Ho Choi (好彩) not only holds the distinction of being part of a memorable restaurant name group, but also features one of the better Dim Sum experiences in TST. On top of that, it's Dim Sum with a view; a beautiful one of the HK skyline.
Situated at the top of the Empire Centre, this banquet hall serves as an ideal spot for all occasions big and small. The prices are reasonable; somewhere between 20-38HKD for each dish. Want a better deal? Shoot for the early bird special before 10:30am for 15 HKD or less select dishes. Plus, the food is fresher and the crowd rush is non existent.
While I haven't seen a ton of tourists here (hello locals!), it should be noted there are no carts here. It's all a la carte style and be assured there is a limited English menu available. The selection is pretty stellar and more importantly, the food is tasty.
The special shrimp rice noodle (鮮蝦腸粉) is beautifully presented, in bite size snippets served with whole shrimps in each fold. Same bodes for the har gau shrimp dumplings (蝦餃), which may seem a bit minuscule, but pack a decent amount of flavor. Kudos to their dumpling soup ((灌湯餃) for not being overly salty, and sporting a super silky dumpling everyone can get behind. Regular siu mai (燒賣) is readily available, but I would vote for any extra dollars for the super version in the emerald mushroom version (翡翠北菇燒賣).
I admit to not being a fan of Malay sponge cake (馬拉糕) but I rather appreciate Ho Choi's soft and squishy version. Turns out I'm just not a fan of dry, less fluffy versions. Their haam seoi gok (鹹水角) is one of the better versions I've sampled, at least before noon. Anytime after that, it becomes like the rest of the subpar set from Dim Sum land. I really enjoyed their sticky rice (糯米飯), which is abundant in Chinese sausage (臘腸), which will ultimately win me over any day.
No dim sum experience is complete without egg tarts (蛋撻) but I reckon the lao sa bao (流沙包) is the ultimate sweet treat. Living up to its "flowing sand" name, it is a steamed, fluffy, bao of magic runny sweet egg custard. When done well, it is a highlight as much as any, and one that I look forward to each time I'm at Ho Choi in TST.
I haven't been around to try their dinner as of yet, but if it's anything like their Dim Sum hour, I'm sure to be in for a treat. read more