Classic Hong Kong restaurants: Kam Kee Café, Sheung Wan
A living relic of Hong Kong's past, albeit in a new location, Kam Kee Cafe has held on to its heritage, writes Janice Leung Hayes
For more than 40 years, a Shau Kei Wan man was known to people in the neighbourhood as Kam Shuk or Kam Bak (Uncle Kam, Grandpa Kam). Kam is not his surname, but he was happy to be known by the name of his life's work - a diminutive 20-seater bing sutt called Kam Kee, which loosely translates to "Gold's Cafe".
The man's real name is Chan Gui-chou. Ninety-two-year-old Chan was born in Chiuchow and came to Hong Kong in the 1950s. He worked at a bing sutt in Wan Chai, says Ray Chui, current owner of Kam Kee. A few years later, Chan moved out to Shau Kei Wan, where he took over a dai pai dong and began serving Hong Kong-style milk tea.
While the riots of 1967 left people apprehensive about the future, Chan rented a shop across the street and Kam Kee Cafe was born. Chui says that Chan chose the name "Kam" as he wanted the cafe's name to be a "gold name" - a name that is remembered forever.
"Shau Kei Wan was a good place to be as more popular districts like North Point and Causeway Bay were heavily affected by the riots, whereas Shau Kei Wan was relatively removed from the chaos," says Chui.
Kam Kee's menu, portion sizes and recipes did not change in the 46 years it was in Shau Kei Wan. Each day, there would be three set meals and drinks such as "beef juice" (Bovril dissolved in hot water) stayed on offer, despite falling out of favour in recent years. In 2012, the building that Kam Kee occupied was sold and the new owners demanded higher rent than Chan could afford.
Well past retirement age, Chan took this as a sign. Chui, who had a restaurant nearby and frequented the cafe, persuaded Chan to sell him the business. Although Chui wasn't able to keep the business in the same location, he has kept as many of the original interior features as possible. Chui has added a dinner menu as the high rent forced him to maximise business hours.