Hong Kong, Kowloon Side: That time I had snake penis wine

It all started innocently enough just a casual evening stroll near Temple Street Market. Bright lights, buzzing energy, the smell of sizzling street food in the air… and then someone handed me a skewer of something unidentifiable, and things spiraled from there.

First course: a delightful medley of cow and pig organs. Intestines, check. Stomach, check Probably. Lung? Possibly. A piece that looked suspiciously like something a butcher might normally toss aside? Absolutely. I didn't ask questions. I just chewed and tried not to make eye contact with the vendors. I then promptly hit the 7/11 for beers before the next stop, cuz you know…liquid courage.

Then came the duck tongues, which I can only describe as chewy little paddles of duck with a stick (aka Cartlidge) in the middle, UMM, I bet you're stomach is growling! Followed closely by bullfrog legs masquerading as chicken. They nailed the texture, but mentally I was not prepared when we walked around the corner to see what our "chicken" really was & they were HUGE.

Things got bolder (and smellier) with stinky tofu, which lived up to its name and then some. Imagine old gym socks deep-fried and fermented. A Hong Kong classic, they say.

To recover, I tried a bowl of bird's nest soup, which is exactly what it sounds like: soup made from the saliva-based nests of cave-dwelling birds. Because apparently broth made from twigs and spit is a delicacy now.

I kept the momentum going with fake shark fin soup, which honestly wasn't bad once I stopped thinking about the name. Bonus points for sustainability and mystery texture.

And then… the grand finale:

Snake penis wine.

Yes, it's a thing. Yes, I drank it. Yes, it was tiny. Like, if it hadn't been swimming in liquor, I might've missed it entirely. I don't know what it was supposed to do (increase virility? scare off demons?), but I left with neither, just a story!

The night wrapped up perfectly with a ride on the Star Ferry, gliding across Victoria Harbour like a champ, watching the Symphony of Lights while I quietly questioned every culinary decision I'd made in the last three hours.

Would I recommend it? Definitely! It was an Offal Lot of Fun 🐍🍲

A colorful sign with Chinese characters and English words saying 'ho', 'Lee', 'fook' next to a dish with greens and a piece of fish cooking in a skillet.
A display rack with dozens of small plastic bags hanging, each containing a small figurine or toy, arranged in rows with numbers on them.
Multiple small plastic bags containing different colorful fish, some with green plants inside.
Multiple bundles of dahlia flower buds in various shades of pink, red, and green, arranged in white paper sleeves.
Display of various empty bird cages in a store, with different sizes and designs, some wrapped in plastic.
A traditional Chinese temple with ornate decorations, incense burning in a large bronze incense burner, and a drum on the right side.
Statue of a martial artist in a fighting stance, outdoors in an urban park with trees and a glass building in the background.
People on a pier with a city skyline and mountains in the background
A pirate ship replica with red sails and a historic city skyline in the background, floating on water.
A small bottle of Chinese snake wine with a red cap, placed on a table with people in the background.
Interior of a temple or cultural space decorated with numerous conical woven hanging lanterns and traditional red lanterns.
Traditional Asian shrine with red and gold accents, hanging lanterns, and golden pyramid-shaped decorations.
City skyline with tall buildings and a modern stadium, with a boat sailing in the water in the foreground and a mountain in the background.
Close-up view of a sailboat with a red sail, black hull, and life ring, sailing on the water near a coastline with buildings and a small island in the background.
Beach with calm water, people swimming, boats on the water, a pier on the left, and an island with hills in the background.
View of Hong Kong skyline with skyscrapers, Victoria Harbour, and mountains in the distance under a cloudy sky.
Nighttime view of a city skyline with tall skyscrapers and illuminated buildings, taken from an elevated vantage point.
Nighttime cityscape of Hong Kong with illuminated skyscrapers and a harbor, featuring light beams and smoke clouds in the sky from a celebration or event.
Nighttime mural of vintage style illustrations of musical performers on building wall.
Bowl of spicy Chinese Sichuan-style dry-fried chili with chopped red peppers, garlic, and cilantro, with a spoon in the bowl.
Colorful mural of a cityscape painted on a blue wall next to a sidewalk, featuring various buildings in vibrant colors.
A street corner restaurant with red and black exterior walls, Asian signage with Chinese characters, and images of food on the walls, located in an urban area with multi-story residential buildings.
Fountain with water jets in a central square surrounded by historic buildings with arched windows, some with awnings, and people walking with umbrellas on a sunny day.
Nighttime view of a city skyline with illuminated buildings and a Ferris wheel reflected in the water.
Person smiling at night by Victoria Harbour with a city skyline of Hong Kong illuminated in the background.
Chef carving a roasted Peking duck at a restaurant.