Avid food lover and globetrotter Enrica Tong started documenting her food journey on Instagram (instagram.com/enricatong) during the Covid-19 pandemic. She spoke to Andrew Sun.
My parents always taught me to be open-minded with food.
“You should always try something to know whether you like it or not,” they said. I have always kept that attitude. Now, I appreciate good ingredients, just as my mom, who’s a great cook, does.
If I am not meeting friends, I prefer simple eats for lunch, like a bowl of noodle soup. My favourite spot is Sun Cheong Ming (22 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, tel: 2573 7855) where I go for a bowl of cuttlefish ball rice noodles with curry beef brisket and tendons, plus extra scallions and ice lemon tea. Do add a scoop of their house-made chilli sauce.
Flower Drum (Shop B, 2/F, Linway Court, 69-71 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, tel: 6382 9826) is another option for a casual noodle or rice set, with a nice bowl of long boiled soup called “Sir Tang soup”. It’s honeydew melon, chicken and conch.
The soup was created by the chef’s father in homage to philanthropist Sir Tang Shiu Kin’s kindness saving the life of a restaurant staff member.
I love this place, as the chef and owner, Nansen Lai, has extensive knowledge and is meticulous about ingredients.
I don’t mind late suppers so often I try Vivant (8-10 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2952 2766) around 9pm for a bite and a few glasses of wine. You may still need to wait a bit, as this is a small restaurant.
I would take visitors to Genuine Lamma Hilton Fishing Village Restaurant (Lot 584, Sok Kwu Wan, Lamma Island, tel: 2982 8220) for seafood, where they can have a brisk walk around, then chill out at the restaurant and eat the local seafood. You can enjoy your food and wine at the seaside with the sea breeze for the whole afternoon.
Overseas, I highly recommend Asador Etxebarri (San Juan Plaza, 1, 48291 Axpe Achondo, San Sebastian, Spain, tel: +34 946 58 30 42). It’s destination dining, as the experience includes driving all the way up the mountain. It’s nothing fancy, but I was really impressed how they take barbecue to another level. It’s a heaven for wine lovers as well. You will end up eating and drinking till dawn.