HONG KONG, Dec 11 — Less swanky than Central, more hipster than Sheung Wan, boasting as much colour and character as Kowloon, the Wan Chai district in Hong Kong is not usually the first place that tourists make a beeline for but spend a few days trawling its tram- and car-clogged streets and uphill lanes, and you will discover its many charms. Here are eight to get you started.
Ride a ‘ding ding’
The main streets in Wan Chai are typically two-lane thoroughfares and besides the usual cars, it also supports a busy network of Hong Kong’s rustic looking trams, known locally as ‘ding ding’. These historical vehicles have been in use since 1904 and now, besides being a popular and convenient form of public transportation, are also moving billboards advertising for everything under the sun. It’s always a bit of a squeeze inside the double decker trams and therefore not the most comfortable of rides. But as the ‘ding ding’s cut across congested streets and in between its many skyscrapers, they also serve as unique vantage points that let you glimpse into pockets of everyday life in the city.
Fares are capped at HKD2.30 (RM1) per adult per ride, and you can also buy a four-day pass for HKD34 (RM19). Payment can be made in cash (deposit your coins into the box just before disembarking) or with the Octopus touch-and-go card. Don’t know where to go? Wan Chai sits in the centre of six main routes running from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town; just hop aboard the next tram that comes along and ride it all the way to the end of the line to see yet another side of Hong Kong.
Find detailed information on the ‘ding ding’ at www.hktramways.com
Sip Japanese ‘koffee’
The décor is as minimalist as it gets, the espresso is much raved about as are their kashi or baked custard cubes. When Omotesando Koffee closed its doors in Tokyo last December, it left a gap among the Japanese capital’s caffeine lovers but for Hong Kong’s bean enthusiasts, there was cause for rejoice as the cult favourite opened at the newly-minted Lee Tung Avenue. The picturesque residential and commercial complex was the perfect address for this ‘koffee’ spot, where a cuppa goes for around HKD40 (RM23) and still draws steady crowds of locals and tourists.
Shop No 24-25, G/F Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East Tel +852 2601 3323 Opens 8am-8pm, Mon-Fri; 9am-9pm, Sat-Sun www.ooo-koffee.com/hongkong.html
To the market we go
Travel to any city and you will find that the fresh food markets are the best places to have authentic encounters and local experiences. Scan the stalls for an idea of what a typical Hong Kong household eats, and jostle among local housewives (in Hong Kong, many foreign maids too) while they shop, bargain and chat with butchers, fish mongers and storekeepers.
The Wan Chai Market, housed on the ground floor of the Zenith residential building, is a compact air-conditioned bazaar that you can walk through very quickly if you’re just browsing. It’s a pretty standard market that you can find in every Hong Kong district, but it extends onto nearby Spring Garden Lane and Bullock Lane. The stalls and shops here make up what one would call a wet market, and it’s a bustling hub all day and into the night.
In between the stalls selling meat, seafood, fruits and vegetables are a number of small groceries that stock South East Asian cooking ingredients. Shing Fat Coconut and Spices Ltd is one of the area’s stalwarts and a favourite for herbs that are hard to find in Hong Kong, at reasonable prices.
Wan Chai Market 258 Queen’s Road East Opens 6am-8pm daily
Hit the char chaan teng trail
Serving breakfast all the way to dinner and even supper, you can’t beat the char chaan teng when it comes to all-day dining and good variety. Wan Chai has no shortage of these classic eateries; if you’re heading to the market, find your way to Kam Fung (41 Spring Garden Lane). Share a table amidst retro settings and order their signatures of chicken pie, egg tarts, and cold, no-ice milk tea. Honolulu Café (176-178 Hennessy Road) is another established name, though it has nothing to do with Hawaii but is loved for its sunshine-yellow egg tarts. Despite its luxurious sounding name, Ho Wah (226 Johnston Road and 7 Mallory Street) is a down-to-earth diner that has been serving a regular and loyal clientele for over six decades now.
Savour 3-star ‘X-treme’ cuisine
Alvin Leung burst onto the scene with what he termed X-treme cuisine, deconstructing traditional Chinese recipes and reinterpreting them into contemporary dishes that are friendly to a global palate. The self-taught chef, who trained as an engineer, also grabbed attention with his rock star persona and if anyone thought he was just all hype to begin with, they quickly changed their tune after sampling the creative menu at his 3-Michelin star restaurant, Bo Innovation.
