I hear this this restaurant along South Wall Road isn't easy to get to, but Chong Fat Chiu Chow Restaurant is worth every dollar when you taste its crab dishes or its sek-làu-gài (chicken wrapped in egg-white sacs). Chiu Chow cuisine came form the Chaozhou in eastern Guangdong.

 What is Hong Kong cuisine without Dim Sum? This delicacy is not just a food but a window into the local culture. Most Dim Sum restaurants are noisy and busy with waiters scurrying around with trolleys of fresh, steaming hot Dim Sum. Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui is a good place to savour this local delight. While there, make sure you order the exquiste cold pigeon in wine, and the crispy fried eels.

Another great Dim Sum place is Shu Zhai along Stanley Main Street. I hear their Braised Mandarin Fish with vermicelli in salty sauce is a popular favourite. This waterfront site is also a big draw for a breezy, afternoon lunch.

 

Yet another Dim Sum restaurant to try is Yung Kee Restaurant in Central. This eatery has been around for a long time, a proof of its reputation as the most famous Cantonese restaurant in Central. Besides serving succulent dim sum, the other signature dish is their roast goose. And this is the first Hong Kong restaurant I hear that farms its own geese for quality control. (Anyone knows another? Email me)

Of course, Hong Kong cuisine is not just about dim sum. You can try some Korean food at Arirang in Tsim Sha Tsui. Expect the usual barbecues but look out for their delicious hotpot dishes. This is also a great place if I ever need a bargain set lunch.

If you love Japanese food like me, you will want to eat at Nobu Restaurant but be prepared to splurge a little. I hear this luxury dining place attracts even Hollywood stars whenever they're in town. Must-trys are their tirado (scallop, white fish, live octopus or razor clam) with tangy lime sauce. Delectable. Also order their black cod saikyo yaki (black cod in sweet miso soup).

Who can resist succulent Beijing Duck even when on a diet? The crispiest Peking duck can be found at Spring Deer Restaurant. Don't be fooled by their name. They say this is the most famous Peking restaurant in town.

If those spicy, hot and sour Thai cuisine is what you crave for, head down to Kowloon City for a choice of Thai restaurants. If a fulll house is anything to go by, then Friendship Thai Food must be a hot favourite; it's almost always filled with Thai domestics.

Or try Golden Orchid Thai even you want to avoid the crowd. It's pricier than Friendship Thai, but I hear the food is lip-smacking excellent.

And what if you craving comes when most Thai restaurants are shut for the day? I've found what you need at Wong Chun Thai Restaurant. With their longer opening hours, this 3-storey eatery is definitely on my list of late-night haunts.

One of my favourite sounds is that of hot noodles being slurped up by hungry diners. So  Man Fai Restauarant at Causeway Bay is on my list. Soak up the noodle-house atmosphere as you sit elbow to elbow with other noodle lovers. Must-trys are their signature squid balls or beef balls, in a variety of noodles. And the same goes for their crispy fish skin and seaweed.