Best Dim Sum in Hong Kong - WSJ

 

City Hall Maxim's Palace is a ballroom-like restaurant decorated with crystal chandeliers and white carved-wood screens─not the most obvious spot for breakfast, yet totally in character for dim sum. I arrived relatively early, hoping to beat the Sunday morning rush, only to find the enormous room already full of eager diners.

I was, after all, in Hong Kong, a city where eating ruffled siu mai dumplings, pork buns and meatballs early in the day is as much of a way of life as having an afternoon cup of tea is in Britain. As I waited (and waited) for a table, I could hear though the open doors the clinking of china and the chatter of families enjoying brunch.

Finally, I was seated at a linen-draped table. As I gazed out at the boats crossing Victoria Harbour, a waiter appeared with a silver pot of jasmine tea. More servers came, pushing steaming carts piled with baskets of plump har gow, shrimp dumplings in delicate wrappers; cheong fun─tender rice-noodle sheets─tucked around minced beef flavored with scallion and preserved orange peel; and fatty, sweet spare ribs. I grabbed a helping of everything that looked good, savoring a meal that seemed to capture the very essence of the city.

Maxim's is arguably the most famous dim sum spot in town, a 32-year-old restaurant in the middle of packed Central district that serves classic Hong Kong-style dishes to locals and visiting dignitaries. It's far from the only place to find traditional bites: Dim sum is served in upscale hotels and back-alley tea shops, in tourist traps overlooking the harbor and the basements of shopping malls. But in Hong Kong little stays the same for long, and in recent years chefs have begun taking fresh approaches to native-style dim sum, bringing a dash of extra excitement to a meal that wasn't exactly lacking in popularity in the first place.

Dim sum as we know it developed in Guangzhou, the cultural and commercial center of southern China, in the 18th and 19th centuries, said Maria Tam, an anthropologist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Back then, businessmen would meet in teahouses in the late morning to yum cha (drink tea). The restaurants originally served up simple snacks, but as the city grew, they began competing for customers by improving the variety and quality of their dishes.

The practice also became popular in Hong Kong, where chefs followed Guangzhou's culinary lead. In the 1940s, when mainland China closed itself off from the rest of the world, chefs in British-controlled Hong Kong began developing their own dim sum styles. They emphasized smaller portions, lighter ingredients and more elegant presentations. They also incorporated Western techniques such as baking, developing now-classic dishes like baked pork buns and sweet egg tarts. Over time, chefs began to include dishes from other parts of the country. (Shanghainese soup dumplings, for instance, were popular with émigrés who had fled the communist revolution.) They added foods associated with holidays and festivals, like rice and meat wrapped in lotus leaves, part of the early summer dragon boat festival, said E.N. Anderson, author of 'The Food of China.' Along the way, dim sum evolved into a family affair, becoming popular for breakfast and brunch.

Though dishes like shrimp dumplings and egg tarts are what most Westerners think of as dim sum, many locals still enjoy the old Guangzhou style, which is served at a number of restaurants. The oldest and best of these is Lin Heung Tea House, which opened in 1923. The restaurant is packed every day with locals reading the newspaper, drinking astonishingly strong pu'er tea and eating dishes heavy with roasted, fatty meats.

'Dim sums used to be bigger, heartier dishes that people ate to keep them full for a hard day of work,' explained Amy Ma, a local food writer and former Wall Street Journal staffer, when she introduced me to the restaurant. Dishes like pork and shrimp dumplings topped with a hard-boiled quail egg are so popular that diners will crowd around as soon as carts enter the dining room.

'A handful of high-end restaurants have been incorporating top-shelf ingredients, including foie gras and morel mushrooms.'

Some chefs have begun reviving old techniques, creating updated versions of the kinds of dishes offered by Lin Heung and its peers. Chef Pui Gor of Tim Ho Wan, a cheap, hole-in-the-wall, dim-sum-only restaurant with a cult following, makes a contemporary version of a bean curd skin roll, filling it with light shrimp rather than the traditional fatty minced pork. He nods to the past with a dessert called 'chicken oil pancake,' which uses lard and evokes old menus that often used 'chicken' in the names of dishes (even meatless ones) because it was considered a delicacy.

A handful of high-end restaurants have also been incorporating top-shelf ingredients, including foie gras and morel mushrooms. One of the best examples is Lung King Heen, the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, where chef Chan Yan Tak has added duck liver and black truffles to pork dumplings, and invented new dim sums, like abalone baked in a cup of flaky puff pastry. The dish is so popular, he said, that he hasn't been able to take it off the menu since he opened six years ago.

Most of these restaurants have made another big change in how dim sum is eaten: They've done away with serving trolleys, mainly to give chefs more control over cooking and presentation. 'Already steamed dim sums that were put on a steamer to keep warm would end up overcooked,' Mr. Chan explained.

With the quieter atmosphere that has resulted, Hong Kong's businessmen have rediscovered the joy of making deals over dumplings. Dim sum has become popular for business lunches again, bringing the tradition back to where it started.

The Classic

City Hall Maxim's Palace

The glittering ballroom at Maxim's, with its view of Victoria Harbour, is a timeless place to experience trolley dim sum. This is the spot for familiar dishes like fried shrimp wontons, baked buns stuffed with sweet roast pork and steaming bowls of congee (rice porridge). Be prepared to wait for a table, and leave plenty of time for a leisurely meal so you can try a little of everything. City Hall Low Block, 2nd Floor, Central; 852-2521-1303

The Empire Builder

Mong Kok Lei Garden Restaurant

This restaurant boasts branches across Asia, but the original location, a cozy space with brick walls and thick carpet on the Kowloon side of the city, is still the best. It provides an elegant, traditional meal, despite the absence of trolleys. Try the turnip-filled pastry puffs, which is one of the best dim sums in the city, as well as the excellent Shanghai-style soup dumplings and smashed cucumber in garlic sauce (pictured). 121 Sai Yee St., Mongkok; leigarden.hk

The Old Faithful

Lin Heung Kui

This utilitarian eatery, crowded with glass-topped tables and low stools, is an extension of a Hong Kong favorite that has been around for nearly a century. The real treats are old-fashioned Guangzhou specialties like dan siu mai (a dumpling topped with a boiled quail egg) and ma lai gao, a lightly sweetened steamed cake made from a yeast starter that the restaurant has been cultivating for decades. 2-3/F, 46-50 Des Voeux Rd. W., Sheung Wan; 852-2156-9328

The Ugly Duckling

Fu Sing Shark Fin Restaurant

It's a favorite of local expats despite (or maybe because of) its kitschy light fixtures and gift-wrap-like wallpaper. Fu Sing offers Cantonese twists on old dishes, like taro-filled spring rolls with a clove-scented dipping sauce and soft cubes of tofu topped with minced melon and shrimp. (Deep-fried bean curd pictured.) 1/F Sunshine Plaza, No. 353 Lockhart Rd., Wan Chai; 852-2893-0881

The Posh Plate

Lung King Heen

The logic behind this restaurant's three Michelin stars is evident in everything from the delicate china and attentive wait staff to the jewel-like quality of each dumpling. For the best experience, ask for a table overlooking Victoria Harbour. Try one of everything on the short menu, focusing on innovations like steamed lobster and scallop dumplings (pictured), and finish with a sweet snack from the dessert list. 4/F, 8 Finance St., Central; fourseasons.com/hongkong

The Holdout

Luk Yu Tea House

Seventy-nine-year-old Luk Yu retains the elegance of an old Parisian brasserie, and its food is equally old-school. Skip the recognizable dishes, which can be poorly prepared, for traditional recipes like the hearty steamed chicken bun, crispy fried dumplings with sweet-and-sour sauce and sponge-like fish balls topped with chicken and crab roe. 24-26 Stanley St., Central; 852-2523-5464

The Divine Steal

Tim Ho Wan

Often referred to as the 'world's cheapest Michelin meal' for its one star awarded in 2009, this tiny dim sum specialist filled with laminated tables is so popular that guests often wait upward of two hours to order the flavorful turnip cakes and superb fried roast pork buns. Dishes are served on red-and-black plastic dinnerware and cost as little as $1.50. Luckily, the restaurant has opened two new branches, in Central and Sham Shui Po, where most of its signature dishes are also available. 2-20 Kwong Wa St., Mongkok; 852-2332-2896

BITE CLUBS: A sprinkling of great dim sum joints across the U.S.

