[Hong Kong] Lunch at ChefMaster Chiuchow Kitchen, Harbour City.

Being half-Chiuchow (Mandarin: Chaozhou/潮州人), I usually want to try the local renditions of Chaozhou cuisine (潮州菜) wherever I go. Hong Kong has a large, though largely invisible Chiuchow community, and the Chouchow cuisine there has taken on some Cantonese characteristics - oftentimes displaying more finesse in its execution, but also incorporating Cantonese taste preferences.

One of the Chiuchow restaurants I visited on my last trip to Hong Kong is ChefMaster Chiuchow Kitchen at Harbour City in Tsimshatsui.

  1. Oyster omelette.

  1. Braised goose, octopus and pig’s intestines - braised goose is a perennial Chiuchow favourite. Serving it alongside octopus and pig’s intestines caters to the Hongkongers’ palate.

  1. Braised 4-types of vegetables. Chiuchow cooking leans towards braising meats and vegetables in light sauces, and vegetables dine this way is one of my faves.

  1. Chiuchow crispy yee fu mein with vinegar and sugar - this is, believe or not, our choice of dessert. I love dish with a deep passion, and will order it in any Chiuchow restaurant, from Bangkok to Brussels.

Address: ChefMaster Chiuchow Kitchen, Shop 3304, Level 3, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsimshatsui. Tel: :+852 2613 9800.

Thanks for the report. How’s the marinate and how’s the goose? How was your overall impression on the meal?

I’ve always been partial towards the HK-Cantonese take on Chiuchow cuisine - but, mind you, more in my Chiuchow side of the family prefer the version we get in Bangkok, if we’re talking about Chiuchow food outside Chaoshan/China itself.

The braised goose-meat here is very lightly marinated - different from the version in Singapore’s Teochew restaurants which are pretty close to Bangkok’s old Taechiu restaurants like Tang Jai Yoo or Sin Kwang Meng. Most Singaporeans/Thai-Taechius also like HK renditions of Chiuchow cuisine as they view it as “different” and “exotic” in a way.