Roast Duck

lamb curry

Restaurant Review!

Muslim Wai Kee l Wan Chai l Hong Kong

The first time I came here years ago, it was in a wet market which is large tiled building with lower floors selling meats and vegetables and upper floors with random eateries. The heat was oppressive and you couldn’t avoid the smells wafting from the floors below. It was a nasty experience but I remembered the lamb curry was pretty good. The wet markets have been updated over the last few years so I thought I’d give this place a try. You still have the same chaos on the floors below but the eateries are now sealed off and air conditioned.

The Muslim cuisine in China revolves around lamb, beef, curries and breads. Not surprisingly, their lamb curry is still pretty good. Unlike most East Asian curries, it doesn’t have any coconut milk and is unique in the sense that there is a good measure of chili oil used to give the dish a well rounded heat. Served on a pile of fluffy rice, it was a perfect meal and as it’s a rustic dish, nicely gamey to boot.

Hey, I’m still kind of hungry though. What else are you famous for? Roasted duck? That’s an odd combination but OK. Yes, this is a fantastic roasted duck with a well crisped skin and moist flesh. You can tell that they have a high turnover here because the duck is never dry and their plum sauce is refreshingly clean with the sharp taste of fruit.

When did we cross the border into just kidding around because you tell me you’re also famous for braised pommelo skin? For those of you unsure of what that is, it’s like braising a really thick grapefruit pith. It’s one of my favorite dishes because it’s totally permeated by the braising liquid with a very gentle hint of citrus to its finish. What does it have to do with the other dishes? Nothing. It’s like having foie gras with waffles and matzo ball soup. No wait. It’s like having perfectly seared foie gras with crispy sweet waffles and a warming, homey matzo ball soup.