Reflections on Returning to Hong Kong
After 22 years, I left Hong Kong for good in the summer of 2021. In the car to the airport, I made sure to look out of the window, desperate to hold onto everything I saw—the jagged skyline, the silent green hills, the shifting blue-green sea. We were post-National Security Law and in the midst of the pandemic; I did not know when I would return.
I shan’t go into all the reasons why I decided to leave (I’ve written about some of my feelings about this elsewhere), but saying goodbye to a place that has felt like home after more than two decades is tough. Yet, I also knew I was ready for a new beginning, that Hong Kong as it was changing was no longer a refuge. It’s funny how you know these things. You half-sense this in your quieter moments, even as the familiarity of your everyday world seems to hold you in place, telling you not to budge, not to venture into the unknown.
I did not return till 2023. It was a great trip. I caught up with friends, visited old haunts, tried new eateries, and checked out new up-and-coming spaces. I felt like a wide-eyed visitor, an excited tourist, and the sadness that had dogged me in the past whenever I thought of Hong Kong and its political situation was gone. Even though I kept a close eye on developments in the city throughout the pandemic, being out of Hong Kong had opened up a gulf that protected me emotionally from the changes being wrought by external forces. There was some wistfulness as I saw a few signs of how Hong Kong had altered, but there was also a resigned acceptance that this was the path Hong Kong was now on. There was little I could do to change this. I just hoped that some of the essential elements of the city would not disappear completely.
I’m not sure I can do justice to all the complexities of what I felt. It was wonderful to return and feel as if the Hong Kong I knew was (mostly) still there and it made me very glad. But I also could feel my distance to this place I once called home. I had no urge to sink my roots back into this city. There was nothing pulling me back. I had indeed moved on. I would always look forward to returning for a visit, but my Hong Kong chapter had closed.
One of the joys of returning to Hong Kong is getting to sample its amazing Cantonese cuisine! This trip I found two places (and one honourable mention) that are going onto my list of regulars:
Eight Treasures Beef Brisket Soup
This is a classic Cantonese soup, which I grew to love in my time in Hong Kong. It’s a brothy bowl of beefy goodness, spiced with star anise and medicinal herbs, and sweetened with chunks of daikon. You can choose which cut of brisket you prefer and choose to have the soup with either rice or noodles. I’d also recommend ordering a side of parboiled chive greens to round off your meal. Given how humble a joint Eight Treasures is, you’d be surprised by the prices. It’s not the cheapest beef brisket soup around, but they don’t use any MSG and the broth is deeply flavoured and restorative.
This is Cantonese food cooked with premium ingredients and executed with a delicacy you would expect from a Japanese kaiseki chef. The flavours are clean, light, and pure. For lunch, the kitchen turns out refined cha chanteng classics (think char siu rice and battered garoupa slices in sweet corn sauce on rice). The char siu was one of the best I’ve had in Hong Kong—meaty but tender, nicely barbecued, and not too sweet—and I would very happily go back to eat this again. The soup of the day that comes with the lunch set was a truly outstanding clear broth. The dinner menu is more elaborate and fancier. You’ll need a small group to share dishes with to make it worth your while. Bookings are essential. Flower Drum is expensive, so go for lunch (still expensive but it’s rather more affordable and portions are generous) if you are watching your budget.
Honourable mention
Basehall 1 & 2, Jardine House, Central
There are days when you are running out of ideas as to where to eat or you are too tired to make a special trip to some far-flung place for a meal. What you need is a foodcourt that brings together a number of trendy HK eateries. Basehall 1 & 2 in the heart of Central is exactly what you are looking for! Prices are much higher than your average foodcourt, but the vendors here have been carefully curated for quality, so you should be getting your money's worth. I really liked An Soy's mapo tofu noodles and fermented soy cheesecake, but since I can't seem to find them on Basehall's tenant list anymore, they may have closed their doors. Mashi no Mashi is a solid wagyu-ramen joint, though I personally prefer their donburi (you taste the wagyu better with rice I feel). The Kamcentre Roast Goose stall in Basehall 2 is an offshoot of a famous siumei (roast meats) place in Causeway Bay. Honbo, a popular local burger place in Wanchai, also has an outpost in Basehall 1.
