A showdown of classic Hong Kong-style eateries in Yonghe: Q-bounce beef balls & duck leg noodles

Text & photos by /kuni

(Duck leg noodles at Sun Hing Kee)

I’ve long heard of the fame of these two Hong Kong-style spots in Yonghe, though I never knew the full story behind their rivalry. But no matter what, nothing beats trying the food for myself—that’s the most practical approach.

I went to Sun Hing Kee on the first day—not because I planned an order, but simply because the other place wasn’t open yet.

I ordered dry mixed wontons (NT$80)
Special beef balls (half portion NT$75)
Duck leg noodles (NT$120)

(Hong Kong Sun Hing Kee Congee & Noodles Specialist)

(Wall menu)

Hong Kong-style beef balls have always been a favorite of mine—completely different in texture and flavor from pork meatballs. I always order them whenever I visit a Hong Kong-style hotpot joint. Today’s beef balls had a lovely beefy taste, paired nicely with some shredded ginger and oyster sauce. Wontons, as they’re called in Hong Kong and Macau (known as dumplings in Taiwan), were filled with very springy, large shrimp—the flavor was a bit mild, though. The noodles in the duck leg noodles were spot-on today: fragrant, chewy, and satisfying. The duck leg was great too, offering different pleasures from different parts—some bits were rich and juicy, perfectly melded with the skin, while the slightly leaner bone-in sections weren’t dry at all.

Before leaving, I asked the staff and learned that the original Hong Kong-born owner of Sun Hing Kee handed over the shop to someone else years ago due to old age. After returning to his hometown and struggling to adapt, he came back to Yonghe and opened this new branch, Sun Hing Kee, right next to the old one a few years ago. The story alone hints at some deep-seated rivalry.

(The included clear soup)

(Half portion of special beef balls)

(Dry mixed wontons)

(Duck leg noodles)

The next day I switched to the old Sun Hing Kee. Stepping into the slightly messy shop, I could clearly hear Cantonese being spoken both front and back of house.

Following the same routine, I ordered the same dishes again:

Hong Kong-style dry mixed wontons (NT$80)
Hong Kong-style special beef balls (half portion NT$80)
Duck leg dry noodles (NT$125)

(Next door: Hong Kong Sun Hing Kee Congee & Noodles Expert)

(Wall menu)

Price-wise, the old Sun Hing Kee is a bit more expensive than the new one—I ended up paying ten dollars more than the previous day. The beef balls today had a milder beef flavor but offered a richer, springier chew. The wontons had bouncier shrimp and heavier seasoning.

Actually, I wasn’t supposed to be able to order the duck leg today because the kitchen said they’d just sold out two ducks, and there was still plenty of leftover meat—so they didn’t want to prepare a new duck, fearing the meat would dry out and lose juiciness. But luck was on my side: the takeout customer never showed up, so I got my duck leg after all. The skin today was richer and fattier, the meat a bit firmer and chewier. The noodle style was unexpectedly very similar to the new Sun Hing Kee’s, especially the sauce used for tossing the noodles—the flavors were eerily alike. Of course, if you nitpick, there are some differences—but in this world, how could two bowls of noodles ever be exactly the same?

Before leaving, I discreetly asked the front-of-house staff, who mentioned that the original owner had already passed away. But you could kind of sense the long-standing, tangled history between the two shops just by looking at their expressions. Best to just come here for a nice meal and leave it at that.

(Half portion of Hong Kong-style special beef balls)

(Hong Kong-style dry mixed wontons)

(Duck leg dry noodles)

Hong Kong New Shing Kee Congee & Noodles Specialty Store
Address: No. 52, Zhulin Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Hours: 10:30–21:00
Phone: (02)2926-6770

Hong Kong Shing Kee Congee & Noodles Expert
Address: No. 46, Zhulin Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Hours: 10:30–14:00, 17:00–20:30 Thu–Tue
Phone: (02)2921-5595

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