Cheung Hong Yuen Kai Tak Sports Park 祥香園餐廳 啟德店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

We didn’t have much planned for this long weekend since little nugget was down and out after his surgery. For the most part, we’re staying at home, except for this morning when I have an early pickleball game at Kai Tak Sports Park (啟德體育園).

I didn’t know much about the pickleball facility at the sports park until last week, when we had a gathering with our friends here. A friend escorted me around the venue, and after dinner, I even got to visit the outdoor pickleball courts. To my pleasant surprise, the courts are actually cheaper than the private ones at industrial/commercial buildings and better yet, there were open slots even on the weekends. We ended up booking an hour slot to test it out this weekend.

To be brutally honest, I haven’t woken up for a game this early since high school but I have to admit it was a lot of fun despite the tremendous heat. The outdoor courts being under a roof helped a little, but we were still sweating it out within 10 minutes.

After the game, our friend took us to Cheung Hong Yuen (祥香園餐廳), a local cha chaan teng just a short walk from the sports park, for breakfast.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — I learned from their Lai Chi Kok outpost that Cheung Hong Yuen always has a very strong, robust milk tea. I’ll give them that. The tea was creamy again today. A nice way to start the day for my tummy!

Butter pineapple bun (菠蘿油) — Somehow, I never had the pleasure of trying their pineapple bun. The thick slab of frozen butter was the best companion for the bun and to my surprise, it actually came with some scrambled eggs. Not bad.

Noodle soup with satay beef (沙爹牛肉麵) — The noodles were OK but the broth could have been more flavorful. The beef was a little rubbery today, but with the outstanding iced milk tea, I wasn’t complaining.

I’m starting to like the Kai Tak sports facilities more and more. And the fact that they have a dedicated mobile app for booking makes everything so much easier. Perhaps we should do more pickleball games like this from now on.

Food Rating: 5.2/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 1, G/F, Kai Yan Court, 6 Muk Lai Street, Kowloon City, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kai Tak

Tel: +852 5975-4011

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 9:30pm daily

Akita Café Lai Chi Kok 秋田冰室 荔枝角店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

The dining scene in my hood has gotten a little more exciting these days, thanks to the soft opening of Akita Café (秋田冰室) a couple of weeks ago. If you haven’t heard of it before, I hadn’t either! But once I finally did a quick background check online, I found out that the café is actually part of the same F&B group as Milk Café (牛奶冰室). Reason for excitement? 🤔🤔

Apparently, my neighbors all thought it’s worth the optimism. And the result was that the place has been full almost every night since opening. After patiently waiting things out for a few days, I finally went for the kill.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — More on the milky side. Tea flavor wasn’t pronounced but it was just rich enough to balance out the heavy condensed milk, resulting in a smooth finish.

Noodle soup with barbecued pork (叉燒湯麵) — They have a booth dedicated to their barbecued meats so of course, it would be uncivilized not to check it off the list.

I thought the broth and noodles were quite decent. The barbecued pork? Slightly disappointing. While my cut was more on the lean side, but the bigger issue was that the meat was all bunched together and not sliced into individual pieces. Not ideal!

Food Rating: 4.6/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 123, 1/F, Liberte Place, Liberte, 833 Lai Chi Kok Road, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Lai Chi Kok

Tel: +852 2698-7898

Opening Hours: 6:00am - 11:00pm daily

YLK Restaurant KOLOUR Tsuen Wan 椰林閣 千色匯店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

It looks like YLK Restaurant ("Yeh Lam Kwok Restaurant" 椰林閣) is making a comeback in 2026! In case you never heard of YLK before, it’s a classic Hong Kong-style “soy sauce Western” restaurant chain that originally gained massive popularity in the 1990s. Known for its casual, nostalgic diner atmosphere and affordable pricing, the chain is a staple of local childhood memories. It’s also famous for generous portions, especially its steak, curry dishes, and stir-fried noodles/rice.

I don’t recall ever visiting the chain as a kid (it probably wasn’t around yet). But I distinctly remember being a frequent customer when I started working in Hong Kong after the SARS outbreak. Back then, that was all I could remember about YLK.

Starting in 2026, news broke and YLK was opening new branches again in New Territories and up to this point, there were already 10 branches around town. I decided to stop by its new Tsuen Wan outpost at KOLOUR (千色匯) this afternoon, hoping to re-capture the magic.

Iced milk tea — The tea flavor was a little weak. It was close but not yet rich or robust enough.

Deep-fried chicken thigh with fried egg and rice — A cha chaan teng classic so I had to give it a shot.

