Classic Hong Kong restaurants: Sing Heung Yuen, Central

Look at any table at Sing Heung Yuen and you'll see diners slurping the same thing. Long queues form at lunchtime for the dai pai dong's macaroni or instant noodles in tomato broth.

The same goes for the crispy buns (right). The dinner rolls are sliced in half, toasted, then topped with lemon marmalade, peanut butter, condensed milk, or any combination of the three.

Irene Li Oi-lin, a second-generation operator of the restaurant, is surprised by how quickly the tomato soup gained a following. "We only introduced this in about 2000," she says.

Although its most famous dishes are relatively new offerings, Sing Hueng Yuen is not. The dai pai dong's licence dates back to 1957, when it started on Elgin Street.

In 1975, it moved to its current spot at the corner of Gough Street, initially sharing the space with beef brisket specialist Kau Kee, which is now directly across the street.

The Lis bought the business from the original owner in the '60s, and the entire family made an effort to make it thrive.