Terryr's

Old Apr 23rd, 2007, 02:18 PM
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Terryr's

Our family will be in Hong Kong in the beginning of June after completing a 2-week tour in China. For our oldest daughter's "last supper" in HK before she returns to the States for her work, she has requested that our family go to a casual, low-key Thai restaurant for authentic Thai food (as she lived in Thailand for a year about a year ago). A TA, whom we are working with in HK, has advised us to go the New Territories where many Thai residents live as there are many authentic Thai restaurants in that area. Is this a good idea for us to do...as we are new to HK? How far is it to get there by taxi...we will be staying at the IC Hotel in TST? Is it safe enough for us to walk around that area at night?

I had come across the Chili Club Restaurant in the Wanchai district (1/F, 88 Lockhart Road), known for its authentic and spicy Thai food, but our TA is dissuading us from this place because of its location with topless bars, etc. We are with our two young adult daughters. Please comment.

Therefore, in doing my research on the New Territories, I came across the Friendship Thai Food Restaurant and Hot Basil Thai Cuisine, which are located there. Has anyone tried these, or can recommend a place with authentic dining? We are not wedded to the New Territories. If you can offer us another alternative of authentic Thai dining in a casual setting (where Thais will dine), we would be appreciative.

Terry
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Old Apr 24th, 2007, 12:06 AM
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The “topless” bar area of Wan Chai is perfectly fine, the bars are very low key and not really obvious at all, it is nothing at all like Patpong for example. There are many restaurants and legitimate bars and a few hotels in this neighborhood, sprinkled with a few left-over girlie bars from the “Suzy Wong” days which I suspect will close down in the next few years as rents become too high and the more trendy restaurants and bars move in. You do not notice the topless aspect at all, these bars are not open to the street and there are not hordes of young girls hanging around the doorways, it is very low key and really there about half a dozen girlie bars in about a 5-8 block stretch. I would not have any concerns about going to this area, it is perfectly safe in any event. I like the Chili Club a lot. I also like the area as there are interesting fruit, veg and fruit markets to wander through, some of the last remaining open stall markets in Hong Kong. You could walk this area early in the evening when the markets are full of people buying provisions for dinner that night (best between about 5:30 and about 7 pm) and then go to dinner.

The NT is perfectly safe (as is all of Hong Kong), there is no reason not to go there, if the restaurant is easy to get to by subway or but I am sure it would be fine. Is there a name and address? I am not a huge fan of taking the subway at rush hours at it tends to be really crowded, so if you do take it, go after about 7:30 pm when it would be less crowded.
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Old Apr 24th, 2007, 07:20 PM
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Hi Cicerone,

Many thanks for your reply about Chili Club Restaurant and its location. That is helpful.

To answer your question, The Friendship Thai Food is at 38 Kai Tak Road in Kowloon City, 2382 8671, and Hot Basil Thai Cuisine is located at 31-33 Kai Tak Road, 2718 1088. Besides going out to the New Territories for casual dining, would there be other things for us to do beforehand in that area, such as window shopping or wandering through open markets?

Where are you liking to go these days for casual, authentic Thai dining that would be reasonable for us to get to from the TST area where we will be staying?

Lastly, are karaoke clubs popular in HK...as they are in Thailand? If so, is there a popular one that anyone can recommend? That would help round out a fun evening for our family! We loved our karaoke night when we were in Bangkok over a year ago.

Terry
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Old Apr 25th, 2007, 04:51 AM
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Sorry, I just don’t know that neighborhood very well at all. I know that both restaurants would be very close to the old airport, and that the area is undergoing redevelopment since the airport was closed about 10 years ago; but I don’t know what is in the neighborhood in terms of local markets. The “walled city” park is nearby, which you can stop in, but there really isn’t anything left of the old walled city to see. The nearest subway stop appears to be Lok Fu, but I would not say it would be walkable from there to Kai Tak Street, I think you would need to take a taxi or bus. Even a taxi from the IC would not be that long a journey really.

For casual Thai, I do go to Chili Club. I think the best Thai restaurant is Wyndham Street Thai, it is fairly casual, but not as cheap and cheerful as Chili Club:

Wyndham Street Thai
Ground Floor, Shop 3 The Centrium
60 Wyndham Street
Central Hong Kong
Tel: 2869 6216

The other place I would suggest you go is to take a trip out to Shek O beach and have a meal at the Chinese Thai restaurant. It’s good Thai food, extremely casual. Shek-O is a great little beachy village place that is so different from the rest of Hong Kong, especially if you go on a weekday when it is really, really quiet. It reminds me of a sleepy Italian village. They have a very nice beach there as well, and some rocky promontories and a little temple. The bus ride out is fun (take the #6 to Stanley and then a taxi, or take the MTR to Shau Kei Wan and then a short but scenic bus ride on the #9 bus; on Sundays there is a direct bus from Central, the 309, but Sundays in June could be very crowded at in the village and at the beach). This can easily be combined with a morning or afternoon shopping in Stanley which is quite close. The OTHER great thing to combine this with is a walk/hike on the fantastic Dragon’s Back for really terrific sea views. (In June, because of the heat I would do this in the morning and aim for a swim and then lunch at the Thai restaurant.) You can hang glide and also kayak in this area, as well as surf and windsurf.

Shek O Chinese and Thailand Seafood Restaurant
303 Shek O Village, Tel: 2809 4426

There is an area in TST called Knutsford Terrace which is trying to develp itself into a restaurant/bar area like Soho on Hong Kong Island. It has mabye a dozen restaurants in a pedestrian-only area off the street. Many of the places have outdoor tables, which are pleasant, although I think the restaurants are somewhat average. There is a Thai restaurant there, I have never been so can’t say whether it is bad or good. This would not be a bad walk up Nathan Road from the IC, turn right at Kimberly Road, and then look for stairs leading up to Knutsford Terrace on the left after about 1 block.

A Touch of Spice
1st Floor
10 Knutsford Terrace
2312-1118

Sorry, I don't karaoke.
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Old Apr 25th, 2007, 02:10 PM
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Thank you, Cicerone, as always!

Anyone else with suggestions/feedback?
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Old Apr 25th, 2007, 05:48 PM
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Good suggestion on Shek O. Ate at one of the restaurants there a few years ago, and I believe the owners are from Cambodia, Laos or Burma. [Sorry, I wasn't on Fodors, and didn't take notes back then.] Good south Asian food.

When local Hong Kong people go to karaokes, they like to get their own room, and don't like to sing in public. So I don't know if that's what you're interested. They used to be all over the place in the early 90's, but now not many remain.

The largest chain is the "Red Box/Green Box", with many locations. Website in Chinese only, it seems. www.californiared.com.hk/v2/

Careful don't go to some so-called karaokes in Mongkok, which are actually brothels.

I agree with Cicerone about safety. Wan Chai is fine. Kowloon City is fine. Don't need to worry about either area.
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Old Apr 25th, 2007, 09:11 PM
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Thanks rkkwan for your help as well.

Yes, we are interested in going for karaoke where there are individual rooms, which is very popular in Thailand.
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