In keeping with our exploration of the great outdoors, Lynn Fung heads off the beaten track to find Hong Kong’s best unsung eateries.

Yuen Long
One of the culinary fads of the past couple of years has been mai-seen, a thick white rice noodle that comes from Yunnan. Rounder and chewier than the yellow rice noodle, it’s been a major hit: witness the hundreds of mai-seen restaurants that have popped up in Causeway Bay. Therefore, we were a little surprised to learn that that one of the best places to get it was a tiny restaurant in Yuen Long. Luk Kee is a mishmash of traditional Chinese décor. The dark wooden tables are reminiscent of  a lakeside teahouse, while the indoor red lanterns are straight out of a Zhang Yimou epic. The house special is the secret-recipe roast pork on mai-seen, and it blew us away. The broth tasted like it had been cooked over a slow fire for hours, distilling all the flavors of the pork bones.  Even more wondrous was the roast pork itself: the skin was ridiculously crispy, even after sitting in the broth for ten minutes. The meat was moist and tender, falling apart as we dug in with our chopsticks. Without a doubt, this humble bowl of noodles ($25) is more than worth the trek.
27-29 Yau San St., Yuen Long, 2479-8819.

Tai Po
The New Territories is full of urbanized villages like Tai Po. The former port was once a famed market town, and still retains remnants of its past incarnation. The futuristic-looking Tai Po District indoor wet market remains a culinary destination: the stalls here are heaving with fresh produce and delicious cooked-food. Ping Kee Noodle stall has been serving up homemade egg noodles since the 50s, and is experiencing a resurgence since TV chef Anthony Bourdain paid a visit for his series “No Reservations.” Bourdain watched an old-timer make the noodles the traditional way,  using a bamboo pole to knead the dough. While the noodles themselves were nicely springy, we weren’t so sure that they or the homemade wontons were anything special. My advice? Try the noodles with lard ($15). That’s right: hot pig fat poured over noodles. Love it or hate it, this is not a dish you’ll find on many menus in these health-conscious times. Definitely worth at least one try.
2/F, Tai Po District Market, Heung Sze Wui St., 2658-4567.

Tin Shui Wai
Tin Shui Wai is always in the news thanks to its high suicide, crime and unemployment rates. But amid all the doom and gloom, there is a ray of sunshine: this place is home to the best Hakka restaurant in Hong Kong. Located in the Tin Tsz housing estate, Hakka Delicious didn’t look overly promising at first glance. It’s strictly no-frills; after you find a table and seat yourself, the waitress brings you chopsticks, dishes and boiling hot tea to rinse your utensils. The restaurant serves Cantonese roast meats, dim-sum and Hakka favorites such as braised pork belly and salted baked chicken. The chicken was probably the best we’ve ever had: succulent and tender, salty and fatty, and all for $60. It’s not for the squeamish, though: the chicken is just barely cooked and sometimes retains a tiny smidgen of blood around the bones.
Shop 102, Tin Tsz Shopping Centre, Tin Tsz Estate, Tin Shui Wai, 3401-9228.

Sham Shui Po
Sham Shui Po was one of the most densely populated areas in the 50s and 60s. These days its crawling with tourists hunting down cheap gadgets, but you can find a taste of the good old days at the Flying Eagle Restaurant. Opened in 1977, this blast from the past is about as authentically old school as you can get. The dark corridor that serves as the dining area would be claustrophobic if it weren’t for the time-travel novelty factor. The red-and-white checked tablecloths, the school kids at every table ordering Russian beef with rice, and the poster declaring a minimum charge of $15 all add to the surreal ambience.The food itself is blandly inoffensive and comforting in a school cafeteria sort of way. For those seeking a trip down memory lane, opt for the Portuguese chicken and sweet minestrone. 
256 Lai Chi Kok Rd., Sham Shui Po, 2395-2576.

Sham Tseng
Yes, Yung Kee is delicious and conveniently located, but for true aficionados of roast goose, Sham Tseng is the only way to go. The village in Tsuen Wan has long been famous for this dish, featuring free-range geese cooked in an open-charcoal furnace. When you enter the “village” now, you might panic slightly at the sheer number of restaurants offering roast goose—relax and head for Nang Kee, tucked away off the main drag. Open since 1962, their menu includes everything from soup to fish stews, but there’s only one reason why people come here: the goose. While the flavor of roast goose normally stems from the honey and vinegar used to baste it, that’s not the case in Nang Kee. Here, the main flavor is the rich smokiness of the charcoal, followed closely by the natural muskiness of the goose. Only afterwards do you begin to savor the flavors of the marinade. It’s a sheer indulgence, and definitely not one for anyone counting calories!
13 Sham Hong Rd., Sham Tseng, 2491-0105.