Atlanta

Canton House

It's a bit out of the way in North Atlanta, but Canton House wins local devotees with its wide variety of dishes and solid service. 4825 Buford Highway, Chamblee; cantonhouserestaurant.com
Houston

Fung's Kitchen

A more upscale dim sum restaurant─no snap-to-separate chopsticks─with a selection fans say is fresh, hot and delicious. The roasted duck is especially beloved. 7320 Southwest Freeway #115; eatatfungs.com
New York

Jing Fong

Expect to use your fingers here─not to eat, but to point, since English is not the dominant language at this massive Chinatown establishment. 20 Elizabeth St.; jingfongny.com
San Francisco

Ton Kiang

This spot isn't the cheapest or most adventurous dim sum restaurant in the Bay Area. But it makes up for that by serving dim sum all day long. 5821 Geary Blvd.; tonkiang.net

GEORGIA FREEDMAN

Singapore Beats Hong Kong in Competitive Cities Ranking

香港的长期较量中，新加坡再得一分。

Bloomberg

在新加坡拍照的游客。

花旗集团(Citigroup Inc.)委托经济学人智库(Economist Intelligence Unit)做出的研究报告显示，在经历了多年的爆炸式经济增长之后，这个东南亚城市国家现在已成为亚洲最有竞争力的城市──世界排名第三，仅次于纽约和伦敦。根据经济学人智库的报告，排名靠前的城市最有能力将资本、人才、旅游者和企业吸引到城市中心，并且是最宜居的城市，拥有健康的文化氛围。

当然了，香港仅以微弱的差距排在第四位。东京排第六。但是炫耀地区榜首位置的权力仍然属于新加坡，毫无疑问它在吸引更多投资的过程中也会大力渲染这个头衔。

拥有政府背景的智库机构新加坡宜居城市研发中心(Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities)执行理事邱鼎财(Khoo Teng Chye)说，新加坡一直是允许人才、思想、资本、商品和服务自由流动的开放的中心。

邱鼎财的分析毫无疑问会让许多活动人士不以为然，后者认为，为了营造更稳定、更宜商的环境，新加坡限制了公众意见的表达和个人自由，相应地也就限制了思想的自由交流。但是无论怎样，调查至少证实了越来越多的人所持有的观点，那就是，新加坡即便不是在亚洲创业、经营和居住的最佳地点，也至少是最佳地点之一。

专家说，事实上，这个城市国家的居民最大的抱怨之一也正是它在全球具有如此大的吸引力和竞争力的部分原因，那就是相对开放的移民政策。新加坡的全球吸引力排名第四，分析人士说，这个排名至少有部分原因在于政府为保持国家对外资和外来人口开放所制定的政策。

新加坡的规划者还有另一个秘密武器：对新加坡环境质量的坚持。报告中说，这一点让新加坡成为世界上最宜居的地方之一，也让这个城市国家成为人才和资本的首选目的地。尽管一些居民和游客对其限制吃口香糖和规定绿化和停车场比例的做法嗤之以鼻，这些政策和其他类似的政策造就了这个城市国家的吸引力。

邱鼎财说，新加坡具有前瞻性的可持续发展方式与其他城市“先经济增长后治理环境”的做法形成了鲜明对比，包括香港。他说，把一切希望都建筑在快速的经济增长上，这对长期发展是有害的。到达了一定程度之后，他们就会意识到污染过于严重，最终让移民和投资者掉头而去。

尽管西方存在种种经济问题，报告显示，美国和欧洲的城市在整体上仍然是最有竞争力的，尽管亚洲城市在全球拥有最强的经济实力。全球经济实力最强的20个城市有15个在亚洲，其中12个在中国。

中国城市天津、深圳和大连在经济实力上排名靠前，印度城市班加罗尔和艾哈迈达巴德分别排在第16和19位，越南的河内排名第20。尽管北京的综合竞争力排名39，远远落后于纽约和伦敦，但经济学人智库的研究预计，从现在到2016年，排名前32位的亚洲城市将会以每年至少5%的速度增长，未来几年的排名可能会因此发生改变，因为美国和欧洲城市的经济增长仍停滞不前。

Shibani Mahtani

Mixing High and Low in Beijing

Single-malt, 18-year-old Scotch mixed with bottled green tea, anyone?

The concoction ─ the subject of many a nightlife horror story by visitors to China ─ isn't as popular as it used to be, but it remains an apt metaphor for Beijing's nightlife, which prefers its high with a splash of low.

That distinguishes the city from the more Westernized Shanghai. 'In Shanghai, it's about how much money you can spend,' says Leon Lee, a San Franciscan who owns bars in both Shanghai and Beijing.

'Beijing is edgier, a little rough around the edges,' he adds. 'It's more fun to go out in Beijing.'

As money and mixologists have streamed into the city, its upscale options have grown. Start by checking out Sanlitun, Beijing's preeminent drinking district. Once a sweaty Babylon where shadowy figures tried to beckon male visitors to 'lady bars,' Sanlitun is now home to Nali Patio, a six-story, Mediterranean-themed courtyard complex that houses several bars and restaurants.

Here, the main attraction is Apothecary, a sleek, third-floor speakeasy. Run by Mr. Lee, its extensive drinks menu doubles as a cocktail-history textbook and includes an expertly executed Old Fashioned (with optional bacon-infused bourbon) and an Earl Grey martini made with handcrafted bitters and topped with whipped egg whites. Prices are reminiscent of Manhattan, but so is the quality.

Other Nali Patio options include Enoterra, a welcoming wine bar on the fourth floor, and Migas, a Spanish restaurant and bar with an industrial-chic dining room and an expansive rooftop patio.

For a quieter night out, go east of the Third Ring Road to an entertainment district known as Lucky Street. There you'll find Mokihi, an unassuming Japanese whiskey bar located on an upper floor along the southern end of the street. Bypass the main room for the back area, where bartenders ply their trade in a room lined with bottles of single-malt whiskey and infused liquors. If you're hungry, order a plate of Wagyu sashimi from K's Kitchen next door, and pair it with a wasabi martini.

To go deeper into Beijing's soul, head inside the Second Ring Road to Dongcheng. An older part of the city, Dongcheng is one of the last repositories of the city's beloved hutong ─ maze-like alleyways where history, politics and culture brush up against each other to fascinating effect.

Few nightlife spots epitomize that better than Yugong Yishan, a music venue inside a complex that once housed the government of warlord Duan Qirui. It hosts everything from punk rock shows to film screenings to underground rebel bingo and keeps its patrons well lubricated with cheap Tsingtao.

A few kilometers away is Gulou Dongdajie, a street teeming with pubs, guitar shops and vintage clothing stores that serves as Beijing's answer to San Francisco's Haight Ashbury neighborhood. In a courtyard house tucked away in an alley, you'll find Amilal, one of the favorite haunts of the city's expatriate literati. Run by a Mongolian photographer who uses the space to host exhibitions of his friends' work, it's an excellent place to decompress after taking in a live show.

Another hutong option is Mao Mao Chong, a five-table bar that does a steady trade in China-themed mixed drinks such as the Maojito, a gingery take on the Mojito, and the Jing Fling, a cocktail based on China's not-for-the-faint-of-heart baijiu liquor.

If you're still going strong at midnight, two after-hours destinations, Lantern and Haze, beckon. Lantern, run by Beijing electronic-music label Acupuncture Records, ministers to heaving weekend crowds. Haze caters to hipsters and offers the added late-night challenge of being located at the bottom of one of the city's most perilous staircases.

