Man vs. Mannion: HK Macau Bistro

Nora’s review:

If you’re craving a culinary trip to Hong Kong and Macau without the airfare, HK Macau Bistro in San Gabriel offers a flavor-packed detour. With tables fashioned from mahjong tiles and walls adorned with street signs straight out of Kowloon, the vibe here screams retro nostalgia with a side of quirky charm. The food? A mixed bag of divine delights and comforting mediocrity.

We ordered pineapple buns, curry noodles with pork, HK-style shredded chicken, HK-style combo (BBQ pork & steamed chicken), curry beef, and sweet & sour pork.

Pineapple buns. The moment these buns hit the table, it was love at first bite. Buttery, warm, and soft enough to make clouds jealous, they were a slice of heaven. Oddly enough, there’s no pineapple involved—the name comes from their golden, criss-cross crust that mimics the fruit. A crumbly, flavorful topping seals the deal, though the cold slab of butter in the middle was a bizarre surprise. Melt it or lose it, but these buns are otherwise a must-have.

Shredded chicken. This was the unsung hero of the meal. Expertly seasoned and cooked to tender perfection, it delivered a burst of umami with every bite.

Sweet & sour pork. This pork came with an ideal crispy shell that hugged juicy chunks of meat, topped off with a sweet-and-tangy sauce that didn’t drown the dish but enhanced it. Pineapple chunks added a zing of acidity that made the whole thing addictive. One of the most balanced renditions of this classic dish I’ve had in a while.

Curry Beef. Finally, a dish that lived up to its “curry” moniker! The beef chunks were tender and well-marinated, while hearty potatoes soaked up the flavorful sauce. It didn’t steal the spotlight, but it played its supporting role to perfection.

Curry noodles with pork. Comforting? Yes. Exceptional? Not quite. The noodles were chewy, the pork was well-seasoned, but the curry itself seemed to have forgotten to RSVP. It’s a solid choice if you’re not feeling adventurous but won’t leave you raving.

HK-Style combo. This was the sampler platter of the meal. The BBQ pork hit the flavor notes you’d expect—smoky, savory, and sweet. The steamed chicken, while tender and served with a nice ginger pulp sauce, was a bit overshadowed by the shredded chicken’s brilliance. Still, a respectable showing.

Service was speedy, and while the staff wasn’t overly doting, they got the job done efficiently. The eclectic mix of dishes on the menu—from French fries to filet mignon—was surprising, though it hints at Hong Kong’s history as a melting pot of East and West. While it’s a 10-minute drive to make the trek, the food makes it worth the trip—at least once.

Would I come back? Absolutely. The pineapple buns and shredded chicken have earned a permanent spot in my cravings catalog. The rest of the menu, while tasty, gives me room to explore more of what this bistro has to offer. If you’re in the mood for nostalgic Hong Kong flavors with a touch of whimsy, HK Macau Bistro is worth a roll of the mahjong dice.

Mannion’s review:

HK Macau Bistro is located at 708 E. Las Tunas Dr. in San Gabriel. It is in the same strip as Chonqing Special Noodles – a long time favorite of mine. What initially caught my eye for HK Macau Bistro is the 8am to 12am daily operating hours. It has been much harder to find decent late night places in the area since the Covid shutdown. The restaurant seats around 60 people in a setting best described as Asian diner. There is a very large neon skyscape sign on one wall and street signs from various Hong Kong/Macau neighborhoods scattered on other walls. Many of the tables are topped with mahjong boards and tiles which are then covered with a glass top.

We started with a Buttered Pineapple Bun. One important note to mention is that Hong Kong pineapple buns do not have an pineapple in them – the pineapple comes more from the appearance. These buns had the standard crunchy crumb cake-like topping. If I were to order these again I would order one of the pineapple bunch sandwiches on the menu.

The HK Style Sweet and Sour Pork was quite nice. A crispy corn starch based coating covered a fatty but tasty meat. The morsels were puffy and crunchy and the pineapple appeared to be fresh. What made this dish stand out was that the vinegar was used perfectly, not too sweet, not too sour – near perfect. Not sure what made this “HK style”, but I would certainly recommend it.

The Curry Brisket Lo Mein failed in one major way – there was absolutely no curry flavor in the dish at all. The brisket was nicely cooked with an appropriate amount of smoke present in the bark. The noodles had decent texture, but , like the long grain rice served with other dishes, were a bit dry. The Macau Beef Curry did have a nice curry flavor. The potatoes were browned before adding to the curry and were enjoyable both from a textural and flavor perspective. The meat was very fatty. But among the connective tissue I found tasty pieces of beef. The kitchen at this restaurant must really do a lot of advance preparation. There are over 200 items on the menu, yet the dishes all come out quickly – even those with meats that must have been braised for hours.

The Two Meat Plate was fine. The two meats were chicken wings and Char Su pork. The wings had a tasty gelatinous skin that went well with the ginger sauce accompanying them. The Char Su pork game with a soy sauce based sauce and was fine, but nothing special.

Saving the best for last, the HK Style Shredded Chicken was awesome. This dish is served cold. By serving it cold, no one part of the dish releases enough volatiles to take over the flavor profile processed through the nose. As you eat this dish, the textures and flavors come to life in your mouth with no warning from the nose. The result is an amazing gelatinous chicken skin which had been marinated before steaming to achieve a perfect balance of taste, texture, flavor and color. When combined with the cilantro, sesame seeds, green onion, and light sauce what results is a truly awesome flavor profile. I would probably order this very early in your meal, even as an appetizer. HK Macau Bistro was worth the visit. Only one dish disappointed , and a couple really impressed me. This is not where you would go for a gourmet meal, but the fact that there is somewhere, not far from campus, where you can get tasty, authentic Chinese food at all hours is a win for all!