Whenever I visit Hong Kong, I like to take one of the ferries to an outlying island. Cheng Chau is just 30 minutes away and the small harbor still has photogenic Chinese ships. The few seafood restaurants only use ingredients that are live, from finfish to scallops, crabs to spiny lobsters. It is possible to find live seafood locally, although not of this abundant variety.
The best selection is at William Ho’s (3524 N. Oakland Ave.). Many patrons whisk through the lobby to the buffet tables in search of live lobsters, tilapia and Dungeness crabs, all of which are very fresh and lively. When Ho’s first stocked live seafood, the choices also included geo-duck clam, eel and abalone. Those options may be gone, but this is still a top pick for lobster. It’s effortless to eat: No shell cracking is required, and chopsticks will suffice.
Photos by Kate Engbring
