Dining at Hong Kong’s Hello Kitty Restaurant

 

I’m a sucker for cliches. Macarons in Paris. Meditation in Ubud. Pizza in Rome. Icelandic horse selfies in Reykjavik. I love doing the things “people are supposed to do” in particular destinations. So, when I found myself in Hong Kong recently, I knew what cheesy cliche I wanted to pursue: The Hello Kitty Chinese Restaurant.

 

I first heard about the Hello Kitty restaurant through one of my favorite travel bloggers, Brooke Saward of World of Wanderlust. Brooke’s enviable images of perfect, Hello Kitty designed dumplings in Hong Kong immediately came to mind when I found out I would be spending a few days exploring the city.

 

I arrived at Lee Loy Mansion on Canton Road for my own Hello Kitty experience and…well, it was something. Right off the bat, the restaurant is a visual treat for the eyes (and your smartphone). Hello Kitty decor, menus, food, even bathroom placards pay homage to the famous Sanrio character (that actually originates in Japan).
 
While most items on the menu will give a nod to Hello Kitty in some shape or form, it’s the dumplings that really make for a great photo. Particularly, the custard filled dumplings that are the most photographed.

 

Ordering for Instagram purposes is, well, disappointing. Custard dumplings are sweet, liquid filled and more of a dessert than an entree. If ordering the other dumplings (such as the shrimp ones in the photo above), they are good enough but don’t exactly pair well with the dessert dumplings.

 

The rest of the food proved a little too slimy, shiny and artificial for my taste. In short, the restaurant was a visual feast but not an actual feast. That said, the experience is worth coming to this slightly overpriced eatery!