CNY is the time of year for family, friends and special food. We celebrated early with a traditional Poon Choi feast with two friends at the the City Chiu Chow Restaurant in Tsim Tsa Tsui East in Hong Kong.
This is our third consecutive year celebrating with Poon Choi in HK, and this was by far the best yet. The pace was relaxed, yet timely. Our captain was attentive, keeping our wine glasses filled and personally managing the various steps of the meal.
The meal is elegant simplicity.
An embarrassment of riches. The New Territory’s early villagers, who popularized this dish, pulled out all the stops for the annual celebratory feast.
All simmering in a luscious Abalone gravy: Abalone, Oysters, Conpoy (dried scallops), Shitake, King Mushroom, Goose Web, Fish Maw, Pig’s Skin, Pork Belly, Pork Tongue, Fish Balls, Shrimp, Lous Root, Turnip, and more.
Learned that the highest grade pork belly is poetically called Five Flower Pork, referring to the five striations of fat and lean. Perfectly balanced, with the melt in your mouth fat and lean meat.
Finished our meal with Romaine Lettuce. The captain added chicken broth to the boiled down abalone stock, lightly blanched the leaves to close a delicious meal.
1st meal in Hong Kong, after a week of yummy Japanese goodness in Tokyo. Family banquet tonight in Shatin with some distant relatives.
About to step out for Congee, Youtiao, Cheung Fun and Soy Milk.
Love Hong Kong!!!