Street Eats
Florence Yu hits the road to find out what's cooking.
Street food is an all-time favorite worldwide, a great way to taste the flavors of local life. But how often have you stopped to sample our own street offerings? Hawker stalls serving cheap and tasty food became popular in the 1950s and 60s, following the influx of immigrants from China. They were part of the warp and weave of the city, places to meet and interact with neighbors, to linger and chat. But regulations introduced by the government in the 70s turned hawkers into an increasingly rare breed, with most cooked-food carts these days being run illegally, stopping on a street corner long enough to serve a few customers before packing up and scooting off to dodge inspectors. Today, you’re most likely to find them in Sheung Wan, Causeway Bay, Mongkok, Kowloon City and Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This seasonal favorite is cooked among chunks of charcoal in what look like giant metal oil drums, and you can smell them in the winter air long before you spot them. Choose from the sweet yellow-centered variety or the less common, purple-centered variety, both served steaming hot. Be careful not to burn your fingers when you peel the char-grilled skin.
Where: Wing Wo Street, Sheung Wan, near the side entrance to the Sincere department store.