24. Sea grapes from Ku-suya Rakuen
“Like caviar of the sea,” my friend tells me before my first taste of this weird and wonderful sea growth. Alone, they taste of little. But with a quick dip in soy sauce, they burst with the full flavour of the sea. Or, more precisely, like seaweed but with the pop and burst of salmon roe. Curious and wonderful. $55. 12/F, Circle Tower, 28 Tang Lung St, Causeway Bay, 3580 8858.

25. Pepperoni pizza soup, Dressed
Yeah, we know it sounds slightly disgusting… but, admit it, you’re intrigued. Think rich tomato soup made richer with croutons, sliced pepperoni, and what looks to be melting cheese. It’s heartier than a Dressed salad for sure. $35. 2/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St, Central, 2295 4848; Shop No 1, G/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen's Rd East, Wan Chai, 2893 4848.

26. Live Octopus, Apgujeong Korean Tent Bar
Many of you may be familiar with the clip of Anthony Bourdain eating live octopus in Seoul on his show No Reservations. The tentacles suckered themselves to his face before he finally managed to devour the beast – however, you don’t have to travel that far to test your intestinal fortitude. Usually known for its hearty Korean fare, the Tent Bar will happily serve up a portion of these still wiggling sea creatures. Just make sure to order in advance. Typically served with just a squirt of lemon, one might say it is the seafood equivalent of watching a chicken run with its head cut off. Just watch those suction cups as the freshest sashimi you’ll ever have makes its way into your mouth. $280 small portion, $380 large portion. 9 Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3579 2992.

27. Live clams with sake, Uncle Moustache
We admit it… we like playing with our food. So when Uncle brought out the water squirter, we got excited. We got even more perked when we were told the bottles were filled with sake. Since the sake cooks out of the clams during the poaching process, you’ve got to add it back in, says Uncle. Fun with alcohol is how we like to eat. $88. G/F, 35 Tai Hong St, Sai Wan, 2967 6764.

28. “Fat sandwich”, Regal Court
Fat makes everything good, at least on this list. Here’s a layering of roast pork fat, chicken liver, and fatty chicken meat sandwiched between a steam bun then lacquered with honey sauce. It’s even more ridiculous than it sounds when you eat it. $118. Regal Hotel, 71 Mody Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui East, 2313 8681.

29. Thousand year old egg pastry, Tai Cheong Bakery
Weird and wonderful? Yes. Tasty? Well that depends on how adventurous you are. If you are likely to try, say, durian on a dare, this pastry follows the same principles. Love it or hate it, the ‘spoilt’ rotten egg in the middle gives off an ammonia aftertaste. Pair that with a sweet crust and you’ve got an afternoon of weirdness. $6. 35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2544 3475.

30. Hot house-smoked salmon, M at the Fringe Chosen by Esther Sham, Chef/owner, Ta Pantry
“This isn’t the kind of salmon we normally find in the cold cut sections of supermarkets; this is prepared by cooking the salmon directly on the smoke produced by smoking chips – it’s quite rare to find restaurants serving fish with this method. I always request mine cooked medium rare and it comes out perfect and tender. Once it’s been served, first thing I do is poke through the yolk of the soft poached egg placed on top; the runny yolk then seeps down into the salmon as I cut it, and it blends in so well with the smoky flavour, which at the same time tames the saltiness. The creamy and smooth celeriac puree is flavourful and an excellent complement and the touch of salmon eggs enhances the flavour of the fish. This truly is an unforgettable comfort dish that makes me drool just thinking about it!” $276. 2 Lower Albert Rd, Central, 2877 4000.

31. Crocodile turtle two ways Siu Shun Village Cuisine 
The only trouble with this one is that you might fall in love with these mammoth sea creatures lazing around the tanks before you eat them; Siu Shun Village kills their wild seafood to order. Beyond the crocodile turtle, you can get some pretty rare species of fish. But if you are coming for turtle, then there are a few things you should know. (1) You need to give the kitchen four to five hours advance notice because it takes that long to prepare the first course of turtle shell and claw soup with Chinese medicinal herbs (they say this is good for the kidneys and for chronic sweaters). You also need to inform them of your party size, because a small turtle (around 7kg) can feed six or seven, while a large turtle (9kg+) can feed a small village. The second course is a stir-fry of turtle meat, Chinese mushrooms, garlic, and ginger in a casserole. $188.Shop 6, 7/F, MegaBox, 38 Wang Chiu Rd, Kowloon Bay, 2798 9738.

31. “Not-so- Shanghainese” foie gras Shanghai wontons, Ta Pantry
These tasty mini morsels of bok choy, foie gras and Chinese mushroom wrappers swim in a fragrant chicken consommé. The egg knots are inspired by the egg strips found in the chef’s mother’s recipe of this delicious dish. Part of the set ‘Shanghainese’ menu ($500). Flat 1C, 2D Star St, Wan Chai, 2521 8121.

32. Flower pot, Krug Room
Exec chef Uwe Opocensky has done some amazing things in the kitchen of the Krug Room, but this by far is the funniest. The flower pot comprises soil made from powder maltose and ground nuts, topped with ‘blossoming’ organic herbs, flowers, and greens which arrive in a clay pot. Part of the multi-course set menu ($1,988pp). Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Rd, Central, 2825 4014.

33. Fugu ovaries, Tatsu
Served on their own or with a bit of ponzu sauce, grilled fugu ovaries – shirako in Japanese – are served up for salarymen (and women) looking for bar food to go with their sake and beers. There’s nothing creamy about these guys – or, rather, girls – but they do leave a strangely creamy feel in the mouth. Available seasonally. $300. G/F, Sino Plaza, Causeway Bay, 2575 0100.

The categories:
Angels & Demons
The Bored Tongue
Weird & Wonderful
Around the World Comforts