Born and raised in Canada, Michelle Yu is a practising dentist with her own charity, called Second Smile Foundation, and also a food influencer known as @munching_dentist. She spoke to Andrew Sun.

I’ve always loved food. My parents started taking me to fine-dining [restaurants] even before I was a teen. Weekends always included dim sum and searching for the best Chinese food in Toronto.

I moved to Hong Kong for dental school after university and never looked back. I will travel anywhere for food, even wait in queues if it’s good. Nothing makes me happier than finding a really good hole in the wall or a satisfying fish ball noodle. But I’m also a caviar monster.

I love Moon Bay Chinese Cuisine (8/F, 1 Harbour Rd, Wan Chai. Tel: 2332 9383) not only for dim sum but the best suckling pig. A good food splurge is Howard’s Gourmet (5/F, CCB Tower, 3 Connaught Road Central. Tel: 2115 3388). I crave their crispy sea cucumber and fish maw rice.
Michelle Yu is a dentist and also a food influencer known as @munching_dentist. Photo: Michelle Yu

Recently, I tried Locanda dell’ Angelo (10-12 Yuen Yuen Street, Happy Valley. Tel: 3709 2788). There’s great pasta and sharing dishes so you’re bound to leave full and satisfied.

If you love sake, Godenya (UG/F, 182 Wellington Street, Central) is a super small restaurant with one counter, one private room and one table. I always feel like I’m in Japan. Not only is the sake interesting, the food is light, fresh and beautifully presented. I also love the vintage sake glasses.
Tagliolini with langoustine, spring onion and tomato confit from Locanda dell’Angelo in Happy Valley. Photo: James Wendlinger

For visitors, Luk Yu Tea House (24-26 Stanley Street, Central. Tel: 2523 5464) is nice for morning tea. The service is not always the greatest but that old-school vibe is still special.

Another good place is Kam Fung (2 Yau Man St, Quarry Bay. Tel: 2562 6821) for congee and deep-fried dough sticks. It’s the best you’ll find, but you have to be an early riser or the queues get quite long. I usually arrive before 8am.

The best shop for cheap eats is Sun Kwai Heung (G/F, N. 17, Kam Tam Yun House, 345 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan. Tel: 2556 1183) for Chinese roast meats and char siu rice, and On Lee Noodle (22 Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan. Tel: 2513 8398) for my favourite fish ball noodles. The beef brisket is good too.
Chinese roast meats at Sun Kwai Heung. Photo: Instagram/@eatourdiary
Fish ball noodles from On Lee Noodle. Photo: SCMP
San Sebastian [in Spain] is my favourite place in the world. I’ve been there three times. I love the Michelin-star restaurants and the pintxos bars. But each visit must include the grill king Asador Etxebarri (San Juan Plaza, 1, 48291 Axpe, Bizkaia. Tel: +34 946 58 30 42).

The property looks almost like a farmhouse, with simple decor, and the wine list is extensive. You’ll find bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti at a fraction of the price in Hong Kong.

For pintxos, La Cuchara De San Telmo (Calle 31 de Agosto, 28, San Sebastian, Spain. Tel: +1 617 953 3735) does excellent razor clams, beef cheek, foie gras and grilled octopus. It’s a tiny space so go early, then enjoy the atmosphere and crowd later. A tip for pintxos: never order what’s on display! Always order off menu.

I also love Singapore hawkers. The Hong Lim Market & Food Centre (531A Upper Cross Street, Singapore) is one of my favourites. I like the Outram Park Fried Kway Teow Mee, Ah Heng Curry Chicken Bee Hoon Mee and the Tai Wah Pork Noodle stalls.