An order that never misses!

Many are no doubt familiar with Hong Kong’s now-iconic “two-dish-rice”, or as it’s more endearingly referred to as “This This Rice”. The unassuming spots of grab-and-go takeaways have slowly but surely cemented a must-have status amongst the city’s gastronomes, serving a delectable array of Hong Kong-style comfort cooking. 

Laying out trays upon trays of classic Cantonese fare, the stir-fry hits typically change daily depending on whatever ingredients vendors can get their hands on, but often feature crowd favourites the likes of braised beef brisket with radish, sweet and sour pork, steamed egg, curried chicken and potatoes and — if you’re lucky on the day — generous portions of fresh garlic prawns. They’re enjoyed for their versatility and availability in choice but adored for their ease and affordability, where a large heaping of steamed rice and homemade soup comes as low as HK$39.

Kuen Fat Restaurant (權發小廚) in Yau Ma Tei is touted as one of the city’s best. Originally a restaurant, Kuen Fat’s downsized operations during the pandemic but continued to serve their signature aromatic wok-tossed dishes at the request of long-time patrons, eventually reviving the business as a specialised two-dish-rice shop. However the dining trend of two-dish rice has only grown in favour, with popular central business area lunch spots, like kikusan at LANDMARK, quickly catching on.

But when you deep dive into the city’s diverse food scene, you’ll find that Hong Kong’s love for an easy one-plate — or box — go-to dish has always been around. The humbly named topped rice, or dish rice, (碟頭飯, deep tau fan in Cantonese), is an earlier rendition of its two-ingredient successors, and features only one single main.

Typically enjoyed in cha chaan tengs, topped rice ranges from anything including daily lunch sets to your usual siu mei order — the easy definition: served atop a single plate of steaming rice. Some typical favourites are tofu with roast pork or the fragrant Chinese eggplant with minced pork. Pan-fried chicken steak doused in black pepper sauce is also a must-order. And for dishes more integral to the signature Hong Kong’s palate: creamed corn fish or tomato and egg stir-fry.

But if there’s one can’t-be-beat favourite, it’s the Cantonese salt and pepper pork chop. Crisp and crunchy on the outside, it’s tender within and perfectly savoury. An alternative? Pan-fried pork chop with sweet soy and a spoonful of scallion ginger geung yong. You’ll find crowds outside Tai Wai’s Kam Shing Restaurant (金城茶餐廳) on any given weekend and For Kee Restaurant (科記咖啡餐室) in Sheng Wan is another notable favourite.

In a city filled with endless food options that transport you to cities afar, and even higher above amongst dazzling Michelin stars, sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and enjoy the simple, unglamorous serve of a one-dish topped rice — not to mention, great value for money.

Header image courtesy of @mme.brave, @phoebeyip, @alexis_kwan/ Instagram; Hero image courtesy of @venus_foodaholic/ Instagram