KOWLOON CITY IS a dining paradise for those willing to forsake posh interiors, five-star service and ritzy cuisine in favour of unpretentious surroundings and substantial helpings that will fill your stomach, but won't empty your wallet.
You may also be surprised by the range of cuisine available in this local food Mecca. The area around what was the Kowloon Walled City is known for its many Thai restaurants, but also offers everything from local delicacies to Japanese and continental.
Probably no one knows more about the old days than Kowloon City native Yau Chi-fai. He owns Fai Seafood Hot Pot, which is known for its quality ingredients and MSG-free soup base. 'I grew up in this area and, when I was a boy in 1965, this was a hub for people from all walks of life,' Yau says. 'It was also a notorious hideaway for criminals and unlicensed dentists. You had the better-off families living inside the walled city, and folk like me who were less fortunate living on its outskirts.'
Back then, the walled city was its own independent territory, Yau says. The government had to arrange a special police patrol to handle the residents' affairs. Much of the area has since been transformed into a park.
The culinary scene was vibrant. There were restaurants offering delicacies, including western fare, to the nouveau riche. Chiu Chow clans ultimately took over, giving rise to numerous restaurants, including the Lok Hau Fook. Looking at its rundown exterior, you may wonder why it hasn't been refurbished.
'We opened in 1954, and are the oldest Chiu Chow restaurant in Hong Kong,' says 55-year-old owner Johnman Li Chung-man. 'Our goal is to preserve the nostalgic look of the site so future generations and tourists can come here, not merely to try traditional Chiu Chow cuisine, but to see a piece of the walled city's history.'