Lin Heung Tea House 蓮香樓

Apparently Anthony Bourdain recommended this place so it is pretty packed. Locals (usually middle aged to elderly) go there for their usual cup of tea (refilled numerous times), 1 or 2 dishes of dim sum, armed with their daily newspaper and park themselves there for hours. Tourists just flock there because it's highly recommended. I recommend it too, only because there's so much hype about the place. The interior is so authentically Hong Kong and the old people who sit there alone or in pairs, literally just sit there and read. Sharing tables is a norm, as per all HK eating places. But here, they tend to cram pple together and a table can be shared by 3 or more groups. 


The place is bustling with life, with grumpy old ladies pushing the dim sum carts around. Most are unfriendly and unhelpful, especially if you cannot speak Cantonese. Some make good recommendations and try to help. Be prepared to deal with those who grumble when you open every single cover to look and decide not to choose any from their carts. Be prepared, also, to deal with patrons who accost the carts once they are pushed out from the kitchen because by the time the old ladies make their way to your side of the restaurant, most favourite dishes would be gone. Just be smart, quick and nice.


If you noticed, I've mentioned "old ladies" repeatedly as the cart-pushers. Well, gender segregation is very obvious here. The old men show you the way to your seat, write the slip with the number of people, refill tea and clear dishes. Basically, anything that requires more strength (they refill your tea with a huge kettle and their aiming is not bad) is the men's job. To each according to his/her abilities.


Another thing that I found interesting about this place is, conversations like this will take place:
Old lady approaching with her cart: XXX, YYY, ZZZ (whatever dishes she has on her cart)
Me (not understanding their heavily accented Cantonese): Do you have AAA?
Old lady: XXX, YYY, ZZZ.


Basically, they don't reply your questions and repeat XXX, YYY, ZZZ like a broken record player. Customer service is actually quite rare in HK.


 Okay, done with my very lengthy introduction. I did say it's an interesting place.

Yay or Nay? Yay. 

But? I think the standard of the dim sum is so-so only.

To try? Chicken glutinous rice. The 糯米雞 never goes wrong in HK. 

Address? G/F, 160-164 Wellington Street, Central

Nearest MTR? Sheung Wan Exit E2. Cross Wing Lok Street and walk through some kinda piazza looking thing. Walk towards the right until you see a Fitness First. Cross the road somewhere in front to a little concrete islet in the middle of the road. You should be at the intersection of many, many roads. Cross the road on your left to get to the correct side and you should be at the start of Wellington Street. Do not end up on the wrong side! Just keep walking down Wellington Street until you see the green 蓮香 signboard hanging overhead on the right. Yes, it's not that straightforward to find this place. 


Think this is my wordiest entry to date.