I recreated the Hong Kong travel experience in S’pore on a budget, 10/10 would recommend – Mothership.SG

My last trip abroad was in 2019.

So when I was tasked with “recreating” the quintessential Hong Kong travel experience in Singapore – to say the least, I was excited.

After all, the Hong Kong-Singapore air travel bubble has only been delayed since it was first announced last year.

While travel for fully vaccinated people may pick up in early September, who knows when and where we can travel next?

On the other hand, exploring the city’s tallest skyscrapers, sweating on foot in urban green spaces, and indulging in food sounds like a familiar experience.

How is this going.

Have breakfast in the cafeteria

For the uninitiated, breakfast at Cha Chaan Teng is a must in Hong Kong.

Unpretentious with a hint of fanatical energy, the quintessential Cha Chaan Teng (literally “tea restaurant”) serves up eclectic but affordable Hong Kong and Hong Kong-style Western food — think porridge or a ham omelette sandwich.

I went to So Good Char Chan Tang in Singapore and tried some of the iconic breakfasts that were said to taste comparable to those in Hong Kong.

While dining in restaurants is not yet allowed, feasting on Hong Kong breakfast staples – such as the Macaroni and Ham Soup Set (S$5.50) and Crispy Condensed Milk Bread (S$2) – is a comforting experience.

Especially the macaroni soup with ham, full of flavor.

Note that like many tea restaurants in Hong Kong, So Good opens very early (from 8am) and only serves breakfast until 11am.

Anything after that is standard lunch – in this case, beef brisket noodles is highly recommended.

Hiking in the Concrete Jungle

Hong Kong is known for its scenic hikes and hilly terrain, so trekking is required.

However, Singapore is generally flat, so your next best option is to head to the South Ridge – a 10km hike across Mount Faber and Hult Park.

The route takes two to three hours and offers panoramic views of the Singapore city skyline and Keppel Harbour.

See the cable car and the surrounding cityscape, reminiscent of a nostalgic mashup of Hong Kong attractions, including the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car experience and Victoria Peak on Hong Kong Island.

While there are no Big Buddha or Madame Tussauds on the hike, Henderson Waves and an idyllic secluded terrace garden make for picturesque Instagram stops along the way.

Bring one of Hong Kong’s most popular baked pastries – egg tarts – for a much-needed midpoint recharge.

refreshment

For post-hike desserts, I indulge in some unique traditional desserts from Hong Kong, often in the form of hot sweet soups in addition to pastry forms.

Favorites include steamed milk pudding (a custard-like texture), and red bean and black sesame soup.

I got it from Mei Kang Yuan Dessert Shop, one of several Hong Kong specialty dessert shops in Singapore, but you can also get these satisfying treats from other major franchises such as Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert Shop in Singapore.

Taste Hong Kong street food

No Hong Kong experience is complete without its legendary flavors, delicious street food, and dinner includes a home-cooked rendition of Hong Kong’s infamous Trolley Noodles (chezhai noodles), as well as a popular street food – curry fish balls.

In Hong Kong, these street food can be found in almost every corner of the city, and sitting on a humble bar stool sipping delicious noodles is an experience in itself.

For my Hong Kong Trolley Noodles, I replaced the braised pork belly (San Chen Pork) with the pork blood used in this recipe.

The sauces are of course ready, as they are pretty much the backbone of Hong Kong cuisine:

Here are some snapshots from the meal prep extravaganza

Hong Kong Trolley Noodles:

Verdict (1 bite 5 words): Sauce, like in Hong Kong

Curry Fish Balls:

Verdict (1 bite 5 words): Thick, filling, and served with rice.

If you want a little more sentimental, you can even have dinner with some Hong Kong movies or TV shows (accessible via Netflix or YouTube).

I would recommend God of Gamblers II, featuring Stephen Chow and Wenda Wu, or Victory in the Sky (hello, the most iconic opening song or something) for a real trip down memory lane.

AmigoSG x Wan Kee

So, back to the point of this “Hong Kong” experience.

Wan Kee Sauce is one of the household names in Hong Kong’s traditional sauces, with at least 13 different homemade flavours.

Through AmigoSG, an online wholesale and supply store in Singapore, it exclusively distributes its traditional homemade sauces in most Shengxiong and Haoma supermarkets island-wide.

With over 10 years of history, Wan Kee offers well-proportioned, delicious sauces that allow you to easily recreate delicious Hong Kong recipes.

As I’ve come to realize, it’s really good for what you get in Hong Kong – a nice substitute until travel resumes again.

In addition to in-store, the sauces are also available through online retailers Lazada and Shopee.

Learn more about AmigoSG here.

Image via Lean Jinghui or courtesy of AmigoSG.

This article sponsored by AmigoSG makes the author very hungry.