The deep-fried chicken thigh itself wasn’t bad, but disappointingly, the onion sauce was poured all over it, making the crispy skin go soggy and ruining the dish almost instantly.

All in all, it was great to finally make a nostalgic return to YLK after its year-long hiatus. I really need to take a closer look at their char kway teow soon. It used to be my favorite dish around here.

Food Rating: 4.2/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 2031, 2/F, KOLOUR • Tsuen Wan I, 68 Chung On Street, Tsuen Wan, NT, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tsuen Wan

Tel: +852 6469-0422

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 9:30pm daily

Sister Wah Beef Brisket 華姐清湯腩 COCO Park 店 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I wrote about Sister Wah Beef Brisket (華姐清湯腩) opening in Shenzhen back in April after I stumbled upon its (then-future) One Avenue (卓悅中心) outpost. This new location should save diehard fans some serious headaches, considering the long queues in front of their Tin Hau (天后) flagship. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, I saw a Facebook post somewhere mentioning a certain Hong Kong mogul lining up there like us ordinary citizens. It really spoke volumes about the quality of Sister Wah — but my main question was whether they could maintain the same standard with ventures across the border.

I was running errands near Coco Park in Shenzhen this afternoon, and what I didn’t realize was that, apart from One Avenue, they were also opening another branch there. Guess I gotta find out about their beef brisket after all.

To my major disappointment, a few of their signatures were unavailable this afternoon including my favorite skirt steak (崩沙腩)!

Beef brisket in clear broth (清湯腩) — My consolation prize.

I have chosen egg noodles instead of flat noodles and it worked beautifully with the clear broth.

To my pleasant surprise, the beef brisket was much fattier than I thought. Even the meat wasn’t rough and chewy like I had first feared. Not bad.

The chilled cucumber was packed with a surprise extra kick (chili?).

Sister Wah Beef Brisket wasn’t my first choice to begin with but I was glad I unexpectedly bumped into its new location at Coco Park. Crossing it off my list didn’t even break a sweat.

Food Rating: 6.4/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: B1F COCO Park, 268 Fuhua Road 3rd, Futian, Shenzhen, China

深圳市福田区福华三路268号星河COCO Park 一期负1楼 B1

Closest Metro Station: Shopping Park (購物公園)

Tel: +86 13265884747

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/a8/14TM 

So Kee Coffee & Milk Tea 蘇記咖啡、奶茶 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

So Kee Coffee & Milk Tea (蘇記咖啡、奶茶) is a highly popular traditional Hong Kong–style stall located on the 2nd floor of the Tai Po Hui Market and Cooked Food Centre (大埔墟街市及熟食中心). It’s a favorite with locals for its exceptionally smooth milk tea and its robust ginger soup beef macaroni.

My team and I are in Tai Po for some business engagement and decided to stop by So Kee for its signature milk tea.

Once we found a table in the corner, we finally got served our iced milk tea. It was made from a custom blend of several tea leaves, and the result was incredibly silky and aromatic. Unfortunately, there wasn’t quite enough condensed milk to deliver that perfect creamy finish.

Still, it was a great moment — just enough time to enjoy a sip of tea before we got back to work.

Food Rating: 5.5/10

Price: $$

Address: Shop CFS37, 2/F, Tai Po Hui Market and Cooked Food Centre, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, NT, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tai Po Market

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 2:30pm (Tue - Sun)

Taste Four Taste 嚐 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

We enjoyed a pretty leisurely afternoon today. After a light lunch at home, we ventured over to The Hong Kong Palace Museum (香港故宮文化博物館) in the West Kowloon Cultural District, for the "Ancient Egypt Unveiled" exhibition (古埃及文明大展). It was a lot of fun.

By 4:00pm, everyone was starting to feel a little hungry, so we walked back to Elements Shopping Mall for afternoon tea at Taste Four Taste (嚐).

Taste Four Taste has been my go-to place before my day trips to Shenzhen, thanks to how walkable it is from the rapid train station. I have never come with little nugget before so it was nice to formally introduce him to this place. 

Stir-fried noodles with barbecued pork (乾炒叉燒麵) ($132) — My favorite dish and it once again had that reasonably good wok hei (鑊氣).

Steamed rice noodle rolls with blended sauce (混醬腸粉) ($30) — I remember having this when I was a kid. Back then, it used to come on a metal plate, with the same kind of paper underneath the steamed rice rolls and mixed sauces. Of course, it came straight out of the steamer and was hot enough to burn my tongue. I always enjoy it for that nostalgic feeling.

I asked this guy if he enjoyed the exhibition and he reluctantly said yes. 

