Lei Garden, Hong Kong
Lei Garden is the place to go to for an exquisite Yum Cha experience - a Chinese-style brunch and tea affair that involves sipping Chinese Tea and eating dim sum. Its dishes average between HK$28-60 (approximately SGD6-10), which calls for a gastronomic feast without having to foot a hefty bill.
Should you want to pay Lei Garden a visit, there are various outlets across Hong Kong and each of the outlets has been awarded a single Michelin Star, a testimony to its consistency and quality.
Address: Lei Garden (Mong Kok): 111-127 Sai Yee St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
Kam’s Roast Goose, Hong Kong
Kam’s is definitely the go-to spot in Hong Kong for delicously tender duck that is cooked to perfection with a crispy, caramel-brown skin and at very reasonable prices too.
What to try? Consider their Roast Duck Lai Fun (Lai Fun is type of Chinese noodle), that is a glorious blend of scrumptious crispy duck meat and warm noodle soup. The best bit? This Michelin Star-approved meal is only HK$55 (SGD9.50). Prices range from HK$50 to HK$150 (SGD8.60 to SGD26).
Address: Po Wah Commercial Centre, 226 Hennessy Rd, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Golden Peacock, Macau
The one-starred Golden Peacock in Venetian Macao serves delectable, gourmet interpretations of authentic Indian cuisine, such as its Tandoori Salmon Tikka (pictured on the left). Headed by a chef from Kerala, the restaurant’s ambience and decor is as striking as its food is delectable.
Known to be slightly spicy, most of the dishes on its menu range between 85 MOP (SGD14.50) to 120 MOP (SGD20), with some items that cost more.
Address: Estrada da Baía de N. Senhora da Esperança, s/n, Taipa, Ilhas, Macau
Tim Ho Wan, Hong Kong
Tim Ho Wan is the tried and trusted favourite spot for great, affordably-priced dim sums in Hong Kong. Conferred with one Michelin Star, Tim Ho Wan was formerly known as the world’s cheapest Michelin star restaurant (before Singapore’s hawker stalls took that spot). Tim Ho Wan’s signature Baked Bun with BBQ Pork dish costs only HK$16 (SGD2.80 SGD) for three exquisitely soft, sweet puffs, with other dishes ranging at similar prices.
Address: Tim Ho Wan (Sham Shui Po): 9 Fuk Wing St, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle, Singapore
Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle’s most popular claim to fame is probably the fact that it is the first hawker to have been awarded a Michelin Star, and that its award-winning Michelin dish costs only SGD2. Yes, just SGD2.
Long lines are not uncommon at this humble establishment (even prior to getting the Michelin Star) and a taste of its scrumptiously-prepaed chicken rice and noodles dish speaks volumes as to why. The rice is not overly greasy and is cooked with a delicious, authentic Cantonese flavour, while its soya sauce chicken is juicy and nicely caramelised and (though it doesn’t need it) comes with an equally tasty chilli sauce.
Address: 335 Smith St, #02-125, Chinatown Food Complex, Singapore 050335
Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, Singapore
Locally raved in Singapore as one of the best places for Teo Chew-style Bak Chor Mee, Tai Hwa Pork Noodle is the other hawker stall to be awarded a Michelin Star in the Michelin Singapore guide this year.
Its award-winning dish: slightly firm, al dente Chinese noodles tossed in a savoury vinegar sauce, paired with tender pork and liver slices, minced pork, dumplings, and fried sole fish at just SGD5 for a regular bowl. Each bite is flavoursome, and thankfully, its owners have stated they will not be hiking up the prices anytime soon.
Address: Blk 466 Crawford Lane, Singapore, Singapore
Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, Japan
Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta is the place to go to for a top-notch ramen experience (its prices are just an added bonus). A 9-seater eatery in Tokyo’s Sugamo district, it was the first ever and only ramen shop to be awarded a Michelin Star in 2015.
The shop’s 37-year-old owner and chef Yuki Onishi is so dedicated to his brand of ramen that he is constantly sourcing new flavours and ingredients first-hand. His passion for his craft is evident in every delectable bite of his ramen. Tsuta’s trademark dish is the ‘Shoyu Soba’, soy sauce ramen - thin stone noodles in a chicken, soy sauce and seafood broth, topped with a slice of pork and their signature black truffle oil, all culminating in an intense umami experience.
Address: 1-14-1 Sugamo, Toshima ward, Tokyo