 As one of the great culinary capitals of the world, Hong Kong carl boast not only a superb native cuisine - Cantonese - but also perhaps the widest range of international restaurants of any city outside Europe or North America. This is due in part to the cosmopolitan nature of the population, but also, perhaps more importantly, to tine incredible seriousness attached to dining by the local Chinese.As well as the joys of dim sum - another Hong Kong speciality - the city offers the full gamut of Chinese restaurants from Belling to Shanghai to Sichuan (and many smaller localities). It also offers excellent curry houses from tine Indian subcontinent, surprisingly reasonable Japanese sushi bars, British pub-style food and endless cheap outlets of the noodle-and-dumpling variety, which are often the best value for money of all. However, the big botels also offer great-value buffet lunches check local listings for special offers and themed feasts.You’ll also fiud the local Chinese fast-food chains, Cafe de Coral and Maxim’s, alongside McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Pret A Manger Haagen, Dazs and KFC The choice is endless, and all budgets are catered for Travellcrs arriving after a long stint in mainland China are in for the gastronomic blow-out of’ their lives. The places listed below are a mere fi:action of the total, with an emphasis on the less expensive end of tbe market. Serious gourmets should consult HKTB’s Best of the Best Culinary Guide, Hong Kong Tather’s website,www. hkbestrestaurants.com and the independent free weekly, HK Magazine. Hong Kong sometimes seems to have more nightlife than the rest of China put together. In the pubs and bars you’ll sometimes find live music and dancing, but the clutch of restaurant,bar-and pub-cranmred streets known as Lan Kwai Fong remain the heart of Hong Kong’s party scene and drinking-culture nightlife. Despite its image as a cultural desert, classical concerts appear increasingly fi’equently at several venues aud there are a number of art,jazz and other festivals year round . Most of the main English-language fihns find their way to Hong Kong’s canemas soon after release, and they are usually shown in the original language,sometimes with Chinese subtitles (although the local audience prefers dubbed versions, which usually hit the screen soon afterwards). Some Chinese language films are also shown with English subtitles. . Breakfast and snacks All the bigger hotels serve expensive buffet breakfasts with vast quantities of Chinese and European food. For cheaper, traditional Western breakfasts, head for any of the cafes listed (all open daily throughout the day), although dirn sum with tea or on gee is a more authentic way to start the morning (see |
| “Restaurants” below). Local chains include DeliFrance, Pacific Coffee, Starbucks, MiX and Pret A Manger, all of which offer mufiSns, breakfast dishes and sandwiches throughout the day and can be found in most MTR concourses.Ge Ming Cafe 48 Stauntoe St, SoHo. All-day breakfasts in a cosy, red-walled and tiled hangout. Fish and veggies also served; cheap and friendly.Kiku Express Basement of Jardine House, Connaught Rd, Central. All kinds of breakfasts, from big English fry-ups to bowls of noodles.MiX Floor 1, Hong Kong Station, Central. Good, healthy wraps and salads, groaning with veggies and fresh produce, plus more smoothies and vitamin drinks than you can shake a stick at. Thirty minutes’ free Internet access for patrons. Inexpensive. Daily 7am-7pm.
Movenpick Marche Levels 6 & 7, The Peak Galleria. Good fresh food from this Swiss chain.Salads,sandwiches, soups and daily hot dishes, plus Swiss ice cream. The seventh-floor cafe has an outside terrace. (There is another branch, using the name Delicious at Century Square, D’Aguilar St, Central.) Daily 11 am-11 pm. Inexpensive. Ngan Ki Heung Tea Co Ltd 290 Queens Rd, Central. A source of a vast range of Chinese teas to drink and buy. The owner is only too happyto serve you teas in the traditional manner and tal you through their various properties.
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Oliver’s Super Sandwiches Many branches including: Shop 104, Exchange Square II, 8 Connaught Place, Central; Shop 201-205, Princes Building, 10 Chater Rd, Central; Tower One, Lippo Centre, Admiralty; Shop A, Fleet House, 38 Gloucester Rd, Wan Chai; Repulse Bay Hotel 109 Repulse Bay Rd, Repulse Bay; Ocean Centre, Tsim Sba Tsui. Popular chain offering excellent sandwiches, salads, baked potatoes, cooked breakfasts and fresh juices.