I have to agree that the small collection here really wasn’t comparable to the one we saw at the Louvre Museum back in 2024.

I hope little guy still remembers that one. We had a great time there with Madame Taekwondo.

Food Rating: 6.6/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 1005-1006, 1/F, Fire Zone, ELEMENTS, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Kowloon

Tel: +852 2433-7711

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 10:00pm daily

Jing Jie Bingshi Xintiandi Plaza 兢杰冰室 新天地廣場店 (Shanghai, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

After spending the first half of our day at the Yuyuan Garden and the Bund, we finally made it to Xintiandi (新天地). Since the weather was a lot warmer than we’d expected, everyone wanted something cool and thirst-quenching. Our plan was to stop by Xintiandi Plaza (新天地廣場) for tea before we began exploring the area.

That’s when we stumbled upon Jing Jie Bingshi (兢杰冰室) in the basement. Judging by its blue-and-white color scheme, could it be the long-lost twin brother of the Ke Ming Bingshi (克茗冰室) we love so much — especially for its afternoon tea snacks?

The menu also looked remarkably similar. It was great to try a Hong Kong–style iced milk tea (凍奶茶) right here in Shanghai.

Even little nugget’s soda drink looked nearly identical.

And there were the same steamed rice rolls with peanut butter and hoisin sauce (混醬腸粉) — the ones we always enjoy at Ke Ming. I’m not usually a huge fan, but it was tasty, and it was nice to have something savory to go with my milk tea.

That was all the time we had for tea. Let's get things rolling in Xintiandi before we move onto our next destination.

Food Rating: 5/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop 32, Level B2 Xintiandi Plaza, 333 Huaihai Middle Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, China

上海市黄浦区淮海中路333号新天地广场地下二层32室

Closest Metro Station: Site of the First CPC National Congress · South Huangpi Road (一大会址·黄陂南路)

Tel: +86 15800990113

Opening Hours: 10:30am - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/29/e3iM

Right Tea-rific 威水茶檔 by Flower Drum 鋒膳 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Right Tea-rific (威水茶檔) is a modern cha chaan teng in Wan Chai, brought to us by the team behind Flower Drum (鋒膳). I’ve been intrigued by the photos of their egg tarts and pineapple bun with butter (菠蘿油) doing the rounds on social media over the past few months. With an early meeting in Wan Chai this morning, it gave the perfect excuse to drop by for a quick breakfast.

Despite the limited space, I managed to get a seat without having to share a table with a stranger.

A closer look at the menu made it clear their breakfast offering isn’t quite the usual Wan Chai tea restaurant fare. You won’t find classic satay beef noodles or that familiar instant-noodle combo with egg and luncheon meat. Instead, the lineup leans more towards polished, “classy” sandwiches and homemade bakery goods.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — The tea was pretty strong and it would likely be better off with a little more condensed milk for a smoother, rounder profile. But despite being slightly off balance, I thought I thoroughly enjoyed that tea base (茶底).

Pineapple bun with butter (菠蘿油) — Not exactly how I drew it up. I was looking for a bowl of instant noodles but when that wasn't unavailable, I improvised.

This was quite decent. If the bun was served hotter so the butter could melt a bit more — I think it would taste even better.

Flower Drum is known for its barbecued meats, so I was honestly surprised their menu doesn’t feature a few of its signature items like char siu. Adding those would likely make the fans very happy.

P.S.  There’s no breakfast set served here, ladies and gentlemen. It’s à la carte only.

Food Rating: 5.8/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop D, G/F, Harvard Commercial Building, 105-111 Thomson Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Wan Chai

Tel: +852 6805-1818

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 4:00pm daily

Jervois Cafe Sheung Wan 蘇杭冰室 上環店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I am back to Jervois Cafe (蘇杭冰室) for my favorite deep-fried chicken leg (生炸雞脾) this afternoon.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — As usual, I started with a glass of iced milk tea. The tea was again very smooth and velvety, with deep tea flavors.

Deep-fried chicken thigh and scrambled egg over rice (生炸雞髀炒蛋 配飯) — This beloved street-food staple features a thick-breaded piece of chicken thigh and drumstick, served alongside a serving of runny scrambled eggs. It’s finished off nicely with a homemade sweet soy. Pretty solid!

It's always nice to be back in Sheung Wan for this. Now time to go back to work.

Food Rating: 5.4/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 3 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Sheung Wan

Tel: +852 2352-7778

Opening Hours: 7:30am - 9:00pm daily

Chee Kei Lucky Star 池記幸運星 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

People have been talking for years about the decline of the local F&B industry, and how even century-old institutions haven’t been able to survive. Thankfully, there are still plenty of good cafés and restaurants that stay alive and kicking, and Chee Kei Lucky Star (池記幸運星) is one of those reliable ones we can always count on.

