We tried 7 weird and gimmicky food fads in HK and here are the ones worth your money
We sample seven of the most bizarre gimmicky snacks you can find in Hong Kong to determine which are worth your time and money
Can cream and curry mix?Hongkongers love to go crazy over the latest food and drink fads but, for a lot of them, the love affair is short-lived.
Gimmicky foods don’t last very long in the market, as they’re mostly all style and no substance. Still, some are surprisingly tasty.
Young Post went around the city to try seven snacks that might end up being more than just a passing craze.
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A small sausage in a large sausage
This quirky Taiwanese street snack is more commonly known as the Taiwanese hot dog. It is a Taiwanese sausage that’s been wrapped in a sausage-shaped sticky rice bun. Unlike the other foods on this list, this isn’t as much of a gimmick, but we thought it was too interesting to not include.
We found this dish to be pretty filling, and we think it would make the perfect on-the-go meal. Be warned: it’s pretty greasy, so bring tissues!
Address: Shop 29A & 37A, 8/F, Dragon Centre
Cream curry udon
After seeing videos of this dish on social media, we simply HAD to hunt it down. Our cream curry udon looked just like the dish does online: a bowl of thick cream that, when stirred, reveals a rich curry udon underneath.
The cream is delicious on its own and, when mixed in with the curry, makes the soup base taste light and creamy. We recommend this one for fans of udon or Japanese curry.
Address: Kobekyu, 22/F, Bartlock Centre, 3 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay
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Deep-fried mac ’n’ cheese
Unlike its viral competitor, the cream curry udon, our deep fried mac ’n’ cheese was disappointing. These curious bites came in a light and crispy batter, in triangles half the size of our hands. Everything up to this point seemed okay – until we bit into them. The cheese was dry and chemically, and smelled overwhelmingly artificial.
Pass on these bites, and pick up a box of instant mac ’n’ cheese to make at home instead.
Address: Shop 1A, 38-44 Mong Kok Road, Mong Kok
Liquid nitrogen ice cream
Have you ever wanted to try ice cream when it is freshly made, without the freezer burn that affects an old carton of vanilla when it’s been stuck in the freezer too long? Head to Lab Made, where ice cream ingredients are tossed into a bowl, blended, and flash frozen in liquid nitrogen in front of your eyes.
Ready your Boomerang – a lot of smoke pours out of the machine when this happens, which makes for a great IG shot. We tried the sticky rice and mango flavour, and loved it – the ice cream was creamy, and we loved that we could taste pieces of mango and sticky rice.
Address: 6 Brown Street, Tai Hang, Causeway Bay
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Flavoured fries
Potato Corner specialises in fresh-out-of-the-fryer chips that are coated with a whole host of powdered flavours. We tried barbecue, which is one of their classic flavours, and their seasonal cream truffle flavour.
The first few chips we tried were amazing as they were hot and crispy, but they began to lose their appeal as they cooled. The flavouring was a little hit and miss – either too strong (the cream truffle tasted too truffle-ly), or too weak, in the case of the barbecue.
Potato Corner have a few other seasonal flavours and different types of fries, though, so feel free to try all the flavours until you find one you’re happy with.
Address: Shop 2, G/F, 36 Jardine’s Bazaar, Causeway Bay (with additional branches in Prince Edward, and Tsim Sha Tsui)
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Sea salt- and cheese-flavoured ice cream
We didn’t know what we expected from these flavours, but we definitely weren’t expecting what they turned out to be. The sea salt was more sweet than salty, and had an aftertaste that reminded us of a fizzy drink. The cheese was also sweeter than we expected it would be.
Combined, the flavours tasted a little like a very cold cheesecake, rather than two distinct flavours.
At only HK$6 a scoop, though, we didn’t really feel like complaining.
Address: Shop 74, 8/F, Dragon Centre
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Butterfly pea milk tea
You might have heard of butterfly pea tea or butterfly pea lemonade, drinks that are bright purple or blue. You might not have tried a butterfly pea milk tea, though.
When we ordered one, we were given a bright blue concoction that was topped with a dollop of milk foam. Sadly, this drink is nowhere as good as the aforementioned pair. The drink doesn’t just look nasty, it tastes odd, too.
We were very disappointed, and we frankly can’t wait to see this one go.
Address: Shop 29A & 37A, 8/F, Dragon Centre
Edited by Nicole Moraleda