Apothecary, Third floor, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu, Tel.: 86-10-5208-6040
Enoterra, Fourth floor, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu, Tel.: 86-10-5208-6076
Migas, Sixth floor, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu, Tel.: 86-10-5208-6061
Mokihi, Third floor, C12, Lucky Street, Tel.: 86-10-5867-0244
Yugong Yishan, 3-2 Zhangzizhong Lu, Tel.: 86-10-6404-2711
Amilal, 48 Shoubi Hutong, south 66 Gulou Dongdajie, Tel.: 86-10-8404-1416
Mao Mao Chong, 12 Ban Chang Hutong, Tel.: 86-10-6405-5718
Lantern, 100 meters north of Workers Stadium West Gate, Tel.: 86-135 0134 8785
Haze, A101, Guanghua Lu SOHO, 22 Guanghua Lu (basement of On the Corner Cafe), Tel.:86-10-5900-6128

Josh Chin

Mokihi酒吧是在北京扎根的众多日本威士忌酒吧中的一个。注重细节令这家店与众不同。

1

8年单一麦芽苏格兰威士忌加瓶装绿茶，有人想尝试一下吗？

这种奇特的搭配曾是许多来中国的游客夜生活恐怖遭遇的一个主题，现在它虽然不像以前那么流行了，但用来比喻北京夜生活依然再合适不过。北京夜生活的特点就是雅中带俗。

这点将北京与更为西化的上海区分开来。在上海和北京都开有酒吧的旧金山人里昂•李（Leon Lee）说，在上海，重点在于你有多少钱可以花。

他接着说，北京则更刺激，有点锋芒毕露；北京的夜生活更好玩。

Ann Waddell for The Wall Street Journal

图片：酒吧里的北京夜生活

随着越来越多的财富以及调酒师涌入这个城市，高消费选择变得更多了起来。从北京名气最响的三里屯酒吧区说起吧。这里曾是乌烟瘴气的奢靡之地，一群群面目模糊的家伙试图拉男性游客光顾“小姐酒吧”。现在，那里花园（Nali Patio）进驻了三里屯，这是一个地中海主题的六层庭院式建筑，其中有好几家酒吧和餐厅。

这里最有名的是位于三层的时尚酒吧Apothecary，老板就是里昂•李。其品种繁多的酒单同时也是一本鸡尾酒历史教科书，其中包括行家调制的古典鸡尾酒（Old Fashioned，也可选择用培根波旁酒来调制），还有一种伯爵茶马提尼，由手工苦酒制成，上面覆盖一层鸡蛋清打成的泡沫。这里的价格与曼哈顿相差无几，品质也相当。

在那里花园还可选择位于四层气氛友好的Enoterra酒吧，以及西班牙餐吧米加思（Migas），后者拥有一个工业酷感风格的就餐区以及宽敞的屋顶露台。

如果喜欢安静些，可以前往东三环一个名叫好运街的娱乐区。在那里你会找到低调的日本威士忌酒吧Mokihi，坐落在好运街南端一栋建筑的楼上。穿过大厅，后头是一间摆满单一麦芽威士忌和泡酒的屋子，侍者们在忙碌地工作着。如果肚子饿了，可以从隔壁的K’s Kitchen要上一盘和牛刺身，然后配上一杯芥末马提尼。

如果想更深入了解北京的夜生活灵魂，就要去二环内的东城。作为比较古老的一个区，东城是北京最后的几个胡同聚集地之一。在这些深受人们喜爱、迷宫似的小巷里，历史、政治和文化互相融合碰撞，产生了极为神奇的效应。

没有哪家夜店能比“愚公移山”更好地诠释这一点了。这是一个演艺酒吧，坐落在段祺瑞执政府旧址内。酒吧举办从朋克摇滚演出到电影放映到地下叛逆宾戈（underground rebel bingo）在内的各类活动，价格低廉的青岛啤酒让顾客喝得酣畅淋漓。

几公里外就是鼓楼东大街，这条街上布满了酒吧、吉他店和古着店，感觉就像是北京版的Haight Ashbury（旧金山的嬉皮区）。Amilal酒吧隐匿于巷子里的一个四合院内，它是旅居北京的外国文人雅士最喜欢光顾的地方之一。经营者是一位蒙古摄影师，他在这里为朋友的作品举办展览。这是看完现场演出后放松的好地方。

还有一个胡同里的好去处是“毛毛虫”，这是一家只有五张桌子的酒吧，专门提供中国主题的混合饮品，比如从传统莫吉托改良而来的“毛毛虫莫吉托”，还有Jing Fling，一款用中国烈性白酒调配而成的鸡尾酒。

如果你在深夜依然精力旺盛，那么灯笼俱乐部（Lantern）和Haze俱乐部这两家深夜营业的酒吧就是不错的选择。灯笼俱乐部由北京知名电子乐乐队“针刺疗法”（Acupuncture Records）经营，每逢周末就人潮涌动。而Haze则专门针对时尚人士，到达酒吧需要下全北京最危险的一段楼梯，这为深夜光顾的人们增添了挑战性。

Apothecary：三里屯北路81号那里花园3层，电话：86-10-5208-6040
Enoterra：三里屯北路81号那里花园4层，电话：86-10-5208-6076
米加思（Migas）：三里屯北路81号那里花园6层，电话：86-10-5208-6061
Mokihi：好运街C12商铺3层，电话：86-10-5867-0244
愚公移山：张自忠路3-2号，电话：86-10-6404-2711
Amilal：鼓楼东大街66号南侧寿比胡同48号院，电话：86-10-8404-1416
毛毛虫：板厂胡同12号，电话：86-10-6405-5718
灯笼俱乐部：工人体育场西门向北100 米，电话：86-135 0134 8785
Haze：光华路22号光华路SOHO A101（转角咖啡店地下），电话：86-10-5900-6128

Top destinations 2012的热门旅游地

Maria Howard 2012-01-25 (www.ftchinese.com)

