Eat your way through Hong Kong at its Wine & Dine Festival
Don't miss the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, celebrating it's 10th birthday this year
Food tourists seeking inspiration should look to Hong Kong next month because the popular Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival returns for its 10th edition.
The event, organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, will be held from Oct 25 to 28. There will be 450 booths, stretching from the Central Harbourfront Event Space to Tamar Park, and there is also a Singapore connection.
At its 10-Michelin-starred Dinner, 10 Michelin-starred chefs will present their dishes at the Tasting Room.
Five of these chefs are from China and Hong Kong and will be cooking alongside five visiting chefs, among them chef Kentaro Chen of Shisen Hanten, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant at the Mandarin Orchard hotel.
The others include French chef Pierre Gagnaire of two-Michelin-starred Pierre in Hong Kong, and chef Lin Cheng Ching, Chinese executive chef of The Guest House, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Taiwan.
Another highlight is the International Street Eats zone, which is basically a buffet of international food found in Hong Kong.
Try the Korean street snacks and tacos from Bib n Hops, a popular Korean casual dining chain in Hong Kong.
You will also be able to eat a bowl of noodles from Taiwan's Jiu-Wu Beef Noodles.
If you start missing home, there is our very own Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Coffee culture is growing in Hong Kong, so a visit to the Coffee Fiesta zone is a must.
You will find the trendiest coffee and pastry shops here, including Coco Espresso and Alice Wild - Luscious.
The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2018 is a ticketed event, with entry starting from HK$30 ($5.20).
But if you are a tourist flying into Hong Kong on Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific, register for a pass that will get you one free admission plus tokens for food and wine. Go to discoverhongkong.com/WineDineFestival for details.
After you have visited the festival, take some time to explore the rest of Hong Kong.
You can head to Sham Shui Po for its legendary street food.
The district is a sight to behold. On one side, it is like stepping into an 80s Cantonese TV series. On the other, you are in the middle of street art and hipsters.
The energy is infectious. You will probably feel a need to tear through the crowd, eating up anything in the path.
One of the most famous brands is one we know, Tim Ho Wan. A few of its dishes just did not translate when it ended up in Singapore, so check it out for the original taste.
The always crowded Kung Wo Beancurd Factory has a 60-year history and serves anything bean curd - from drinks to deep-fried tofu.
The bean curd is smooth and creamy, but surprisingly light. Buy extra.
While I am not a fan of the dense sticky cake at Kwan Kee Store, I am clearly in the minority because business is bustling.
A holiday in Hong Kong is just not complete without a visit to a cha chaan teng, and since the queues at Tsui Wah in Singapore are still madness, you can just pop into any of its many outlets in Hong Kong for a cup of tea and bowl of macaroni.
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