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For foodies seeking culinary delights in Kowloon City, Chiu Chow cuisine is an excellent choice. Nicknamed ‘Little Chiu Chow’, this area offers traditional dishes like marinated goose, oyster pancakes, sweet and sour noodles and Chiu Chow desserts that will satisfy any palate.
Fong Chong-kuen, the owner of the famous Hop Shing Dessert, shares insights into the vibrant Chiu Chow culture in Kowloon City.
Chiu Chow-Style Hungry Ghost Festival
The Hungry Ghost Festival, or Yu Lan Festival, is a key Chiu Chow celebration recognised as part of Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage. Fong explains, “For us Chiu Chow people, this festival is very important. We worship our ‘brethren’ (spirits), perform ritual operas, burn paper offerings and distribute food.”
Legend has it that the festival originated from a plague, prompting residents to use drums and gongs to drive away the epidemic. The celebration includes rituals with deities and a charity auction featuring wine, statues, decorations and small household appliances, showcasing Kowloon City's unique cultural heritage.
Must-Try Chiu Chow Food in Kowloon City
Kowloon City is renowned for its authentic Chiu Chow cuisine. Here is a list to guide your culinary exploration:
In this culinary journey, you will discover that braised dishes are a staple in Chiu Chow cuisine. Typical examples include sliced goose, duck, cuttlefish, pork, pig ears, pig intestines, pig blood and tofu.
In addition to braised dishes, cold dishes are also commonplace. Locals often steam seafood marinated with salt and serve it cold. Popular options include cold red crabs and mullets, typically accompanied by Puning yellow bean sauce, which imparts a fresh and savoury flavour that beautifully complements the seafood.
Delightful Chiu Chow Desserts
Top off your Chiu Chow culinary quest with iconic hot desserts. Pan-fried noodles served with sugar and vinegar is a distinctive dish not to be missed. These vibrant orange noodles are served hot and arranged in a pancake-like layer, fried crispy on one side. When sprinkled with sugar and dark vinegar, the sweet and sour flavours balance the mild saltiness typical of Chiu Chow cuisine.
Another speciality is deep-fried taro tossed with sugar, where the crunchy sweetness contrasts delightfully with the starchy softness of the taro, creating a harmonious blend of textures and flavours.
Other traditional Chiu Chow desserts include sweet soups crafted from mung beans, barley, black glutinous rice, lily bulbs and potato starch cubes. Originally created for Chiu Chow labourers, these treats were once very sweet and starch-heavy; today, the sugar level is significantly reduced to suit modern tastes.
Quintessential Chiu Chow Snacks
To find these signature dishes, renowned Chiu Chow restaurants in Kowloon City, such as Lok Hau Fook Restaurant, Sun Shing Chiu Chow Restaurant and Hop Shing Dessert are excellent choices.
Want something in smaller portions? Try the pork or cuttlefish balls from Wong Ming Kee, or prawn or crab rolls from Chong Fat Chiu Chow Restaurant.
Chiu Chow Grocery Shopping
For snacks, visit Chiu Fat Grocery Store, where you can find triangular Chiu Chow rice cakes filled with chives, peanuts, or red beans. The store also offers a wide variety of Chiu Chow speciality groceries, like preserved vegetables, seafood, smoked duck, ginger sweets and olives.
During the Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn festivals, traditional Chiu Chow mooncakes and rice dumplings are also available.
Cultural Legacies Live On
Over the years, Kowloon City has established itself as home to the Chiu Chow and Thai communities, forming a unique cultural identity in Hong Kong.
With the imminent redevelopment of Kowloon City, Fong has witnessed dozens of Chiu Chow shops closing or relocating. Yet he firmly believes that the Chiu Chow spirit remains deeply rooted in the neighbourhood. Food evokes memories, and festivals serve as a reminder of their Chiu Chow identity. As long as the younger generation continues to uphold these traditions, their culture will be preserved.
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