The Country Club at Hong Lok Yuen

Ambiance/​décor-​5
Service-​5
Food-​4
Strikeouts-​1/​3
This place was the first place I ate right off the airplane as the place I was staying was in the new territories. However it is worth the mention, that this place is only accessible to residents of the area, only strike out for true foodies out there. I may be wrong, but it is a gated off by security. That aside, that may be the reason why the quality is so high.
This is a clubhouse, so it has that rustic feel as you enter, but it becomes more traditional Chinese when you pass the bar for group dim sum during lunch, and group dinners at night. The place is pretty old, but still kept pristine for it’s age.
The service is top notch, but that’s because everyone knows everyone. It’s a restaurant for the locals. Everyone knows everyone by name.
Food wise, definitely better than average. The cha siu and soy sauce chicken is definitely more on the moist and fattier side. The soup was excellent, where it had lots of flavour without the msg aftertaste, but you can clearly tell a lot of ingredients went into it. The steamed fish was fresh, the vegetables were not too hard, not too soft. The sweet and sour pork… was average, It’s hard to go above par.
Overall, definitely better than lots of places I’ve eaten before or probably will eat in HK. If you can access this clubhouse, please drop by! As for bang for buck… I can’t even tell as I didn’t pay, but for a glimpse, It’s a bit pricer than most places. Though, everything else makes up for that.

Hong Lok Yuen seems a little out-​of-​touch with the rest of Hong Kong. For one, it’s quite secluded — accessible by a private shuttle bus or taxi, while the closest public bus is a 15 minute walk in the scorching heat over the Hong Lok Yuen bridge. Secondly, some of the houses are in need of desperate renovation, with crumbling walls or overgrown greenery on a few houses. And finally, it’s a little out-​of-​touch because everything you could ever need is inside its exclusive walls: a gas station, a convenience store, a bakery, a supermarket, two parks, a pub (a pub?!), a country club, a Chinese restaurant, a Western restaurant, a gym, courts, and a pool. Oh, and its own international school.
I was a country club member when I used to live in Hong Lok Yuen but non-​residents can also apply for the monthly membership or gym pass at Simply Fitness here. If you’re living in Tai Po or Fanling area, I would definitely recommend the club for that weekend family day. As I mentioned, there are a number of recreational activities and spaces available, including tennis courts, squash courts, table tennis, and pool. The tennis courts are always rather busy, as the club gives lessons with a private coach and holds tournaments. The gym, admittedly, is rather small but has all the standard facilities. Unfortunately, it does tend to get busy — especially with rugby players living in the area, who sometimes get covered by their sports team to gym here. Additionally, I’ve noticed the pilates and Zumba classes can be rather cliquey with housewives in Hong Lok Yuen.
For more relaxation, the General’s Arms has since undergone a renovation in the last few years. I remember attending its grand reopening and was blown away by how chic it looked, with the rich wood panelling stealing the show, and two new pool tables for everyone’s enjoyment. The playground, too, was revamped, making it an excellent area for children and parents to enjoy the Hong Kong summer.