Diner’s Diary | Last hurrah for Hong Kong dining institution Sammy’s Kitchen – eat at Sai Ying Pun restaurant while you still can
The Hong Kong favourite may be closing this week, but it is still dishing up decadent delights. We went twice to sample its delights, including a Hungarian-style beef fillet and delicious crêpes Suzette
Before the MTR went all the way to the western reaches of Hong Kong Island, I took the bus home and always passed by Sammy’s Kitchen, each time thinking I should try it at least once.
But it wasn’t until the sad news that the old-school Hong Kong restaurant would close in mid-September that I finally visited the institution in Sai Ying Pun. In fact, I went twice in two weeks.
I made a reservation, and the first time I walked in, I didn’t know what to expect. Inside it’s a bit dark, cavernous, kitsch and cosy, with tables in every spare nook. The table cloths aren’t red and white chequered – they’ve been upgraded to Burberry-esque plastic table covers.
It turns out those who smartly booked ahead were seated in a small room off to the right of the entrance. Walk-ins – who are lucky enough to get a table – sit in the other half of the restaurant. On the night we went, many people without a reservation were turned away.
The place looks a little worse for wear, but customers don’t seem to mind. Couples, friends and families gather here as if it’s an old friend they are visiting. The menu is in a plastic file folder that’s been used for many years with the dishes listed in English and Chinese – the former having a few French words thrown in for sophistication – and many of them include “Sammy’s sauce” or “Sammy’s Special”. They are of course referring to Sammy Yip Luen, the chef and co-founder of the restaurant.