[Review 1107] Hidden gem in North Point for imitation sharks fin @ 花膠翅

05/05/2011

花膠翅
北角書局街1號地下
G/F, 1 Shu Kuk Street, North Point
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/review/hidden-gem-4-inmitation-sharks-fin-north-point-e2167421

I have planned to try this place along time ago, but I didn’t know the location was so that close to the North point MTR exit.
The shop is very small, and probably seats about 10 people on five tables.
Although it looks old on the outside, it is very clean inside and they even have a powerful mosquito zapper which works!!
The mosquito zapper can be heard popping every now and then.
This shop specialises in "Imitation" Sharks fin soup, they even have a special note outside stating they do not use real Sharks fin.
The choices of SF soup were amazing.

For Sharkfin soup, there is a choice of:
Tofu SF soup
Crabmeat SF soup
Scallop SF soup
Shredded chicken SF soup
Bamboo pith SF soup
Original SF soup with fish maw.

The soup tasted like the real sharks fin soups served at Banquets, so if you are expecting the “bowl of SF soup” served at small street shop joints it doesn’t.
The colour of the soup was dark brown, but clearer than Bisto gravy.
With SF soup, people like to add white pepper, sesame oil, or red vinegar to it, however it tasted really nice with or without.
In the SF soup, I found egg, chinese ham, black fungus
I could also taste dried fruit peel and they cleverly put bits of fish skin to imitate the shark's fin taste.

I tried the stir-fried noodles in XO sauce which are the thin Chiuchow style noodles.
There was a mixture of different noodles of different widths.
The noodles tasted really nice with the addition of their home made vinegar with chili which remind me of the sauces at Thai Restaurants.

I liked the way they ask you if you want sesame seeds on the noodles, because some people don't, the same putting parmesan cheese on pasta.

The chicken was good too, although it was slightly tough, but it was fresh. The rice was nice but too soft.

As well as the above items, they had noodles in Tom yum soup which is interesting, especially in a shop like this.
They also had Cambodian noodles in curry sauce too.