Dinner @ 蛇王芬 Ser Wong Fun

蛇王芬是在香港著名數一數二的的蛇鋪, 它的名字相信不只在中環上班的打工一族熟悉，也有不少遊客專程到訪這間有過百年歷史的香港老字號。難怪它的地方不大，但是店外人龍也不少。蛇王芬顧名思義的招排菜是蛇羹，它的太史五蛇羹($95)的確用料豐富，湯羹跟五蛇肉絲的味道也份量十足。雖然味道比位於銅鑼灣的蛇王二淡了一點，但喝下去也有和暖滿足的感覺。它的飯類如特色臘味糯米飯($110)和大蝦蒜香荷葉籠仔飯($160)也能做到豐香而不油膩，挺美味的！晚餐要每人大概＄150到＄300。

We sat down at Ser Wong Fun ("Snake King Fan") in Central without knowing what to expect, just thinking this to be another one of those snake soup diners.   We were surprised when we found out that the restaurant had been serving snake soup for over 100 years.  Snake soup is one of Hong Kong's oldest and traditional winter Cantonese delicacies, usually served with shredded meat of two types of snakes boiled in a thick soup. 

Located next to the escalators in Central, you would not be able to miss its bright neon light sign. The restaurant, however, does not have a reservation policy and only allows walk-ins.  And even so, be prepared to share a table with other fellow diners.  We arrived at the restaurant a little after 6 p.m. on Sunday, and there were already a line-up outside. The decor was like most other traditional Chinese eateries--cramped, uncomfortable but laid-back.  Be aware that English translations weren't provided for all the items on the menu. Dinner costs around $150 to $300 per person. 








(1) We ordered the 太史五蛇羹Assorted snakes banquet ($95/bowl) which was served with slices of snake meat, abalone, chicken, shredded ginger, mushroom, agaric, and fish maw and it was a real gem! The thin shredded black snake was bathed in a finely cooked soup with other delicious ingredients which provided a decadent and magnificent taste.  Although D thought that the taste was not as strong as the snake soup from Se Wong Yee, we were very satisfied by this delightfully authentic and hearty rendition of snake soup. 

(2) The 特色臘味糯米飯Preserved sausages in sticky rice ($110/small) was another invigorating dish.  The preserved Chinese sausages were also a specialty of the restaurant.   The pork sausage ("Lap Chang") and the duck liver sausage ("Yun Chang") were tender and fatty. The aroma and texture of the sticky rice were enticing, and after it had absorbed the flavours from the meats within, it became a truly decadent dish. 





(3) The 大蝦蒜香荷葉籠仔飯 Steamed special fried rice with dry braised prawns ($160) was Al's special order.  This type of rice was steamed while wrapped within the lotus leaf.  The rice had a lovely, soft texture without being sticky.  The generous portion of the dry braised prawns were fantastically springy and fresh, and gave a lot of fragrance to the dish.

Overall remarks:  If the service and ambience of Ser Wong Fun are perfunctory, the splendid and warm traditional Cantonese dishes gave the restaurant unexpected weight, particularly the snake soup and the preserved sausages in sticky rice, which managed to goose this otherwise small and cramped run-down place and capture a palpable notch of authentic Chinese dishes. 

Food: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Ambience: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Service: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

INFO

蛇王芬 Ser Wong Fun
G/F, 30 Cochrane Street, Central 中環閣麟街30號地下
Telephone: 2543 1032