Mouthing Off | The government propped up the supermarket giants, now what about helping out our vulnerable neighbourhood restaurants?
- Local restaurants offer cheap, simple heart-warming meals, perfect for winter and a good idea if your income is reduced
- So many are struggling to survive, and really need some help from the government
The pandemic-battered economy has affected everyone from multinational companies to low-wage workers.
Food writers and columnists are no exception. I’ve had projects and commissions delayed and postponed. The result is I’m living on a smaller budget and restraining myself from unnecessary consumption. Instead of lazily jumping into a taxi, I’ll walk the extra five minutes to the MTR station, or the extra 10 minutes to the Star Ferry.
When dining out, I’m less tempted to splurge at five-star hotel restaurants and am thoroughly appreciating the cheap and cheerful comforts of a neighbourhood hole in the wall. Especially with the cooler weather, there’s nothing like the high-carb, high-fat satisfaction of a big plate of greasy stir-fried beef noodles or a baked pork chop rice from a cha chaan teng.
Winter is also the time to indulge guilt-free in a hearty bowl of beef brisket noodle – or in my case, brisket with tripe and other offal. On particularly cool days, the challenge is to slurp up the meat and noodles before the fat congeals on the surface of the soup.
Small family-run eateries may not deliver refined gastronomic experiences, but they are the backbone of the Hong Kong dining community and satisfy with inexpensive nourishment. Upscale restaurants and fancy dessert cafes might draw the attention of Instagram buzz and hipster queues, but a reliable local diner is where you turn for a budget HK$49 lunch of the day, when the boss announces another round of salary cuts.
