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Every midday and evening, the section of Electric Road near the Tin Hau MTR station and the surrounding side streets come to life, pulsing with a stream of hungry diners. The din of mealtime conversations, the roar of car engines and the dance-like sidesteps people must take as they attempt to make way through the crowds all set Tin Hau in sharp contrast to nearby, but considerably quieter, Tai Hang. For those who live, love and breathe the busy, fast-paced Hong Kong lifestyle, this is the place to be.

Tin Hau’s treasure trove of restaurants is, on the whole, more affordable and tends to be frequented more by local Chinese than restaurant areas in Central and Causeway Bay. Additionally, the sheer density and variety of restaurants ensure there is something for everyone.

1. How do Canto television and pop stars retain their clear, youthful complexions? Judging by the newspaper clippings and celebrity photographs on the wall of the Tin Ngai Premium Bird’s Nest (35 Electric Road; 2806 2988) dessert shop, it is by eating bird’s nest which is said to increase longevity, boost the immune system and aid digestion. You can get a good dose of health by ordering a whole papaya with bird’s nest ($58). Or try any of the fresh fruit, grass jelly and bird’s nest desserts for $38. Open daily 12-11pm.

2. When a restaurant closes and its owner leaves, regulars are usually left disappointed. It is a testament to Tan Wu (Bsmt, 16 Ngan Mok St; 2570 8689) that when the previous restaurant closed down, the staff banded together to re-open the Shanghainese restaurant under its current name. Although the new Tan Wu is only six months old, the staff and menu are largely unchanged. Specialties include shredded chicken ($88), sweet and sour Mandarin fish ($98/$138) and braised knuckle ($128/person). Open daily 11am-11pm.

3. Japanese foodies are spoiled for choice in Tin Hau, but one sushi bar not to be missed is the June Japanese Restaurant (G/F, 56 Electric Road; 2234 6691). It is often filled with Japanese customers – unsurprising considering the restaurant employs Japanese master chefs with over 40 years’ experience and flies in fresh catch and produce from Japan daily. Order from the traditional menu, seasonal menu, or one of their many set meals (set lunches $45-$135, noodle sets $45-$65, sushi and sashimi sets $60-$95). Open Tuesday-Friday 12-2:30pm, 6pm-12am; Saturday-Monday 12-3pm, 6-10pm.

4. Vegetarians, rejoice! Sick of having only five choices in most other restaurants? The Fantasy Vegetarian Restaurant (G/F, 66 Electric Road; 2887 3886) may be an answer to your dining woes. This restaurant offers over 40 dishes, including mock crab meat with seasonal vegetables ($75) and fresh lily mock meat with black pepper ($58); 45 noodle, rice and congee dishes such as braised E-fu noodles with button mushrooms ($32), pineapple fried rice ($28) and sweetcorn congee ($15); and the front counter proudly displays a variety of Chinese dim sum and desserts, ready to take away. Open daily 9am-11pm.

5. Opened in 2002, Shanghai Lane (Shop A, G/F, Fat Cheong Building, 1B Lau Li Street; 2510 0393) is so popular among the locals it has opened a branch in Happy Valley. The small, casual restaurant (seating only 23 people) is ideal for dining in a relaxed atmosphere, particularly for those looking for good and fast food. With the entrance to the kitchen at the back of the room covered only by a half-door curtain, patrons can observe the hustle and bustle that goes into preparing the following popular dishes while they eat: homemade dumplings ($29), mushrooms with wheat gluten ($34), braised pork belly ($38), and minced meat balls with Chinese cabbage ($44). Open daily 11am-10:30pm.

6. Tak Cheong (75 Electric Road; 2510 8783), on Tin Hau’s main road, is a mixture of modern and traditional; the décor is contemporary (bright lime green and metallic) but with the casual dining atmosphere of most local restaurants as it serves traditional Cantonese cuisine. With an open kitchen, diners can watch the chef prepare favourites such as the fishballs ($18), Golden Chef noodles ($55), beef brisket ($18) or, for those searching for something particularly time-honoured,
the fried fish skin ($12). Open daily 7-12am.

7. In operation since 1993, Ching Ching Desserts (G/F, 77 Electric Road; 2578 6162) was one of the first Chinese dessert soup shops in the area. Healthy food that tastes bland is so last century and Ching Ching Desserts aims to make lighter desserts (less sugar) with traditional methods that not only look, but also smell delicious. Thus, expect to find many traditional dishes, such as double-boiled papaya with silver fungus and longan ($26) alongside re-creations such as tapioca pearl with grass jelly ($16). Open daily 1pm-12am, or 2pm-12am on holidays.

