Toronto

in Hong Kong

Monday, April 19th, 2010 | posts | 6 Comments

The stunning Hong Kong Harbour from Kowloon

It’s called reverse migration. Years ago, my parents left Asia for America to find a better life, to get a good education, and to raise a family. They’ve now been in Canada so long, in fact, that they really don’t feel at home in their places of birth. My Dad left Taiwan when he was 10. My Mom left Hong Kong when she was 17.

I don’t remember my first trip to Hong Kong. I was a year old when my parents took my brother and I on our first overseas family vacation. I’ve heard the stories so many times, especially the one where I smash my face into a table and I lose my front baby tooth. That’s why, for years until my big teeth grew in, I had a big gap where my front tooth should have been. It made for pretty adorable toothless grins on school Picture Days.

I was a shy girl who grew up around excellent dim sum and frequent trips to Toronto’s bustling Chinese supermarkets. I went through years of painful Saturday mornings sitting in Mandarin classes. But we didn’t return to Hong Kong for another family vacation. I returned to this place when I started traveling on my own – first in 2002 when I visited Taiwan, and then in 2005 when I went on a college exchange program to Hong Kong Baptist University for a semester. It was after that exchange when I knew I wanted to spend more time in this “motherland.” In 2007, I moved to Beijing for a year to learn how to read and write Putonghua. I couldn’t have asked for a better China experience.

Days before the Olympics, I left to New York to start my Masters degree.

“Why do you want to go back to China?” I get that question a lot, especially from Canadian Chinese of my parents’ generation. There’s so much land in Canada, so much space and comfort. Things are cheap and abundant in Canada. We have cars! Blue skies! There’s good bread in Canada – whole wheat!

And ohhh, how I miss the whole wheat. (I went to three supermarkets today in search of good whole wheat bread. No luck.)

But maybe because I was born into such luxury that is whole wheat bread that I yearn for something else, somewhere different yet familiar.

So I’ve come back to Hong Kong – I arrived Saturday – and it’s here I’ll begin my Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. I am going to be traveling throughout SE Asia, mostly in China, and I’ll be writing and blogging about it all.

My next post: Beheading a (dead) chicken.

Stay tuned!

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Best Cheung Fun 肠粉 in Chinatown

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 | posts | No Comments

I just had the best Cheung Fun I’ve ever had in Manhattan.

I have always said New York City Chinese food is decent, at best. Never amazing. Much lower in the ranks when compared to my hometown of Toronto, the great Chinese food mecca that is Vancouver, and the most awesome city that is Hong Kong.

But today, I’ll give it to you, Manhattan.

Cheung Fun is a steaming rice noodle roll that I have a weakness for. It’s a Cantonese dish from the south of China and Hong Kong and you can usually find it at dim sum.

Cheung Fun – 肠粉 – is commonly filled with shrimp, pork, beef or vegetables. Pour sweet soy sauce over it and take a bite. … Amazing? Delicious? Yes. I know.

One favorite variety, that keeps it real simple, is cheung fun with dried shirmps and scallions embedded in it’s sticky, soft noodle. Today, I found what may possibly be the best cheung fun in Manhattan’s Chinatown.

I was on Grand Street and thought I’d try somewhere new.

I spied on Hong Wong Restaurant at 300 Grand St. near Allen. It was a small shop, with barbecue ducks and chickens hanging in the window. A television set at the back was broadcasting a Chinese singing contest. All locals. Regulars. No tourists. Waiters were super nice and not rushed. I loved it.

I planned to order a classic wonton noodle soup, something quick I usually grab when I’m working and on the run. But I noticed Hong Wong had 肠粉 on the front of their menu, going for just $1.75 a plate.

I was greedy. I ordered wonton and duck noodle soup AND a rice noodle roll with dried shrimps and scallions.

So soft! So sticky! So very fresh and tasty! And it cost me less than $7 total.  Be sure to check it out next time you’re down there.

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