Pork is the most popular meat for Chinese. That's why when you come to Chinatown, it's all pork. You go to the roasted meat stands, what's the top two sellers? Roast Pork and Char Siu. At Dim Sum? Pork Shumai or Pork Hash. Even at restaurants, you can order pig's stomach, ears, intestines, liver, blood cake, kidney, feet. Oddly, tongue isn't that prevalent, which is sad because tongue is awesome! And at raw meat stands, you're able to purchase every single part of the pig and even whole!
The word on the street is Ming Hing offers the best meats. It's fresh, good quality, and well priced, and the owners and workers there are actually very friendly, patient, and helpful. Though, being able to speak clear Cantonese helps, but if not, just point and indicate how much. :)
Ming Hing is located inside the Kekaulike Market along with Maguro Brothers and numerous produce stalls. It's open 7am-3pm, but usually starts putting everything away by 2:30pm and even earlier on Sundays. Additionally, during these pandemic times, don't be surprised if this market is closing at 2pm or earlier.
When shopping here, pork is the meat of choice as you can see the pork blood cake, pork bones, pork belly, liver, kidneys, spareribs, loin, eats, and etc. There's also Chicken feet, oxtail, and tendons on display. They have an array of frozen meats and seafood. You just need to ask, and they'll have it most of the time. I normally purchase pork belly and pork skin, and chicken feet, beef tendon, spareribs, and other parts occasionally. What I like about the belly and skin is that you can choose the lean part of the belly, and the skin is prepared very well with 95-98% of the fat cut off. Almost all the pork belly I see at big name stores such as Costco or Foodland or Times or Whole Foods, the pork belly is always mostly fat. I just want the meat!
Overall, the meat has always been good here, and price is always excellent. The owners are friendly, patient, and helpful. They always offer to cut the meat if you need.
Don't be thrown off by the dated look of the display case and everything around, look at the meat! read more