea.
Family traditions
Take in the sights of the neighbourhood’s gorgeous history architecture, as you make your way a little further for a delicacy with over a century’s worth of tradition.
Less than a kilometre away, you would be able to find family legacy Liu Ma Kee fermented tofu store.
The closely-guarded family recipe still uses a traditional stone mill to grind their soybeans and their fermented tofu is particularly rich in flavour.
It is best served with lamb – adding intense umami flavours to sauces and marinades – and even mixed with plain rice.
If that does not entice your taste buds, this traditional establishment does not shy away from trying new things. Give their carbonara pasta a whirl, as the traditional establishment takes bold strides with its innovative recipes.
Michelin street food
Just around the corner is a noodle shop with sixty years’ worth of tradition.
Starting out as a humble dai pai dong (open-air food stall) in 1948, Mak Man Kee’s noodle shop specialty handmade wonton noodles is now recognised on the Michelin's Bib Gourmand guide.
To find out more about West Kowloon’s secret gems and neighbourhood stories, visit https://www.discoverhongkong.com/seasia/explore/neighbourhoods/west-kowloon.html
