Yuen Long neighbourhood guide

Enjoy the best of both worlds at this street food store where you can get fluffy Japanese souffle pancakes from Bove and/or Modos’ sweet and savoury egg waffles. Super soft, bouncy and did we mention, seriously fluffy, Bove’s pancakes come in a variety of flavours including black sesame, earl grey, peach and three cheeses. Meanwhile Modos offers quicker yet no less tasty flavours like Russian borscht, Taiwanese pineapple and spicy meat floss. They’re all within the $25-$35 range.   

Solid takeaway sandwiches are the order of the day at Couple and the Bao – let’s just ignore the fact that the name uses some artistic license as the bread in use is toasted ciabatta. With fillings of slow-cooked pork belly, fried pork chop and boneless chicken wings among others, these are some meaty baguettes. Priced at around $50 a piece they’re a decent choice for a lunchtime snack while you explore the ’hood.

Chef’s Stage Kitchen has moved from its original dingy digs in Yuen Long to a new larger space down the road but it continues to deliver great food and service. It’s a decent option for Western fare in an area dominated by traditional Cantonese eateries. The brunch is worth trying, with classics like eggs royale and Benedict lathered in hollandaise sauce. The rest of the menu includes steaks, salads and pasta dishes, all at very reasonable prices.

This unassuming congee shop will cure what ails you. Fat Kee is renowned for its steaming bowls of goodness and signature cheung fun – not to mention queues out the door that attest to its quality. The rice is cooked the proper way and the broth brims with flavour. You can order your congee with chicken, minced beef, pork liver, fish or the usual offal parts like pig’s stomach. The prices are ridiculously low and the portions generous, so it’s hard to go wrong!

Many Hongkongers have memories of making family day trips to Yuen Long back in the day, particularly to hit up Hang Heung and sample its fresh-out-of-the-oven thousand-year egg pastries and wife cakes. With branches now on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, Hang Heung has become a citywide institution but many swear that the Yuen Long outlet remains a cut above. It certainly offers up a generous portion of heritage and history, as well as homely baked goods.

Homura serves ramen made from authentic broths simmered for an appropriately long time to render them lip-smackingly delicious. The tonkotsu ramen comes with roasted pork belly, pulled noodles and the obligatory soft boiled egg in standard, seafood or spicy miso versions. If you’re after something more special, Homura also offers a truffle-laced version of its broth and a spicy ‘volcano homura’ for those who can handle the fiery eruption. This is one of Yuen Long’s pricier options but you can still grab a meal for under $100.

A local institution, Ho To Tai has been banging out steaming bowls of noodle soup for more than 70 years. The noodles, soups and wontons are all handmade on the premises and are among some of the best in the territory. Its low prices and quality cooking have earned Ho To Tai Bib Gourmand status in the Michelin Guide, especially for its wonton soup with fish skin dumplings and tossed noodles with shrimp roe.

When you think about a good place to grab a hot dog, Yuen Long doesn’t immediately spring to mind, but Hotdog Brothers are changing up the food scene with their signature meaty ’dogs. You can’t go wrong with the Brother’s Signature ($56), which comes with double cheese, bolognese and barbecue sauce. Other options worth trying are the barbecue pulled pork ($48) and the Mega Cheese ($46), melted from four different cheese. Make it a full meal and order up some mozzarella sticks and onion rings.

Another Yuen Long favourite, Kai Kee is best known for its desserts, especially the ‘B Boy’ grass jelly – an eminently Instagrammable large bowl of grass jelly under a mountain of fresh fruit, topped with giant sago pearls. They also serve savoury dishes and the chicken wing tips are popular, too. Expect to queue down the street for access to this famous dessert spot.

Many a noodle shop in Hong Kong claims to serve authentic Guilin rice noodles, but Luk Kee is about as close as you’re going to get to the real deal without hopping across the border. The eatery has its noodles ordered to a special thickness and length to mimic the original which results in a satisfying chewy and bouncy texture. Try their signature fried pork belly noodles, freshly made on the premises. They feature soup-soaked meat, which miraculously remains crispy and piping hot.

Tai Po is a mecca for naturists and adventurists. Here, you’ll find lush forest, a beautifully scenic country park, drop-dead gorgeous waters and brilliant local fare.