Dim Sum Brunch Special

Inflation in Hong Kong is becoming severe recently.  Food prices rocket and we have been suffering.  However weekend dim sum brunch is one of my strategies to enjoy good food at VERY LOW prices. Most restaurants in Hong Kong are offering special prices for bills being settled before 12.30pm. 

Here's a summary of my dim sum brunch yesterday.  The dishes were at half price or even lower comparing to peak hours.

Shrimp Dumplings HK$16.8 (US$2.15) 蝦餃皇

Breakfast Combo 早茶孖寶

Congee + dim sum of our choice HK$24.8 (US$3.18)

Breakfast Combo皮蛋瘦肉粥 / 义燒腸粉

millienium egg / pork congee and roast pork rice roll

Typical Hong Kong Cantonese breakfast

Deep Fried Dace Fish Balls 生炸鯪魚球

Only HK$9.8 (US$1.25) (Super Value!!)

Pan Fried Turnip Cake - HK$9.8 (US$1.25) 煎蘿蔔糕

Fried Rice with Chicken and Vegetables 生炒雞絲飯

Only HK$48 (US$6.15)

We just couldn't resist to order a dish of fried rice to wrap up our dim sum brunch.  It is really of Super Value!!  Nowadays even fast food shop will sell fried rice at HK$40-50. $48 at a dim sum restaurant is unbelievably cheap.  (It will cost around HK$80 at peak hours) However we didn't have to compromise on portion and quality.  It was a regular size, cook to order and very delicious dish of fried rice.

So our anti-inflation Saturday dim sum brunch sumed up at HK$39 (US$5) for each of the four of us, inclusive of tea and 10% service charge. 

Alhtough I notice a bit of price rise recently, such as the dace fish ball used to be $8.8 and dim sum combo used to be $23.8 and the fried rice used to be $38, but our dim sum brunch was still at a very attractive price.

At readers' requests, here is the restaurant I went:

Mega Red
6/F Hopewell Centre
183 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong
Tel: 852 - 2528 1680

Hong Kong Food Blog - Anti-Inflation Dim Sum Brunch

Classic Dim Sums

If you ask me what are the must-eat dim sums in Hong Kong, here are my top choices - Shrimp dumpling 蝦餃, pork dumpling 燒賣, BBQ bun义燒飽, rice roll 腸粉, sponge chicken 綿花雞, sponge pudding 馬拉糕. If you happen to visit Hong Kong and want to enjoy a classic dim sum meal, please make sure to have these on your table. Any dim sum restaurant should have them on their menu. If no, simply black list it.



The other day, I so happened to have picked these classic dim sums for lunch. Don’t assume that good things are expensive. I’ve mentioned several times in my blog – if you manage your time good enough – you can eat good food at very cheap prices. For my classic dim sum meal, I spend only HK$130 (US$16.6) for the two of us on a Saturday, inclusive of tea and 10% service charge. If I go early and settle my bill before 12:30, it could be even cheaper.



Nowadays in Hong Kong, you can easily spend $40-50 in any fast food or even takeaway shops. But I paid only $65 per person and enjoy a good meal in a good restaurant. Here are my photo collections.

Al Dente Shrimp Dumpling 蝦餃 - My Favourite!!

Sponge 綿花雞 Chicken (left); Pork Dumpling 燒賣 (right)

Rice Rolls 腸粉, can be steamed, stir fried or my pan fried dish below.

Served with sesame sauce and soy sauce, very yummy!

Steamed BBQ Pork Bun, cha xiao bao, 义燒飽

The yellow Sponge Cake 馬拉糕, is one of my most favourite desserts

Inclusive of tea and 10% service charge and six dishes of delicious dim sum, this lunch is only HK$130 (US$16.6).



Mega Red

6/F Hopewell Centre

183 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong

Tel: 852 - 2528 1680

Hong Kong Food Blog - Classic Dim Sums

How to Say Cha Shao Bao in Cantonese?

Cha Shao Bao, an extremely popular Cantonese dim sum in Hong Kong. How to say it in Cantonese? Want to shock the waiters at the restaurant? Let's learn to say it. To continue my restaurant Cantonese lessons, you are going to learn two terms today – cha shao bao and la jiu cheung!! To make it more sensible – Steam Roast Pork Bun and Chili Sauce.

Cha Shao Bao 义燒飽

Dim sums are made to order. Look at the steam from the bao I am eating!. Let’s learn how to say Chao Shao Bao义燒飽 in Cantonese and see my greedy eating show. Click on the video.

Anna Eating Cha Shao Bao

The other time one of my blog readers said he could not say chili sauce in Cantonese. Today I’m at a Chiu Chau restaurant and their chili sauce is quite unique – not extremely hot however very aromatic. It's excellent to go with my turnip pudding, and many other dim sums. So next time when you want to order a dish of chili sauce, say this:

Chili Sauce 辣椒醬 with Turnip Pudding

Hong Kong Food Blog - Cha Shao Bao - Learn Restaurant Cantonese

Warning: Do NOT Use These Cooking Oils