Chicken Egg Boy founder’s top Hong Kong food spots, from dim sum to sandwiches
Natalie Lau reveals her favourite restaurants and snack shops in the city, including where she goes for street food and a floating feast
Twenty-year-old entrepreneur Natalie Lau is the founder of Chicken Egg Boy, which serves her popular pineapple bun egg waffle creation. She speaks to Andrew Sun.
My father loves wining and dining, from fine dining to street food, but he looks for quality in everything. For him, a street stall doing one thing perfectly is just as enjoyable as a three-Michelin-star kitchen.
That mindset stuck, which is why I founded Chicken Egg Boy (Shop 2, G/F, Nam Wo Hong Building, 148 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan. Tel: 3428 3881), to put my own spin on the Hong Kong flavours I grew up with.
I was lucky enough to host our pineapple bun egg waffle workshop at the live jazz club Cafe Carlyle, in the member club Carlyle & Co (Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui). The art, ambience and work culture all left an impression on me. It has a brasserie that offers Western and Chinese delicacies all day.
For traditional yum cha, Luk On Kui (40-50 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2156 9328) still has trolley dim sum. The noise and chaotic energy add to it as a living piece of Hong Kong’s history.
I appreciate the innovative fusion of chef Vicky Lau’s Tate Dining Room (210 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan. Tel: 9468 2172). Her creative use of local ingredients, like fermented bean curd butter with brioche, really works. The atmosphere is luxurious yet cosy, and the service is flawless without ever feeling intrusive.
For a quick bite, I like the crispy grilled ham and cheese sandwich with spicy sauce from Ah… Tak Tuck Shop (Booth 1, Hong Kong Observation Wheel, 33 Man Kwong Street, Central). When we ran a booth during the Clockenflap music festival, the owner kindly brought us some of the treats and they were incredible.