Argentina
“People are really waking up to what Buenos Aires is all about,” says Gordon Campbell Gray, the celebrated hotelier who created One Aldwych in London, Carlisle Bay in Antigua and Le Gray in Beirut. “It’s a party city – it’s very beautiful architecturally but it’s really about great food and great nightlife in a glamorous setting.” By day, tourists can visit beaches, the pampas or the Iguazu Falls, then return to spend nights in the city’s famous tango bars or at the Teatro Colón opera house. The impressive choice of hotels includes the new wine-themed Hotel Mio (www.miobuenosaires.com; doubles from $346), with rooms featuring carved wooden bathtubs and free wine on tap. Geoffrey Kent of Abercrombie & Kent recommends staying on an Argentine ranch where guests can fish and ride, a perfect antidote to nights of hedonism in the capital. Bahia Bustamante (www.bahiabustamante.com; from $215 per person per night), for example, offers more than 200,000 acres of Patagonian wilderness, to be shared by a maximum of 30 guests at any one time. They can spend their time hiking, riding, kayaking, exploring the 60m-year-old petrified forest, or simply watching wildlife, from whales, dolphins and sea-lions to ostriches and armadillos.
Mozambique
“With 2,500km of beautiful, undeveloped coastline, Mozambique is the new kid on the block as far as coastal destinations are concerned,” says Will Jones of Journeys by Design. Joel Zack of Heritage Tours says: “Mozambique offers luxury but still very much feels like you’re in Africa. The beaches are beautiful and the people friendly.” Attracting most attention is Azura at Quilalea (www.azura-retreats.com; from $595 per person per night), part of the Quirimbas archipelago in the far north. It opened last month and offers nine villas, set on an otherwise uninhabited 86-acre island, surrounded by a marine sanctuary. Nearby are more stunning island resorts including Vamizi (www.vamizi.com; from $590 pppn) and Ibo Island Lodge (www.iboisland.com; from $335 pppn). Some 800 miles further south, the Bazaruto archipelago is the other big draw for those seeking paradise beach resorts, including the second Azura, on Benguerra island. But travellers are also turning their attentions to Mozambique’s mainland and, in particular, Gorongosa National Park (www.gorongosa.net). Game viewing is less guaranteed here than in more developed parks of South Africa but it is much less-visited. Explore Gorongosa (www.exploregorongosa.com; from $440 pppn) runs a tented camp, as well as setting up temporary “fly camps” for visitors to explore the bush.
Burma
Two years ago Burma was almost completely ignored by tourists. But in late 2010 Aung San Suu Kyi was released, then opposition groups dropped their calls for a tourism boycott. A month ago Hillary Clinton made a high profile visit in recognition of the government’s steps towards democracy and this week brings the release of a new biopic about Suu Kyi.
The result has been a tourism boom – so much so that tour operators report some hotels are fully booked for the first few months of 2012.
The key attraction is the lack of tourist development, a by-product of years of isolation. “It’s like Thailand 50 years ago,” says Tom Barber, of Original Travel. Jonny Bealby of Wild Frontiers says: “Mandalay and Bagan are unbelievable destinations. Burma has a huge amount to offer.” Tom Marchant of Black Tomato recommends visiting the Mahamuni Pagoda Festival in early February: “It’s a great chance to get out there and see what I think is truly authentic Asia.”
All visitors should see the well-preserved colonial buildings of Yangon, the former royal capital Mandalay and Bagan, the site of more than 2,000 pagodas and temples. Adventurous travellers are pushing north, some making it as far as remote Putao, where they go rafting, elephant trekking or to visit traditional villages in the jungle. Malikha Lodge (www.malikhalodge.net; from $1,900 per person for three nights) is a luxurious wilderness lodge hidden among bamboo trees above the Nam Lang river, about 10 miles from Putao airport.
Papua New Guinea
“It is an intrepid and immersive experience; it feels like a last frontier,” says Marchant. And yet Papua New Guinea’s beaches, fascinating culture and unrivalled scuba diving are starting to attract adventurous tourists as well as hardcore explorers. Visitors can take part in supported expeditions that visit volcanoes and some of the island’s 1,000 isolated tribes. Barber also recommends diving and fishing in Papua New Guinea, which sits in the Coral Triangle, an area known as the Amazon of the Seas for its marine biodiversity. For diving, consider Lissenung Island Resort (www.lissenung.com; from $141pppn), Walindi Plantation (www.walindi.com; from $115 pppn) or Tufi Dive Resort (www.tufidive.com; from $162 pppn). Inland, Karawari Lodge (www.pngtours.com; from $603 pppn) sits amid tropical rainforest, overlooking the Karawari river in East Sepik province. There is no road access, so guests arrive by air, landing at a jungle airstrip, and take boat trips to nearby villages built on stilts by the river’s edge. Wildlife is abundant and at least 229 different species of bird have been recorded in the area.
Sweden
Perhaps helped by the popularity of Nordic food and design, not to mention Stieg Larsson’s Millennium books, tour operators are getting excited about Sweden. Stockholm makes a perfect weekend-break destination, with boutique hotels and world-class restaurants. Stay at the fashionable Lydmar (www.lydmar.com; doubles from £299) and check out the bohemian area of west Stockholm, Rörstrandsgatan, packed with interesting cafés and antique shops. But Stockholm is also a good jumping-off point for longer trips. Barber recommends moving on to northern Sweden, where tourists can ski, go dog sledding and see the northern lights. Marchant recommends visiting the northern city of Lulea and the Unesco-recognised Gammelstad while staying in the Tree Hotel (www.treehotel.se; doubles from £364), where guests sleep in a variety of architect-designed treehouses.
Ethiopia
Though the rock churches of Lalibela have long drawn intrepid travellers, 2012 could see tourists discover far more of the country, from the Simien mountains of the north to the lower Omo valley in the south.
“Ethiopia has always struggled because of a lack of infrastructure and a lack of decent accommodation options but that is changing,” says Jones.
While not luxurious, Gheralta Lodge (www.gheraltalodgetigrai.com; doubles from £37) is a stylish base for trips into the Danakil desert, somewhere Bealby describes as “the most surreal landscape you’re ever likely to see”. If short on time (and energy), Tropic Air (www.tropicairkenya.com) offers helicopter tours to whisk visitors into the most remote parts of the country.
Panama
“Panama lets you get a taste of the whole of Central America in one trip,” says Marchant – its small size means you can easily swap between Caribbean and Pacific coasts, as well as getting inland for jungle and wildlife experiences.
On the northern, Caribbean coast, visitors should head to the San Blas Islands for white sand beaches, diving and to meet indigenous tribes such as the Kuna, advises Barber. “They are autonomous from the rest of Panama and have their own customs that are still flourishing,” he says. Visitors stay in thatched eco-lodges on the beach, such as the Coral Lodge (www.corallodge.com; from $105 pppn).
Further west, closer to the Costa Rican border, is the Bocas del Toro archipelago, which is more developed and has a greater choice of accommodation, including Punta Caracol (www.puntacaracol.com; doubles from $344). On the Pacific side, the hot destination is Isla Coiba, an isolated marine reserve that was a notorious prison colony until the last inmate was released in 2005. This past means there has been little development – a maximum of 60 guests are allowed at any time, while there are more than 700 species of fish, 30 kinds of sharks and 20 species of whales and dolphins.
Panama City itself has much to offer, including colonial buildings, lively nightlife and good restaurants, as well as the spectacle of vast ships navigating the canal. The Museum of Biodiversity (www.biomuseopanama.org), designed by Frank Gehry, is currently under construction, and is due for a soft opening in late 2012. Stay at the Casa del Horno (www.casadelhorno.net; doubles from $275), an eight-suite boutique hotel that opened in 2011 in the old quarter. From the city it’s possible to make day trips into the jungle, along the coast and to El Valle, a pretty town in the crater of an extinct volcano.
Zambia
Visiting Zambia is a chance to experience “sheer wilderness”, says Kent. The Luangwa valley is known as the home of the walking safari and offers the chance to see wildlife without the clusters of tourist minibuses found in some of the more popular African safari parks. “With a great guide, you get a lesson in the African bush going from major game down to the dung beetle,” says Kent.
After a day on safari, guests can relax in one of the elegant lodges, including Sanctuary Chichele Presidential Lodge (www.sanctuaryretreats.com; from $320 pppn) once home to Kenneth Kaunda, the former Zambian president.
At Victoria Falls adrenaline junkies can bungee jump from the bridge dividing Zambia from Zimbabwe and go whitewater rafting, then retreat to the Royal Livingstone hotel (www.suninternational.com; doubles from $440), part of the Falls Resort which had a $7m refurbishment in 2011. Those looking for a calmer activity can cruise along the Zambezi river and spot wildlife on the way or rent a houseboat on nearby Lake Kariba.
Kent recommends following up a Zambian safari with a beach holiday in neighbouring Mozambique. He says: “A week in Zambia, with family or on honeymoon, and a week in Mozambique, what could be better?”

