Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Review, Hong Kong

Reviewer: Foodnut.com

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant

51-55 Hoi Pong St

Sai Kung, Hong Kong

2791-1195

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Exterior

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant is a seafood restaurant located in Hong Kong’s northern Sai Kung area, about an hour subway and bus ride from tourist central Tsim Tsa Tsui. Take the MTR to Choi Hung (Kwun Tong line), exit through at Exit C2, walk a couple feet forward, and take bus 92 or 96R at the bus stop (arrives every 5 minutes), and get off at the end of the line after a 25 minute bus ride. This restaurant opened in 1988.  Chuen Kee Seafood has another location a block farther down the promenade.

Other Hong Kong Reviews:  Lung King Heen, Lei Garden, Yung Kee, Chuen Kee Seafood, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao, Conrad Nicolini’s Sunday Brunch Buffet, Harbourside Buffet, 2010 Hong Kong Mini Restaurant Reviews.

 

Sai Kung Hong Kong Floating Seafood Market

The area is famous for having a multitude of seafood. Local fisherman return with their catch of the day and sell straight off their boats. Many local restaurants have enormous tanks full of exotic seafood.
I remember visiting the area in my teenage years, with the limited memories of tons of seafood tanks and picking your own food. My return visit validated those memories and created a new set.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Seafood Tanks 2

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Seafood Tanks

REAL Seafood Tanks

There are serveral sea front restaurants here with big tanks. You can go to the tank, select your items, and they are cooked for you in the style you choose. It cannot get any fresher. You pay by the weight of the items plus a per person cooking charge.
We picked the only one with a long line and almost all locals in it. We avoided the two in the Fodor’s book. This restaurant was listed but not starred in the Michelin guide. Anthony Bourdain has also visited the restaurant.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Interior

Decor, Vibe – Busy, noisy, crowded, typical Chinese restaurant. Interior decor was above average, but with so many people during lunch, you could not see much. Lots of big parties enjoying a leisurely lunch dim sum.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Sharks Fin

Holy Jaws – PC Police are cringing

Menu Pictures

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 9

Different Cooking Styles

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 11

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 10

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 1

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 8

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 14

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Menu 23

Menu with Live Seafood costs

Keep in mind that they have an extensive menu and most people during lunch eat dim sum. We were here to exploit their tanks.

After you choose seafood from the tank, they will ask you how you want each prepared. It is important to select an appropriate cooking style for each item. We goofed with blanched cuttlefish and had to have it sauteed.

Picks:

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Mantis Shrimp

Before Cooking

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Mantis Shirmp

After Cooking

Mantis Shrimp – lài niào xia (HK$41+160, HK$7.7 – US$1) or pissing shrimp (it urinates when cooked) were 2 huge shrimp deep fried with spicy salt (paprika) on top. They were the best version we’ve ever tasted. The lower legs were crispy and could be eaten. The internal meat was very sweet and tender. Needed to use special scissors to cut these boys open.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Scallops

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Scallops in Noodles

Scallops (HK$36+120) were 6 good sized scallops cooked by steaming with garlic and thin rice vermicelli noodles. An excellent dish with super tender scallops balanced perfectly with the savory sauce and noodles.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Cuttlefish

Before Cooking

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Cuttlefish 2

Cuttlefish (HK$38+140) was initially poached and cut then sent back to be stir fried with mushrooms. Very tender and not too chewy. It seemed even better the next day as cold leftovers.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Chicken Feet

Chicken’s Feet (HK$15) were in the normal classic style and very good.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Lotus Wrapped Rice

Glutinous rice in lotus leaf wrap – Lo mai gai (HK$18) was good and had tons of meat filling.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Har Gow

Shrimp Dumplings – Har Gow (HK $18) was very good and 5 high quality shrimps in each one. More than we’ve ever seen before.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Fried Dumpling

Deep Fried dumplings (HK $15) were good but not great. Beautiful, very crispy, and a little greasy.

OK:

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Razor Clams

Before Cooking

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Razor Clams 2

Razor Clams (HK$39+130) were stringy long clams cooked in a spicy black bean sauce. The dish was too spicy and the clams a little too chewy for our tastes.

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Hong Kong Turnip Cakes

Chinese Radish Cakes – Lo-bak Go (HK $12) were of average quality.

Pans:
None

Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant had fair service, we often had to track down the servers. The freshness of the seafood and the cooking style of it was top notch. This is place is a must visit for foodies coming to Hong Kong. It was not only a great meal, it was a great experience visiting this fishing village area. In 2011, we ate at nearby one Michelin starred Loaf On, and found similar quality food, but a far nicer atmosphere.

Check out our other Hong Kong Reviews: Lung King Heen, Lei Garden, Yung Kee, Chuen Kee Seafood, Harbourside Buffet, and Hong Kong mini reviews.

Restaurant Map:


Chuen Kee Seafood Restaurant Overall Rating: (Excellent 3)

Come Back?

Food Rating: (Excellent)
Service Rating: (Average)
Atmosphere Rating: (Very Good)
Value Rating: (Good)

Guide: 0 = poor, 1 = Below/Average, 2 = Good, 2.5 = Very Good, 3 = Excellent , 4 = Extraordinary

Alcohol:Full Bar
Attire:Casual
Hours:Daily 7am - 11pm
Parking:No
Reservations:Yes
Prices:HK$12 - HK$390

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