Hong Kong Food Exploration｜Recommended Classic Chaoshan Treasure Dishes in Historic Buildings

Hong Kong, the food capital of China, offers a wide variety of Chaoshan cuisine. Famous restaurants range from luxurious dining spots favored by the wealthy (with per capita spending easily over a thousand) to various affordable and down-to-earth dai pai dongs serving cold dishes. This time, we unlocked a local high-value chain with many branches called "Chan Yee Hing Shang Chao Lou." We visited the Prince Edward branch, which is also famous for its historic architecture (less than a 5-minute walk from MTR Exit B2). Of course, you can also choose the Chan Yee Hing Shang Chao Lou branch on Hong Kong Island based on proximity. It is recommended to book in advance as the restaurant is very popular and usually fully booked daily. When making a reservation, the restaurant will ask if you want to reserve handmade dishes. We highly recommend trying these handmade dishes since they are not available everywhere due to the complex steps and craftsmanship involved, which most restaurants don’t offer. When reserving, we booked the "Clear Gold Carp Shrimp," then added "Clear Stewed Eel in Lotus Leaf" and "Prosperity Pomegranate Crab." The latter was a real find because the chef had just saved some for on-site customers to order. We arrived at 6 PM and, as more customers arrived, we were seated upstairs. From upstairs, you can even see the bustling street life of the Prince Edward district. Then, the warm and friendly restaurant auntie served us welcome tea (which is part of Chaoshan restaurant culture). The menu is really a super thick book. There were six of us, and for appetizers, we chose the classic "Marinated Platter - Six Goose Treasures": it includes goose liver, goose web, goose intestine, goose egg, goose meat, goose wing, and tofu, six items in total. It was served piping hot with a large portion, and the marinade flavor was very authentic—we finished it immediately. Next was the must-order "Shantou Fried Oyster Omelette" at every Chaoshan restaurant. The oysters were large, and the eggs were fried to a fragrant crisp. It was delicious even without sauce and not greasy at all. Then came three handmade dishes, with the highlight being the "Clear Stewed Eel in Lotus Leaf." Ever since I had it in Shantou, I’ve missed it a lot. This place handled it very well; the eel was plump and fresh, and the lotus leaf aroma infused perfectly. Paired with the clear broth, it was very satisfying. Compared to this, the other two dishes were tasty but less memorable. The other two are regular menu recommendations: "Stir-fried Fresh Squid from Nan'ao Island" and "Plum Sauce Pork Knuckle." The latter was ordinary, but the former is worth trying. The squid was tender and chewy, paired with the restaurant’s special sauce, and the whole table cleared the dish immediately. For vegetables, we had the "Winter Mushroom and Mustard Greens Casserole," which was standard. The dessert was too ordinary compared to the previous dishes, so we won’t elaborate much. Overall, it’s the kind of place you want to come back to again and again and try the entire menu! The service was excellent, with every auntie and uncle being warm and friendly. The per capita spending is very reasonable. Highly recommended!