阿根廷
“游客开始真正认识到布宜诺斯艾利斯的庐山真面目，” 戈登•坎贝尔•格雷(Gordon Campbell Gray)说。这位远近闻名的酒店运营商创建了伦敦One Aldwych 酒店、安提瓜岛(Antigua)的 Carlisle Bay酒店以及贝鲁特的Le Gray酒店。
“布宜诺斯艾利斯是个‘派对’城市——它的建筑美轮美奂，但这座流光溢彩的都市真正让游客着迷的是它的美食以及丰富多彩的夜生活。”
白天时，游客可以到海滩、彭巴斯草原(pampas)或者伊瓜苏瀑布(Iguazu Falls)游玩，晚上则回到布宜诺斯艾利斯，在著名的探戈酒吧或者科隆剧院(The Colon Theatre)尽情销魂。入住新建的以葡萄酒为主题的Hotel Mio酒店（网址：www.miobuenosaires.com；双人间起价346美元）是个不错的选择，它的房间最大特色是木雕的浴缸以及可以随时打 开龙头免费喝葡萄酒。
Geoffrey Kent of Abercrombie & Kent则推荐到阿根廷草原游玩，在那儿游客可以垂钓与骑自行车，对于在首都狂欢了几个晚上的游客来说，这种换口味再合适不过了。比方说，Bahia Bustamante（网址：www.bahiabustamante.com；单客每晚起价215美元）则有超过20万英亩的巴塔哥尼亚 (Patagonian)荒原，每次最多可接待30位游客，游客在此可以徒步走、骑行、划船、探寻6000万年历史的石化森林、或径直观赏野生动物（从鲸 鱼、海豚、海豹到驼鸟与犰狳，不一而足）。
莫桑比克
“莫桑比克未开发的美丽海滩长达2500公里，就海岸游目的地而言，它还是个新成员，” Journeys by Design的威尔•琼斯(Will Jones)说。
来自Heritage Tours的乔尔•扎克(Joel Zack)说：“莫桑比克能提供豪华游，但仍让游客觉得是在非洲。海滩景色迷人，当地人热情友善。”
更让游客流连忘返的地方是位于该国遥远北部的基林巴群岛(Quirimbas archipelago)Quilalea岛上的Azura 酒店（网址：www.azura-retreats.com；单客每晚起价595美元）。它上月正式对外开放，拥有9座别墅，建在一座面积86英亩、人迹 罕至的岛上，四周就是海洋保护区。附近是更让游客神魂颠倒的海岛度假村，包括Vamizi（网址：www.vamizi.com；单客每晚起价590美 元）与Island Lodge（网址：www.iboisland.com单客每晚起价335美元）。
往南800英里就是巴扎鲁托群岛(Bazaruto)，另一个游客的梦幻海滨度假去处，包括建在本盖鲁阿岛(Benguerra)上的另一家Azura酒店。
但游客也可以把目光投向该国内陆地区，尤其是戈龙戈萨国家公园（Gorongosa National Park, 网址：www.gorongosa.net）。与南非开发更为完善的国家公园相比，在此观赏野生动物，游客的生命保障度相对较低，但此处游客罕见。除了为 那些到灌木丛地带探险的游客建起临时性的“空中宿营地”外，Explore Gorongosa（网址：www.exploregorongosa.com；单客每晚起价440美元）还向游客开放帐篷式宿营场所。
缅甸
两年前，游客对缅甸几乎一无所知。但是，2010年年底，昂山素季(Aung San Suu Kyi)获释，反对派不再呼吁对缅甸旅游进行抵制。上个月，美国国务卿希拉里•克林顿(Hillary Clinton)高调访问了该国，以回应缅政府所做出的一系列民主举措，最近，新拍摄的昂山素季的传记电影得以公映。
此举使得游客呈爆炸式增长——各家旅行社都声称2012年头几个月，酒店已被预订一空。
缅甸吸引游客最大的地方就是缺少旅游规划——这是多年受国际社会孤立的附属产物。“这就好比50年前的泰国，” 来自Original Travel的汤姆•巴布尔(Tom Barber)说。Wild Frontiers的强尼•贝尔比(Jonny Bealby)说：“曼德勒(Mandalay)与薄甘(Bagan)都是美不胜收，缅甸的美景数不胜数。”
来自Black Tomato的汤姆•马钱特(Tom Marchant)推荐游客参加二月初的马哈牟尼佛塔节(Mahamuni Pagoda Festival)：“此时亲临其地再好不过了，可以欣赏到原汁原味的亚洲风情。”
所有的游客都应该参观仰光(Yangon)保存完好的殖民地时期建筑以及昔日的皇都曼德勒与薄甘（那儿有2000多座佛塔与寺庙）。胆子大的游客则 继续向北游玩，有些甚至到了偏远的葡萄(Putao)，在那儿他们可以乘竹笺、骑大象长途旅行或者游览丛林中的传统村落。Malikha Lodge（网址：www.malikhalodge.net；单客住三晚起价1900美元）是建在Nam Lang河上、掩映在竹林中的荒野豪华旅馆。
巴布亚新几内亚(Papua New Guinea)
“这是勇敢者妙不可言的体验，感觉就是最后开拓的疆域，”马钱特说。然而巴布亚新几内亚美丽的海滩、神奇的文化以及无与伦比的潜水除了吸引铁杆探险者外，也开始吸引喜欢冒险的游客。
游客可以参加有导游的探险活动：参观火山以及这座岛上1000个与世隔绝的部落。巴布尔还推荐到潜水及垂钓，巴布亚新几内亚坐落在珊瑚礁三角区(Coral Triangle)，这个区域因丰富的生物多样性而被誉为海上亚马逊(Amazon of the Seas)。
潜水可以考虑Lissenung Island Resort（网址：www.lissenung.com；单客每晚起价141美元）、Walindi Plantation（网址：(www.walindi.com；单客每晚起价115美元)以及Tufi Dive Resort（网址：www.tufidive.com单客每晚起价162美元）等度假村。
往内陆走，Karawari Lodge（网址：www.pngtours.com；单客每晚起价603美元）位于东塞皮克省(East Sepik province)，掩映在热带雨林之中，俯瞰着Karawari河。此处不通路，所以游客只能坐飞机，并降落于丛林中的简易机场，然后坐船到附近建在河 畔高脚屋中的村落。这儿遍布野生动物，有据可考的鸟类就至少有229种。
瑞典
也许是远近闻名的北欧饮食以及设计的给力（更不用提史迪格•拉森(Stieg Larsson)的千禧年三部曲），旅行社越来越青睐瑞典。拥有时尚精品酒店与世界级水准餐馆的斯德哥尔摩是周末度假的绝佳去处。入住时尚的吕德马尔酒店 （Lydmar，网址：www.lydmar.com；双人间起价299英镑），然后在斯德哥尔摩城西波希米亚风情的街区 Rörstrandsgatan，此处让人流连忘返的咖啡屋与古玩店随处可见。
但斯德哥尔摩也是很好的长途旅行起点站。巴布尔推荐深入到瑞典北部游玩，那儿游客可以滑雪、坐狗拉雪橇以及观赏极光。马钱特推荐的是北部城市吕勒奥 (Lulea)以及联合国遗产名录加默尔斯塔德(Unesco-recognised Gammelstad)，游客可以入住Tree Hotel（网址：www.treehotel.se；双人间起价364英镑），晚上则睡在由设计师设计的各种树屋中。
埃塞俄比亚
虽然拉利贝拉的石凿教堂(Lalibela)一直吸引着源源不断的无畏游客，但2012年，游客可以饱览这个国家更多的胜景，从北部的塞米恩山脉(Simien mountains)到南部的奥莫谷地(Omo Valley)，不一而足。
“由于缺乏起码的基础设施与像样的接待能力，埃塞俄比亚一直在苦苦支撑，但如今一切正在变化，”琼斯说。
Gheralta Lodge（网址：www.gheraltalodgetigrai.com；双人间起价37英镑）虽说不上豪华，但对于深入丹纳基尔沙漠 (Danakil desert)旅游的人来说，倒是个很时髦的基地，贝尔比称丹纳基尔沙漠是“游客所能见到的最具超现实主义的景致”。如果时间（与体力）有 限，Tropic Air航空公司（网址：www.tropicairkenya.com）的直升飞机可以把游客快速带至该国最偏远的地方。
巴拿马
“巴拿马可以让你在一次旅程中感悟整个中美洲的风貌，”马钱特说，它的国土面积狭小，此举意味着可以来回在加勒比海与太平洋之间腾挪，还可以深入内陆丛林去实地观赏野生动物。
在巴拿马的北部加勒比海沿岸，游客应该去圣布拉斯群岛(San Blas Islands)欣赏白色的沙滩、潜水以及参观Kuna印第安人等土著部落，巴布尔建议。“它们是自治部落，有自己的习俗，而且仍然很盛行，”他说。游客 可以入住海滩边Coral Lodge（网址：www.corallodge.com；单客每晚起价105美元）这样的生态型茅草屋。
往西行，靠近哥斯达黎加(Costa Rica)边境地区，就是博卡斯德尔托罗群岛(Bocas del Toro archipelago)，此处开发较好，住宿选择余地较大，包括Punta Caracol（网址：www.puntacaracol.com；双人间起价344美元）。在太平洋沿岸一侧，热点旅游地是Isla Coiba，这块与世隔绝的海洋保护区过去是臭名昭著的监狱群，最后一名囚犯直到2005年才获释。过去这段历史意味着此处开发较少——任何时候最多可接 待60名游客，而此处拥有700多种鱼、30种鲨鱼以及20种鲸鱼与海豚。
巴拿马城除了可以一睹大型船队通过运河的壮观景象外，本身就名胜古迹甚多，包括殖民时期的建筑、喧嚣的夜生活以及上乘的餐馆。由法兰克•盖瑞 (Frank Gehry)设计的生物多样性博物馆（The Museum of Biodiversity，网址：www.biomuseopanama.org）目前在建，预计将于2012年年底试营业。游客可以入住Casa del Horno酒店（网址：www.casadelhorno.net；双人间起价284美元），这家拥有8个套房的精品酒店于2011年在老城区开张。在巴 拿马城，白天可以到丛林中游玩，沿着海岸转悠或者去El Valle玩，那是坐落在一座死火山口的美丽小镇。
赞比亚
到赞比亚可以有机会体验“纯野外游”，肯特说。众所周知，卢安瓜谷地(Luangwa valley)是徒步旅行的好去处，在这儿可以观赏野生动物，却看不到在知名度更高的非洲野生动物园那种旅行中巴车扎堆的情况。“若是找到一位好导游，能 很好地学到非洲灌木丛（从主要动物直至蜣螂）的相关知识，”肯特说。
野外旅行一天后，游客可以下榻圣殿奇切利总统别墅（Sanctuary Chichele Presidential Lodge，网址：www.sanctuaryretreats.com；单客每晚起价320美元），在这样的豪华旅馆好好放松一番，这里曾经是赞比亚前 总统卡翁达(Kenneth Kaunda)的住所。
从赞比亚与津巴布韦(Zimbabwe)两国的界桥上看维多利亚大瀑布(Victoria Falls)，会让人觉得惊心动魄，乘竹笺激流漂流后回到Royal Livingstone hotel（网址：www.suninternational.com；双人间起价440美元）休息，这是大瀑布度假村(Falls Resort)的一部分，2011年花费了700万美元进行重装修。那些寻求不太刺激项目的游客可以乘坐游艇，沿着赞比西河(Zambezi river)观赏两岸的野生动物，或者在附近的卡里巴湖(Lake Kariba)租一个船屋。
肯特推荐在赞比亚野外旅游后，马上就到邻国津巴布韦的海滩去度假。他说：“与家人或新婚妻子在赞比亚玩上一周，再到津巴布韦过上一周，夫复何求？”
译者：常和

