蓮香樓

Only three words can describe it: "Hou Sailer Ah!"

Thanks to my local Hong Kong friend, he took me to a traditional Hong Kong tea restaurant that his father used to bring him to as a child. Everything felt like a scene from a Hong Kong movie. Before the meal, the tea set was prepared with hot water for us to cleanse it, and food would be pushed around on traditional carts, being called out for sale. It felt like at any moment, God of Gamblers would walk out from a nearby table, and groups of triads would rush in (which didn't happen).

As for the food, everything was freshly made, so I didn't encounter anything bad. The dumplings with rice skin were incredibly soft, melting in your mouth, and paired with Hong Kong soy sauce, it elevated the flavor to another level. Eating five or six plates by myself would be no problem! The chicken feet are also highly recommended; the tendons were deliciously flavored and easy to eat—definitely not the kind of dish you'd want to hesitate over or just nibble on casually.

Moreover, the staff were very warm and personable. A guy noticed I was taking pictures and even posed for me with a heart shape. As someone who doesn't understand Cantonese, I felt very touched.