HKG: Praise House Congee & Noodle Cuisine

Extensive list of full-bodied congee!

Okay, we're on to something more of HK cuisine. Looking for warm food in iSquare shopping mall after being blown by cold wind outside, I eventually decided to try the congee at Praise House. I'd been wanting to try it out when I saw the branch at the airport, but the other day I had to rush to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the host university for the NUS departmental-level exchange programme which I've been selected for.

Pig Kidney Congee HK$39.00 (~S$6.50)

Taste: 8/10

"Kidney!? I thought you didn't eat internal organs, save for intestines?" must be in your mind  when you remember what I said earlier in this blog. To cut the story short, the waitress made a mistake, but I didn't ask for replacement although she was willing to do so. The congee was really flavourful, most likely cooked in chicken broth. The texture was smooth, although it'd be better if it could be a bit thicker to become less watery. I was happy to see sesame oil, and the slightly sweet garlic solution (for lack of a better term) added a different dimension to the congee. According to one of my friends who eventually finished the kidney, the congee was delightful as a whole, and I agreed that the kidney wasn't very rubbery as I tried a bite (yes, only one small bite and I couldn't stand the peculiar taste). Yup, consensus: 8/10.

Beef Brisket Noodle in Chu Hou Sauce HK$36.00 (~S$6.00)

Taste: 8/10

Onto something more edible (for me) :P The supposedly tough beef brisket was cooked properly that it became tender. Actually, brisket is one of my most favourite parts of beef. The long, slow cooking of the beef and turnip resulted in the release of natural sweetness of the ingredients into the soup, which was further embodied with strong chu hou sauce made of soya beans. The noodle itself was pretty springy.

Jelly Fish Heads & Smoked Pig's Trotters with Rice HK$36.00 (~S$6.00)

Taste: 7/10

Hmm... Eating cold cuts together with rice was a new experience to me because I usually eat cold cuts as an appetiser. Well, it wasn't that weird. Anyway, the jelly fish heads were crunchy and the trotters had a nice texture, but without any hints of smokiness. The fact that both were slightly under-seasoned was a bit disappointing though. Pika's advice: Dip them into the hot chili oil provided on the table for a better taste!

Praise House's Barbecued Pork Rice Noodle Roll HK$28.00 (~S$4.65)

Taste: 7/10

I purposely ordered the chee cheong fun with the name of the restaurant embedded as I thought it'd be their specialty. While the amount of pork inside each roll was praiseworthy, I believe the pork wasn't marinated enough. Also, the soy sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking, but I have to say that the rice noodle sheet itself was quite good with a bit of chewiness.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 7.5/10

Ambience: 7.5/10

Service: 7/10

Overall: 7.5/10

I quite like the dim lighting in the restaurant. Even though the waitress took the order wrongly, I won't give a bad score for service since my complains were heard and they actually offered to change the congee.

Praise House Congee & Noodle Cuisine

63 Nathan Road

Shop 705, 7/F iSquare

Tsim Sha Tsui

Hong Kong

(Daily: 11.00am - 11.30pm)

*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)