香港最佳點心 The best Hong Kong dim sum

Dim sum for VIPs. For your cheap relatives. For cabbies. Our best-of list has you -- and Hong Kong -- covered
http://www.cnngo.com/hong-kong/eat/best-hong-kong-dim-sum-restaurants-674709?page=0,0
 

By Christopher DeWolf, Doug Meigs, Zoe Li, Hong Kong Editor, Hiufu Wong 3 October, 2011 
 
Best after hours: San Hing (新興食家)
10 Hau Wo St., Kennedy Town, +852 2816 0616. Open daily, 3 a.m.-4 p.m.

Best VIP treatment: Fook Lam Moon
35-45 Johnston Rd., Wanchai, +852 2866 0663. Open daily, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., 6 - 11 p.m.

Best rural experience: Choi Lung Restaurant (彩龍茶樓)
2 Chuen Lung Estate, Route Twisk, Tsuen Wan, +852 2415 5041. Open daily, 5 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Best value: Tim Ho Wan
9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, +852 2788 1226. Open daily, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Best way to get fat: Tai Wing Wah
2/F, Koon Wong Mansion, 2-6 On Ning Road, Yuen Long, +852 2476 9888. Open daily, 6:45 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; dim sum till 4:15 p.m.

Best 'hot, noisy' atmosphere: Lin Heung Teahouse
160-164 Wellington St., Central, +852 2544 4556. Open daily 6 a.m. - 4 p.m. for dim sum; 5 -10:30 p.m. for dinner.

Best unpretentiously posh: Lei Garden
Multiple locations. See www.leigarden.hk for details

Best cinematic backdrop: Luk Yu Teahouse
Luk Yu Teahouse, G/F-3/F, 24 Stanley Street, +852 2523 5464. Open daily, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.; dim sum is available until 4 p.m. 

Best hole-in-the-wall: Saam Hui Yaat (叁去壹)
11 Pokfulam Road, +852 2547 3917. Open daily, 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

Best vegetarian for meat-lovers: M Garden Vegetarian
Shop D, 6/F, Grand Tower, 639 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, +852 2787 3128. Open daily, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Best sense of community: Lam Kee (林記點心)
Shop 8-9, 2/F, Tai Po Hui Market Cooked Food Centre, Tai Po. 

Best taxi driver's pit stop: Yue Fu Kitchen (裕富小廚)
1-3 Chik Shun St., Tai Wai, +852 2698 7278. Open daily, 9:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Best power lunch: Lung King Heen
Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, +852 3196 8888. Open daily, noon to 2:30 p.m.; 6 - 10:30 p.m.

香港最佳點心

http://www.cnngo.com/zh-hant/hong-kong/eat/city-essentials/best-hong-kong-dim-sum-restaurants-546856

最佳午夜點心：新興食家
堅尼地城厚和街10號，＋852 2816 0616，營業時間：3a.m.- 4p.m.
最佳 VIP 點心待遇：福臨門
灣仔莊士敦道35-45號，，+852 2866 0663，營業時間：11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., 6 - 11 p.m
最佳鄉村點心體驗： 彩龍茶樓
荃灣荃錦公路川龍村2號，+852 2415 5041，營業時間：5 a.m.-3 p.m.

最佳價值點心：添好運
旺角廣華街2-20號（總店），+852 2788 1226，營業時間：10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

最佳增磅點心：大榮華酒樓
元朗安寧路2-6號2樓，+852 2476 9888，營業時間：6:45a.m.-11:30p.m. (點心供應至 4:15p.m.)

最熱鬧點心體驗： 蓮香樓
中環威靈頓街160-164， +852 2544 4556 營業時間：6 a.m.-4 p.m. 點心; 5-10:30 p.m. 晚市

最樸實的浮華點心： 利苑
多間分店，詳情請閱 www.leigarden.hk

最佳電影背景：陸羽茶館
陸羽茶館，G/F-3/F，士丹利街24號， +852 2523 5464，營業時間：7 a.m.-10 p.m. 而點心供應至 4 p.m.

最別有「洞」天：叁去壹
薄扶林道11號, +852 2547 3917，營業時間：5 a.m.-3 p.m

最佳素食點心：常悅素食
旺角彌敦道639 號雅蘭中心6 樓D 舖座位，+852 2787 3128，營業時間： 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

最佳街坊點心： 林記
大埔鄉事會街8號大埔墟街市及熟食中心2樓CFS08-09舖

最佳的士司機秘密飯堂：裕富小廚
大圍積信街1-3號，+852 2698 7278，營業時間：9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

最強午餐點心：龍景軒
香港中環金融街8號四季酒店，+852 3196 8888，營業時間：正午到 2:30 p.m.; 6 - 10:30 p.m.

