Jin Jin Restaurant 津津茶餐廳 @ Hong Kong

Hong Kong is filled with these little eateries that surprise you with some of the most amazing good eats at under $15.

Jin Jin Restaurant 津津茶餐廳, not to be confused with the other one in Shatin, is a one-trick pony amongst the best restaurants in the world. They do salt baked chicken 鹽焗雞 to a connoisseur level.

This cha chaan teng has been around for around 30 years, and has an old school, no pretence setting serving up traditional cafe fare. But everyone comes for their headliner salt-baked chicken.

For a nostalgic, no-frills, Hong Kong experience sitting amongst the locals at the Hong Kong-style light-lime green seating booths, this is the place. I think because of complaints, they have spruced up the place quite a bit after the pandemic. But still quite functional and simple.

鹽焗雞髀麵 Salt baked chicken drumstick with noodles, you know how it works in a cha chaan teng. You can do a variation of the mains – rice (plain or fried), noodles (dry or soup), mac and tomato sauce, etc.

Although it may looked similar, salt baked chicken 盐焗鸡 is a signature Hakka dish, as opposed to Hainanese chicken 海南雞 which is poached chicken. Comes with a condiment called (lit.) “ginger sand” 沙姜 which is made up with five spice powder, salt, mashed ginger and oil. You won’t be needing it as the chicken is already very flavourful.

But when it comes to the gizzards 雞腎 and liver 雞肝, it’s really unmatched. It’s delicious and fragrant, and has a bite and texture. You can request for it served whole or chopped up.

The soup changes every day, so you either get the pig lungs soup or this great pork bones soup. Tasted like something mom would whip up for dinner all the time. Simple ingredients that only need time and love.

It is a bit further than the usual Taikoo place haunts and hardly visible under a footbridge, but it is quite popular with the office workers in the nearby buildings. Be here before 12pm and you will likely have seats. Come by for cramped seating and satisfied tastebuds. Closed on Sundays.

Jin Jin Restaurant 津津茶餐廳
G/F, Model Housing Estate, 774 King’s Road, North Point
北角英皇道774號模範村地舖
Tel : +852 25648731

Visited Nov 2024