Established in 1942, Yung Kee is an integral part of Hong Kong’s heritage and culinary landscape and has become an illustrious dining destination for residents and tourists alike. Situated in the heart of Hong Kong Island’s Central District, the iconic Yung Kee Building offers casual and formal dining, serving preserved family recipes for charcoal-grilled barbecue meats and classic, Cantonese fare.
Yung Kee 鏞記 is synonymous with roast goose and an integral part of Hong Kong’s heritage and culinary landscape since its founding in 1942. It continues to preserve authentic Cantonese flavours by using original recipes and traditional well-honed culinary techniques. It serves more than 300 whole birds per day. A half bird—which serves up to four people—costs HKD 460 (almost doubled in price since 2018), while a single-person portion goes for HKD 300.
The late founder Kam Shui Fai was nicknamed “Roast Goose Fai” (燒鵝煇), and Yung Kee’s roast goose has become well known in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau, and also among foreign tourists. Yung Kee also once held one star in the Michelin Guide received in the inaugural 2009 Hong Kong and Macau edition, but on 1 December 2011, it was relegated to “Bib Gourmand” section of the guide’s 2012 edition. And with the third generation deciding on going upmarket, they lost their Bib Gourmand too.
Yung Kee is divided into two sections, a fine dining section in the upper floors and a more casual eatery on the ground floor that served set lunches for HKD 240 upwards.
The goose they used is the Qingyuan black-neck goose 清遠烏鬃鵝 from Qingyuan Town, Guangdong Province. The rice is extra these days, and all these little things add up to quite an expensive meal. No wonder these days, there’s not much of a queue for lunch.
松花皮蛋配酸薑 Preserved Egg and Pickled Ginger
Instead of a black egg white, Yung’s signature century egg 松花皮蛋 came with a yellowish translucent egg white. And the yolk was runny instead of a solid centre. Even the pickled ginger was specially made for them and was pinker than usual. It’s a great little snack but it’s getting a bit expensive these days (HKD 20 / USD 2.50 for half an egg).
生磨杏汁潤肺湯 Double-boiled Pig Lung Soup with Almond Sauce
Cantonese believes in the medicinal properties of a good bowl of soup before the meal. Because there’s no more abattoir in Singapore, the availability of pig lung 豬肺 is restricted. This organ is very good as an ingredient of the Cantonese double boiled soup as it is not musky like the rest of the organs.
The properly cleaned pig’s lung was cooked along with grounded almond by double boiling for half a day, resulting in a milky white soup. Chinese yam was added for bulk and sweetness. The soup is good for one’s respiratory system and became really popular after SARS.
正宗炭燒鵝髀 Signature Charcoal Roasted Goose Leg
The goose leg is the best cut of the bird IMHO; dark meat with extremely crispy skin, you just decide if you want the left or right leg. Before serving, the roast goose 燒鵝 was drizzled with a strong and fragrant secret sauce made from the drippings. I loved it with the rice, but you can also dip it in their signature plum sauce 冰梅醬 to take away some of the greasiness although I prefer it au natural!
粵式脆皮燒腩仔 Barbecued Crispy Pork Belly
Hong Kong-style roasted meat, locally known as siu mei 燒味, is a must-try for visitors to the city. And the representative crispy pork belly 燒腩仔 is favourite for all. Accompanied by the Heinz yellow mustard, it is always a good eat provided that the skin remains crispy and the meat remains moist and tender. Yung Kee did not disappoint but it wasn’t the best in town.
黃金芝麻煎堆仔 Deep-fried Sesame Balls
And for a finale, I ordered some Chinese donut balls 煎堆 that came with sweet sesame filling.
I love sesame balls, they are crispy but chewy on the inside. Not too sweet which is the best compliment for a dessert. Washed down with 壽眉 Shoumei tea, a white tea that is produced from naturally withered upper leaf and tips, with a stronger flavor reminiscent of lighter oolong teas.
Some take a box of goose on the flight home to share with family and friends, giving rise to the nickname “Flying Roast Goose” (飛天燒鵝). Yung Kee dishes are served in first and business class on board Cathay Pacific flights, and boxes of roast goose and preserved eggs from the restaurant are sold in the airport as well.
If you want to get some “flying goose”, there’s a side door that opens to the takeaway counter. They will make sure the goose is sealed in water-tight boxes for bring up the plane.
Ever though many would argue that there are many roast goose restaurants that come after that are better, Yung Kee remains the yardstick for roast goose that everyone else is compared with. Whether or not it’s the taste, or the presentation, or the service in the restaurant, Yung Kee sets the bar.
Yung Kee Restaurant 鏞記酒家
32-40 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2522 1624
Visited Nov 2024
Michelin Hong Kong Guide 1 Star 2009-2011, Bib Gourmand 2012-2018
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