13 May, 2014
Eat & Drink

Top 6 lunches under $60 in Causeway Bay

13 May, 2014

Causeway Bay is one of the most crowded neighbourhoods in Hong Kong; on Sundays it can even be hard to move! There are hundreds of restaurants to choose from and it can get pretty overwhelming and expensive. Jardine Crescent, Tang Lung Street, Hysan Place, Time Square, Windsor House and the World Trade Center are all areas that offer a quintessential Causeway experience. With so many options it’s hard to know here to start, but you can’t just eat lunch at Din Tai Fung every day (or can you?!). Why not explore Jardine Crescent for street food and local diners, or check out the new branch of Hungry Korean! Turn down Tang Lung Street for Universal Noodle Ramen, or just try any of the cafes and hole-in-the-wall restaurants that litter Causeway Bay. While there are dozens of great and inexpensive restaurants in this buzzing area, here are six that have meals for under $60. You should definitely try them out!

Urban sandwichesUrban Bakery
Sometimes I just need a good sandwich for lunch, and Urban is the perfect place for your weekday sandwich fix. Well known for their fresh croissants, they also serve excellent, freshly made sandwiches for $40-50. The langoustine curry emulsion ‘croissandwich’ is my favourite, but the chicken with guacamole also fulfils serious sandwich cravings. They always make the sandwiches to order right in front of you (using a blowtorch to caramelise the chicken, which can be disconcerting to some!). You can also get a fresh salad – tomato and croutons, caesar, mushroom – and a fresh croissant. Their pastry desserts are also delightful, and sometimes funny! They sell emoji based “emo-cookies” on sticks which are really cute. There isn’t seating, but the food is good for a desk lunch on a rushed day.

Urban Bakery Jasons Food & Living, B2/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2795 3168, www.facebook.com/UrbanBakery

Delicious ThaiDelicious Thai
Up Caroline Hill Road you’ll find a string of good restaurants, offering everything from juicy burgers and Japanese hot-pot, to Italian fusion. The restaurant that brings all my coworkers and me back almost weekly is further along, just past an auto-shop. Delicious Thai, as its name suggests, makes excellent curries and soups, and their Pad Thai is the best comfort food. Their specialty is the Thai Curry made with an egg sauce over your choice of fish or pork belly with rice. It is never too spicy but always packed with flavour! With lunch deals under $48 including tea, you can afford to come here again and again. They do take away and sit down, and have comfortable wicker furniture (both inside and out). At the lunch rush there is often a line for tables, but takeaway is always quick! The wait staff is among the friendliest I have seen, making it even more enjoyable. You always feel welcome at Delicious Thai, and with al-fresco seating and food to match, it’s hard to resist.

Delicious Thai, G/F, 33 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2577 7822 

Hogology DisplayHogology
This new Taiwanese restaurant has deservedly gained a strong following in the past few months. This whole block seems to be exceptional territory for restaurants, with Little Burro, Burger Room, and Delicious Thai all within a two-minute walk. Hogology is no exception! With their lunches priced at $43 and top-notch ingredients you can see why there is a line to sit and eat. It feels a bit like a dim sum or ramen restaurant with their order slips in Chinese (or English if you ask). You have a choice of meat, noodles-wide or thin, vegetables, sauce, and add-ons like egg or dumplings. You can wait in line to eat in the restaurant, and fill out your menu first, or you can get takeaway by ordering at the cash register. The pork belly with soy sauce and egg may sound simple, but it is rich and tasty. The shop is tiny but well decorated, and the food is fresh and satisfying at a price that doesn’t hurt your wallet.

Hogology, 122 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2805 6665

Matchbox storefrontMatchbox Cafe
If you’re craving Cantonese comfort food, look no further than Matchbox Cafe. It’s best described as a cha chaan tang with a twist. This alternative Cantonese restaurant has an antique and mismatched feel. Think movie theatre seats at the tables, baskets for lampshades and a bicycle as a menu holder! And let’s not forget the soothing food. There are two locations, one on Cleveland Street and one near Leighton on Sun Wui Rd, and both have savoury options to make you salivate. I’ve never been disappointed with an order! The food looks basic, but it is delicious. One of my favourites is the fried rice with pineapple, which is so good I am usually disappointed with fried rice at other restaurants. Most of the dishes are under $60 including tea. With dishes ranging from macaroni with ham chunks and rice with bbq pork, to egg and toast and green pea soup, this is the place to come for comfort food!

Matchbox Cafe, G/F, Highland Mansion, 8 Cleveland Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, 2868 0363 and 2 Sun Wui Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, www.cafematchbox.com.hk

Yu SignYu
Szechuan food is one of my favourite Chinese cuisines, and Yu does not disappoint. Located on Yiu Wa street next to Ruggers (where you can get Belgian beer on draft!) and Coffee Academics, they stand out for atmosphere and taste. There is often a line to eat in on their dark wood tables, but they also do take away for girls in a hurry. Their dan dan mian is among the spiciest I’ve eaten, even when I order it medium spicy. They do have options for spiciness and they always ask – so as a warning, be conservative! Go with a colleague and order their generous spicy marinated cucumber to go with your meal. They love the numbing spice at this place, so watch out: you may not be able to feel your lips after eating. Order carefully!

Yu, 4 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Warung Malang BuffetWarung Malang
Missing the food from your Indonesian getaway? Causeway Bay has a wealth of Indonesian cuisine. There are many restaurants to cater to your cravings, and there’s even an Indonesian Market right next to Victoria Park. However, the best work lunch (in my opinion) is  found right next to Jardine Cresent at Warung Malang. Their lunch fills a takeaway box with as much variety as possible. I usually go for randang beef with their assortment of sides, which includes egg, tofu, spicy green beans, rice and potato. Add on a veggie fritter (bakwan suyur) for only $46 total! It is delightfully spicy and rich, all made fresh and halal. You can eat in with a view over Jardine, or do a quick take away for a busy day.

Warung Malang, 2/F Dragon Rise, 9-11 Pennington Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

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