Hong Kong: Myths & Legends

There are some establishments that have achieved legendary status for their food. Some manage to retain the edge that awarded them this status… others become commercially successful but lose that special appeal in the process. Yung Kee is unfortunately one of those restaurants that fall in the latter category. Highly awarded and highly acclaimed – this eatery is recommended in gourmet magazines, visited by Michelin starred chefs and lauded for its roasted goose, its star attraction.

On our visit, we were not only disappointed with the food – but also with the service. The roasted goose was decent – but not something I would come rushing back for… the skin was not as delightfully crisp as many have raved about and the accompanying rice… overcooked and mushy (one of my pet peeves). The century eggs here however are worth a try – very fresh (if that can be said of century eggs to begin with) – the yolk is deliciously creamy and definitely not something you’ll get in commercially made versions.

But what was most disappointing was the service – for a highly acclaimed restaurant, service was unpersonable, short and at times plain apathetic. My personal bad experience at Yung Kee probably won’t stop the hordes from packing it in to this popular restaurant… but its reminded me of a simple fact - that legends can sometimes be myths as well.