[Hong Kong] Fung Ming Yuen Cha Can Ting 豐明苑茶餐厅

Posted by: moxy on: July 8, 2013

• In: Food | Travel
• 2 Comments

Our family went out for dinner last night and one of the topics during our conversations was my brother and sister-in-law’s upcoming trip to Hong Kong. My brother asked me where to find a restaurant I’ve been telling him about when my parents and I came back from our own HK trip last January. So here’s a REALLY late post about Fung Ming Yuen Cha Can Ting dedicated to my brother. :p

This photo shows the outside area of the restaurant at around 7:30 or 8am. I snapped this photo after we ate one of our heavy breakfasts. The inside part of the restaurant gets full pretty quickly; seats were mostly occupied by the young Hong Kong professionals and older folks going through their bowls of steaming congee or juk (粥) as we call it in Cantonese.

One of my personal must-eat items in Hong Kong are the famous, delicious, creamy egg tarts (蛋撻). Fung Ming Yuen has their own version and you can order them, by piece, for dine-in or take-away. These are served really hot and are perfect for you to enjoy while you’re waiting for your congee / noodles / sandwich to arrive. If I remember correctly, Fung Ming Yuen’s egg tarts cost a little bit more compared to the ones you can find in the small bakeries all over Tsim Sha Tsui. They taste absolutely fantastic, but I’m not sure if these are the best in Hong Kong.

Actually, I don’t think it’s even possible to say which place has the best tasting egg tarts in Hong Kong. :-\

My Mom’s favorite during our entire trip: the Bo Lo Bao (菠蘿包) or Pineapple Bun. Despite its name, this baked masterpiece isn’t made with the use of pineapples. The bumpy, checkered, yellowish top just looks like the fruit, thus the name.

Fung Ming Yuen’s Bo Lo Bao is served plain, unless you order the Bo Lo Yau (菠蘿油). This means you want your Bo Lo Bao sliced into two and served with a piece of melted butter in between; this version we highly recommend. It’s VERY addictive, and Mom and I normally do not stop at only one serving. :p 

Before I forget, the Bo Lo Yau also comes with a cup of hot or cold milk tea, if you order the breakfast set. Tell them you want the Bo Lo Yau Tao Can (菠蘿油套餐) or Pineapple Bun Set Meal. Pictured above is Mom’s hot Nai Cha (奶茶). 🙂

When my parents and I were in Hong Kong, we usually woke up a little before 6a.m. and made sure we were out the door before 6:45a.m. This is to ensure we get seats at whichever breakfast place we decided to go to. Most of the time, we just went to Fung Ming Yuen since it’s very near our hotel and they serve really good congee.

Pictured above is my serving of Meatballs Congee (肉丸粥, or Yuk Yin Juk). I loved this a lot. It was always served piping hot and flavorful. I mix a little bit of chili sauce in it and I have my perfect bowl to shake away the cold Hong Kong mornings! 

There were times when I ordered a plate of You Tiao (油條, crisp Chinese crullers) to enjoy with my congee. I dunk each piece into the hot congee and enjoy the added texture it provides. 🙂 

Dad’s favorite is this bowl of Gap Dai Juk (及第粥). I have no idea how to translate this to English, but it’s mainly a mix of animal innards in congee. You’ll find pork intestine, liver and kidneys inside. The Gap Dai Juk you find in Hong Kong are always filled with generous amounts of offals; most of the ones you find in Manila are really sad versions of the said dish.

I don’t have a photo of the congee Mom usually orders, but it’s called the Pei Dan Sau Yuk Juk (皮蛋瘦肉粥), or Century Egg & Lean Pork Congee. You’ll know what you’ll find inside your bowl of congee when you order this since its name already gives it away. It’s one of the best (and safest?) congee types there is.

Note: Fung Ming Yuen’s congee are served starting 7a.m. They’re not available before that time.

Despite eating a filling breakfast, there were times when my Dad decided he still wanted to order something for take-away. We usually end up ordering extra egg tarts and these little bad boys in the photo above. They’re miniature chicken pies which we took back to the hotel to eat (again!) while we decided on where to go to next. They’re filled with hot chicken meat, and the crust is sweet and a little flaky. Another addictive item on the menu.

***This branch of Fung Ming Yuen is located at the Ground Floor of South Seas Center in Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀麼地道75號南洋中心地下).

Tags: Bo Lo Bao, Chinese cuisine, Congee, 皮蛋瘦肉粥, Egg Tarts, 菠蘿包, 菠蘿油套餐, 豐明苑茶餐厅, Fung Ming Yuen, Hong Kong, Hot Milk Tea, Pineapple Bun Set Meal, South Sea Center, Tsim Sha Tsui, TST, 及第粥, 尖沙咀