Dining on sampans or floating restaurants at typhoon shelters was, to many visitors, a unique culinary experience. Visitors would also eat at Dai Pai Dongs and Chinese restaurants, where they could find exotic dishes such as snake soup. Food aside, reading the amusing English translations of dishes on the menu was another intriguing discovery.
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Dining on the Water
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Dining on the Water
Hong Kong was home to a wide range of culinary experiences that encompassed quality cuisines from all around the world to unique Chinese dishes. Getting a taste of the fishing village flavours on sampans at the typhoon shelters, or on a floating restaurant, was a not-to-be-missed experience for visitors in the old days. Apart from the delicious foods served in the typhoon shelter, “Food Street” was also another place to go for tasty meals in Causeway Bay.
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“Hong Kong Yearbook 1982” Apart from the modern shopping centres, Causeway Bay was also famous for the seafood meals provided on sampans at the typhoon shelter.
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“Hong Kong The Great Eating Adventure”, 1986. Sampan rides were available for visitors in Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter.
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“Hong Kong Yearbook 1962” A paper mentioning typhoon shelters both inside and outside the Victoria Port, including the Causeway Bay typhoon shelter and the Aberdeen typhoon shelter. (1970)
HKRS852-1-144 Visitors having a seafood meal on a sampan.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 6 No. 31, 1–7 July 1977. A nocturnal view of Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter, where visitors could feast on seafood delicacies.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 16, 14–20 March 1980. Visitors enjoying dinner aboard a hired sampan.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 23, 2–8 May 1980. Boat people preparing a feast of seafood on sampan.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 23, 2–8 May 1980. Aberdeen has been a popular tourist spot known for the floating restaurants.
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“Hong Kong This Year Experience One of Life's Great Adventures”, 1983. Floating restaurants in Aberdeen offered food and banquets.
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“Hong Kong The Great Eating Adventure”, 1986. Glamorous floating restaurants next to the fishing junks and sampans in Aberdeen.
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“Hong Kong Yearbook 1989”
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A Taste of Dai Pai Dong
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A Taste of Dai Pai Dong
People from all walks of life dining at tables set up at the roadside was once a common scene in Hong Kong. Eating at Dai Pai Dongs (on-street cooked food stalls) was a quintessentially-Hong Kong dining experience that visitors wouldn’t want to miss. Dai Pai Dong, known for its fiery woks that cooked authentic local dishes.
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“Hong Kong Yearbook 1983” A Dai Pai Dong in a night market.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 8 No. 33, 13–19 July 1979. Dai Pai Dong, a type of traditional open-air food stall, was one of Hong Kong’s fascinating local culinary culture to visitors.
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“Hong Kong The Great Eating Adventure”, 1986. Dai Pai Dong offered both locals and visitors a taste of authentic and affordable street food.
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“Orient Hong Kong’s Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 10 No. 43, 18–24 September 1981. A scene of locals having meals with families and friends at Dai Pai Dong.
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“Hong Kong Yearbook 1982”
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The Unconventional Dishes
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The Unconventional Dishes
Among the traditional Chinese dishes, there are some exotic delicacies for adventurous diners. While the exotic dishes are no stranger to locals, they might be foreign and even unusually challenging to visitors. Snake meat, considered a highly nutritious delicacy in Hong Kong, was usually served in winter.
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“Hong Kong Shoppers Paradise and Beyond 1973 Agents and Carriers Sales Manual”, 1973. Customers would visit restaurants where the snakes were freshly slaughtered and cooked.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 8 No. 49, 2–8 November 1979. Customers would visit restaurants where the snakes were freshly slaughtered and cooked.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 8 No. 49, 2–8 November 1979. A restaurant specialising in snake dishes.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 8, 18–24 January 1980. Chinese sausages—made of fatty and “gut-warming” meat.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 8, 18–24 January 1980. Mongolian hot pot—a combination of meat and fresh vegetables especially popular in winter.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 10 No. 3, 12–18 December 1980. Shanghai hairy crabs, another seasonal delicacy.
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“Hong Kong The Newspaper for Visitors”, Vol. 5 No. 36, 6–12 December 1982.
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Stories about Dim Sum
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Stories about Dim Sum
Starting the day by savouring a variety of small, bite-sized portions of delicate food is a common way of living in the city. Dim sum served at Hong Kong-style tea houses is a must-try for visitors. Food aside, reading the English translations of dim sum dishes on the menu was also a kind of entertainment. Do you know what “thousand layer sweet cake” is? What is the English translation of “玻璃蝦球”? Find out more below! Different ways of peddling dim sum. (c.1968)
HKRS365-1-314-3 Different ways of peddling dim sum.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 16, 14–20 March 1980. A wide variety of dim sum.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 10 No. 11, 6–12 February 1981. Romanisation and English description of dim sum.
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“Orient Hong Kong’s Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 10 No. 29, 12–18 June 1981. With its great variety, dim sum demonstrates the rich imagination of Chinese cuisine. Dim sum is usually served with a pot of tea to bring out a better flavour.
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“Hong Kong The Great Eating Adventure”, 1986. “Bird Walkers” usually hanged their bird cages on the specially constructed horizontal bars before they enjoyed their time savouring dim sum.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 19, 4–10 April 1980. It was a common sight to see “Bird Walkers” taking their birds in cages to the tea houses for breakfast.
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“Orient The Visitors’ Newspaper”, Vol. 9 No. 49, 31 October–6 November 1980. A tourist guide covering various Chinese dishes with their respective English translations, descriptions and estimated prices, alongside the etiquette of dining in a Chinese restaurant. HKMS154-1-155
“How to Order Chinese Food for Eight and Twelve”, 1977. A tourist guide covering various Chinese dishes with their respective English translations, descriptions and estimated prices, alongside the etiquette of dining in a Chinese restaurant. HKMS154-1-155
“How to Order Chinese Food for Eight and Twelve”, 1977. A tourist guide covering various Chinese dishes with their respective English translations, descriptions and estimated prices, alongside the etiquette of dining in a Chinese restaurant. HKMS154-1-155
“How to Order Chinese Food for Eight and Twelve”, 1977.
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