I’ve had this list for some time now, in some form or another….parts of it were written in random emails to random people, and most of it was just floating around in my head. My trip back to HK last month reminded me of just how great the city is. Sometimes you need to leave a place to realize how much you miss it.

This past weekend, a conversation with a new friend made me decide to finally put this down on paper (or screen). This isnt a travel guide….you can get those anywhere. These are some places that made living in HK great for me.

Mido Cafe
63 Temple Street,
Yau Ma Tei

When you walk into this super old-school char chan teng on a corner on Temple Street, you swear you’ve seen it somewhere. And you probably have, in countless triad movies and TVB dramas. Walking in here is like stepping back in time….the old ceiling fans, the tiled floors, the retro cash register (this thing ain’t for decoration, they still use it), and the clientele. The food isnt anything special but the ambiance is what makes this place great. Hang out in one of the booths by the windows on the 2nd floor and feel like a badass, watching all the life milling around outside in dodgy Yau Ma Tei.

Club 71 (or 71 Bar)
67 Hollywood Rd
Soho, Central

There used to be a bar called 64 Bar (or Club 64, named after that fateful day in Tiananmen Square) in the middle of Lan Kwai Fong. It closed down and reopened as Club 71 (named after the huge July 1 2003 pro-democracy protest in Hong Kong). Hidden away from Hollywood Rd, theres a small alleyway and a path from Peel Rd that will lead you to it. Peaceful, unpretentious, with a sort of bohemian chilled out vibe and a nice oudoor drinking area with stray cats hanging out and even a little rabbit can be spotted there!

Inn Side Out
10 Hysan Avenue
G/F Sunning Plaza
Causeway Bay

Coming here is like being in a little oasis in the middle of a city….a huge alfresco dining area surrounded by tall trees and even taller skyscrapers. Inn Side Out is a laid back American style bistro hidden in the middle of Causeway Bay. Great burgers and nachos, a nice selection of imported beer on tap and a lively buzzing vibe. A free bowl of peanuts is given to every table and patrons are encouraged to toss their shells all over the floor after eating them.

Tomato noodles at a dai pai dong near Kau Kee
21 Gough Street
Sheung Wan

There is a dai pai dong opposite the famous Kau Kee beef noodle joint in Central that serves a popular dish consisting of instant noodle cooked with tomato broth. Truth is, I’ve never eaten here, but have been told that its the best tomato noodle in Hong Kong. I’ve had the one at Star Cafe in the basement of Carnavon Road building (B/F, 40-42 Carnarvon Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui) and its amazing — Nissin instant noodles in a thick flavorful tomato soup base with scrambled egg and fried beef — and this one in Central is supposed to be even better than that.

Star Street
Wan Chai

Star Street actually refers to an area made up of several streets (Star Street, Wing Fung Street, St. Francis Street) that is right next to Three Pacific Place in Admiralty. Here you’ll find a happening little area with lots of cafes, bars, restaurants, galleries and shops. Japanese denim label 45RPM is here, along with the store Kapok, selling all sorts of great music and Colette-style products. The bar 1/5 is here, a nice, sexy dark bar with high ceilings that reminds of New York. caffè HABITU is a cozy cafe serving Italian food. Theres a few fancy swanky restaurants here too like ingredients and Chez Patrick.

Also check out the neighbouring area of Wan Chai…some of the oldest parts of Hong Kong island are here, and sadly most of its being torn down to make way for new apartments and condos. Theres a very lively outdoor market here thats crowded and full of life and energy.

White Noise Records
1/F, 4 Canal Road East
Causeway Bay

This is a little 2nd floor shop near Times Square in Causeway Bay. You’ll probably walk past it once or twice before you find it….just look for the big hanging orange sign Inside you’ll find a good selection of leftfield electronic music and indie stuff and some vinyl. I guess in this day and age of music blogs and Rapidshare, where you can pretty much find anything no matter how underground or rare, little underground record stores like these are becoming more and more obsolete…but for me, nothing can replace the feeling of hanging out at a record store, listening to some good tunes and flipping thru some records.

Speaking of records, for a decent selection of used vinyl, head to Ap Liu Street in Sham Shui Po. Besides selling all sorts of weird shit and electronic doodads, there are stalls here that carry cheap and usually good-quality vinyl.

