Love (or the aroma of food) is in the air at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 12th to 16th this month. Excited foodies and bargain hunting grandmas flock together in the exhibition halls for endless food stalls and counters featuring diverse world cuisine. Here one can pay homage to great taste by bulk buying  or digging in the many ready-to-eat goodies on the spot.

With over 600 exhibitors this year, the HK Food Expo is definitely becoming one of the annual highlights for food lovers as well as industry buyers and trade professionals. The exhibition is divided into five general categories covering food from the aspect of making to savouring, from snacks to beverages, and from basic foodstuff to festive delicacies.

Asianpalate.com never misses the chance of joining the crowds for such a huge party of food and drinks. We have made it to the heart of the beast where we got swirled around by the many choices and varieties of food, dazed by the colourful flags and decorations of the exhibitors, tempted by all the free food sampling and bargains along the way and nonetheless, pushed and bumped along by many a visitor along the way.

In this food frenzy, we got captivated by the snacks category and the discount department. These devilishly addictive snacks, which root majorly from traditional local HK culture to hip Taiwanese food trends, scatter everywhere in the Main Hall and attract visitors from all ages and all walks of life. Primitive packaging of traditional edibles like crispy chicken biscuits, banana cake roll, “Kwong So Ben” (White Flour Dough), to name a few, have proven themselves to be timeless favourite of all while fancy packages of trendy Taiwanese assorted snacks like mochi and flying fish roe sausage attract every curious eye. We eventually succumb to the classic charm and try the crispy chicken biscuits – but for the delightful crispy texture, the flavour is nothing like any western biscuits and is truly oriental: the fusion of cooked minced pork, red fermented beancurd, garlic, pepper and five-spice powder elevates this snack into a complex blend of tastes comparable to a course of main dish.

When it comes to discounts, the extent and the variety have again proven HK to be a paradise of both food and shopping. Visitors have found themselves facing bargain deals and marketing gimmicks from $1 mooncake to 70 percent off dried scallops and abalones. The night-time discount section beginning around 6pm over the first four days, attracted a plentitude of smart consumers.

Now that this annual party is coming to an end, don’t despair, foodies. For all we know, Hong Kong is a 365-day all-year-round food jungle. For those who have the will to discover great food, there will always be multiple ways HK will surprise you.

Check out the food party