8. One of the more spacious restaurants on Electric Road, Okonomi (G/F, 79 Electric Road; 2570 7933) prides itself on serving seafood imported straight from Japan. Despite the hanging chandeliers and the polished black furnishings, this Japanese eatery is a place for informal and laid-back dining. Brewing the ramen soup from fresh fish bones daily, the chef (who has been in the business for 70 years) recommends trying the rice with curry chicken cutlet ($40) with the soup to enhance the flavours. The restaurant also offers a range of traditional Japanese dishes such as salt grilled yellow tail head ($35), salt grilled salmon fin ($20) and fried shrimp with assorted tempura ($35). Open daily 11:30am-3pm and 6pm-12am.

9. Tin Hau Laksa (Shop L, G/F, 81 Electric Road; 2806 2683) has variations on the traditional Malaysian/Singaporean laksa, such as fat-free ox tongue laksa ($48) or soya-milk based light laksa soup ($50). A further glance at the menu shows an international influence: French duck breast laksa ($46), Hainan chicken ($48) and Japanese pork laksa ($45). And for the uninitiated, the chef will adjust the laksa’s spiciness to fit one’s preference. Open Monday to Thursday 11:30am-3:30pm and 5:30-11:30pm; Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11:30am-11:30pm.

10. Specializing in Chinese delicacies such as abalone and bird’s nest, Fu Tung Seafood Restaurant (G/F, B-C 92-94 Electric Road; 2566 8689) is a two-storey place particularly suitable for tables larger than two persons. The traditional Chinese restaurant serves chef specialties such as Ah Lam fried rice ($200), and Ah Lam fried bird’s nest ($680). Alternatively, call a day in advance to order a dish from the Ching Dynasty – chicken stuffed with abalone, conpoy, mushrooms and Yunnan ham for $960. Open daily 11-1am.

11. Once a seafood shop, Palki (G/F, Fook Wah Mansion, 2 Tsing Fung Street; 2566 8411) has transformed into one of the few restaurants in Tin Hau serving authentic Indian cuisine. As you walk through the doors the strong aroma of Indian spices, dim lighting, warm red hues and walls adorned with traditional Indian ornaments greets you. The homely atmosphere is suitable for a romantic dinner, a nice meal with the family, or even a quick lunch break from work. Choose from the set lunch ($38), set dinner for 2/4/8 persons ($188/$388/$588), butter chicken ($68), spinach and cheese palak ($52), garlic/cheese naan ($18), king prawn masala ($168) or a whole tandoori naan ($240). Open daily 11am-3pm and 6-11pm.

12. Given the tick of approval from local celebrities, Ming Kee (4 Tsing Fung Street; 2806 0600) has been a popular destination to eat local Chinese desserts for four years now. The desserts are homemade, the owner of the restaurant recommending mango sweetener with mango chunks, pomelo and sago ($26), glutinous rice ball with fresh mango filling ($22), durian pancake ($20) or the less complicated chocolate pudding ($22). Open daily 12pm-3am.

13. Yakitoritei (10 Tsing Fung Street; 2566 9982) specializes in traditional Japanese yakitori (Japanese skewered food) and is seldom quiet during the dinner hours. Dressed like a traditional Japanese restaurant with dim lighting and waiters in traditional Japanese outfits, this eatery is particularly nice for intimate dining. With over 50 varieties of yakitori to choose from, the chef recommends the chicken liver ($20), chicken gizzard ($20), goose liver ($90) and Angus beef ($45). Open 6pm-2am daily.

14. Its walls adorned with traditional Japanese wooden décor, Sushi Ketsu (12 Tsing Fung Street; 2887 2983) is one of the newer Japanese restaurants in the area. Focusing on presentation, where each serving is treated as a piece of art, the restaurant is also very particular about ingredients. Seaweed and sushi rice are assessed and handpicked by the chef and imported from Japan while the sea urchins are imported from Canada. The menu features assorted sashimi ($250), giant prawn sashimi ($60), soft shell crab spiral rolls ($98), shellfish sashimi ($100) or a lunch and dinner set menu ($50/$250). The chef’s recommendation is something to look out for each evening. Open daily 12-3pm and 6-11pm.

15. Kin’s Kitchen (G/F, 9 Tsing Fung St; 2571 0913), established in 2004 by art-critic-turned-gourmet-chef Lau Kin Wai, is a spacious Cantonese restaurant with a fresh, white interior. Kin’s Kitchen was opened after the success of the restaurant Yellow Door Kitchen in Central in 2000. The restaurant stresses that neither MSG nor artificial flavouring is used in the preparation of signature dishes like Kin’s smoked chicken ($268/$134), crispy stuffed duck with lotus seed, egg yolk, dried scallop and gravy ($360/$180), and stir-fried lion-head fish fillet with lettuce shoot ($218) or any others. Open daily 12-3pm and 6-11pm.