After School
2/F, 17 Yun Ping Rd
Causeway Bay

After School is a 2nd floor cafe in the middle of busy shopping in Causeway Bay. There are no signs pointing to it and thats probably a good thing…..a place this nice is best kept as a secret shared amongst friends. After School is cafe/restaurant run by a guy called Pokit who is an amazing photographer and designer. He runs his studio out of this place too. All the furniture and decoration here is rich in nostalgia and feels like something from your childhood memories…..school desks, small chairs, an upright piano. Interesting local weirdos and cute artsy girls hang out here and have deep conversations.

Delay No Mall
68 Yee Wo Street
Causeway Bay

This new-ish mall is an offspring of G.O.D., a successful local lifestyle brand that mixes local HK nostalgia and culture into their modern contemporary designs. DNM sets itself apart from all other malls by having an edgy artsy vibe and focusing on products from local and independent designers. Besides shops there are exhibition spaces, cafes, and a tattoo parlour.

Archie B’s
LG/F, 7-9 Staunton Street
Central

Whenever I’m hankering for a good pastrami sandwich or feeling a bit homesick for New York deli food I come here….great burgers and sandwiches, bottled rootbeer and Jones Soda, and even American candy like Mounds and Junior Mints! Also they have a TV here plays episodes of “Friends” on repeat!

Beyrouth Cafe
G/F Lyndhurst Building
37A Lyndhurst Terrace
Central

Great Lebanese hole-in-the-wall place that opens till 4 or 5 every night…awesome falafels and kebabs…perfect after a night of boozing

Yumla
Lower Basement,
79 Wyndham Street,
Central

One of the best bars to go to in HK for great DJs, underground electronic music and a good mixed crowd. When the bar gets full or the weather is nice, the crowd spills out into the adjoining park and the place has a nice neighbourhood-y feel to it.

Midwest
G/F, 63 Victoria Centre,
15 Watson Rd.,
North Point

Not a lot of garage sale/Salvation Army-style ’80s vintage clothing in HK, but this place has it. Not as great as the stuff you find in places like Tokyo or London but still pretty good.

The Press Room
108 Hollywood Road
Sheung Wan

I love French brasseries and thats why I love this place….the menu written in chalk on a blackboard, old photos and paintings hanging all over the walls, the dark wood paneling, the relaxed vibe. The Press Room has a raw oyster bar, simple bistro fare, great wines, and a great weekend brunch too. Next door to them is Classified, a shop specializing in imported goods like cheese, coffee, and wine.

The Grand Cinema at Elements Mall
1 Austin Road West
Tsim Sha Tsui

Elements is a newish upscale mega-mall located in West Kowloon, close to Tsim Sha Tsui, accessible by MTR (Kowloon Station). The multiplex here boasts huge screens and a cutting edge “infrasonic system” which has vibrating seats! Wish I couldve seen Termintor Salvation here. Oh and while your here be sure to check out ThreeSixty, a huge sprawling branch of a new chain of gourmet supermarkets in Hong Kong.

Shek O beach / Black Sheep cafe
Take MTR to Shau Kei Wan station, then transfer to a bus to Shek O
The great thing about living in HK is that when the city wears you down, you can easily escape to one of the outlying islands or beaches. I love the feeling of taking a ferry and watching as the HK skyline disappears slowly behind you. One of my favorite beaches is Shek O, which is actually on the south eastern tip of Hong Kong island. The beach is beautiful with an incredible view. Try going on weekdays if possible unless you like the sound of shrieking kids and teenagers playing soccer.

Right next to the beach is a small quaint village. Here you can find Black Sheep, a laid back little French cafe with a hippie, psychedelic vibe that makes you feel like youre not in Hong Kong anymore. Great pizzas.

Quick summary of my fave shopping malls

Malls are everywhere in HK….and many of them are bland and repetitive. Heres a few that aren’t, and are must-go’s whenever I am back:

Paterson Street – not a mall, but this area in Causeway Bay has the largest concentration of hipster clothing stores – Diesel, Agnes B, I.T., Juice, D-mop, etc……

Miramar Shopping Centre – this old shopping mall on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui has totally reinvented itself and houses some of best brands around, like Uniqlo, Muji, i.t., etc……..

Silvercord – this mall on Canton Rd in Tsim Sha Tsui has APC, a humongous H&M, X-Large, I.T., Montage, etc…….

Festival Walk – my favorite mall of all! Partly because its close to my apartment. This expansive mall is never too crowded and has a great variety of shops – log:on, H&M, Page One, and restaurants like Amaroni (my fave Italian restaurant in HK), simplylife (a quaint little bakery/cafe), plus a great supermarket (Taste) to boot!

TO BE CONTINUED……

(PS remember to pick up the brand new Time Out HK when visiting)