A Hong Kong dim sum restaurant session once upon a time was about tea appreciation. The baskets of delicate dumplings were a foil for the fragrant drink and considered snacks rather than a full meal.
These days, dim sum itself is a protagonist on the culinary stage. The diversity and sheer number of Hong Kong dim sum restaurants is stunning.
Noisy Cantonese joints where people eat with such determination there's a slight madness in the air; gilded, hushed dining rooms where waiters anticipate your every move; tranquil oases hidden on a mountaintop ... we've got it all here in Hong Kong.
We've picked our favorite Hong Kong dim sum restaurants to make it easy for the food-in-steam-basket fanatics. As we say in Hong Kong, please enjoy!

We've come up with 13 Hong Kong dim sum recommendations and so divided them into 3-4 per page. We've stuck a condensed version of the complete list plus addresses on the last page.

Aiya! Did we miss out your favorite Hong Kong dim sum restaurant ? Let us know which one, and why you love it so much in the comments box below.

Best after hours: San Hing (新興食家)

Celeb-worthy lau sa bao from San Hing.

A mix of elderly folk, celebrities and drunk people on a last stop before home share tables at San Hing for a Hong Kong dim sum fix at dawn.
Located in Kennedy Town, San Hing technically opens at 3 a.m., though customers will arrive earlier to secure seats. Especially on weekends, the shop is a madhouse in the wee hours.
Staff frantically churn out a wide selection of dim sum, stacked into giant bamboo towers. Customers are perpetually hovering around the food arrival counter, while an unending stream of new customers mill about looking to snatch seats.
Photographs on the wall show Canto-pop star Eason Chan giving props to San Hing's lau sa bao -- signature yellow custard "quicksand buns."
Other San Hing specialities include quail's egg siu mai, deep-fried milk and various seasonal dishes often not listed on the menu, such as osmanthus jelly during the summer.
The cost is a bargain, with dim sum dishes ranging in price from HK$12-$17.
San Hing has been around Kennedy Town for more than 20 years, though it moved to its current location a few years ago.
San Hing 新興食家, 10 Hau Wo St., Kennedy Town, +852 2816 0616. Open daily, 3 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Also on CNNGo: 12 things about tea your dim sum restaurateur won't tell you

Best VIP treatment: Fook Lam Moon

A very literal lau sa bao.

The first thing we encountered at Fook Lam Moon was a Rolls-Royce Phantom pulling up at the main entrance, casually letting out a rotund, weary-looking man and his two hungry, young offspring who bounced noisily to the door of the Hong Kong dim sum restaurant as though they were visiting grandma's house.

It isn't called the "canteen of the wealthy" for nothing.
Even though the joint is frequented by the rich and famous, anyone can rock up to Fook Lam Moon and feel like a billionaire.
The service is six-star-hotel-perfect without the robotic-ness. They don't overservice because, you know, celebrities just want to be left alone.
But staff have real charm that they turn on for every customer that walks through their doors. Not just wealthy regulars.
Compared with San Hing above, if you're willing to pay HK$60 for a basket of siu mai, you may as well be regarded as a high-roller.
Yes, it's expensive, but each dim sum gave our tastebuds an education.
Har gau are succulent and juicy, almost to the point of being soupy; their skins perfectly translucent. A signature shrimp cheung fun has a layer of crisp bean curd sheet to add another dimension of texture to an old standby.
The lau sa bao surpassed our favorites at San Hing. The bread casing was barely a centimeter thick and the custard filling would spill out in an appropriate visual expression of its name "quicksand bun."
Fook Lam Moon,  35-45 Johnston Rd., Wanchai, +852 2866 0663, www.fooklammoon-grp.com. Open daily, 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., 6 - 11 p.m.

Best rural experience: Choi Lung Restaurant (彩龍茶樓)

Shek Wai Ling (top right) says her customers travel more than an hour to eat dim sum at Choi Lung.

Choi Lung Restaurant is a three-story family-run teahouse on the waist of Hong Kong's highest peak, Tai Mo Shan. It is a great place to recharge after a hike.
Go early to secure the freshest Hong Kong dim sum experience in this self-service teahouse. Diners have to prepare their own tea and rest on simple plastic stools.
Despite the humble set-up, Choi Lung has been running for more than 40 years with a group of dedicated fans.
"People would drive all the way here from Sai Wan for a bowl of black bean ribs with rice. The rice bowls used to be made of porcelain but people kept dropping them so we switched to stainless steel," says waitress Shek Wai Ling.
We recommend the bean curd sheet wraps filled with chicken, taro and fish maw. The taro is cooked just through with a crunchy outer layer, the chicken is very tender and the fish maw is juicy.
A vegetable stall outside Choi Lung's front door is also well known for selling locally grown produce.
In November, the restaurant will serve fresh watercress purchased directly from the farms nearby, which Shek promises to be "very sweet and rarely found."
Visit Choi Lung at weekends as some dim sum are not served on weekdays, such as the black sesame rolls.
Choi Lung Restaurant 彩龍茶樓, 2 Chuen Lung Estate, Route Twisk, Tsuen Wan, +852 2415 5041. Open daily 5 a.m. - 3 p.m.
To get there, take a taxi from Tsuen Wan station for around HK$60 or take minibus 80 at Chuen Lung Street near Tsuen Wan wet market.

Best value: Tim Ho Wan

Tim Ho Wan's inimitable cha siu bo lo bao.

The secret didn’t last long. When former Lung King Heen chef Pui Gor opened this hole-in-the-wall joint in Mong Kok, those in the know flocked here for top-quality Hong Kong dim sum at rock-bottom prices.
Then came a Michelin star. And the masses descended. A two-hour wait became a daily phenomenon. And that's considered short.
The thing is, Tim Ho Wan is still worth it, wait and all.
Saying the quality is high and ingredients are fresh is an understatement. Simply, this is what dim sum is meant to taste like.
The beef balls are firm but tender, with plenty of coriander. The pig liver cheung fun is impeccably earthy. The siu mai is packed with plump shrimp and succulent mushrooms. The radish cake actually tastes like the white radish it is made from.
Be sure to try the cha siu pineapple buns, which are now widely imitated but never matched. Most dishes cost between HK$10 and $20.
In addition to the original location in Mong Kok, there's a second shop in Sham Shui Po, but the quality there is less consistent.
Also on CNNGo: Holy dim sum! Michelin Guide 2010 goes cheap and cheerful?
Tim Ho Wan, original location, 2-20 Kwong Wa Street, Mong Kok, +852 2332 2896
Tim Ho Wan, Sham Shui Po, 9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, +852 2788 1226Open daily, 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Best way to get fat: Tai Wing Wah

Stop calorie counting when at Tai Wing Wah.

Sure, we live in a weight-loss obsessed world, but in Yuen Long, Tai Wing Wah is making a killing off of hearty "walled village cuisine" made with lard.
Punti and Hakka villages that were settled in Hong Kong during the Ming and Qing dynasties were protected by high village walls. The food originating from these walled villages are the focus of Tai Wing Wah's menu.
Hugo "To To" Leung is the culinary brains behind the restaurant and he is adamant about maintaining authenticity.
Also on CNNGo: Celebrity chef Hugo Leung's favorite restaurants 

That means, apart from Hong Kong dim sum classics, such as excellent har gau, or a bright yellow and delicious Malay sponge cake, Tai Wing Wah also serves a rustic white rice mixed with lard and soy sauce that is impossibly morish.

Leave your diet at home.
Also on CNNGo: Why we love Yuen Long
Try to get a table and order before 11 a.m. when most of the dim sum costs HK$12.
Tai Wing Wah Restaurant, 2/F, Koon Wong Mansion, 2-6 On Ning Road, Yuen Long, +852 2476 9888. Open daily 6:45 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.; dim sum available until 4:15 p.m. 

Best "hot, noisy" atmosphere: Lin Heung Teahouse

Testing the cart lady's patience at Lin Heung Teahouse.

