Food Republic (Cityplaza, Taikoo Shing, Hongkong)

An Indian foodie’s experience at a Specialized Asian Food court in HongKong

In a nutshell:

It’s a great concept place planned perfectly where u can sample food from all Asian countries & different kinds of cuisines within a country as well.

Food Republic – Asian Speciality Food Court at City Plaza Taikoo Shing, Hongkong

Meal for 2: HK$ 80 onwards

Cuisine Type: Vegetarian & Nonvegetarian

Description:

I was wandering in City Plaza Mall in Taikoo Shing, Hongkong, when I noticed a huge corner with food stalls. The foodie in me cud not resist & I walked in. I started looking around at the stalls soon to realize that it was a well-planned & nicely laid out food court.

peking duck on display

The Design of the food court was uniform for all stalls – in terms of size, façade, Shop fronts etc. This was quite different than the over-cluttered multicolored multi sized facades of stalls in Food courts in India.

Food Republic at City Plaza

What impressed me was the fact that the Mall Guys have actually planned the renting out of stalls to ensure that all Countries & the cuisines of Asia (sans Indian subcontinent) are represented. The shops included a Japanese open live teppanyaki counter, a Chicken rice counter (Singapore), a Noodle & congee shop, a Japanese wazen shop – what was been sold here looked like a lunch box (bento box), a Vietnam stall with many ‘pho’ dishes – of diff varieties like chicken, duck, beef, seafood etc, a Chinese stir fry, a Thai stall, a traditional rice noodle house, a ‘in-house made’ Japanese udon noodles stall, a Shanghai & Sichuan counter, a Korean counter, a Dimsum house & a shop selling Taiwanese food. There is a dessert shop as well. I guess it will take a month for a person to xplore all the shops & may be 6 months to try all dishes sold at these shops.

Roasted meats on display

The first shop on the right was Bread Talk that we have at Spencer’s Gurgaon. Till I saw this I had no idea that this Bakery shop in Gurgaon was an International Chain.

Bread Talk at Hongkong

I must say – amazing variety, amazing planning & great execution & popularity shows – The Food court is always full at meal time.

Some stalls had almost real looking plastic look-alikes of the food that was on offer.

look-alikes of food on display

Some others had all their real roasted food on display.

Roasted meats on display

In case u r visiting Hongkong & want to have a taste of Hongkong & other Asian Countries, get to this place. I wud not say that the food served here is the best in their respective category but they are surely good.

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Hongkong Street Food – Tong Tai Seafood Restaurant (Temple Street Night Market, Hongkong)

In a nutshell:

A roadside Chinese Dhaba in which u actually sit on plastic chairs on the road & eat from makeshift tables – some marvelous fresh seafood & other Chinese food. I wud have regretted to have missed this place.

te facade of the shop

Meal for 2 : HKD 200 onwards

people sitting on plastic chairs & tables on the street & eating

How to get there: Get to Kowloon station & take a taxi to ‘Temple Street Night Market’.

live (most of them) seafood on display

Cuisine Type: Predominantly Nonvegetarian, limited but good Vegetarian selection.

live seafood – view 2

Short Description –In case u r in a hurry:

In many years of my regular visits to Hongkong, there has hardly been an occasion when we have not visited the Temple Street Night Market. It is a makeshift market that comes up everyday post sunset, on a place that is a road in the daytime!!!! I guess there are hundred or more stalls in this place & they sell a huge variety of merchandise like – Chinese traditional dresses for adults & kids, very innovative toys, paintings, a plethora of things that u can use for decorating ur home, Hongkong memorabilia, DVDs & fakes of all kinds of brands from clothing to accessories & shoes.

A very common sight in Hongkong – Full roasted birds of all shapes & sizes hung – with their beaks intact

What this market also has is a few roadside eateries that served fresh seafood & other Chinese food. On the display is a host of sea animals of different shapes, colors, textures & sizes. U can choose from them & they will cook it for you in the way you want (u will have to choose from multiple choice questions). U can also order from a printed menu card in which almost every item has a colored picture.

the aquarium section – u choose ur food

We generally used to go to one of these eateries for a long time – The food was great but the service was dramatically poor. They wud not come to take the orders for long, u wud struggle to get a fork (food is usually served with a pair of chopsticks), they might forget serving one of the things that u ordered etc. We always thought that all popular street food joints are like this only. Yesterday it crossed our mind to try out a new joint. To our pleasant surprise, the service was perfect, so was the behavior & the food was awesome. The food was actually better than our earlier joint.

from shelled beings to swimming fishes (background)

What is interesting is that on each table u will get a toilet paper roll – in place of tissue paper, for wiping ur hand!!!
Incase u r a nonvegetarian beyond just boneless Tandoori Chicken, do not miss this place if u happen to be in Hongkong. This is a foodie’s heaven.

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