Classic Hong Kong restaurants: Choi's Kitchen, Tai Hang

Choi Kee has opened and closed in several locations. It was first a dai pai dong on Tonnochy Road, then Queen's Road East. It moved to Hennessy Road near Tin Lok Lane, after a decade in North Point. In 2004, chef and owner Choi Yin-tong decided to call it a day. After seven years in retirement, he reopened in a tiny space in Tai Hang and called it Choi's Kitchen — the change in name reflecting his attitude that the restaurant is just a hobby. Choi says, "Retirement got boring. It was like I was sitting around waiting for my last days. We spotted this place in Tai Hang one day and I thought, 'Maybe I can pass the time making simple beef brisket and noodles', but then the old regulars found us and asked me why I wasn't making the other dishes they liked. So now we make claypot rice and stir-fried dishes and soup."

Choi can't remember exactly when he started his business. "It's been about 40 years. At the beginning, I was still working as a travel agent and would come into the restaurant on my days off. After a while, my wife persuaded me to stick with one thing. She said the restaurant offers more stable hours. And she likes to eat," he says.

"I learned how to cook from the cooks I hired. They had techniques that big chains and new restaurants these days don't bother with, like knowing whether to put salt or sugar first in a marinade. We do everything with our own hands and heart."

Choi's Kitchen, 9-11 Shepherd Street, Tai Hang, tel: 3485 0501. Open: Tuesday-Sunday noon-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm