Many people are familiar with Lian Xiang Lou 莲香楼 but it has since been closed. So this trip, we made a visit to a similar dim sum place known as Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居.
And yes, unless you still want to hope, our famous Lian Xiang Lou is indeed closed. My visit to it during this latest Hong Kong trip showed the sad sign of its closing. Sigh.
Table of Contents
How to get to Lin Heung Kui
Address of Lin Heung Kui
Lin Heung Kui
Address: 40-50 Des Voeux Rd W, Sheung Wan
As we visited Man Mo Temple 文武廟 (you know, exams are coming) in the morning, our route to Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居 might be different from yours. We came from Man Mo Temple to Lin Heung Kui via the Queen’s Road and Hollywood Road.
You can see from this map below that Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居 is on the other end of Sheung Wan. You will still want to get to Sheung Wan MRT and then walk down Connaught Rd W towards the Kennendy town direction to get to Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居.
Along the way back from the dim sum place, you might want to drop by Halfway Coffee (previously is Hoi On Cafe 海安咖啡室, an excellent Cha chaan teng) for a post dim-sum coffee. I will write a blog psot on Halfway Coffee soon. Pretty cool place !!
Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居 is at Des Voeux Read West, close to all the famous seafood products shops. Sheung Wan always remind me of the TVB shows such as 一屋老友记. And excellent porridge at 忠記粥品. I also stayed at Island Pacific Hotel around this area too.
About Lin Heung Kui
Lin Heung Kui has been operating since 1926, making it one of the oldest and most renowned tea houses in Hong Kong. It has a rich history and has preserved its traditional charm over the years. Lin Heung Kui is particularly famous for its dim sum, which are bite-sized portions of food served in bamboo steamers or on small plates. They offer a wide variety of dim sum options, including steamed buns, dumplings, rice rolls, and more.
One unique aspect of Lin Heung Kui is its traditional dining style. Instead of ordering from a menu, diners select their desired dim sum dishes directly from carts or trays that circulate around the restaurant. It’s a communal and interactive experience.
Don’t play play. Michelin okay…
Arriving at Lin Heung Kui
As I came from Man Mo Temple, so I approached the restaurant from the back.. and hence can see this sign of the place.
The front of the restaurant has a big nice signboard. Very traditional hor.
It is actually not very easy to get up to the dining hall as there is only one (very) old lift and you have to share that with the customers (and the endless tour groups from China) as well as delivery men with the goods. Took me a while to get up.
And then when I was finally in the actual dim sum place, I had to struggle to find a table. It was super crowded. Some Cantonese language skills will get you a long way to get help from the staff. Who is (like Lian Xiang Lou 莲香楼, equally unhappy at being harassed. They are very busy !).
The restaurant has a nostalgic ambiance with its vintage decor, wooden furniture, and traditional tea-drinking culture. It’s a place where you can experience a glimpse of old Hong Kong and its culinary traditions.
Just like in TVB shows, the customers (generally the older local folks) has a copy of the daily newspaper and ‘yum cha’ (drink their tea) while catching up on their news (or gossip) with their old friends. You can tell they are old-timers by the way the staff greeted them or helped them. Very very traditional. Very very Hong Kong.
Lin Heung Kui is often crowded, especially during peak hours, so it’s advisable to arrive early or be prepared for a potentially busy dining experience. The bustling atmosphere adds to its charm and authenticity.
One of the wonderful things about Lin Heung Kui is their friendly embrace of communal dining. You are expected to share tables with some stranger, and hence potentially making new friends, and hence fostering a vibrant and convivial atmosphere.
This shared dining experience embodies the essence of traditional Hong Kong dining, making Lin Heung Kui a beloved destination for both locals and travelers alike.
How to order at Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居
As in Lian Xiang Lou 莲香楼, you will be handed an paper order form once you managed to get a table (if you can.. best of luck hor).
Once you are seated, you will be served a pot of hot water and your tea (of your choice) where you can then sanitise your tableware with the hot water. Please do… they are quite oily 🙂
You then pass this order form to the respective dim sum aunties (who will be moving their dim sum trolleys or stations around.. again best of luck if you can get to one of them) and after passing you the food, they will stamp it with your order.
Just like at Lian Xiang Lou 莲香楼, don’t sit around and expect to be served okay. If I am you, I would simply walked up to the push cart and just grab what you want and pass the order from to the auntie. You need to as the popular items like Siew Mai and Cha Siew Baos really get taken up very quickly, and you can wait forever for the next batch.
Wait and you lose.
Pass the order form to the main cashier when you are ready to leave. You can definitely use your Hong Kong Octopus App for Tourists to pay for the bill using your iPhone.
The Food at Lin Heung Kui 蓮香居
Of course, we are here for the food and it was very nice.
Chee Cheong Fun is, of course, a must have….
I dont know what this is but it tasted great too….
And of course, Cha Siew Bao !!!!!!
Look at my spread including the amazing har gow !!
Let Zeh Zeh share her favourite three dishes 🙂
The food was excellent… period. Very good. Very authetic.
Conclusion : To Go or Not To Go
Since there are no more Lian Xiang Lou 莲香楼, this becomes the default kind of dim sum place for tourists. I am sure there are many other equally good ones around in Hong Kong but if you happen to be in Sheung Wan, this is one to enjoy for its traditional style.
Just be ready to handle the mass of tourists, fighting for a table and food and using as much Cantonese as you can to win the game of food…
