Tong Tai, Yau Ma Tei

Arriving at the Jordan MTR station in the evening is like being thrown into the deep ocean. You’re surrounded with currents (of people) going in different directions and if you can’t find the right current you’ll probably end up in the wrong place or walking against a torrent of humans. Luckily I had come prepared with the mantra “Exit A, turn right, third right, turn right” and I quickly found myself at the Temple Street Night Markets. We started getting hungry about half way through the markets and decided to stop by Tong Tai for dinner. It calls itself a restaurant but it’s technically a dai pa dong, one of those open-air food “stalls”.

Enticed by the array of seafood on display, we stepped in. Tong Tai has claimed a relatively large patch of concrete outside their place and brings out extra stools and fold-out tables when there are no seats left. Being in such a prime location, there is no surprise when an English menu is brought out. There are a mix of locals and foreigners so you can squeeze in some good conversation with your neighbours in between plates. Mine so happened to be Canadian, Korean, and local.

Braised east wind snails ($85HKD, ~$14.15AUD)

I quite enjoy eating snails so these had to be ordered. Having ever only had them with garlic-herb butter or in a coconut curry, I wanted to try them simply braised. A plate of hot Babylonia snails came out with a sauce bowl of hoisin, chili sauce, and sesame oil. Wooden skewers were provided to get the snails out of their shells. The chewy texture and slightly fishy smell is one that many people might find unappetizing but it should be tried at least once; trust the Asian people who have been eating these for many years.

Deep fried mantis shrimps with soya sauce ($95HKD, ~$15.80AUD)

Mantis shrimp look like they should be part of an alien master race in a sci-fi film. Their shells are sharp so you have to be careful not to stab yourself while trying to get the meat out, which itself is a hard task. There’s not much flesh but what you manage to get out is tender and sweet.

Deep fried baby pigeon ($60HKD, ~$10AUD)

Say you want to eat pigeon in Hong Kong and they’ll be unfazed, showing you to their favourite spot. Say it in Sydney and you’ll get a weird look accompanied by “you mean those birds that poop all over everything?” Yes, those ones, also known as squab. The dark meat tastes gamey and reminded me of duck. Being deep fried, the skin is crisp but retains oil so I couldn’t have more than one piece before I removed the skins.

Deep fried crabs with ginger and spring onion ($290HKD, ~$48.30AUD)

Crabs aren’t cheap. They’re more expensive here than in Sydney (usually). I didn’t exactly concentrate on this as I can eat the exact same thing at home: soft crab meat with a hint of ginger. The roll of paper on our table came in extra handy for this because there was no way I’d be able to eat this without getting it all over myself by accident.

The total came to $635HKD (~$105.80AUD), which is expensive for a dai pa dong. This explains why it wasn’t packed with locals when we arrived; it’s not that the food wasn’t good, it was that the prices weren’t dirt cheap.

Tong Tai Seafood Restaurant
GF, 184A Temple St,
Yau Ma Tei
Hong Kong