His signature Molecular Xiao Long Bao epitomises all that Bo stands for: A translucent blob that holds, within its paper-thin gelatinous skin, rich stock and meaty goodness like the regular version. Pop the whole thing into your mouth and let the umami flavours shower your tastebuds to bliss. Another dish that will bend your palate — and mind — is the foie gras with mui choi (salted dried vegetable) caramel ice-cream, green apple and ginger bread. Strange as it may sound, this French-Chinese hybrid is memorably harmonious.
Both lunch and dinner are served according to set menus only, although you have options within the sets, and reservations are necessary as Bo only seats 50; the Chef’s Table and Bar Counter are the most sought after.
Shop 8, 1/F The Podium, J Senses, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai Tel +852 2850 8371 Opens 12pm-2pm & 7pm-12am, Mon-Fri; 6pm-12am, Sat & public holidays; closed Sundays www.boinnovation.com
Explore a hipster universe
Fans of Tyler Brule’s Monocle would know that the company has a retail store-cum-bureau in this area. Located halfway up the sloping St Francis Street, it’s a tiny lot displaying a small selection of the brand’s merchandise (mostly stationery, bags, and men’s wear) for sale and frankly, there isn’t much to get excited over. But stay on and explore the nearby ‘universe’ made up of Sun Street, Moon Street and Star Street. Each is just a small, short lane but lined with interesting cafes, restaurants and a smattering of fashion boutiques and lifestyle stores. Shop for local designs at Kapok, find your favourite scent at Le Labo, join the weekend brunch crowd at Elephant Grounds, or grab a pint at Ted’s Lookout.
Monocle 1 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai Opens 11am-7pm, Mon-Sat; 12pm-8pm, Sunday Tel +852 2804 2323
Revisit heritage through comics
While PMQ in Central serves as a creative hub for local designers, Wan Chai has the Comix Home Base that functions as an art community to serve and connect the likes of comic artists and animators. Facilities include stores selling art and animation products, a resource centre called Comix Salon, exhibition and event spaces.
Like PMQ, it’s also a revitalisation project, housed in a cluster of pre-war buildings. The 10 units of Grade 2 historic structures — six on Mallory Street and four on Burrows Street, linked by a glass walkway — are also known as Green House, as they were painted that colour. This block is among the last remaining tong lau (tenement houses) with balconies in Hong Kong.
There are exhibits of items salvaged from the original buildings, and you can still climb one of the original wooden staircases. A 300-metre open space in the centre of the four-storey complex has become a resting space where one can catch a breather in between exploring Wan Chai.
The glass walkway is an interesting feature, not only as a link between the two rows of heritage buildings but because its adjacent to an old residential block so as you stroll along it, you get a close-up view of the apartments. Understandably, most households have taken to keeping their doors and windows shut most of the time.
7 Mallory Street Tel +852 2824 5303 Opens 10am-8pm (Ground to 4th floors), 12pm-8pm (Comix Salon, closed on Mondays); 8am-10pm (open space) Comix hosts a number of different tours, check their website for details www.comixhomebase.com.hk
Queue for Michelin-starred roast goose
No trip to Hong Kong is complete without tucking into some siew mei (roasted meats), and there’s no shortage of restaurants and food stalls selling this ubiquitous Cantonese offering. When it comes to roast goose, however, several names stand out and Kam’s Roast Goose is one of them. Founded by the grandchildren of Kam Shui Fai, who established the iconic Yung Kee restaurant in Central — it’s one of the other names associated with Hong Kong’s best roast goose — Kam’s picked up 1 star in the 2015 Michelin Guide, which it continues to uphold in the newly released 2017 edition.
There’s always a queue at the 30-seat restaurant, but numbers shift quickly although you do have to be early for the drumstick, which is available in a limited quantity each day. If you don’t manage to catch that, the other cuts of meat make for a great meal too as do their goose liver sausages.
G/F Po Wah Commercial Center, 226 Hennessy Road Tel +852 2520 1110 Opens 11.30am-9.30pm daily www.krg.com.hk/!en/
Vivian Chong finds that a good map and strong legs are just as essential for a good Wan Chai experience. She is still dreaming of Kam’s roast goose rice. Read her other adventures at http://thisbunnyhops.com/
