Chicken rice, milk tea, pasta, cake: a Hakka daughter’s go-to restaurants in Hong Kong

Born to a Hakka mum, Michelle Chu recommends a place that serves chicken rice, a cafe for macaroni in soup, and a special Italian restaurant

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Cheung Hing Coffee Shop in Happy Valley, with its Hong Kong cafe-style dishes, is one of Michelle Chu’s favourite places to eat in the city. Photo: Instagram/@maru_seki

Andrew Sun

Published: 12:45pm, 28 Jun 2024

Michelle Chu is the design director of Tai Ping Carpets Asia. She spoke to Andrew Sun.

I grew up surrounded by food at home. My mum, grandmothers and aunts are all very good at cooking, so delicious home cooking is a big part of my childhood memories.

My mum is Hakka so her recipes adapted many Hakka accents – pickled cabbage pork stew, savoury salted chicken, stuffed tofu, fish cakes. I especially love the chewy texture of steamed rice cakes.

Apart from Hakka food, Shanghainese, Korean and Malaysian are also high on my list. Sabah Malaysian Cuisine (Shop 1, Pao Woo Mansion, 177-179 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 5922 2218) is where I go if I crave a bowl of laksa and a nice sip of teh tarik (pulled milk tea).

My husband first took me there in its old location. We are both Malaysian-food lovers. It’s a joy to enjoy such authentic chicken rice, nasi lemak, chapatti and bak kut teh.

Laksa from Sabah Malaysian Cuisine. Photo: Instagram/@yuko.sekido

I also love Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng, especially those with a heritage background. Cheung Hing Coffee Shop (9-11 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley. Tel: 2572 5097) is one I always go with my son after his football training. The old-style interior was the thing that caught my eye.