Duen Kee Chinese Restaurant 端記茶樓: Handcrafted dim sum spot near hiking trail with farm-grown watercress & Hakka chewy cake
Escape the crowded streets of Hong Kong and have a mini adventure traveling (about 35 mins by taxi) to Duen Kee Chinese Restaurant 端記茶樓. Located in Chuen Lung Estate at Tsuen Wan, this self-service dim sum place is situated at the base of Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong‘s highest peak at 956 metres above sea level.
Don’t be surprised if you see other patrons in hiking gear. The place is filled with seniors and hikers having a chill breakfast after a sweat-inducing trek. We were glad that there were little to no tourists in sight, even though we ourselves were guilty as charged.
Upon arrival, you have the freedom to sit wherever you like— either al fresco, overlooking the sunny and serene surroundings, or indoors.
While dining there, we caught sight of a lady preparing a fresh batch of siew mai. She was also the one announcing new dim sum items that came out piping hot from the kitchen over the restaurant’s PA system.
If you don’t understand Cantonese, don’t worry. Simply head to the steamed section to see what’s up for grabs!
The exchange rate is S$1 = HKD5.75 (at time of writing), and I’ve added the prices in SGD as well for your convenience. Rate fluctuations may affect what you actually spend.
What I tried at Duen Kee Chinese Restaurant 端記茶樓
Before starting our dim sum breakfast, we followed in the locals’ footsteps— disinfecting our cutlery and crockery with hot water. It was definitely a new experience for Singaporeans like us!
We kicked things off with the Siew Mai (HKD20/S$3.50) that came in a basket of 4. Each piece featured chewy prawns and fresh pork, offering a texture and taste that was worlds apart from the ones we have in Singapore.
The Char Siew Bao (HKD18/S$3.20) arrived in a pair and was generously stuffed with moist char siew pieces. The fluffy buns, though slightly cold when we had them, still retained their softness.
We tried the Hakka Chewy Cakes or ‘Chicken Poop Vine’ (HKD18/S$3.20 each) which had a dark green hue similar to Korean mugwort rice cakes. Possessing a mochi-like texture, the cakes had a mild herby taste which wasn’t overpowering (thankfully).
There were a few selections of rice rolls to choose from and after much deliberation, we chose the Beef Cheung Fun (HKD28/S$4.90). The skin was silky smooth and possessed the perfect thickness, encasing tender pieces of beef within.
The soy-based sauce beneath filled every nook and cranny of the roll, imparting an aromatic and savoury flavour that perfumed my taste buds.
The Century Egg Pork Congee () was crowned with fried wanton skins and sliced spring onions. As simple as it looked, I was blown away by how thick, luxurious and flavourful it was. The wanton skins added a satisfying crunch to every spoonful.
There is a small field in the backyard of Duen Kee Chinese Restaurant, where they grow a variety of veggies like watercress.
And if you walk over to the cooked vegetable section, you can order a plate of boiled Watercress (HKD50/S$8.70) with the ah jie (big sister).
Before you head back to the table, be sure to slather on some soy sauce and furu. I can already hear some of you thinking, “Ew! Won’t fermented beancurd taste weird?” The combination was unique and surprisingly worked well together.
The furu added a pungent, creamy, and salty touch to the fresh, naturally sweet watercress. There’s just something about freshly-harvested, farm-grown vegetables that hits differently.
We also helped ourselves to the Beancurd Pudding (HKD18/S$3.20 each), made with water from the surrounding mountains. Be sure to add plenty of orange sugar and syrup, as the beancurd itself is quite bland.
Final thoughts
The next time you’re planning a trip to Hong Kong, why not venture off the beaten track and visit Duen Kee Restaurant 端記茶樓 for a rustic, village-like experience? You can even squeeze in a hike before or after your dim sum feast!
Expected damage: HKD28 – HKD66 per pax
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