Kam Sha Kok

Kam Sha Kok Hong Kong Outdoor kitchens aka 大牌檔 are as iconic to Hong Kong’s history is Hong Kong’s famed and famous futuristic skyline and the Peak. Outdoor Kitchens are nostalgic and has a casual, careless environment for gatherings over a few beers and late night grub. Warning! Not for those with a glass stomach. Start your meal off with some local beers. Personally I love Blue Girl Pilsener Lager is light, crisp and refreshing! Even if it’s a Korea import.
There are still a few places for outdoor kitchens in HK, but our friends took us to Kam Sha Kok Hong Kong 金沙角大牌檔 in Sha Tin. Sha Tin is famous for pigeon squab. The color of the skin is bright, crispy yet slightly oily. The meat is tender and moist.
Lamb brisket hot pot: clay pot comes on a propane burner with a hose attached to a mini propane tank — something that would not pass health and safety inspection here. Tender lamb pieces are cooked with plenty of bean curd and vegetables. It is rich, filling, flavorful but not gamey.
Salt and Pepper Calamari: How can you be eating outdoors and not get your fix of peppery calamari on? These lightly battered and succulent tender squid goes well with a beer!
Jelly fish and shredded chicken: cold appetizer marinated in sesame oil and pickled carrots and radishes are refreshing on a hot summer’s night. The chili flakes adds a good kick.
Gold and Silver Egg and Seasonal Greens: Salty egg and preserved century egg with egg white are gently cooked and serves as a sauce over some seasonal snow pea tips.
Roasted Chicken: Like the squab the skin is crispy and not too oily while the meat still retains its juicy moisture. Served with prawn crackers

Sik Siu (食宵), having late night supper, is perhaps a unique culture in universities of Hong Kong. Whenever there’s a function, no matter it’s the orientation camp, a meeting that last till late at night or upon completion of a dance show, people would still love to go to a restaurant to stuff themselves with trashy food before going to bed. Sha Kok, from my experience, is not a usual choice for CU students, but only restricted to people of the dance society; so you can say it is a way to distinguish people from the dance community or not by judging from the normal go to place to sik siu.
Sik Siu unlike other forms of proper dinner is for people to trash out as well as pig out, naturally the food choices would never be the healthiest of options and would mostly be frowned against by those who are conscious of what they put in their mouths. Deep fried chicken fillet coated with a thick yet crunchy batter drenched in sweet and sour lemony syrup? Spare ribs in sweet and sour sauce topped with mayonnaise? Those are indeed the things youngsters would find inviting and appetizing after a long night of full out performance. Think of it as a local rendition of fusion cuisine, the dai pai dong of which uni kids like to go for sik siu actually pioneers this apparently chic culinary trend in Hong Kong.
I still remember how I use to hate going to dai pai dong when i was a little kid; the lack of air con and comfy chairs to sit on, the damp floor and the unwashed dishes piling up right next to where you are eating… Not a fond memory I concur, but as I grow up, there is something very traditionally local and nostalgic about this sort of place, something that might only be appreciated by grown ups. A place that celebrates local style cuisine and unpretentious food, it is worth experiencing.