Originating in Guangzhou, Lin Heung Teahouse expanded to Hong Kong and opened three branches in the early 20th century.
The one that remains today in Central opened in 1918. Its longevity alone is worth applauding.
Lin Heung's decades-old recipes produce the most traditional Cantonese flavors. Dim sum typical of Lin Heung are siu mai topped with a slab of liver and Chinese sausage rolls -- old-fashioned dishes hard to find anywhere else.
The atmosphere is of classic Cantonese dining. The space hasn't changed much in the past few decades and old ladies push dim sum carts through the dining hall in the traditional manner of hawking.
Diners rush up to the carts to fight over the bamboo baskets of dim sum that just can't seem to come out of the kitchen fast enough.
Service is typically sour, but we find the attitude easy to ignore as we become engulfed in the irrepressibly jovial "hot and noisy" atmosphere (yeet lau) favored by Chinese diners.
Aslo on CNNGo: Lin Heung Teahouse, dim sum elder
Lin Heung Teahouse, 160-164 Wellington St., Central, +852 2544 4556. Open daily 6 a.m. - 4 p.m. for dim sum; 5 - 10:30 p.m. for dinner.

Best unpretentiously posh: Lei Garden 

Lei Garden's greatest hits of Hong Kong dim sum.

It's Michelin-starred and a haunt for celebrity families, but the atmosphere at this Hong Kong dim sum restaurant is relaxed and unpretentious.
Offering superbly executed Cantonese dishes and very popular for its dim sum, Lei Garden also stands out for warm service. It is rumored the wait staff are trained more vigorously and compensated more handsomely than at any other Cantonese restaurant chain in town.
The plain cheung fun are al dente at first bite and perfectly tender inside; the siu mei is moist and meaty, with a nice crisp snap to the skin of the siu yuk and roasted duck. Lei Garden’s har gau are stuffed with fat shrimp and expertly wrapped.
Essentially, it’s a procession of Hong Kong dim sum hits, with only a few slight misses, like the underwhelming xiaolongbao.
Dishes cost between HK$30 and $50.
Multiple locations. See www.leigarden.hk for details.

Best cinematic backdrop: Luk Yu Teahouse

Try it at least once: Luk Yu Teahouse. 

Central's Luk Yu Teahouse retains an Old Hong Kong glamour with its art deco embellishments, retro menu and urban legends. It's no wonder it regularly appears in movies and literature.
First opened in 1933, Luk Yu Teahouse relocated to its current location in 1976. The building’s colonial façade opens to a three-floor restaurant dripping with nostalgia. Eating at Luk Yu is falling through a time warp.
A dim sum meal easily averages more than HK$100 per person per meal. Some customers are paying for the teahouse’s history and ambiance. Others are long-term patrons who stay all day.
Hard-to-find items harkening back four or five decades make up the menu, such as excellent liver siu mai and deep-fried dumplings in soup.
Service is notoriously bad and wait staff are intimidating to non-regulars. So much so that it has become a signature of the restaurant.
Luk Yu Teahouse, G/F-3/F, 24 Stanley Street, +852 2523 5464. Open daily, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.; dim sum is available until 4 p.m. 

Best hole-in-the-wall: Saam Hui Yaat (叁去壹)

Tiny, dirty and just right.

This tiny pearl of a teahouse is tucked snug into the metaphorical buttcrack of a dilapidated stretch of Pokfulam Road.
Old men without shirts seem to be the primary clientele, squeezing into the grime-covered hovel that hasn't changed an iota since it opened in the late 1970s.
As with most hole-in-the-walls, hygiene is questionable, but the bright flavors of the food draw us back again and again. Besides, we haven't gotten sick yet.
Prices are low, starting at HK$9 per dim sum basket -- “dirt cheap” is a more than appropriate description for Saam Hui Yaat.
Anyone tired of the sanitized chain restaurant dim sum experience should make a visit for the har gau, cheung fun and steamed rice dishes.
Saam Hui Yaat 叁去壹, 11 Pokfulam Road, +852 2547 3917. Open daily, 5 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Best vegetarian for meat-lovers: M Garden Vegetarian

Proving that great vegetarian dim sum is not an oxymoron.

Meat-free dim sum might seem an improbable venture, but at M Garden you won’t even notice the lack of animal on your table.
As with most vegetarian Chinese restaurants, the meat here is replaced with bean curd and mushrooms, but where M Garden stands apart is its emphasis on unusual textures that don’t slavishly try to resemble meat, like the coarsely packed imitation beef balls.
Even more interesting are the standard vegetarian dishes found on every dim sum menu.
Here, the radish cake is made with mushroom and peppers, then diced and stir-fried.
The steamed egg custard buns are made with whole wheat flour, which gives them more heft and a breadier taste than the usual white flour variety.
Prices range from HK$15 to $25 per dish.
Try to get a seat in the sun-drenched atrium, which is much more pleasant than the dreary interior.
Also on CNNGo: Hong Kong's best vegetarian dish
M Garden Vegetarian, shop D, 6/F, Grand Tower, 639 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, +852 2787 3128. Open daily, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Best sense of community: Lam Kee (林記點心)

Lam Kee is also a great place to eavesdrop on your neighbor.

There’s something about the tile floors, high ceilings and boisterous atmosphere of a wet market food hall that makes a meal more fun than it might otherwise be.
Lam Kee, located in the Tai Po Hui Market’s food court, is a casual neighborhood Hong Kong dim sum spot with simple, delicious fare.
The portions here are small, but also inexpensive -- mostly less than HK$10 -- which allows for plenty of ordering experimentation.
Particularly memorable are the bean curd wraps, which contain an assortment of ingredients that work together remarkably well, like baby corn, taro, chicken and spam.
The black bean spareribs are fantastic and so are the tiny har gau.
But the best part of any meal is the company. At the Tai Po Hui food court, patrons sit in a communal dining area. Neighbors run into each other as they head to the food stalls for a break during a grocery run.
If it's early morning, grannies fueling up for an afternoon of mahjong make conversation over a pot of tea.
Lam Kee 林記點心, shop 8-9, 2/F, Tai Po Hui Market Cooked Food Centre, Tai Po.

Best taxi driver's pit stop: Yue Fu Kitchen (裕富小廚)

No taxis? They're all at Yue Fu.

Dim sum 24 hours a day is taken for granted here in Hong Kong. When we get those midnight cravings, Yue Fu is one of our top choices for getting a Hong Kong dim sum fix.Taxis are parked outside Yue Fu in Tai Wai every night as the drivers have a meal inside -- it's a sign the food and value are both great.
The most expensive dim sum is only HK$18 at Yue Fu. They only serve steamed dim sum and not every dim sum is perfect (forget about the har gau here). But it is the local way of experiencing dim sum that we are aiming for.
Blend in by sitting outside, washing your utensils in hot water and pouring out the water onto the street.
Dim sum to try are steamed rice with ribs and chicken feet, beancurd beef balls, siu mai with quail eggs.
Go late at night for more choices and don't go in big groups as they usually don't have the space to accommodate all of you.
Yue Fu Kitchen 裕富小廚, 1-3 Chik Shun St., Tai Wai, +852 2698 7278. Open daily 9:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Best power lunch: Lung King Heen

Individual steam baskets -- now that's respect for dim sum.

As one of Hong Kong's few Michelin three-starred restaurants and a Four Seasons Hotel signature, Lung King Heen enjoys an elevated status.
It's the perfect setting for special occasions: harborviews, central location, crease free white tablecloths. Dim sum as fine dining.
The dim sum menu is full of classics that have been given novel twists. Lobster and scallop in a thin wrapper resemble decadent siu mai. Cheung fun is filled with garoupa. Dumplings are stuffed with duck liver.
The hotel-ness of the place can't be dimissed. Service is a bit mechanical and halfway through the meal, we start craving the controlled chaos of a typical Cantonese restaurant.
But Lung King Heen isn't a typical Cantonese restaurant. It's the kind of place where Jack Donaghy would go for an intense round of negotiations over an aged Pu-erh tea.
Book ahead.
Lung King Heen, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, +852 3196 8888, www.fourseasons.com. Open daily, noon to 2:30 p.m.; 6 - 10:30 p.m.

See over page for the complete list and addresses.