January 12, 2013

• 回去走走熟悉的路…
  呼吸屬於自己的空氣…
  走走自己一起長大的海邊…

  Lei Yue Mun 鯉魚門- During the first couple of days I arrived in Hong Kong, Alice and I went for a quick lunch across the harbour at Lei Yue Mun. A little introduction about this place – Lei Yue Mun is the eastern gate into the Victoria Harbour, hence it serves an important trade route in and out of the South China Sea. By definition the “Lei Yue Mun” area covers both the Hong Kong Island side, with its strategic vantage point for military purposes (hence that’s where you’ll find the Hong Kong Coastal Defence Museum) and Kowloon side, with its bustling seafood market where Hong Kong-ers traded their catch of the day for ages.

  The unmistakable arch, where the Lei Yue Mun village begins…..
  

  Broadwalk along the cove…..
  

  The water front, it does felt like as if you have stepped back in time, the rustic, unhurried lifestyle of the old Hong Kong…..
  

  Perhaps it was midday when we visited during winter; the many fishing boats weren’t busy and the few fishermen we saw were tending broken nets and washing their vessels. It was all quaint, which is kind of hard to believe since it is situated well within reach by the MTR network…..
  

  

  These old buildings on the right, connected by a maze of alleyways, which amazingly, won’t get you hopelessly lost…..
  

  Living up to its name as the trading post for seafood in Hong Kong, the covered alleyways of Lei Yue Mun was crammed with all manners of seafood shops; selling all sorts of seafood. The variety was mind-boggling, even for a seafood lover like yours truly. It almost felt like being in an aquarium…..
  

  

  

  Apart from the endless seafood stalls, there were also stalls selling nuts (cashew, walnuts, peanuts), floss meat and precious stones. Our restaurant is here. The custom at Lei Yue Mun was this; you pick and pay for the seafood of your choice at one of the many stalls before bringing it to a restaurant. The chef, then, will cook your seafood the way you like it, charging you on a per head basis plus drinks and service charge…..
  

  Upstairs is more airy and bright…..
  

  First course – Steamed scallops with green onions, red pepper and glass noodles…..
  

  Black bean paste steamed “tube scallops”…..
  

  Salt n’ pepper shrimp…..
  

  Spicy peppered giant “mantis shrimp”…..
  

  Lettuce in oyster sauce…..
  

  Steamed garoupa in sweet soy sauce…..
  

  Mini-abalone…..
  

  So meaty and kinda cute……
  

  Ending the luncheon with Fried sticky rice……
  

  One last gaze at Lei Yue Mun, on the left with newer residential towers, and on the right side with the quaint fishing village; what a stark contrast……
  

  To the ferry pier back to Hong Kong side…..
  

  Taking a look back, Lei Yue Mun on the rightside back drop…..
  

  Victoria Harbour looking westerly. The short trip towards Sai Wan Ho pier on Hong Kong side took at most five minutes, before you disembark right into the midst of East SoHo with its upscale restaurants. Back into modern day Hong Kong…..
  

  That’s Hong Kong, where the old meets the new in a fusion of east meets the west. Lei Yue Mun as a whole was a good outing, especially because it was so conveniently accessible for a short hop!

  • 8:50 pm
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