Lamma Island makes for a great day trip if you’re visiting
Hong Kong. After a short ferry ride, 20-30 minutes depending on the arrival
point of the island, you’ll be transported out of the sky scraper metropolis
onto a coastal island with rolling green hills and plenty of flora.
Which point of the Island you should arrive at largely
depends on the time you’re visiting, when you want to eat, and where you want
to eat. Yung Shue Wan is the busier portion of Lamma with little shops and a
variety of restaurants (seafood, Italian, Thai, etc.). Whereas, Sok Kwu Wan is
quieter, offering secluded beach areas (that could be populated by a pack of
cute napping wild dogs) and waterside seafood restaurants.
Most tourists seem to go to the Yung Shue Wan portion of the
island before making their way across Lamma to end at the other side for lunch
or dinner. Since my husband and I like exploring areas without the crowds, we
opted for the reverse itinerary. Arriving at Sok Kwu Wan, we decided to explore
the small pier area, visit the tiny Tin Hau temple, and take in the calming
views by the temple before stopping for brunch.
With so many ocean view seafood restaurants to choose from,
we decided to go with the largest and most well-known: Lamma Rainbow (or
formerly known as Rainbow Seafood Restaurant).
Most reviews say the seafood is
fresh and dishes taste good (the most attractive quality being no one has
fallen ill after eating there), while most complain about the price (especially
dishes that are “seasonal” where prices aren’t listed on the menu) and the
mandatory tea and sauce charges ($16 a person), which are common in Hong Kong.
Armed with the expectation we’ll be paying more, but to order dishes with menu
prices to avoid crazy charges, we went in and sat down at a table by the
railing.
During the week, especially in the morning, it’s very quiet.
We took the opportunity to relax and look out onto the marina, filled with
boats, junks, and small huts. Our waiter explained the buildings are relics of
homes fishermen used to live in. Nowadays, everyone lives onshore and the huts
are generally used to hold and sometimes raise caught fish until they are
larger, which are later sold to Hong Kong establishments. Aside from the
strong-smelling bleach aroma, it was a tranquil atmosphere; a nice respite
after being amongst crowds of people and buildings for four days.
We’re spoiled in North America with our meaty sweet
Dungeness crabs, one bite into the flower crab with honey and pepper ($360) and
I knew we were better off with shrimp. The shell shatters and the meat sticks
to it so there’s the painstaking process of spitting out all the small shell
bits. Moreover, there’s little flavour from the crab itself, merely the
sweetness from the honey and not enough pepper.
The stir fried fresh sliced grouper with broccoli ($180) was
decent – the fish much meatier than the frozen variety. The chewier texture
isn’t necessarily bad, but does take some getting used to. As with most fresh
seafood, the dish is simply prepared, stir-fried with salt and ginger, a smear
of the oyster sauce makes it even better.
The sole non-seafood dish at brunch was the sweet and sour
pork ($88). It’s pretty tasty, cut into large chunks with just a light dusting
of batter, the sweet and sour flavours of the sauce nicely balanced. It just
wasn’t crispy enough since the dish arrives covered in a dome – great for
keeping everything sanitary - but causes the crust to get soggy.
Lamma Rainbow even has a private ferry that shuttles guests
to and from the restaurant and the Central piers, if a reservation is made. A
service we didn’t use, so unfortunately can’t comment on the experience.
Filled with sustenance we started the hike to Yung Shue Wan
along the “Lamma Island Family Walk”. As the name implies, the trail is
suitable for most ages and it’s relatively easy. There are plenty of signage so
you don’t need to worry about being steered off course. The trail is also
largely paved although there are some areas done with stone that did get
slightly slippery when it started spitting.
After a filling meal, an hour long walk is the perfect way
to help digest. Any incline is gradual so the walk wasn’t taxing and there are
some great stops that branch out from the main path to rest and take in the
beautiful views from Lamma Island.
As you make your way towards the “town” there’s a large public
beach – a nice place to sleep off the food coma, if the weather’s warm. By the
end of the hike, it’s actually nice to end in the busier area: there are various
little shops, if you had made purchases you wouldn’t want to lug it around; and
the bars and restaurants a great excuse to rehydrate with a drink.
So, while the seafood brunch at Lamma Rainbow was
disappointing. The visit to Lamma Island, other the other hand, was a great way
to spend the day. I declare it a success.
How To Find Them
Location: Lamma Island, Hong Kong
Address: 23-25 Sok Kwu Wan First Street
Address: 23-25 Sok Kwu Wan First Street
Website: http://lammarainbow.com
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
