To the top we go

Our third and final day in HK turned out to be hot, for something different. We headed out to Victoria peak in the morning. HK’s highest point, you travel there by tram and for most of the trip up and down you’re at a 45 degree angle.

At the peak there is, much like everywhere else, a shopping centre. We opted to look around and check out the view from the terrace gardens. It’s a beautiful spot and full of those cool binoculars you can use to spy on people. Especially the pirates on the ships in the harbor.

Aview is a view is a view so we looked and looked some more and then did what we do best….we ate. There was a intriguing looking restaurant called NYF (New York Fries) where they served rustic fries with toppings like chilli, sour cream and the one we opted for tandoori spices chicken curry. While I can’t claim to love it, it certainly was an experience and by no means the worst food we’ve had.

As many of you know I have an issue with heights, so I can only describe the feeling of going backwards down a steep hill at 45 degrees truly terrifying!

Dim Sum

After a few false starts we finally made our way to a Yum Cha place, recommended to us as one of the best. It was on the top level of City Hall and we’d missed it quite a few times because much like any city administration building it didn’t look like it could house a banquet hall.

But alas, at the top of the City Hall is Maxim’s. It’s yum cha like we’ve never seen before. There are chandeliers on the roof. The waiters are in suits. The tea is served in real find bone china (with a saucer) and the tea pot is silver. The best part is the trolleys; not only are they labeled in English with their wares, there is a television screen on most of them showing a video of the food inside or how it was prepared. The labels can be seen from quite a distance away so we can make up our mind about what we want as they approach and in true HK efficiency as the food diminishes the label is swiftly removed and on the trolley goes. No false advertising there.

We had some usual favourites like spring rolls and dumplings. That’s where the similarity ended. Even though the looked very much like the dishes we’re used to the fillings were entirely unique and the sauces were quite different too. We had prawns steamed on little capsicum cups and pork buns that had been baked till there were crisp. There was a delicious vegetable dumpling filled with water chestnuts and mushrooms and my favourite pork spare ribs with these crazy amazing glass noodles.

We found the limits of our stomach today and we were conscious that we were about to take a ride across the water in a ferry and didn’t want things to get messy. This place is definitely going on our “return to” list.

Btw Nuwan wants me to tell you that after lunch he took me to Tiffany’s and bought me a beautiful necklace!