“Don’t judge a book by its cover” may best describe Sham Shui Po. Despite being the poorest district in HK, Sham Shui Po is at the same time a hidden gem filled with cheap & excellent local eateries. As a historically blue-collar neighborhood, many low-cost food stalls and Cha Chaan Tengs (茶餐廳) can be found in this area, and Wai Kee Noodle Cafe must be on the list. 

Speaking of Wai Kee Noodles Cafe (維記咖啡粉麵), many locals would immediately think of its pork liver noodles. Founded in the 50s, Wai Kee has been renowned for this iconic dish. While you would probably think this is a strange combination, many Hong Kong people keep coming back to the store precisely because of the rich flavor given by the pork liver. Evidently, there is a reason why there are three branches (Wai Kee with red Chinese characters on white background) on the same street! However, if you are not a fan of offal, you may find it a bit unacceptable (or even disgusting), but no worries, you can still try another Wai Kee’s well-known dish: Kaya French Toast.

Kaya, or coconut jam, is a common dessert ingredient in Southeast Asia, many Hong Kong local shops later fine-tuned their recipe to fit locals’ tastes, and Wai Kee’s Kaya is one of it. Its homemade Kaya is generously spread on the French toast which was soaked in egg and deep-fried. Even though it is called “French Toast”, there is nothing “french” about this 100% local dish… You should really give it a try!

Similar to most Cha Chaan Teng, Wai Kee is a restaurant with limited space but a long queue. We suggest visiting the restaurant in the morning for a quick breakfast, and do keep in mind that you may need to share tables with strangers!