Teochew cuisine is my hometown cuisine and my “chicken soup” cuisine. Whenever I am weary and tired, I would seek solace in Teochew food. And Hong Kong has some of the best Teochew restaurant in the world.
Teochew (or Chiu Chow, as they called in Hong Kong) is my ancestral hometown. I have been back there a few times for business. Planning to do a proper root finding heritage tour 尋根之旅 later in the year with the family.
潮州凍蟹 Chiu Chao Cold Crab is the classic cold seafood dish in Teochew cuisine. In Singapore, we do it with mud crab that has just moulted. In Hong Kong, they prefer to do it using Flower Crab 花蟹, which is easily to eat and always available. Pak Lor’s Cold Crab was very pricey, the small little crab that we ordered was almost S$60.
潮州烏頭魚飯 Chiu Chow Grey Mullet – 魚飯 Chilled steamed fish is a Teochew specialty. In the coastal areas of Chaoshan are several fishing areas, and when fish that are of less economical value are caught, they are into “fish rice”.
This unique method of processing freshly caught fish came from the Teochew ancestors, when refrigeration was not available. These fish are gutted and then washed with brine, and then cooked in a pot of salt water. Once cooked, the fish are dried, and they retain the original sweetness and a firm fresh that is white like rice, hence the name “fish rice”.
High quality fish rice must have a fish body that is firm and straight. When lightly pressed, the fresh has a firm feeling. And this is only fish dish in Chinese cuisine that is served cold. Best eaten with Puning bean paste 普寧豆醬. And Pak Loh version was very tasty.
Another classic Teochew dish 蠔仔粥 Baby Oyster Porridge is rarely served in Singapore Teochew restaurants. It is a savoury broth with oysters, dried fish and minced pork cooked with cooked rice.
普寧豆腐 Puning Tofu is another classic tofu dish not available in Singapore. Served with a salt water with chives dip, the slightly smokey tofu is deep fried until the external skin is crispy and tasty.
We also ordered a Braised Vegetable, which is not typical Teochew, more Cantonese in origin.
The decoration of the place has been tastefully done by NC Design and has won the Asia Pacific Interior Design (APIDA) – Bronze Award in 2014. Service is fantastic, the price is a bit steep, but the place is perfect to entertain a customer.
Pak Loh Chiu Chow (Time Square) 百樂潮州酒樓
10F, Time Square, 1 Matheson Street,
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Tel : +852 2577 1163
Date Visited : Aug 2018
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