Lok Tak 樂德 @ Hong Kong

They are near the hotel that I always stay these days when I am in Hong Kong, and they are open very early in the morning until late night.

Lok Tak 樂德茶餐廳 is like any other chachaanteng in Hong Kong, selling a variety of quick meals from their very small kitchen. The choices are quite amazing, but they specialise in Teochew style noodles 潮式粉麵 with all kinds of balls (fish ball, squid ball, beef meat ball), and Hong Kong style beef offals called “ngau zap” 牛雜.

Due to the wars in the mainland during the middle of the 20th century, a wave of migrants from mainland China flooded into Hong Kong as refugees. Some came from Guangzhou, and they brought their food culture along. Street food became an affordable food option, and beef offals, or “ngau zap” as they are called in Cantonese, became popular in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong-style beef offals stew, aka “ngau zap” 牛雜, paired with a rich, flavourful secret sauce, delivers a complex and satisfying taste that brings back memories of Hong Kong street food. Whether enjoyed as a main dish, served with noodles or rice, or as a standalone appetiser, this classic delicacy is sure to satisfy your cravings.

The standard 五香牛四寶麵 Beef “four treasures” noodles had brisket, tendons, tripes and intestines. They have a faint five spice taste, but it still sticks to the traditional recipe using “chu hou” sauce 柱侯醬. The last time I came, they gave me beef lungs instead of tendons, which I loved so much. To the Hong Kongers there are three types of beef briskets – 爽腩 crunchy brisket, 坑腩 pit brisket (the brisket they serve in the standard version) and 崩沙腩 sandy brisket. And if they are available, I would recommend you go for their sandy brisket (which is actually the diaphragm of the cow), which is more tender and flavourful.

Because their stock was the clear brisket type, the noodles did not have any flavours in them if you order the dry version. I asked for more sauce from the stew and kept pouring them into the noodles. Or you can ask for some oyster sauce.

The soup was just stock from boiling the balls. I just found out that the stewed radish I had the last time was chargeable.

The set came with a drink, and I ordered the “sock” milk tea. Hong Kong style milk tea uses evaporated milk, which can be quite thick and heavy for those not used to it, and the tea has been boiled and filtered using a tea stocking.

There are many places like these, and the standard does vary among them. Lok Tak is quite consistent and above average. I just like the fact that it is quite clean and not too crowded, except during lunch time.

Lok Tak Restaurant 樂德粉麵茶餐廳
80 Java Rd, North Point, Hong Kong 北角渣華道80號地舖
Tel : +852 2562 8775

Visited Apr 2025