Cracking the Chungking Mansion for the Delhi Club

The Delhi Club

Room 3, 3/F, Block C, Chung king Mansion,

38-44 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

+852 2368 1682

Price: 80-90 HKD per person (for 3 main dishes and 2 naan breads)

Rating: 4.0/5

As my planned departure date approached and I began making a list of places that i should visit before i leave Hong Kong, visiting Chung King Mansions began to seem inevitable. Despite hearing countless accounts of amazing and cheap indian food hidden within the myriad shops and hotels within the building.... whether it was the over-zealous indian vendors selling fake watches or curries or the dark, foreboding appearance of the buildings, I never quite made it inside.

However with the recent renovation and my growing love for Indian food (and rapidly emptying wallet) I gathered forces to venture into this unknown and rather 'exotic' place for hidden indian food.

see the look of TERROR!

The restaurant was a little tricky to locate, but after walking up and down the alleyway avoiding eye-contact with anyone, we finally located the elevator to take us up to the third floor (for you future visitors: it's the inner-most elevator, so just walk in and go straight until the last elevator) 

The lighting inside the restaurant was one of the most bizarre blue lights I remember seeing in movies. I mean who has blue neon lighting for a restaurant! It wouldn't have worked in any other place, but somehow it all came together with the overall atmosphere!

We ordered Garlic Naan and Delhi Club Specialty Naan (Naan with Egg) and I've gotta say i've loved them both equally. I've never tried Naan with Egg, and the egg flavor is actually not that strong (i would've never realized it was Egg Naan if I hadn't read the menu)

For the Main Dishes we firstly ordered Saag Paneer (cottage cheese with Spinach), Chicken Tikka Masala and a Lamb Dish (I forget the name but it was with coconut milk) 

 I wish they had given more pieces of lamb, but given the price I guess it is reasonable! The meat is definitely better at Bombay Dreams but the curry was top-notch and we began clearing our dishes as soon as we started eating. 

Despite my slight anxiety and fear of going within the Chung King Mansion, the whole experience was actually pretty fun and the food was as promised great for its value! It's definitely not a romantic, or a nice place to take a date on but if you're ever in a mood for down-to-earth and cheap indian food in TST, then think no further than the Delhi Club!

Affordable Indian Dinner at Claypot Restaurant

Clay Pot Indian Restaraunt

CF5 2F, 229 Electric Road Market, North Point (google maps)

via MTR: Fortress Hill Station Exit B 

+852 2566 7012

Rating: 7.5/10 

Price: Around 100 HKD per person (incl. beer)
As much as I love the decadent and lavish Indian Buffet at Bombay Dreams (Central), there's also something inexplicably charming about a nitty-gritty and cheap indian food that makes it so authentic and delicious. (without destroying my monthly budget either) 

Plus it was rather close to where I live (Hang Hau),  so I grabbed a friend of mine who always loves cheap food to check the place out! AND it turned out to be a great find with much better portions and prices than JoJo in Saikung! 

The place was tucked away on the 2nd floor of a cooked food Center in Fortress Hill MTR! Despite the proximity, I had never been to Fortress Hill although when I did arrive it was bursting with local residents and small restaurants! There seems to be an abundance of cheap, local restaurants near-by that also had good ratings on Openrice..... I think for a while i should check out these places every time I have urges to go try new food with my easter-break trips lined up!

The restaurant was more of a 'joint' or a 'corner shop' amongst 5-6 restaurants lined up in the cooked food center, with plastic chairs and tables lying around. Although it was much cleaner than I had expected, if you're picky with hygiene and overall ambiance, this is not the place to go! 

Our Order:
    Following the recommendations by the waiter, we chose these dishes but the menu did have quite a range of curries, tikkas and naans! (menu)
           Lamb Tikka (79HKD)
           Butter Chiken (66HKD)
           Garlic Nan (20HKD) and Cheese Nan (15HKD)
   and what was more amazing was there CHEAP and BIG (640ml) bottle of Tsing Tao for only 20HKD!

The Lamb Tikka was actually really good, not too over-powering flavors and the lamb didn't have any funny taste or smell that I hate! My friend thought it was a little too chewy, but apart from that we both loved it! We had it medium spciy (as my friend claimed he was horrible with spicy food) but it wasn't spicy at all for both of us! Unless you REALLY can't eat spicy food, I think medium is suitable for all... (next time i'll go for spicy for sure!)

The butter chicken was also really delicious and mild! The portions were actually much larger than JoJo in Saikung and for a way better price as well! 

I loved both the cheese nan and the Garlic nan! IT reminded me of tortillas... which made me grave mexican food whilst eating indian food but overall, it was not too oily or over-cooked! Plus it came steaming hot and freshly made! :)

Overall, we left the place quite pleased with the price-value and the overall experience! It was not bustling with foreigners and bankers and really down to earth! 

A great place to go on a regular basis without destroying your budget (or even dress up for the occasion  and you can even head out to Central afterwards on the Tram like we did, after pre-drinking session (with the CHEAP BEER!) 

Southern Indian Treat at Woodlands

Woodlands 

 UG 16- 17 Wing On Department Store, Tsim Tsa Tsui East (MTR exit P1) 

Rating: 8/10 
Price: Under 100 HKD (left us extremely full!)

It's been roughly 2 years since my numerous Indian friends stressed the BIG difference between northern Indian food I usually eat and the mysterious southern indian food.. but they always seemed reluctant to promise that I would love it. It always ended with "it's really different... but it's really good! But.. i'm not sure if you'll like it".

Well that and whatever other reasons (one other being lack of meat :p) , I had waited too long to visit this simply amazing institution, yes an institution, hidden in the myriad of TST.

Dragging along two first-timers as well, we entered this small resturant where there seemed to be a distinct lack of non-indians and english-speakers. It was as if we had walked into a local restaurant in India, and for a moment feeling absolutely displaced we almost contemplated walking back out.

Despite the mini-scare, we eventually got seated down and then was confronted with the next issue of deciphering the menu

Everything was in English... but at the same time it wasn't...for we had no idea of what the foods were! After prolonged and rather embarassing 5-10minutes of gawking at the menu, the waiter finally intervened and ordered for us!

And... after having absolutely no idea what we ordered... we were in for the best treat ever.
All of us loving meat we were rather skeptical about the distinct lack of it... but soon we all agreed that if we could eat these meals everyday, there was no reason to miss meat at all.

If I were to be a vegetarian, I would be a vegetarian in India.

Dahi Batatapuri (5/5)

See what I mean?  WE had no idea what we were eating... but this was my FAVORITE dish today! According to the internet:

"Dahi batata puri, an arrangement of tiny, crisp puris amidst a mélange of potatoes, ragda, and a topping of miscellaneous chutneys and beaten curds!"

The mysterious dressing on top of the crisp 'puris' was the best dressing I had ever tasted! It was light, lemony and somehow reminded me of the Fried-Chicken Dressing in Korea! It was just beautiful...

We were already won over by the appetizer... but then imagine our surprise when this gigantic dosa (crepe) appeared on our table together with over 10 choices of curry-dips(?)

Paper Masala Dosa (4/5)

With potatoes inside and cruncy crispy paper-thin Dosa (fermented crepe). This dish was as fun to look at, poke at, giggle about then break apart to be eaten ferociously by 3 starving girls!

Woodlands Special Thali (4/5)

End Verdict: Will definitely return ASAP! :)