Found treasures at Upper Lascar Row
Tourists flock to the street market around Upper Lascar Row – more commonly known as Cat Street – for kitschy chinoiserie and mass-produced Chairman Mao memorabilia, but locals go there for another reason entirely: to hunt for found treasures. One stall, run by a man known as Uncle Szeto, spills out of the confines of its green wooden frame with boxes of vintage postcards, family photos, keepsakes and curios, not to mention an impressive collection of old Bruce Lee movie posters, which were acquired at a movie studio liquidation sale 10 years ago. Other objects are acquired at flea markets in Vancouver, home to many Hong Kong expats, and they're a glimpse into a vanished Hong Kong: pictures of women in cheongsam dresses, Roadmaster double-decker buses, the recently-demolished and much-lamented Star Ferry clock tower.
Kowloon City Market
Kowloon City is the epicentre of Hong Kong's Thai population, so not surprisingly it's also a great place to find fresh fruits from south-east Asia. In the Kowloon City Market, whose porthole windows give its exterior the appearance of a deconstructed cruise ship, you'll find vendors selling plump, juicy mangoes, tangy, chewy rambutan (which looks like lychees in need of a haircut), and earthy longan, whose name means "dragon's eye" – open one up and you'll see why. Come in mid-summer to meet the king of fruits: durian, notorious for its fearsome spikes and unique odour. Fresh durian is sweet, creamy and decadent, with flavours ranging from butterscotch to sweet onion.You can try them after tired Hong Kong travel.
Me & George
Here's a secret about old ladies in Asia: they're fashion pioneers. Blouses with old-fashioned cuts and bright retro patterns; tapered silk slacks with floral prints – it's the "eccentric auntie" style on sale at an H&M near you, only more authentic. The place favoured by such trailblazers is Me & George, also known as Mee & Gee, a no-frills shop in the Ladies' Market packed to the brim with surplus Japanese fashion and vintage dresses, shoes and bags sold for unbelievably low prices. You won't have to stay long under the harsh fluorescent lighting to find entire racks of clothes for just HK$5, around 40p. Some of them are a bit worse for wear, but a dedicated rummager is always likely to come away with a brilliant find that's so uncool it's cool again. You can visit there after visitning Hong Kong attractions.
Lam Kee
If you look past the white tile walls and unflattering fluorescent lights of Hong Kong's public markets, you'll find some of the best and least expensive places to eat in town. Case in point: Lam Kee, a market stall dim sum joint in the New Territories suburb of Tai Po. Take a peek at the giant, steaming stacks of bamboo boxes on the counter and you'll find fresh dim sum such as har gau , siu mai (both kinds of dumplings) and black bean spareribs, along with unusual concoctions like the "chicken and stuff" roll, which contains chicken, taro, baby corn and spam in a bean curd wrap. Take a seat on one of the food court-style fixed metal tables and soak in the boisterous, neighbourly atmosphere, as a motley assortment of Tai Po locals stop in for a tea, a chat and a snack.You should taste these snacks for your China vacation deals in Hong Kong.
Lee Ho Weights and Balances
There used to be a time when everyone needed the kind of handmade, bamboo-and-bone scales sold by Lee Ho, a small hawker stall in Shanghai Street's kitchenware shopping district. Herbalists, fishmongers, butchers, goldsmiths – there are scales designed specifically for each of these occupations. Today, they've mostly been replaced by digital scales, but Lee Ho presses on, buoyed by a few loyal customers, like Chinese doctors, who still prefer the traditional way of measuring their medicinal herbs. The closet-sized alleyway stall, which has been open since the 1930s, is now run by a petite woman named Mrs Ho, who has perfectly permed hair and a ready smile. She knows everything there is to know about the scales, which if nothing else make for an excellent kitchen conversation piece.
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