One step up in clam quality:Razor clams at Tung Po in North Point
Get a load of these babies! King size razor clamsat Rainbow Seafood Restaurant on Lamma Island :b
Before I moved to Hong Kong, I already knew about the culinary wonders of such as dim sum, siu mei (particularly char siu and siu yoke) and (custard) egg tarts. Some of these tasty delights I knew from eating at Cantonese eateries in Malaysia and London's Chinatown. Others (including pineapple buns (cf. Mcdull, Prince de la Bun) and cha chaan teng specialties such as instant noodles with fried egg and luncheon meat!) I learned about from watching Hong Kong movies!
Since moving to the Big Lychee, however, I've come across -- and to like -- a number of other delicious dishes and treats. High on this latter list would be stir fried clams in black bean sauce with chillies -- a savory, spicy seafood concoction that's full of strong flavors and consequently best eaten with a bowl of white rice to balance the taste and washed down with an Asian lager like Japan's crisp Asahi Super Dry or China's smooth Tsing Tao.
But while regular clams will suffice in a pinch, the way to really go with regards to this dish is to specifically ask for the meatier razor (AKA bamboo) clams when ordering it. And if you are willing to splurge (for they are considerably pricier -- and have their price quoted by piece rather than plate or weight), go for the super large king razor clams like my regular hiking companion and I have now done twice when eating post-hike!
The first time around, we ordered just two king razor clams with black bean sauce and chillies to eat -- but lest you feel sorry for us, bear in mind that our dinner that day also included another kind of large clam (this one cooked with garlic and thin noodles), a plate of fried squid and a sizable dish of vegetables!
However, just one week later, the two of us ended up having what amounted to about four times the number of king razor clams for dinner together with just one other dish as we really were primarily craving clams in black bean sauce and chillies that evening -- and even though we had less to eat than at dinner the week before, I think it safe to state that we felt more satisfied by our meal that evening!! :b
Since moving to the Big Lychee, however, I've come across -- and to like -- a number of other delicious dishes and treats. High on this latter list would be stir fried clams in black bean sauce with chillies -- a savory, spicy seafood concoction that's full of strong flavors and consequently best eaten with a bowl of white rice to balance the taste and washed down with an Asian lager like Japan's crisp Asahi Super Dry or China's smooth Tsing Tao.
But while regular clams will suffice in a pinch, the way to really go with regards to this dish is to specifically ask for the meatier razor (AKA bamboo) clams when ordering it. And if you are willing to splurge (for they are considerably pricier -- and have their price quoted by piece rather than plate or weight), go for the super large king razor clams like my regular hiking companion and I have now done twice when eating post-hike!
The first time around, we ordered just two king razor clams with black bean sauce and chillies to eat -- but lest you feel sorry for us, bear in mind that our dinner that day also included another kind of large clam (this one cooked with garlic and thin noodles), a plate of fried squid and a sizable dish of vegetables!
However, just one week later, the two of us ended up having what amounted to about four times the number of king razor clams for dinner together with just one other dish as we really were primarily craving clams in black bean sauce and chillies that evening -- and even though we had less to eat than at dinner the week before, I think it safe to state that we felt more satisfied by our meal that evening!! :b
12 comments:
Wish I'd had time to meet up with you for a meal or hike or movie before I left! Will have to be when I next go to HK
I would be hungry after reading this post even without the delightful pictures. Clams with black bean sauce and chillies! Perfect way to finish a long hike.
Hi Gweipo --
Funny how it is that so many of us who have one another's blogs on our blogrolls and such have not met? Ah well... and yes, hope you'll visit Hong Kong before too long -- and that we'll finally meet at long last! :)
Hi ewaffle --
Thanks for liking the written bits of this entry as well as the photos. And yeah, a good dinner (and beer with it) is a very good way to cap off a day with a good hike. :)
this is mouth watering post. i have tasted razor clams and they are delish. i like clams and otehr shellfish, the simpler they are prepared the better tasting they get.
will come back for PH.
I just drooled on my keyboard.
Hi ewok1993 --
I like some shellfish raw -- but razor clams I *really* love stir fried with black bean sauce and chilli sauce! :b
Hi baroness radon --
Hahahaha! And hope you can get this dish in Hawaii! (And if not, you need to return to Hong Kong sometime soon then!) :b
YTSL--
While the photographs are often delicious (if you will) I have always felt your prose is what makes this blog one of my favorites. In this instance you make things sound scrumptious.
Hi again ewaffle --
Thanks again for your complimentary words. And in this instance, I'm glad that my prose did the food some justice. :)
Oh dear.... THAT looks wonderful!
Hi Anneke --
Why the "oh dear"? Are you on a diet? ;b
hi ytsl,
Wow all the food looks so delicious.
As a kid we used to dig razor clams in summer on Cape Cod (MA) when the tide was out and have them with melted butter and potato chips.
Are the clams grown locally?
Hi sbk --
I know that clams can be found in Hong Kong but am not sure that the ones I ate are from Hong Kong itself. So much food in the territory is imported, including seafood that's served in seaside seafood restaurants.
If pressed to guess, I have a feeling the clams at the Cheung Chau restaurant are local but the ones at the restaurants on Lamma and in North Point are not.
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