Who doesn’t love the comfort you get from a beef brisket? The tender chunks of meat soaked in a meticulously simmered clear herbal broth is a true quintessential Hong Kong dish.
There are Facebook groups for just about anything these days, and locating the best beef brisket in Hong Kong happens to be one of them. The Beef Brisket Concern Group judges the best bowls according to a stringent list. This includes freshness of beef, richness in broth and the well-measured balance between the two. On the flip side are long-time chefs who credit a good bowl of this dish down to the availability of a premium cut and plain good cooking.
Beef brisket is served in different ways in Hong Kong restaurants. You can get them as a topping over a steaming bowl of noodles at your neighbourhood spot or dunked in warm, soupy casseroles of Hong Kong-style curries. But the most rudimentary serves are those carefully cut brisket cubes bobbing upon the surface of a crystal-clear broth (清湯腩). Each restaurant does a preferred cut, mostly short rib or skirt. They also perfect a slow-simmered soup base with a long list of herbs and ingredients following generation-long recipes of their own. A deceivingly simple dish that usually takes hours to make.
The criteria are not as exhaustive here. But they are a considerable group of names that address the essential components of a good beef brisket. Should you long for a warm soupy bowl with perfectly chewy tender chunks, here’s where to go.
The best places to eat beef brisket in Hong Kong
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If you’ve been down Central’s Gough Street, you’d spot a queue first at Zagin Soba. And then further beyond, a longer stretch that snakes down the steps to Kau U Fong. That’s Kau Kee, otherwise known as the home of Hong Kong’s best beef brisket. With 90 years of experience — and a Michelin recommended designation — Kau Kee is known for the perfectly balanced cuts of beef that are soft, tender, and stewed to perfection. First-time visitors must come for the brisket in clear soup, otherwise, their signature curry broth is also a delicious must-order.
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Tin Hau-native Sister Wah is another Michelin recommended destination known for its extremely tender cuts of beef brisket. But as delicious as the beefy chunks may be — only made with local beef — what Sister Wah does best is their clear beef broth. A savoury consommé that’s fragrant with beef extract and over 10 different kinds of spice, the umami broth is topped off with chopped scallions and cubed daikons for added sweetness. Come for, of course, an order of the beef brisket in clear broth before making your way through other orders on the menu.
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Once upon a time located in Hung Hom, Eight Treasures made the move to Tin Hau and so did its band of loyal followers. The availability of the range of cuts — honeycomb tripe and beef tongue — is a much-appreciated feature of the venue, with popular cuts of short rib and skirt steak prone to selling out by 1 pm. When you do make the executive decision on a particular beef cut, pay extra attention to the beloved broth, slowly simmered for over 10 hours with beef bones and eight herbs.
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Hidden away in the back alleys of busy Central in a small, street-side shack is Shui Kee. It’s the well-kept secret of fervent beef brisket fans in the Hong Kong Beef Brisket Concern Group, reserved only for the most discerning brisket connoisseurs. Once you do discover its obscure location, you’ll be rewarded by Shui Kee’s beautifully marbled cuts of beef, afloat over a bowl of silky noodles in a delicate broth. The menu is simple, a 60-year tried and true favourite of four core beef cuts that typically sells out by noon. They close early at 5 pm and don’t open on Saturdays, so if you were planning on visiting, you’ve just got to make your schedule work for them.
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This family-run eatery has been serving all kinds of Cantonese noodle soup dishes since 1994. And the pride of the store is no doubt the beef brisket. After all, it’s braised the night before and then left in a spiced marinade overnight to get the tenderness and distinguished flavours of the beef. Given its small space but great reputation, expect to wait a bit, no matter dine-in or take-out. Oh, did we mention the shop won the Bib Gourmand award?
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If you can’t already tell from its name, Mak’s Noodle specialises in all things noodles. In fact, the family-owned shop boasts a long history starting from Guangzhou and expanding all the way to Hong Kong. Today, it’s run by third-generation descendants of the Mak family. Many diners hail the texture of the wonton noodles and the rich flavour of the soup. In addition, the no-fuss menu makes everything simpler. Among all the noodle dishes available, the beef brisket wonton noodle soup is one of our favourites.
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Not to be mistaken with In Beef Hotpot, this Hong Kong-style noodle eatery is known for serving different kinds of styles of brisket. During lunch, you can see massive lines of diners looking to know what the fuss is all about. You can customise and personalise your order, right down to the type of beef. With every scoop, expect tender and juicy meat complete with springy rice noodles. What a combination! Patrons also swear by the milk tea here so be sure to try that too.
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This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the best way to cook brisket?
It’s best to cook beef brisket at low temperature for a long period of time.
- Is beef brisket tender?
Beef brisket is a tough cut of meat. However, the long cooking process makes the meat very tender.
- Where can I get the best beef brisket in Hong Kong?
You can get beef brisket in places such as Eight Treasures, Kau Kee, and Sister Wah in Hong Kong.
