{hk} mui kee congee {妹記生滾粥品}

checking my #siansEATShongkong list, specifically for congee...

-- it's two for two! 

to be honest, this was an unintentional food pit stop. 

it started with "fa yuen street" sign, followed by a stroll, browsing the stalls flanked on either side of the street. after walking about two blocks, we slowed down almost to a halt, confused as we planned our path to our next destination.

it was then i noticed a green sign board, flashed to my right: "fa yuen street market" 

the name rang a bell and minutes later, it dawned on me why.

starting with a quick glimpse through the dry market, followed by the wet market where the fresh produce were displayed, up the escalators to the fourth floor and then braving through the sea of tables as the locals slurped down their lunches with gusto while engaging in a boisterous conversation in cantonese to finally arrive shop 12 where the wall of the shop were filled with newspaper/magazine features about this stall - mui kee congee {妹記生滾粥品}

it was obvious that this family-run business has its horde of loyal followers as we searched for a table for two. we weren't really hungry but i had an intense desire to taste one of hong kong's favorite dishes - the congee. it was brunch after our breakfast.  probably best to call it lunch.

okay, i admit! it was just me being a tad greedy. maybe just a tad.

the menu was all kinds of congee, which had us at a loss.

and the right thing to do is to try the ones food bloggers have written great things about. 

-- it was exactly what i did.

congee :: pork meatball congee (hkd 29)

let's start with the heart and the base of it all: the texture of the congee.

soft, smooth and with the right amount of time and ratio of water to rice resulted to a congee with a lovely thickness. seasoned well but clean flavors making it the perfect base for the ingredients it featured. served hotter than warm, it was a comforting treat to the belly.

the featured: pork meatball. 

succulent and moist. they were delightful petite sized meatballs that could be eaten in one or two bites, seasoned but perhaps was a touch heavy on the ginger. 

the sidelines: thinly sliced ginger and roughly chopped lettuce. 

lettuce is not a typical appearance in all the congees i've had before. a sideline it may be but one with a purpose that offered a fresh crisp crunch, adding a different texture and dimension to the congee. 

congee :: sliced fish congee (hkd 29)

the featured: the sliced fish

loved the generous amounts of thinly sliced fish that were very fresh and mildly cooked all the way through in the warm congee. the fish itself imparted a natural sweetness to the congee itself, resulting to different flavors from its porcine counterpart. it was a huge drawback to constantly having to pick out fine fish bones from the fish slices. despite that, {mh} picked this as her huge favorite over the congee at wong chi kei. 

similarly, the thin sticks of ginger alongside with the wilted lettuce for bite both from textural and flavor aspects added little something something to the dish.

a classic cantonese delight, mui kee congee has warmed its way to the hearts of the locals through its fresh and generous serving of featured ingredients in the deliciously smooth congee. i loved the clean flavors of the congee with the freshness of the ingredients plus  having the chance to learn about hong kong's dining culture at a food court during lunch rush hour.

great food + culture experience -- you really can't beat that. :)

mui kee congee | location

shop 11-12
4/f, fa yuen street market
mongkok, hong kong
{opens daily: 7:00 am - 3pm}

nearest mtr station:  mongkok station, exit 3b

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.