Hong Kong is an exciting place to visit. As a centre of commerce and culture, it’s effectively the New York City of south east Asia. That analogy also extends to its food scene – like the Big Apple, Hong Kong is home to a fascinating range of dishes, many of which are traditional Chinese dishes. In fact, people often travel for miles to eat at Hong Kong restaurants.
However, some of the dishes on the menu are enough to give even the most open-minded foodies the heebie jeebies. If you enjoy sampling unusual foods when you travel, read on to discover six of the weirdest items you’ll find on the menu at Hong Kong restaurants. Whether you’ve only got a two-day Hong Kong itinerary or you’re planning on sticking around for a little longer, make sure you add these weird and wacky foods to your bucket list – and be sure to check out my post on how to apply for a visa for Hong Kong before you book your trip.
1) Bird’s Nest Soup
Asia is known for its soups, which can contain everything from hot, savoury noodles to slices of marinated, fragrant pork. They can also get pretty weird at times. Bird’s Nest Soup is a prime example of this – whoever thought you could turn swiftlet spit into an edible dish?
You read that right: the saliva of a common bird to the Hong Kong area is the primary ingredient in a soup that also contains chicken broth. Despite the name of this dish, it doesn’t actually contain anything that came from a bird’s nest. In fact, the dish gets its name from the fact that swiftlets use spit to bind the walls of their nest together.
After making your way through this dish like a champ, you’ll likely feel accomplished enough to head back to your hotel for the night. When you do, know that there are plenty of entertainment options to keep you interested until it’s time to nod off.
Internet gaming sites can be a fun choice, especially if you don’t fancy leaving your hotel room – with games ranging from craps to roulette to baccarat, you never not what you might win – just be responsible and don’t get tempted to part with too much of your hard-earned cash all at once. Always be sure to compare internet gaming providers on a website such as this one before parting with any money.
2) The 1,000-year-old egg
The name sounds unbelievable, but once you see a so-called 1,000 year old egg up close, you’ll understand why it was given its name. Served as a delicacy in many Hong Kong restaurants, this is actually a duck and/or quail egg that has been buried underneath a mixture of sand, clay, and salt for a couple months.
After that period of time, the so-called 1000-year-old egg takes on its trademark appearance, scaring away all but those in the know. Pungent-smelling and an acquired taste, if you manage to summon the bravery to consume one and keep it down, many locals may very well consider you an honorary Hong Konger for doing so!
3) Chicken feet
Chicken is as vanilla a food as you can get around the world, yet somehow, Hong Kong has found a way to create an unusual dish from this garden variety farm animal. Chicken feet look alien and they seem to lack edible flesh, yet many locals will happily buy and snack on them on their way home from work.
Buy some along with them, and you’ll be guaranteed to gag more than a few times on the cartilage, but the crispy skin is the real treasure – tear it off with your teeth, and you’ll enjoy a treat that few of your friends can ever brag about having.
4) Sea slugs
Tropical in nature, the oceans around Hong Kong are home to a wide variety of marine life. Over the years, the people of this territory have made full use of everything caught up in the nest of their fishers – even sea slugs are eaten here. Yes, even a creature that resembles everybody’s least-favourite garden pest (in ocean form) finds its way onto the dinner plates of some.
I’ve heard that they taste and feel exactly how you would expect them to be – slimy, slippery, and definitely not like any common meat you’ve tried before. If you decide to be brave and try this delicacy, have it fried and drown it in sauce – for your own sake!
5) Deep-fried pork intestines
The ancestors of the current residents of Hong Kong didn’t just try to eat any creature or plant they could find, they also made the most of each body structure in said life forms. For example, you’ll find vendors selling every part of a pig as you walk the streets of Hong Kong, including intestines.
Fortunately, many choose to eat intestines dish deep-fried; there’s just something about breading that makes food easier to eat. Fried in 1,000-year oil and served on a skewer, it’s not surprising that it has a strong taste, so prepare to reach for the hoisin sauce if you hope to polish off the whole thing!
6) Pig blood curd
Hong Kong’s love affair with the pig extends to soups – however, there’s a lot more on offer than lovely concoctions like pork bone soup. They really do like to make the most of every part of the animal and as you wander the city, you’ll find Hong Kong restaurants that actually use pig’s blood to make a soup-like dish known as Pig Blood Curd.
Pig Blood Curd is made by hydrating congealed pig’s blood and adding salt, sugar, and sliced-up 1,000-year-old egg for good measure. If you can slurp back even have a bowl, you’ll earn the undying respect of the locals.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? Would you be apprehensive about ordering strange dishes at Hong Kong restaurants? I once got served ants in a restaurant in London, although I couldn’t bring myself to actually eat them!
I am a vegan and when i went to Hong Kong and Far East a couple of years back, I had a difficult time. It’s a paradise though who relish sea food!
I’m not sure how I’d get on with it. I like experimenting with different foods – to an extent. I like seafood but I’m squeamish about certain kinds of shellfish.
I never though I’d be saying pig intestines look to be the most appetising dish!
If I really had to pick one to try, I think it might be the chicken feet. They sound gross but perhaps they’d be okay if they were really crispy…
Alligator is the oddest thing I have eaten, it was like rubber. I would not want to try any of these to be honest, but I would love to watch someone else try them.
Haha – it would be more fun to watch someone else try them first, I agree.
Oh gosh! What a list. After a few odd things, in Hong Kong I decided to play it safe with a burger. They deep fried the bun!
I was once served a grilled piranha in Seoul. Teeth and all…
Wow, I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like!
how funny I watch the travel station and have seen some of these things. I love seafood so I would try any of what you may say is strange the stranger the better! looks great!
I love trying new foods too, not sure I could stomach some of these though, haha.
Not sure I’d be able to try any of these but love this round up!
I know, I’m not sure I could stomach most of these foods either, haha!
I’ve eaten weird stuff in my lifetime but there are some things I just can’t bring myself to trying! Pig blood curds is one of them… lol I hear the chicken feet are full of collagen which keeps you looking young. Maybe that’s their secret to looking so good?!
Haha, maybe! They say beauty comes at a price!
Yup, accidentally ordered chicken feet in Hong Kong once.
Haha – did you realise before you ate them?!
I once ate sweet potato and white chocolate in a Dark Restaurant in Poland and I thought I was eating melted cheese!
One of my friends is travelling in Hong Kong at the mo so I’ve just shared this article with her 😀
Ah wow, that sounds unusual haha! Yet not quite as yucky as some of these foods. Hope your friend enjoys the read! Thanks 🙂
I’m really not brave when it comes to trying new and weird sounding foods but this has intrigued me more than I expected! 🙂
I’m the same. I once got served ant fudge in a wild food restaurant in Covent Garden, London and I couldn’t even bring myself to try those! I would probably go hungry in Hong Kong, haha.
eeek Not sure I could bring myself to try most of these! I once ate a fried cricket in cambodia though! I wrote an article about weirdest foods worldwide but I would say hongkong is def up there with some of the weirdest!
Gosh, that is brave Leanne – I’m not sure I could stomach it!