This trip to Hong Kong, serving as a transit stop on the way to Singapore, was quite meaningful, especially since a direct flight from Shanghai to Singapore takes five and a half hours. Moreover, with the recent decline in the Hong Kong dollar exchange rate, it’s truly a great time for shopping spree. Various full-price items, even at their original prices, are effectively discounted by 20%, and when you come across products whose original prices are already lower than those in mainland China, it becomes an even better deal. Additionally, during this season, Hong Kong hasn’t yet heated up; the temperature is very comfortable. Coupled with the delicious food, even just popping over for a weekend getaway is an excellent choice.
For this visit, I chose the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, also known as the “Little InterContinental.” There are two InterContinental hotels in Hong Kong: the InterContinental Hong Kong, referred to as the “Big InterContinental,” located in Tsim Sha Tsui, has long held high prestige and commanded premium prices, featuring multiple Michelin-starred restaurants and being a popular venue for celebrity weddings. The other one is this “Little InterContinental,” situated in Hung Hom. It’s actually not far from the Big InterContinental—essentially within walking distance. Just a short walk from the hotel leads you to an underground pedestrian tunnel network connecting to the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, allowing convenient underground access to many famous buildings in the area.
After landing this time, I took the Airport Express directly from the airport to Kowloon Station, where a complimentary shuttle bus goes straight to the hotel—very convenient. You can catch this shuttle bus next to Kowloon Station; there are several routes available, and relevant route information can be found on the MTR official website. These routes cover almost all nearby hotels, with each line stopping at different hotel entrances before looping back to Kowloon Station.
The InterContinental Grand Stanford isn’t large—in fact, for an InterContinental property, it’s quite small. Whether it’s the rooms, the entire building, or the lobby, everything feels compact. The hotel isn’t particularly new either, though it’s been reasonably well-maintained. The front desk staff were enthusiastic, but their Mandarin was rather mediocre, which could be frustrating—you might find yourself ready to switch to English at any moment. I was upgraded to a Partial Sea View Room. As the name suggests, both the left and right sides of the window have obstructions, but you can still enjoy sea views through the center section~~
The room itself wasn’t spacious, but the bed was exceptionally large—roughly 2 meters or even 2.2 meters wide—it felt like two beds pushed together…
Sea view from the window
Lobby Lounge, featuring a grand chandelier above.
Bar: Live singers perform at night, though it can get a bit noisy. Sitting closer to the entrance helps reduce the volume of the music. Welcome drink vouchers can be redeemed for beverages or alcoholic drinks at the hotel, and the quality is quite good.
On my first day in Hong Kong, the main agenda was shopping. Basically, Tsim Sha Tsui has everything you could possibly want—Harbour City, Canton Road, and K11 alone offer more than enough to explore. Although many people consider Harbour City primarily a tourist shopping destination, I have to admit that it really does feature stores spanning virtually every tier and brand imaginable.
Early the next morning, I headed to the nearby Ippudo Ramen for breakfast. I hadn’t expected many people to eat ramen for breakfast, yet by the time I finished and stepped outside, a queue had already formed. For lunch, I originally planned to try the renowned Kau Kee Beef Brisket, but upon arriving at its doorstep, I found another long line waiting. After asking around, I learned they wouldn’t open for another half hour (at noon), and since it had just started raining, I reluctantly gave up. Unexpectedly, however, just around the corner stood a very unassuming restaurant called The Chairman.
This restaurant enjoys exceptionally high ratings on Dianping, suggesting it’s reliably good. Plus, being a weekday lunchtime, they offered executive set menus, so I didn’t need to worry about ordering difficulties as a solo diner. Upon entering—having arrived relatively early—the ground floor was still fairly empty. Without a reservation, the host seated me at a four-person round table near the entrance. Soon afterward, the place filled up quickly, and walk-in diners without reservations were turned away politely, advised to make bookings for future visits—I certainly got lucky!
Following recommendations from online reviews and driven by my craving for beef brisket, I decisively ordered the squab and beef brisket.
The soup of the day was bitter melon, corn, and pork rib broth, slow-cooked to bring out a naturally sweet and savory flavor—a long-lost taste that immediately satisfied upon arrival.
Half a Longjing tea and chrysanthemum smoked squab: Unlike crispy-skinned squab, smoking doesn’t cause the skin and meat to separate, meaning you won’t encounter greasy skin. Instead, the meat remains remarkably fresh and tender throughout, infused delicately with aromas of tea and flowers—an entirely unique experience compared to previously tasted squabs, and delightfully surprising.
The main course was Clear Soup Beef Brisket. This dish truly fulfilled all my expectations for beef brisket: excess fat trimmed away, leaving mostly lean meat that managed to remain tender, not greasy, flavorful, and subtly sweet—a remarkable achievement indeed. The broth itself was delicious, topped with crisp celery sticks, while the baby bok choy underneath was equally tasty. Paired with a bowl of steamed rice, it was utterly irresistible—even back in Shanghai, looking at this photo brings back fond memories.
Their signature dessert, Wolfberry and Osmanthus Ice Cream, was also delightful. Neither wolfberry nor osmanthus flavors were overpowering—they were subtle—but combined with rich creaminess, making it distinctly memorable.
Additionally, I must highlight their impeccable service here—attentive without being intrusive. Though it may seem they aren’t watching closely, nothing escapes their notice. Initially attempting to tackle the squab with chopsticks proved futile, prompting me to use my hands instead. Immediately upon doing so, a server discreetly placed an opened wet wipe beside me. Once used, it was promptly replaced with a fresh one. Water refills were equally attentive—truly flawless service.
This restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2012 but subsequently lost it for reasons unknown. Upon returning home, further research revealed widespread acclaim among seasoned diners and recognition as a Dianping Black Pearl recommended restaurant. Founded in 2009 by several discerning gourmets dissatisfied with Hong Kong’s ubiquitous fast-food culture alongside retired chefs, The Chairman deliberately avoids luxurious ingredients such as shark fin, sea cucumber, or bird’s nest. Their philosophy emphasizes simplicity in cooking methods, aiming instead to preserve and highlight natural ingredient flavors—the true essence of Cantonese cuisine.
Moreover, numerous boutique design shops surround this restaurant, providing additional browsing opportunities. This is definitely a place I’ll revisit without hesitation.
Finally, here are two photos of Hong Kong’s nighttime skyline~~
Photos taken with SONY A5100 + 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, post-processed using Lightroom.
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