Chiu Chow or Teochew or Chaozhou cuisine originates from the region in the easternmost part of Guangdong province. Being part Chiu Chow on my Dad's side of the family, the cuisine holds as dear to me as Cantonese food is on my mother's side. Cuisines I grew up with and probably would be happy to die eating..
Although from the same province, their styles are different. Chiu Chow cuisine is generally lighter in cooking method and flavour, with much more emphasis on the orginal flavours of the produce being cooked.
As one of my favourite Chiu Chow restaurants in Hong Kong, Sun Kwong on Lockhart Road creates a good sampling of traditional Chiu Chow cuisine.
The priciest thing on the menu is the fresh steamed crab served cool, with dark vinegar laced with a little sesame oil. While pricey, it is definitely worth the moola if you like your crab. The meat has a firm bite and falls off the shell easily from the freshness. Steamed with a mixed bag of herbs, chilled and then served, the herbs enhance but do not detract from the natural flavours of the crab.
The braised goose is a must try of course at any Chiu Chow restaurant and Sun Kwong is no exception. Perfectly braised and retaining its juices, it combines well with the soya sauce in which it had been braising. You can combine the goose slices with innards from the goose or pig, all an exciting combinations of textures and flavours.
Other Chiu Chow representations worth trying include:
Oyster Omelet (served with a piquant fish sauce)
Steamed grey mullet (served with salty yellow bean sauce).
And the rice porridge with baby oysters and minced pork.
Comfort food at its best.. no wonder Sun Kwong gets more crowded as it gets later into the night..
i was at this so called sun kwong chiu chow restaurant on lockhart road that you so rave about and i found it to be the utmost worst experience i have ever had in a chinese restaurant in all my 17 years in hong kong. i found a live fly swimming in my seafood balls without so much as an apology from the vain staff. i was served a mere handful of green vegetables for an outrageously exorbitant price. the soya goose slices were about at skimpy as i've ever seen any meat dish being served. the special prices on the menu for certain dishes were special because they were specially small. i have made it a point to tell everyone i know about how bad this restaurant is. i left feeling utterly disgusted and cheated.
ReplyDeleteDear disgusted in wan chai
ReplyDeleteI am really sorry you had a bad experience but glad that you are sharing. I haven't been back to Sun Kwong in a long while and certainly did not suffer the same fate you did. Always good to have updates - restaurants fall by the wayside for this reason - if you can't keep up, you ain't fooling anyone, not least your customers. Customers like you keep them honest! Thanks for sharing!
Just to be fair, I might wander by and eat there again, just to make sure they weren't just having a bad day.
Whenever I am in Hong Kong, this is a must visit food place that I have to go. I haven't had any problems with this restaurant. My husband absolutely loves the food here. As for the waiters, I don't see them vain at all. Everytime I am there they are very kind and generous.
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