16. Edwin’s Kitchen (G/F, Fu Fun Building, 5-7 Tsing Fung Street; 2111 4149) may be difficult to find at first because it does not display an English name, but just look for the restaurant with the bronze exterior and the polished, modern interior. At this casual yet chic restaurant, try a fortune platter for four ($688), allowing you to enjoy traditional Chinese delicacies for the Chinese New Year celebration period. The platter includes fish soup, steamed egg with shredded dried scallop in oyster sauce, baked white eel with a secret sauce, and pan-fried lotus root biscuit with crispy garlic. Alternatively, there is an ala carte menu. Open daily 11:30am-3pm and 6-11pm.

17. Bonbon Café (Shop A2-A3, 96 Electric Road; 2525 2523) is a great place to either kick back and sip coffee as the world goes by or take in a French meal. The café avoids MSG and serves main dishes like bouillabaisse ($220/portion; $45 broth) and ox cheek ($180), but the Paris-schooled chef is most proud of her creative, homemade desserts. Not always on offer, try to catch the gateau thé aux caramelisee a la poire (tea cake with caramelized pear) and the flourless chocolate cake ($35/slice). Open Tuesday-Sunday 12-11pm.

18. Dumplings, dumplings, and more dumplings. Dumpling Yuan (96 Electric Road; 2887 9885) is a petite, casual eatery specializing in handmade dumplings with branches in Central and Sheung Wan. Choose from a selection of pork and cabbage dumplings ($28), pork and celery dumplings ($28), pork and vegetable dumplings ($28), vegetarian dumplings ($31) or beef and celery dumplings ($31). For a bit more than mere dumplings, you have a choice of dumplings with noodles, all at $4 less than dumplings served alone – both pork and cabbage dumpling noodles and pork and celery dumpling noodles are $24. Open daily 10:30am-10:30pm.

19. The brainchild of an art-school student, Les Artistes is a café, bookstore and art gallery featuring work by both local and Mainland Chinese artists (1/F, Man Hoi Building, 98 Electric Road; 3426 8920). Tucked away up on the first floor of a nondescript building, it is a haven in the middle of the hectic city. Whether you just want to read a book and sip some herbal tea ($45-$48/pot, with a monthly specials menu of mixed teas), eat a full meal or hold a private party, the warm, relaxing ambience and friendly staff are bound to keep you coming back for more. Open daily 12-11pm.

20. Those in need of a bit of rejuvenation and relaxation might like to try the combo spa and restaurant that is Villa & Savoyé. The restaurant itself, Savoyé Bistro (Shop A, G/F, Hon Man Mansion, 9-11 Wing Hing St; 2503 3222), dishes up roasted Australian rack of lamb with mint cumin yoghurt ($208), oven-baked cod fish fillet with poppy seed, lemongrass and red bell pepper coulis ($238), and Boston lobster with fig
salad and Thai dressing ($288). And with its rustic interior, high ceilings and the two pebbled terraces for private parties, the combination spa and restaurant appeals to all senses. Open daily 12-10:30pm.

21. A family-run Malaysian business, Little Penang (G/F, 146 Electric Road; 2164 4888) is the smaller brother of a restaurant in Kowloon. The chef is the mother/wife, the manager is the daughter, and the father/husband runs the Kowloon side. This extremely laid-back diner is ideal for a quick authentic Malaysian food experience. It is busiest at lunch serving dishes like curry laksa with various seafood and meats ($43), Hainan chicken rice ($43), and the very traditional Belachan chicken ($38). Open daily 12-9:30pm.

22. Although you have to walk up a set of stairs to get to Wooden Table (1/F, 180 Electric Road; 2570 3939), this funky restaurant is not inconspicuous. Glass doors are decorated with interesting art pieces that are also a feature of the stairway to the modern yet homely restaurant furnished with wooden tables, straw chairs and comfortable sofa booths. Serving fish personally picked from the local markets, the chef cooks up his much-complimented seafood with vegetables, olive oil and lemon juice ($168). A unique aspect of this restaurant is its homemade organic bread accompanied by six dips such as homemade balsamic vinegar. Open daily 12-11pm.

23. Despite being located on a quiet little street, 3R (Shop F-G, 18 Jupiter Street; 2807 1386) is never silent. Popular thanks to word-of-mouth advertising, this restaurant prides itself on its personal and friendly service. The dim lighting, crisp white tablecloths and red sofa chairs make it a nice place for casual dining or a bit of intimacy. The chef’s recommendations include baked Alaska crab leg thermidor with mesclun mix ($98), grilled Japanese Kobe steak with cognac peppercorn gravy ($460), and baked French pigeon with sun-dried tomato, olive and capers in sea salt ($260). Open daily 11:30am-3pm and 6:30-11:30pm.