UNTIL RECENTLY, there seemed little reason for locals to set foot in the eastern part of Mody Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. Unless you worked in the area or needed to renew your identity card at the immigration office, Mody Road was a territory more for the tourists and foreign business people staying at the nearby hotels. As for dining, there weren't many restaurants as it was a bit of a hike from the MTR station.
However, the eastern part of Mody Road has metamorphosed into a vibrant dining destination, spurred on two years ago by the building of a subway connecting Mody Road to the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, and the opening of the KCRC East Tsim Sha Tsui Station.
The development has made it much easier to commute to Tsim Sha Tsui East. Now it takes less than 10 minutes of smooth walking underground to reach the area, with no more busy roads to cross or crowds to battle through.
Over the past two years, about 20 new restaurants have opened in Tsim Sha Tsui East, offering diverse cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Italian, American, Indian and Mexican. 'In the past, the area was quiet compared to other parts of Tsim Sha Tsui,' says Edward Tang, manager of La Villa. The French restaurant opened three years ago, and has grown steadily busier since the traffic improvements.
'The MTR subway and the current economic growth have made a big difference and the dining scene has changed for the better.'
The majority of the new restaurants are at Tsim Sha Tsui Centre and Empire Centre on 66 and 68 Mody Road, due in part to their waterfront position. Sino Group, which owns the two buildings, launched a campaign last month to promote the restaurants at the two locations. It also shone the spotlight on the 80-metre walkway on the waterfront, dubbing it 'Alfresco Lane' to entice outdoors diners.