I found Wai Kee through a few local blogs while researching for great dining options, while I was not actively looking for this joint, I stumbled across Bowrington Food Centre while exploring the streets of Wan Chai and knew I had to try it out. And am I glad I did, what an experience it was! It cannot get any more local than this. The entry to the actual "food centre" or "hawker stall" almost seems exclusive, you'll have to trek through a fish market with wet floors all around without any yellow "Caution! Wet!" warning signs, up the desolate stairs with dirty white chef aprons and rubber boots hanging on the walls to dry, across a random connector hallway through the doors and into the food centre.
My oh my, just the sheer number of people lining up for food or bunched together sharing dirty tables sitting on plastic chairs, is a marvel to see. What's more interesting about this place is, you don't have to adhere to the normal dining etiquette. It's so packed that to get any seating, you'd first have to scout around & spot a group that is almost done and stand right next to them & wait. Awkward? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely. This is not the end of it. So while we stood next to the table, waiting for the group to leave, they stuffed the last bits of protein in their mouths, sucked out all of the meat and juices from the bones, like a machine gun spat out the bones all on the table. They then got up and left, where we rushed to sit down before anybody robbed our seats. Did I mention proper dining etiquette is not required here?
With a pile of bones and empty takeout boxes in front of us, we waited for the server to clean up. My brothers sat in disgust with hunger quickly turning to nausea. One swipe with a dirty towel is all the server needed to clean up, no disinfectant spray, nothing. Food stains and marks were still very much visible. I love it. Time to order - don't be shy, you'll need to flag down a server. This joint is known for their roasted chicken and duck, so I read, and recommended to my brothers while I opted for the curry mutton. Mutton is basically an older lamb (over 3 years) with stronger taste, but tougher meat. The food came within 7 minutes. We all sampled each others plates and I thought everything was delicious. The curry was just slightly spicy while the meat had a great chew, tiny bit of toughness as expected, but very fragrant, flavorful and distinct. The total for 3 came to $120 I think, which is ridiculously cheap given the quality of the food, hence the beauty of places like this.
Fair warning, this place is not for the faint of heart. However, if you're looking for a great local experience with great food for a fraction of the price that you can't really find in other developed countries, then you must try it. read more