Cantonese rice porridge simmered until the grains break to a silky cream, topped with century egg and pork, fish, beef, or chicken. Hong Kong's morning, midnight and sick-day staple at Australia Dairy and Tasty Congee.
Where to eat it: 5 restaurants across 1 city.
Cantonese congee (juk) cooks long-grain rice in a 1-to-10 ratio with water until the grains dissolve, a porridge format dating to the Han dynasty. Hong Kong's overnight congee tradition emerged with the cha chaan teng in the 1950s; Australia Dairy Company's century egg congee has been a Jordan landmark since 1970. Tasty Congee and Noodle Wantun Shop holds the Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Common allergens: Fish, Egg, Soy
Tip from the editors. Toss raw rice with oil and salt before cooking; this Cantonese trick breaks down the starch faster and gives the silky 'flowering' congee texture in 90 minutes instead of 3 hours.
Australia Dairy Company on Parkes Street in Jordan trades until 23:00, the Hong Kong cha chaan teng for late dinner scrambled eggs on toast and steam milk.
Try: Scrambled eggs on toast and milk pudding
Order: Scrambled eggs on buttered toast with hot milk pudding.
Tip: Closed Thursdays; on other late nights, order before you sit, eat fast, leave fast.
Tasty Congee & Noodle Wantun Shop inside Elements mall is the Michelin Bib Gourmand 1946 era Cantonese counter for shrimp wonton noodles and prawn congee.
Signature: Shrimp wonton noodles, Beef rice noodle stir fry, Prawn congee
Order: Fresh shrimp wonton noodles in superior broth.
Tip: They do not take reservations; arrive before 12:00 to skip the office tower queue.
Mido Cafe on Temple Street is a 1950 cha chaan teng with original wood booths and a tiled mezzanine, surviving as a daily cha chaan teng among tourist stalls.
Why locals love it: Original 1950 wood booths and tile work on the corner of Temple Street, a film set you can sit in for the price of milk tea.
Tip: Climb to the upstairs window seat for the Temple Street view; weekday afternoons are calm.
For Kee Restaurant is a cantonese room in Sheung Wan. The pork chop in tomato sauce is the headline; arrive before noon for the seasoned cut.
Why locals love it: A 1960s cha chaan teng on the antiques row of Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan, plating pork chop rice that everyone walks past on the way to art galleries.
Tip: The pork chop in tomato sauce is the headline; arrive before noon for the seasoned cut.
Capital Cafe in Wan Chai is the modern cha chaan teng with Canto pop memorabilia on the walls, trading scrambled egg with black truffle on toast and milk tea.
Try: Scrambled egg with black truffle on toast
Order: Scrambled egg with black truffle on toast.
Tip: Truffle scramble plus a milk tea is the Wan Chai late night order; weekend evenings get noisy.
More cities are in research. Want congee (jook) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.