Hong Kong diners have fewer excuses for avoiding healthy foods after about 300 outlets launched a pilot scheme yesterday that offers dishes with more vegetables and fruit and less oil, salt and sugar.
An associate director of the Health Department, Regina Ching Cheuk-tuen, said diners could no longer blame the restaurants if they ate unhealthy food because the range of healthy dishes was apparent on menus.
The participating outlets are Chinese restaurants and fast-food chains Maxim's MX, Cafe de Coral and Fairwood.
'We do encourage people to participate in the scheme and give comments to the restaurants,' Dr Ching said as she and other health officials gathered at the New Dynasty Scenic Restaurant in Wan Chai to launch the scheme.
'People should not hesitate to make extra requirements when ordering food, for instance, to ask for less oil in dishes or to have oyster sauce served separately from boiled vegetables' instead of poured over the top, she said.
New Dynasty director Vincent Law said that even before the launch, many customers had been requesting healthier menus.