Shopping Hong Kong: Shanghai Street

While in Hong Kong, we took a visit to Shanghai Street in Kowloon, which is essentially restaurant supply row.  Given my love for all things food-related, of course it was like paradise. 

Every single store down this street sells restaurant supplies.  Some sold large-scale furnishings, such as bakery display cases or fryers.  Others sold surprisingly odd (but still restaurant-related) items, such as the small Buddhist altars that almost every Chinese restaurant has.  (It's important to pray for good business, after all.)

My favorite, however, was a store that seemed like it came straight out of Diagon Alley: it had HUGE cauldrons (well, soup pots) and a vast array of woks of all sizes.  You can't really tell from the photo, but their largest woks were so huge I could have comfortably been pan-fried in them.

And how cool is this wall o' barbecue hooks?  

Since a 5-ft.-diameter wok wasn't going to fit in my suitcase, I ended up just purchasing this sweet little teak dim sum container from a store that carried all types of fancy Chinese and Japanese-style serving containers.  (Ever wanted one of the boats that are ubiquitous in Japanese restaurants? They got those.)

Oh how I love cooking supplies!  What are your favorite things to shop for while on vacation?