Classic Hong Kong restaurants: Asiania, Wan Chai

Opened in 1973 as a Cantonese restaurant and nightclub, Asiania has called Wan Chai home for more than 40 years. "The building's owners, New World group, wanted to have a Chinese restaurant in it, so they opened one themselves," says the restaurant's director Chan Hoi-cheong (New World sold Asiania in 1984). That building was the now-demolished Asian House, which explains the English name.

The nightclub was shut in 1994. "In the '70s and '80s, lots of restaurants had nightclubs attached to them. They went out of fashion, so we closed ours," Chan says.

But not everything has changed. "Our sweet and sour pork is made with pickled Chinese onions, not pineapple, which is more common nowadays," says Chan.

Asiania also continues to serve traditional dishes such as gum chin gai (little sandwiches made with chicken liver), and shark's fin.

"We shouldn't eat too many sharks," Chan admits. "The food chain needs to be balanced. But think about those working in shark-related industries. If we stopped shark fishing, we'd be taking their jobs away."

The restaurant moved to its new premises last year after Asian House was demolished. "We've tried to hire most of our staff back. Some of them have been with the restaurant since the '80s," Chan says.