‘I have to have my dim sum’: where a hip hop artist in Hong Kong goes for yum cha, and where he takes guests for cafe classics like pork chop rice

Indonesia-born Julius Brian Siswojo (aka JBS) loves his native cuisine, but hasn’t found restaurants in Hong Kong that can beat his Jakarta favourites

In his adopted city, he prefers dim sum and casual food from cha chaan teng, and follows his food-loving brother’s recommendations for fine Chinese cuisine

Reading Time:2 minutes

Beefsteak, borscht, vegetables and Hong Kong milk tea at Red Tea Cafe in Kwun Tong. For cha chaan teng (Hong Kong diner) food “this place is the bomb!” says Julius Brian Siswojo. Photo: courtesy of Instagram

Published: 5:15pm, 30 Nov 2022Updated: 12:49pm, 13 Jun 2023

Indonesia-born Julius Brian Siswojo (aka JBS) is an actor, owner of skateboard shop 8Five2 and member of Hong Kong pioneering hip hop crew 24Herbs. He spoke to Andrew Sun.

I am an all-round food-loving person but I would say Indonesian food is one of my all-time favourite cuisines. I’ve cut out beef since 2010 and, in 2015, decided to become a pescatarian.

I would say Vivant (8-10 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2952 2766) is definitely one of the best restaurants in Hong Kong. Easily, it’s in my top five favourite restaurants. The ambience is nice, kind of chill, but the most important thing is the taste of the food. All the dishes are great. I highly recommend them.

I don’t drink, but I will highly recommend Tenju Bar (Shop 2, UG/F, 10-12 Observatory Court, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 9450 6477) for booze. They have a great selection of Japanese shochu.

Charred squid with tonnato sauce at Vivant⁠. Photo: Instagram/@vivant.hk

The interior of Tenju Bar. Photo: Facebook/@Tenju.bar

From time to time, I have to have my dim sum. My previous go-to places have now closed so I go to Tao Heung (various locations including 5/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 8300 8162) or East Ocean (15/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2827 9938); both are familiar banquet hall restaurants in Hong Kong.