Breakfast at a Hong Kong cafe would not be complete without porridge. It also comes with your choice of chow mein, chow fun, steamed rice noodle rolls, or Chinese donut, so why wouldn’t you want to order porridge?
When in the SGV, here’s where I’d go!
1. U2 Cafe
The porridge (or congee, as they call it on their menu) here are all tasty, but the ones I like most are the Sweet Corn & Fish Maw Congee 粟米魚肚粥, Pork & Preserved Egg Congee 皮蛋瘦肉粥, and the Fish Fillet & Lettuce Congee 生菜魚片粥! I’d get it with any of their fried noodles – they’re not that oily!
2. Baccali
The best part about ordering the breakfast porridge at Baccali is that the items that it comes with aren’t the typical ones you’d get at the other Hong Kong Cafes – they have ones with meat! For the porridge, I usually get the Preserved Egg with Pork Porridge 皮蛋瘦肉粥, then pair it with the Pan Fried Vermicelli with Shredded Pork 韭黃肉絲炒米粉, Beef Lo-Mein with Ginger and Green Onion 薑蔥牛肉撈麵, or Pan Fried Shredded Meat with Glass Noodle 千炒三絲瀨粉. While most HK cafes serve a big bowl of porridge with a small plate of noodles, Baccali is the opposite – their porridge comes in a smaller bowl, but you get a nice big plate of noodles with it!
3. JJ Cafe
If I’m at JJ Cafe and craving porridge, I’d get the Chicken Porridge 滑雞粥 or the Minced Beef Porridge 免治牛肉粥 with the chow mein. I love how I don’t have to worry about this Chicken Porridge having any bones!
4. Garden Cafe
At Garden Cafe, I like the Fish & Meatball Porridge 魚片肉丸粥 and the Pig Organs Porridge 及第粥 with the pan fried vermicelli or chow mein. To top it off, you’ll find some cilantro in your porridge for some extra flavor!
The Abalone with Chicken Porridge 鮑魚雞粥 is the one to order when you’re at E.A.T. Bistro. I like it with the pan fried vermicelli or rice noodle with mixed sauce. Other tasty options include the Chiu Chow Fish Ball and Lettuce Porridge 手打潮州魚蛋生菜粥, Chicken with Black Mushroom Porridge 北菇雞球粥, and Beef Porridge 滑牛粥. Don’t forget to add their chili oil to your noodles!
My favorite here are the Pork Blood Congee 豬紅粥 and the Special Meatball Congee 秘制肉丸粥. Not every place can make pork blood that isn’t overcooked before you even put it in your mouth, and serving it in congee just adds an extra level of difficulty – but Delicious Food Corner does a pretty good job! The chow mein and steamed rice noodle rolls 蒸腸粉 are also both good choices!
7. Ho Kee Cafe
Although Ho Kee Cafe is a bit pricier than other places, the Salty Pork Bone with Dehydrated Vegetables Porridge 菜乾鹹排骨粥 with the BBQ Pork Rice Noodle 叉燒腸粉 is delicious! This combination makes the perfect breakfast that starts off your day right!
Which porridge are you craving?