Hong Kong - Still Worth Visiting?
I popped down to HK for a few days because my mother was there as part of her annual break from being a housewife in London and because the flight from Shanghai was a mere 1186 RMB return on Cathay Pacific.
It used to be that I, along with thousands of other mainland residents would invade HK at every opportunity in order to take advantage of the cheap shopping. But how things have changed in a few short years. It wasn't long ago that angry HK residents referred to mainlanders as locusts, descending on the territory en masse and upsetting the locals by buying up everything they could lay their hands on from infant milk formula to Louis Vuitton handbags. By contrast, HK seems quieter now. Prices are less attractive and it's now more common for Hong Kongers to head north to the mainland to take advantage of lower prices for everything from massages to tailored clothing. But having said that, HK for me will always be special as it is the birthplace of my mother and the first place in Asia I lived when I left the UK (I took the above photo in 1998 when I was still living in HK).
HK has gotten quite expensive. A met some friends at Falcone in IFC Central (part of the Black Sheep Group) and the 12-inch Neapolitan Margarita pizza for 258 HK dollars was unexpected, as was the tomato penne pasta for the same price. That's US$33.20 or £25.64 in today's exchange rate. By comparison, a more than decent and authentic Neapolitan pizza at Bottega in Shanghai would be around 130 RMB, less than HK$140 and I am generously comparing like for like, since Bottega is far from the cheapest pizza in Shanghai and has the same clubby vibe.
That isn't to say value for money can't be found in HK. I had a very pleasant 2-course lunch at Pirata for under HK$200 per person and lunch at Alto in Causeway Bay with stunning harbour views for just HK$198 for 2 courses ($228 for 3 courses). For $50, you could add a glass of wine with the set lunch. These prices are similar to what you might find in Shanghai for the same type of price. The staff at Alto were great (one glass of Prosecco was on the house because the first waiter had forgotten it) and I noticed they have a rooftop for drinks from 4pm.
If a $200 set lunch is still over your modest budget, there's still the numerous cheap noodle shops sprinkled around the city. One of my favourites is Chiu Hing Fishball Rice Noodle (潮兴鱼蛋粉).
They have many branches including several in Wanchai along Hennessy Road, close to Southorn (yes, that's the correct spelling) Playground. A bowl of wonton rice noodles with cuttlefish balls (my go-to noodle dish) will set you back around 45 dollars - veggies and a packet of tissues will both cost you extra.
Another thing HK has going for it where Shanghai falls short, at least for Brits like myself, is the availability of both M&S and Pret. It was a sad day when M&S exited Shanghai and an even sadder one when Pret left. I was able to enjoy a lovely pastry and coffee at Pret with my mother and then go next door to pick up some sausage rolls for my son and some Bran Flakes for myself, both of which are hard to come by in Shanghai.
It may not be the shopping Mecca it once was, and the days when planes used to fly over Kowloon City are long gone, but for me at least, HK is still worth the occasional trip from Shanghai for a nice change of scenery.
Details:
Alto: 31/F, V Point 18 Tang Lung Street Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Pirata: 29/30 F, 239 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Falcone: Shop 1082, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St, Central
Chiu Hing Fishball Rice Noodles: G/F, Wai Lun Mansion, 78-84 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
Pret : G/F, Fortis Bank Tower, 77-79 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong