Help from HK mners please

[Othersideofthechannel]

Hi there
I have relatives who moved to HK earlier this year.
Is there anything particular that is difficult to get hold of and that I could send for Christmas?
The girls are 9 and 12.
Thanks

Hi Otherside

I have to say, not really, although many things are more expensive in HK. But, now that M&S, Boden and GAP deliver here from UK, all my problems have been solved

One thing that is hard to get hold of is nice, English manf chocolate. We do get western brands but it's usually locally/Aus manf and doesn't taste the same as they put something in it to stop it melting.

Most things are readily available here.
relatives gave our DDs UK magazine subscriptions. One receives Pony and the other an RSPB subscription. They have to be forwarded on from said relative but DDs love receiving them.
Another relative adopted Donkeys from a UK sanctuary in the names of the girls. I think it was about $10 for the year and they were sent photos and certificates and a bio of the donkey. We have kept this up as they really thought they owned the donkies.Not sure if yr relatives children are too old for this.
Alternatively is their home town famous for anything?
Bagged the chocolate here is really waxy dont you think??

Thanks

ooh yes- subscriptions are a v good idea because UK magazines are a LOT here (Heat is about £4.....er not that I read it you understand..my friend told me )

THK- yes, the chocolate here is v disappointing. After I had DS my MIL sent over a load of LIndt from the UK for me. It was lovely and I'm ashamed to say I hid it from DH.

Often I find a Flake, get all excited and then read the label and it says "made under license in Taiwan" and I know it's going to be a disappointment

Olivers in the Princes building sometimes has UK imported stuff - they had Creme Eggs around easter and I was eating about 3 a day

Bagged- flakes and battenburg cake yum:)
Ohhh and that sticky Ginger cake and crumpets..
Cause of credit card haemmorrage in olivers and great
Lol you hide the choc.- I hide the receipts :)

Good morning ladies,

Othersideofchannel sorry no unseful info....

if I may rebound on the last post, yes at deli supermarket prices. Singaporeans are obsessed with food so we have everything here and at fairly reasonnable prices. Could not believe the price of DH's lunch take away sandwich from great in PP.
In Sg you have a proper sit down hot meal for that (or even half that in very nice foodcourts)

So I can only imagine what deli groceries cost.

Could I be very cheeky and ask where you shop?
Are there such things as wet markets (heard there is a good one in causeway bay - where a thai friend goes for fresh fish, herbs and flowers). Is it OK for fruit and veg?
In singapore we tend to avoid things like big china pears as they are full of pesticides. What's it like in HK in that respect?

Hi Slim

Yes- Great, Olivers, City Super and 360 are extortion. Marketplace is a bit better but there are only about 3 of them. Wellcome and Park n Shop cheaper but limited "western" foods, esp meat and dairy. In fact, all food is pretty expensive unless you are prepared to go "local".I spend about HK$1500 per week for 2 of us plus our helper, and that's before any alcohol which I get separately.

I do eat local fruit and veg as the price differential is huge (but I wash or peel first) but I buy imported meat, fish and dairy (Austalian "milk drink" at £2.50 a pop, US chicken £12 per bird, dont even get me started on the mozzerela)on the excuse that I'm breastfeeding so cant risk it.

Ashamed to say I'm not that sure where everything comes from exactly as I have a helper who does the shopping. I know she uses the market in Wan Chai for fruit and veg but not sure exactly where it is .There is also a fish/veg market in Soho around Peel St but apparently is not that cheap. Apart from that it's a mixture of the above mentioned places as nowhere ever sells everything you want in one go.

There are a few frozen wholesalers who deliver imported meat and fish. I'll post a link later when I remember the name.

HK fruit and veg markets are great, but yes, do wash/peel. Probably heaps of pesticides but years of eating it daily hasn't done me or DH any harm so far. There is also a big Chinese organic firm (don't think it's Chaoda but something like that) so you can get organic veg at Jusco.

The slant of the supermarkets is determined by the ethnic composition of the area - the Wellcome/PnS in Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay are quite western but the ones around North Point a lot less so. Jusco (big one in Hang Hau and another one up near Tai Koo Shing somewhere) is tailored for local tastes but has a distinct Japanese accent (great for sushi).

Slotting my HK brain in again after a couple of years - we are considering moving back because living in Australia is like being kicked in the balls every single time you get your wallet out.

Sorry OP for the hijack.

Magazine subs are a great idea - foreign magazines are very expensive and fairly hard to find in HK.

There is an organisation that does horseriding on the south side of the island somewhere - if your friends live in a cramped flat and would prefer experiences to stuff, a gift voucher for that might be worth looking into.

Hi Slim:
Agree with Bagged you find that you have to shop in about 4 places to cover the best of each. Imported food is horrendously expensive ( yoghurts eggs and milk especially) but Im sure Singapore is similar like for like at the Delis.
Olivers in Princes building or MarketPlace
( or is it still Jasons) at Repulse Bay for very English products but mainly Deli.and some bakery.
Great in Pacific Place ( or City Super in IFC) : for Fresh Produce and Wine.
Parknshop on line home delievry for home/cleaning products/ water /basics.

360 in the landmark for organic produce

I have used the home delivery Organic Farm veg which deliver boxes of inseason produce but its limited to potatoes/broccoli/carrots and tomatoes.

Home delivery Organic Meat and fish from Australia also very good quality and cheaper than Great but I often forget to place the order on time.

It is much cheaper shopping for Fruit and Veg from the Wanchai or Central street Markets however working in China I regularly see the crops being sprayed with DZT so 99.9% of the time tend to avoid chinese grown produce.
wanchai and Causeway Bay both have wet markets for Fresh Fish and Meat that are very popular but again I tend to stick with imported.
Possibly same case as Singapore that you find yourself eating out more than you would in the UK as there is little difference in cost.

Re. shopping in the wet markets - as HK has more stringent food standards than China, only a certain amount of certified farms in China can supply produce to HK wet markets - it's quite strictly regulated and they are also regularly tested.

That's my understanding of it anyway... :)

Good morning all,

Thank you very much for all the info.