Fusion

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For a city that has been a crossroads of cultures since its inception, it is no wonder that Hong Kong’s kitchens fuse the flavours of different countries and regions. In the colonial period, people arrived in Hong Kong from all over China bringing their regional styles of cooking with them and later blending them together. Then Chinese chefs started adding soy sauce to European dishes, creating a new discipline known as Soy Sauce Western. From here the innovations multiplied and created the culinary capital of Asia, where you can taste fusion flavours everywhere from street market stalls to the molecular cuisine of creative chefs.

What to order?

Fusion cuisine is found high and low in Hong Kong – even places that don’t specialise in fusion will blend styles in some of their dishes. Here are some hot picks!

Sichuan Spicy Chicken

The chicken is based on a cold appetizer from Sichuan cuisine but is rendered tender by employing the infusion technique of Hainan chicken rice. From here, the chef draws inspiration from other Chinese cooking styles by adding a Cantonese preserved egg, some Shanghai bean jelly and Sichuan-style searing hot sauce.

Recommended by Jacky Yu, chef, restaurateur, author, food critic and owner of private kitchen Xi Yan Hong Kong.

Order it at Xi Yan Hong Kong:

Xi Yan Hong Kong

Address:	3/F, 83 Wanchai Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island
Tel:	+852 2575 6966
Price:	Sichuan Spicy Chicken $458 for 10-12 servings
How to get there:	MTR Wan Chai Station Exit A3

Stir-fried Noodles with Beef in Swiss Sauce

The ‘Swiss’ sauce refers to a sweetened soy sauce. It is believed that a language mix-up resulted in a customer hearing ‘sweet’ as ‘Swiss’ and somehow the name has stuck, despite the sauce having no connection with Switzerland whatsoever.

Recommended by food columnist and radio show host Michael Lam.

Order it at Tai Ping Koon Restaurant:

Stir-fried Noodles with Beef in Swiss Sauce

Tai Ping Koon Restaurant

Address:	40 Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel:	+852 2721 3559
Price:	Stir-fried Noodles with Beef in Swiss Sauce $90
How to get there:	MTR Tsim Sha Tsui Station Exit B2, walk down Cameron Road, turn left to Carnarvon Road and make a right on Granville Road.

Baked Cheese Cake with Egg White and Milk

This dessert has two inspirations -- Western cheese cake and local double-layer egg pudding. It has a creamy texture and rich milky flavours.

Winner of Gold with Distinction Award in the Dim Sum Category at the 2011 Best of the Best Culinary Awards (as part of an ensemble that also included a steamed shrimp dumpling and a deep-fried mashed taro dumpling).

Order it at U-banquet:

Baked Cheese Cake with Egg White and Milk

U-banquet

Address:	1F, Pioneer Centre, 750 Nathan Road, Prince Edward, Kowloon
Tel:	+852 2811 1983
Website:	http://www.u-banquetgroup.com
Price:	Baked Cheese Cake with Egg White and Milk $58/set
How to get there:	MTR Prince Edward Station Exit B2, walk along Sai Yeung Choi Street South for about three to five minutes.

Seared Garoupa Fillet Stuffed with Fish Maw in Truffle Sauce and Layered Custard

The bottom layer is a soup of pure egg whites, while the middle and top layers of egg whites are mixed with Chinese amaranth and carrot juice.

Winner of a Gold with Distinction Award in the Seafood Category of the 2010 Best of the Best Culinary Awards

Order it at Yue:

Seared Garoupa Fillet Stuffed with Fish Maw in Truffle Sauce and Layered Custard

Yue

Address:	1/F, City Garden Hotel, 9 City Garden Road, North Point, Hong Kong Island
Tel:	+852 2806 4918
Price:	Seared Garoupa Fillet Stuffed with Fish Maw in Truffle Sauce and Layered Custard $75
How to get there:	MTR Fortress Hill Station Exit B, walk along King’s Road and turn onto Power Street.

What they say

“In Hong Kong today, apart from the mix and match between each of the main Chinese cuisines, the most common and popular cuisine is a fusion of Chinese, Japanese and Thai flavours.”

Jacky Yu, chef, restaurateur, author and food critic. Yu runs a private kitchen called Xi Yan Hong Kong, has published five books of his own recipes, hosted food TV programmes, written a food column, and taught cooking classes.

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