Have you ever heard someone say that Chinese food in America, is nothing like Chinese food on this side of the world. They are absolutely right.
One of the major reasons I wanted to travel all over Asia was to eat the amazing food. I am a foodie and proud to say it! So I have made it a point to try the street food in every country I have visited. Today, I am going to write about some of the amazing food and drinks I have tried in Home Kong and abroad.
Bubble tea
If you’ve ever tried Chatime or Kung Fu tea, on Huntington Avenue, you should know what Bubble tea is. But just in case you haven’t, it is a tea based drink usually prepared with milk and sugar. The bubbles also known as bobba or pearls could be chewy tapioca balls, popping tapioca balls (balls infused with fruity flavors) or even jelly. If you ever get the chance to visit Asia, you must try the bubble tea. It is different in every country but the best I have tried was in its home country; Taiwan.
I had the chance to visit Chun Shui Tang, the restaurant that claims to have invented bubble tea and it was amazing. You don’t even have to go to the restaurant, all street markets in Taiwan have amazing bubble tea that you can buy for less than a dollar. If you’re not a bubble tea fan and you want to give it a try, I suggest the Brown Sugar milk tea… it is my absolute fave.
Egg Waffle
Egg Waffle also known as eggette or egg puff (Cantonese name: gai dann jai) is a Hong Kong and Macau street delicacy. It is similar to the waffles we all know but is spherical in shape and made with egg leavened batter. It can be made with fruit, chocolate, cheese or even matcha fillings. I had been in Hong Kong for over a month before I tried it and I was kicking myself for depriving my taste buds of such delicious goodness. I prefer the banana and white chocolate infused egg waffles but some of my friends prefer it plain. If you’re ever on Hong Kong island a Michelin guide recommended street vendor is Mammy Pancakes. However, you don’t have to go all the way there. Street food carts all over Hong Kong sell egg waffles between $1 and $3. Trust me it’s worth the try.
Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake
Vietnamese food in general is amazing, so picking just one dish was really difficult. However, you need to try the steamed banana cakes. Ban Chuoi hap is literally steamed mashed banana, sugar and salt with slices of banana to surprise you on the top. The first time I tried banana cake was in the Ben Thanh market in Ho Chi Minh city (the perfect place for bamboo bags and other cheap Vietnamese souvenirs). A Vietnamese friend of mine from Northeastern made me try and I owe her for it. I am almost certain you can find those banana cakes everywhere but unfortunately, the only place I had it was in the market. If you’re ever in Vietnam, definitely try it.
Extra tip: There was another dessert I tried in Vietnam that was fantastic. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what it was called but it was a cold cake-ish dessert with hot coffee poured on the top. If you ever see something that looks like that, eat it!
Japanese Melon Buns
Japan did not have as much street food as the other countries I visited. However the best thing I ate was an Ice cream filled melon bun. Melon bun is a sweet bun originated in Japan. It is made with a thin layer of cookie dough on the top and tastes heavenly. The first time I tried a melon bun was in the Asakusa market. That market has amazing souvenirs and pretty good food vendors. The melon bun I tried was fresh from the oven and had ice-cream in the middle. I am sure you already know, ice-cream makes everything a hundred times better.
Unfortunately I don’t remember the name of the store I got it in, but on the bright side, Melon buns are popular in China, Taiwan and even Latin America. So, if you don’t get the chance to go to Japan, you can always get a melon bun in one of these places.
Taiwanese Sweet Potato Balls
I had been in the Night market for approximately 5 minutes when I saw the longest line I had seen the whole trip. Since I got to Asia, my philosophy is; If there’s a long line it is almost always amazing food. So guess what I did… Yup, I joined the line. I had no idea what everyone was waiting for, but I knew I had to try it. As I got to the front of the line, I saw the vendor flipping and sieving tiny balls. I still had no clue what it was because everything was written in Taiwanese. I don’t have food allergies so I basically eat everything and anything that intrigues me so I figured what could go wrong.
When I got to the front of the line, I picked the smallest number… just in case. I had the first ball and was tempted to get back in line. I have never had sweet potatoes taste so good. Taiwanese Sweet Potato balls are fried, mashed sweet potatoes wrapped in a mixture of tapioca and glutinous rice flower. It is a MUST have.
As I finished this, I noticed a common theme. Almost all these are desserts. One of the main reasons I love eating desserts in Asia is because it doesn’t feel like dessert. They all taste great but are made with fruit, or something else healthy-ish and are never as sweet as what we are used to back home. So I get to eat everything guilt free.
Here is a link to street food in Hong Kong and where to get it – https://www.thetimes.co.uk/travel/article/hong-kongs-best-street-food-find/
