Latest news with #cha chaan teng
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Should Hong Kong's baked pork chop rice be listed as an intangible heritage dish?
At 7am every day, chef Aman Kwok arrives at his cha chaan teng Kam Shing Restaurant in Shau Kei Wan to start preparing a wide variety of dishes ahead of the busy lunch hour – in particular, to make baked pork chop rice, a classic Hong Kong favourite. His 35-year-old recipe contains egg fried rice with bits of pineapple, a tomato sauce and, of course, a pork chop topped with melted cheese. Kwok, second-generation owner of the 50-seat eatery, said that the HK$70 (US$8.90) dish was a bestseller at his restaurant, accounting for about half of all orders every day. 'The tomato sauce is very appetising especially when it's sweet and tart in the summer heat,' Kwok said. 'With the large piece of pork chop and fried rice, it's like satisfying several cravings in one go. It's value for money and it's efficient.' The classic dish affectionately known as 'guk zyu' – baked pork in Cantonese – is sold across the city, including some of the most well-known fast food chains. It has remained a reliable staple for locals for decades, with Kwok arguing it could be a unique selling point to tourists in showcasing the city's culture.
South China Morning Post
19-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why are Hong Kong eateries selling ‘poor man's meals' bucking closure trend?
Eateries specialising in what were once known as 'poor man's meals' and which typically operated in Hong Kong's lower-income neighbourhoods are now bucking the local trend of closing restaurants, with many chains now expanding across the city. One expansive player is Kuen Fat Kitchen, which recently came under the spotlight for spending HK$180,000 (US$22,900) a month on renting a 372 square metre space on the touristy Humphreys Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui for what the company has called the city's largest two-dish-rice restaurant. It is set to become Kuen Fat's fifth branch, joining others in Causeway Bay, Yau Ma Tei, Kwun Tong and Jordan. 'This-this rice has become a habit of Hongkongers, like how they frequent cha chaan teng,' said Kitty Chan, a Kuen Fat person-in-charge, referring to Hong Kong-style cafes. 'The dining routine has really changed since the government's Covid policies.' Such chains are known for serving no-frills dishes and are sometimes called 'this-this rice' servings as customers order two to three of their stir-fried Cantonese favourites with a generous serving of rice, all for around HK$30 or more. The format became popular in Hong Kong in 2022 when the government banned restaurant dining after 6pm for more than four months during the Covid-19 pandemic.