On our recent visits, though, the quality (of a few signature dishes) had noticeably slipped. Still, I thought it was the best option for our afternoon tea in Causeway Bay this afternoon.

Iced milk tea (凍奶茶) — The iced milk tea was still reliably good. The tea flavor came through nicely, and there was definitely enough milk for a lovely balance.

Wonton noodles (雲吞麵) — I’ve always been a fan of their pineapple bun with butter and noodle soup with brisket, but this afternoon, I decided to go with something simpler — a bowl of wonton noodles.

This was pretty good: the noodles had a nice bite, and the wontons were packed with wonderful flavor. I also loved the generous dusting of savory, dried shrimp roe adding an umami-rich boost to the whole dish.

But it really was the tale of two cities. Jelloman and little one both felt that the beef brisket wasn’t quite up to what it used to be, and that the bread didn’t feel as fresh as before.

So… does this mean another cafe will soon land on our black list?

Food Rating: 5.6/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 1-3 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Causeway Bay

Tel: +852 2886-1683

Opening Hours: 7:30am - 11:00pm daily

3.3 Cafe Maritime Square 三點三冰室 青衣城店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

We didn't do much on Chinese New Year day. Jelloman and I started the day with a movie, leaving little nugget a moment to play with his grandparents before we regrouped for a family gathering at almost 2pm. After some quality time with the older folks, it was time to head home.

This was when little nugget felt hungry and asked for afternoon tea. I don't blame him really. We ordered way too few dim sum for lunch and everyone probably didn't have enough to eat.

So, we sat down at 3.3 Cafe (三點三冰室) at Maritime Square (青衣城). I thought it was a little heavy having noodle soup with satay beef at this hour. Dinner wasn't far off.

While my son was enjoying his noodles, I was busy generating a new year greeting image for the year of the Horse. It took me a while to get things going but I thought I was getting the hang of it at last.

Price: $$$

Address: Shop G24-G25, G/F, Maritime Square 1, 31-33 Tsing King Road, Tsing Yi, NT, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Tsing Yi

Tel: +852 2762-9818

Opening Hours: 8:00am - 9:30pm daily 

Honolulu Coffee Shop Wanchai 檀島咖啡餅店 灣仔總店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

I was having my routine visit to Honolulu Coffee Shop (檀島咖啡餅店) in Wanchai and didn't realize that it could very well be my last chance to bid farewell to this 80-year-old café (News on their closure only broke a couple of days after my meal).

They still serve one of my favorite iced milk teas (凍奶茶) in Hong Kong — creamy with robust tea flavors yet not overly rich.

Most lunch sets were already sold out, except for the stir-fried rice noodles with smooth eggs and shrimp (滑蛋蝦仁炒河), which was pretty decent.

This should be my last meal here before they officially close down in March. It's such a pity that our kids won't be able to experience some of these old institutions anymore.

Food Rating: 5.2/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, 176-178 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Wanchai

Tel: +852 2575-1823

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 10:00pm daily

Cheung Hong Yuen Lai Chi Kok 祥香園餐廳 荔枝角店 (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★☆☆

Cheung Hong Yuen (祥香園餐廳) is a local cha chaan teng that has been around since 1967. When I first heard about their new branch taking over the space vacated by Swiss Cafe (瑞士咖啡室) in Lai Chi Kok, I was pretty excited about it.

However, after two quick visits last July, I was left a little disappointed.

As a storied local tea restaurant, they offer a decent iced milk tea, which I thought was essential for survival in this business. But the food menu? A bit sad.

It's been almost six months since my last visit so I'm here to check out their satay beef noodle soup, a Hong Kong classic. Perhaps I didn't do it justice by ordering a rich tomato broth to go with the satay beef. But yes, the whole thing was weird.

The runny scrambled eggs and ham were fine.

This was what I really wanted to talk about. Ever since Dubai chocolate was invented a few years ago, many restaurants, cafés, and confectioneries around the world have put their own spin on it. How about this effort by Cheung Hong Yuen? Adding Dubai chocolate to their butter pineapple bun (菠蘿油). I thought this was kind of cool! 😄😄

Food Rating: 4.5/10

Price: $$$

Address: G/F, Fast Industrial Building, 658 Castle Peak Road, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Lai Chi Kok

Tel: +852 3971-0260

Opening Hours: 7:00am - 6:00pm (Mon - Sat)