Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day, and here in Asia we take the motto as a spiritual tenant. It is a common sight on the way to work to encounter scores of corner shops offering the typical breakfast eats: chow mien, egg & ham on bread, cha siu bao (barbecue pork buns), cakes, sticky rice, lotus sticky rice and the almighty cheung fun (steamed rice noodle).

Considered staples of the typical Hongkonger's diet, most of these eats are processed and considered ‘fast food' filled with sodium and oily goodness. So when one runs into a traditional breakfast shop, the novelty is quite similar to a collective memory - something to be cherished, shared and enjoyed with friends and families.

Cheung Fun

As a child, I had an affinity with cheung fun - the soft smooth texture, the steamy light taste, and the fresh simplicity of rice and water - steamed to perfection! Typically, my parents would ‘sometimes' cater to my obsession with store bought goods - steamed in our own bamboo steamer basket on top of the wok.

Call it ignorance, call it focused on the end product, call it what you may, but I did not know how cheung fun was made until I literally tripped over Kam Shan (Golden Mountain) Chuk Diem. An establishment tucked away in the rabbit warren of Old Sai Kung Town that has been in operation for almost thirty years.

Bring on the Breakfast

Owner, Hai Dat-Wah and his wife run the shop which specialises in congee ($6 - $20), hand-made cheung fun ($5 small) and the deep fried yau cha gwai ($6 full) - also known as the Chinese donut (how can anyone resist one of them bad boys?)

 "I used to work in a restaurant manning the roast meat section and one day we started selling cheung fun," recalled Wah. "It was a hit and I got the idea to start my own place. I bought this place in Sai Kung and have been working here for more than 28 years."

Everyday, from 6am to 3pm, Wah opens shop to the neighbourhood and visitors who come in droves to partake in his handmade cheung fun with dried shrimp and sesame seeds. Many bring their own Tupperware, others camp down with friends and order by the bucket load.

 "A dish of cheung fun used to cost 80 cents and now we sell it for $6. You ask me why I do this, well, it is what I do. I am not sure if this will continue after I am gone since my three sons, two of which have immigrated to Australia, don't have interest in continuing on the business."

Mrs Hai, who operates the congee station is proud of their signature congee, kap dai congee ($16)  - which is beef balls, pork belly, pork heart, pork liver and sliced pork - all freshly supplied from the local market every day. 

The art of congee is in the base stock - made from water and top-tier Australian rice which yields a better and thicker texture together with a couple of beancurd sheets melted inside. When an order is made, Mrs Hai scoops the prepared congee (white and pure) and places it in a small pan to mix together with the ingredients according to the type of congee ordered. She only has two simple gas stoves and quickly mixes our order: beef ball congee and 1,000 year old egg, and sliced pork congee.

We also order the cheung fun (who wouldn't) with the dried shrimp and shallots together with Cha Leung - deep fried donut wrapped in fresh cheung fun ($11). Yuuuuuum!

Kam Shan serves traditional Hong Kong food, made by hand with tender love and care, eating there is a bargain, a delight and a true gem - something not to miss on your next visit Beyond Lion Rock.

Details: Kam Shan Chuk Diem, 21 Sai Kung Ching Road, Tel: 2792 1835,  Mon-Sat 6am-2pm, Sunday 6am-5pm