In the past you had to go to Hong Kong to try Hui Lau-shan's food. Now you can find the gaudy red board with three golden-colored Chinese characters on many streets in Taiwan. In less than two months, the famous sweets and iced desserts company have opened 29 branches in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung.
This 50 year-old company offers a choice of fresh fruit juices, purees or sorbet desserts prepared with cool tapioca or coconut milk. There are more than 60 items on the menu, and each with nice mango yellow, watermelon red, and coconut white colors.
PHOTO: YU SEN-LUN, TAIPEI TIMES
Mango combo is the dish of the house. The bottom is a base of very rich sorbet made with fresh mangoes and coconut meat and milk. On top are mango slices balls of watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe, along with strawberry and kiwi slices. Topping it all off are sprinkles and slices of coconut.
Hui Lau-shan was originally a Chinese herbal tea shop established in Hong Kong in 1950 by Hui Lau-shan's son, Hui Chi-yuk (
But as the Hui family have developed developing their products, their traditional items have are never been put aside. Sago with bird's nest is a popular item and can be mixed with watermelon or coconut or mango juice. Snow frog spawn with bird's nest mixed and coconut juice is popular among female clientele, along with two hot desserts: double-boiled snow frog spawn with rock sugar and double-boiled egg white with snow frog spawn. Tortoise jelly, hasmar and bird's nest are traditionally known for their purported ability to reduce fever. Snow frog spawn and bird's nest are also good for the skin, according to traditional Chinese medical theory.
If you've come to relieve no other ailment than a sweet tooth, then tropical fruit is what you need. Sea coconut combo is the coconut version of the mango combo. All the fresh fruit toppings are the same only with rich coconut ice cream on the base. Mango pudding with fresh fruit is another dessert that can easily fill you up. Mango pudding and a scoop of coconut ice cream on top, with watermelon, strawberry and mango added of course. Hui Lau-shan has long been known as the original Hong Kong home of mango ice desserts.
The only drawback is the price, which is about 20 percent higher than most Taiwanese crushed ice eateries. But from its popularity here in Taiwan this doesn't seem much of a problem for the management. A smart idea is to pick up the special of the day. Every day four dishes are priced from NT$69. There is also a delivery service for those ordering more than 10 servings.
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