City Hall has played host to more than 10,000 local and overseas arts groups since it opened in 1962. Milestone events include the first Hong Kong Arts Festival in 1973, the first Asian Arts Festival in 1976, the first International Film Festival in 1977 and an International Arts Carnival in 1982.
The buzz: m.a.x. concept’s City Hall café has reopened in all its freshly renovated glory.
A stadium-sized space, harbor views, trolley ladies pushing steaming carts loaded with bamboo baskets while barking out the specials, large queues and hundreds of different bites of seafood, meat and sweets: a perfect dim sum Sunday. Go before 11am to avoid the queues. Order jasmine tea or go for a caffeine jolt with a pot of bo lei, wave down a waiter (don’t be shy, or you’ll starve) then tuck into such classics as steamed shrimp dumplings, pork spare ribs in black bean sauce, ma lei go, egg tarts, spring rolls, braised tripe, and sweet tofu.
If there is one restaurant that epitomizes dim sum culture in Hong Kong, this is it. Ladies pushing carts of steaming bamboo baskets while barking out the day’s specials, large crowds of Sunday foodies waiting in line for a table, and hundreds of variations of little delicious bites of seafood, meat and sweets – in other words, a perfect dim sum Sunday. Go early to avoid the lines (anytime before 11am should get you a table). some The dishes are the staples of dim sum culture: steamed shrimp dumplings, pork spare ribs in black bean sauce, ma lei go, egg tarts, spring rolls, braised tripe, and sweet tofu. The space is a stadium of hungry diners. Floor to ceiling windows overlook Victoria Harbour and the Star Ferry outside. On a good day, you can see all the way to the New Territories as you are having your tea. Bring friends, lots of them. Best bit: English menu with pictures for those new to dim sum.
If there is one restaurant that epitomizes dim sum culture in Hong Kong, this is it. Ladies pushing carts of steaming bamboo baskets while barking out the day’s specials, large crowds of Sunday foodies waiting in line for a table and hundreds of variations of little delicious bites of seafood, meat and sweets—in other words, a perfect dim sum Sunday. Go early to avoid the lines (any time before 11am should get you a table). Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook Victoria Harbour and the Star Ferry chugging along to Kowloon and back.
