Latest news with #daiPaiDong
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong wants more visitors? Hook them with great food, Cantopop and Bruce Lee
In the second of a two-part series on Hong Kong's efforts to boost its tourism industry, the Post takes a look at other attractions the city can offer beyond the nine hotspot products the government has floated. Read part one here Even as Hong Kong has kick-started efforts to promote nine 'tourism hotspots' identified by a government working group, industry players and experts say the city has much more to entice visitors. To revive the city's flagging tourism scene, they suggested tapping its rich culinary traditions, exploiting the appeal of Cantopop and the popularity of Hong Kong action films from the past, and telling more stories about its places and people. Bring back and celebrate the dai pai dong and cha chaan teng, declared veteran entertainment and hospitality entrepreneur Allan Zeman, founder and chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group. Once found everywhere and famous for tasty, cheap food cooked on the spot, streetside hawker stalls known as dai pai dong have been disappearing. Amid concerns over hygiene and noise, the authorities tightened the rules and have not issued new licences since the 1970s. Even so, local cafes or cha chaan teng continue to serve up comfort food and drinks at wallet-friendly prices, drawing a steady stream of customers looking for milk tea with pineapple buns, egg tarts, scrambled eggs and toast, a fried pork chop and rice or macaroni soup, and more.
South China Morning Post
22-06-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Bring back the Hong Kong that eats together without table dividers
The other day, I had the pleasure of sitting down in a small local restaurant in Tai Wai to enjoy some dim sum with my wife and my son. It was a rather large table, and after a few minutes, another nice elderly couple came and sat across from us and ordered their meals. As we greeted each other, a conversation ensued. We didn't discuss anything too deep or life-changing, but our exchange was engaging and insightful and soon we were leaving, the experience having enhanced what was already a pretty good weekend meal with family. In contrast, although tables are also shared in the teahouse my family and I typically frequent, that restaurant still uses Covid-era dividers for shared tables . It occurs to me that this is one aspect where Hong Kong has yet to make a full comeback (like the few souls who still wear masks even when they are not sick) and needs to. It's not so much about letting the world know we beat Covid-19 and it didn't beat us; it's more about keeping an aspect of Hong Kong culture alive. Hongkongers have an amazing capacity for goodwill, kindness and building connections. Remember the public flats in the 1970s, when neighbours felt more like family members, or the local businesses and dai pai dong that once filled the streets in some of the more populated areas. People in this compact, robust city have always taken pride in caring for one another in ways I never knew possible. This type of engagement is a part of Hong Kong that cannot disappear for new generations. As parents or grandparents, we need to keep the tradition alive and underscore its importance to our children or grandchildren. Take down the barriers at the restaurant next time. Join another group at a large table if you can. Meet other interesting Hongkongers and be that much richer from the experience. These are experiences that make all of our lives richer.
