There are some to whom the window below would be a terrifying sight.

I can’t deny I prefer my food to remind me a little less of its origins, given that I suffer from survivor’s guilt and feel that my potential vegetarianism is largely postponed due to cultural acceptability twinned with selfish greed.

That said, I’m afraid that despite my occasional wrestling with my conscience, what I ultimately take away from seeing such a window is the anticipation of something delicious to eat.

Perhaps one day that will change, but until it does, I’m an avowed fan of roasted meats. Crispy pork may be my first love, but Hong Kong managed to up the game by introducing goose to the table.

Back in the UK I’ve only eaten this particular poultry at Christmas, and then, only a few times. The crispy fatty skin, and tender, duck-like meat are a rich treat, as the expense of the bird prohibits it from being a regular feature on the table.

I had read a lot of posts on food blogs about where to get the best roast goose in Hong Kong, but with a limited budget none of these seemed viable options, and I was therefore delighted to find goose was so readily available in much cheaper establishments.

Roasted meats are usually served with rice and greens, or in a bowl of soupy noodles. As you can see from the above photo, it is possible to choose a combination of meats, and I’m afraid to say that every time I went for roast goose (siew ngo) and roast pork (siew yoke). Other common options are barbecued pork, roast duck, soy sauce chicken, suckling pig and white cut chicken.

Even in the same establishment, it seemed to be a little bit luck of the draw as to the quality of what arrives on your plate. I’m sure one could ask for a very specific cut if one spoke Cantonese, but sadly that’s where I fall down. Thus sometimes our goose was densely meaty and at other times it was mostly bone.

In one place we had belly pork as our crispy pork, but another seemed to be loin (see below). Less fat made for a slightly drier texture, but it also made for less fat.

These pics come from a couple of places on Prat Avenue, Kowloon, but roasted meat shops are pretty common and the internet is laden with posts on the subject if you fancy tracking down the most highly-regarded outlets.