Yum Cha in Happy Valley

Happy Saturday! This is probably the most famous yum cha (飲茶) and dim sum place in Happy Valley. The restaurant is named 壹玖捌叁, or 1983, which is the year of birth of the founder and boss, Mr. Cheng.

It’s a popular place for family gatherings on weekends and its signature dim sum include the “colorful xiaolongbao dumplings”, “roasted pork pastry”, and “fried taro pastry”. Prices may be above the average in this (already expensive) neighbourhood but the food portion is reasonably big too.

At dinner time, the restaurant focuses on Canton and Shanghainese cuisine, apart from its passion for creative “Hong Kong fusion” cuisine, led by Chef Tang, who has more than 50 years experience in culinary business.

Boss Cheng also has a wide collection of wine, which he has imported from all over the world and shares one thing in common: the year of production, 1983 of course.

Address: Hong Kong Cuisine (壹玖捌叁 1983), Elegance Court, Tsoi Tak St, Happy Valley

The Most Popular Pizza in Happy Valley

Located not far off the Happy Valley Racecourse, Dough Bros may be a tiny take-out pizza shop with just a few stools, but their artisanal sourdough pizza and freshly-filled doughnuts (heads up, nutella fanatics!) are certainly worth the wait.

Well, if you don’t like to wait, definitely try to avoid peak hours for lunch and dinner.

Known by the local as “the most famous pizza shop in Happy Valley”, Dough Bros has expanded beyond Happy Valley to set up new branches in Kennedy Town, Soho/Central, Wan Chai, and Quarry Bay.

Dough Bros is also well known for its wide range of choices for beer, including some difficult to find ones imported from all over the world to Hong Kong. For June, Spicy Pizza is the “pizza of the month” if you are a fan of Mexican spicy flavour.

Address: Dough Bros, G, 38-42 Yik Yam St, Happy Valley

The Taste of Hong Kong Memory

This is not just another cafe. This is the most celebrity cafe in Happy Valley

Established in 1951, Cheung Hing Coffee Shop (祥興咖啡室) gains its celebrity status due to a long list of its VIP fans including movie star Tony Leung (梁朝偉) and the “God of Cantopop” Jacky Cheung (張學友). They used to go and grab Cheung Hing’s signature pineapple bun. Of course, you cannot afford to miss a cup of milk tea, otherwise your traditional Hong Kong cafe experience won’t feel compete.

This year Cheung Hing celebrates its 70th anniversary, still on the original location. It’s fair to say this small local cafe is a solid witness of Hong Kong history, from post-war economic recovery, to 1997 handover, Asian financial crisis, 2003 SARS, 2008 global financial crisis, 2014 Umbrella Movement, and so on, not to mention the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic…

People always say Hong Kong is a sleepless city. Actually Hong Kong has been never short of stories, good or bad, but that is Hong Kong, one of the most resilient places on this planet.

When you are drinking milk tea in the local cafe, actually you are also having the taste of Hong Kong memory.

Address: Cheung Hing Coffee Shop, 9 Yik Yam St, Happy Valley

The History of Hong Kong Wonton Noodle

During the post-war time in the late 1940s, wonton (or wantun) noodle and congee became popular in Hong Kong.

There used to be the Big Four families in the noodle and congee business, including “Hung Kee” (the Ho family), “Chiu Kee” (the Chan family), “Chee Kee” (the Mak family), and Wing Kee (the Au family).

Originally from Canton (now “Guangdong”), Mr. Ho Chiu Hung moved to Hong Kong as a migrant worker. In 1946, he set up his first shop “Ho Hung Kee Wantun Noodles Shop” in Hong Kong. From its humble beginning as a roadside food stall in Wan Chai, “Ho Hung Kee” quickly became a household name in Hong Kong.

Mr. Ho Koon Ming succeeded his father’s trade in 1984. In September 1996, the “Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop” (正斗) was founded in Happy Valley, and the same original shop remains even to this day. It also has a branch shop in the Hong Kong airport, clearly a popular spot for many travellers and perhaps their last chance to enjoy the local Hong Kong taste before they take off.

My favourite congee here is the “Double Frog and Chicken Congee”, and it’s always nice to finish with some traditional Chinese dessert.

The restaurant is also well known for its traditional rice dumplings, aka zongzi, especially during the Dragon Boat Festival, which is June 14 this year, also a public holiday in Hong Kong.

Address: Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop, 21 King Kwong St, Happy Valley

Pang's Kitchen

My first formal dine-in meal after moving in Happy Valley: the Michelin-star Chinese restaurant (for many years!) that happens to be a family business of my friend and colleague.

The must-eat and my favourite is Pang’s fried chicken. For vermicelli fans, I also recommend the assorted vegetable pot with vermicelli in soup. We also ordered the braised beef pot with a lot of white radish in soup, which feels like a good choice for the summertime cuisine to keep your inner peace.

To learn more, read here.

Address: Pang’s Kitchen, 25 Yik Yam St, Happy Valley