The original fusion cuisine – think borscht, sizzling steaks, and pineapple buns – has stood the test of time in Hong Kong

Western-style snacks and dishes adapted to the tastes of Hongkongers were a novelty in the 1970s and ’80s but became firm favourites and are still eaten today

The ‘bing sutt’ cafes and restaurants that serve them have adapted their menus to suit the more discerning tastes of a younger generation of customers

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Baked Kurobuta pork chop with fried rice and sunny side up egg at Loyal Dining in Wan Chai. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Published: 12:39pm, 17 Sep 2020Updated: 7:16pm, 18 Sep 2020

Giant trays of freshly baked buns and bread are whisked from the back kitchen to the display counters at Kam Wah Cafe in Mong Kok, in the heart of urban Kowloon in Hong Kong. A tantalising buttery aroma wafts through the room, as customers line up outside the bing sutt (“ice room”), which specialises in drinks and snacks, eager to order their favourite pastries.

Bina Chan, wife of the owner, is inundated with orders. She dabs chilled butter in the popular pineapple buns – named for their look, not because they contain pineapple – before handing them to customers.

“Pineapple bun, egg tart, Mexican bun and cocktail bun are the four timeless [items] that have enjoyed popularity for 48 years since we started. They share the same Western roots, and later established themselves as a mainstream food in our city,” says Chan.

Instead of blindly copying Western baking recipes introduced by the British, Hong Kong restaurateurs showed a flair for adapting them to give a local riff on the originals, she says. “The pastries sold in bing sutts and cha chaan tengs are mostly a cross between Western and Chinese recipes,” Chan says.

A waiter carries a tray of freshly cooked pineapple buns at Kam Wah Cafe in Mong Kok. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The cafe has, since it opened, imported the butter, cream, milk and milk powder it uses. Most establishments were reluctant to source ingredients from Europe due to the cost, says Chan.

Condensed milk, for instance, was not profitable to import. “But we still imported it from the Netherlands, to achieve the prime silkiness and robust taste of the milk tea,” she explains.