Why Hong Kong’s cooked food centres are so beloved and some of the best to visit
Serving cheap and cheerful food with a dab of nostalgia, cooked food centres embody old Hong Kong and play a key role in the city’s identity
Rayson Chan and his father Woon Tai are on a well-earned break after a hectic lunch service at their family-run restaurant in a cooked food centre in Hong Kong’s Kowloon City neighbourhood.
Diners flock there to indulge in nostalgic dishes such as fried chicken wings, deep-fried pork chop and braised vermicelli with preserved vegetables, all washed down with classic drinks like red bean ice.
“Our deep-fried French toast that has fillings like satay beef and pork floss is really popular,” says Rayson of Lok Yuen’s signature dish that oozes with butter and condensed milk.
“People tell me they love the food because it reminds them of their childhood.”
