[dropcap size=small]W[/dropcap]hile most people visit Hong Kong Street for tipples, chefs and gourmets know it for being one of the best places in Singapore to acquire prized dried Chinese delicacies.

Established in 1973, Teck Sang is one of the oldest importers and wholesale distributors of dried seafood and dried foodstuffs in Singapore.

In this bright space spanning two ground-floor shophouse units, there are over 300 items ranging from top grade Japanese sea cucumber, wonderfully fragrant Sarawak white pepper, to pearl barley from Holland. A “pick and go” section featuring dried nuts and fruit, which is a hit with office-goers in the vicinity, lines one side of the shop, and a display of dried seafood and herbs occupies the other.

Manager Sit Chee Chung says that his great-grandfather founded this business in Hong Kong, and his granduncle, Seit Wing Yun, and father, Sit Kin Ming, established Teck Sang in Singapore. Today, family members from all three generations are involved in the business. Ties to Hong Kong allow them access to some of the finest dried delicacies found in this part of the world.

For the uninitiated, it can be tough to ascertain the quality of dried seafood, such as f sh maw and sea cucumber, and herbs, such as ginseng and cordyceps. Hence, the source of the product is important. We hear that at Teck Sang, the cordyceps are inspected individually before being selected for sales. Clearly, the staff here take the quality of its wares seriously.

10 & 11 Hong Kong Street, Tel: 6533-1133.