“dancing wave”
Have you ever tried the “dancing wave” hand signal to catch a cross-harbour taxi🫳🏻 🌊?
It is a secret trick that not even all Hong Kongers know. Simply flatten your right hand and move it in a wave-like motion—just like a boat floating on the sea. This signals taxi drivers that you’re crossing the harbour, making it easier for the right taxi to find you. Trust me, with this trick, you’ll never face rejection from a taxi driver again.
Bottling the soul of Cha Chaan Teng
What brings the Cha Cha to a Cha Chaan Teng?
By definition, a cha chaan teng is a quintessential Hong Kong diner, a greasy spoon café that serves Hong Kongers at all times of the day. 🥘
But it isn’t just that. As a city, we’ve lived a few lives in the last five years, and whatever has been thrown at us, we’ve survived, and cha chaan tengs have survived. 💥
They are the literal bread 🍞 and butter 🧈 of Hong Kong. You can go any time of the day for a snack, a meal, or a simple yuen-yeung ☕️. But do remember to go early if you want a pineapple bun with that giant knob of salted butter because they tend to run out soon!
Cha chaan tengs follow their own rules and their own cuisine. It started off as soya sauce Western food, where you get a class of cha (tea) as soon as you sit down, and then you can order French toast, pork chop baked rice, satay beef curry noodles or tomato macaroni soup. These are not ingredients you would normally find in a Cantonese kitchen, but a mishmash of colonial ingredients left behind given an HK twist because we were never normal, to begin with.
So we at @asparkofmadness wanted to give homage to the soul of Hong Kong cha chaan tengs and have tried to bottle the essence up in our Crack Mayonnaise jar. We spent a lot of time perfecting the recipe for this condiment, as we wanted to give you all these tasting notes in one lick – spicy, tangy, salty, creamy, nutty, umami, zesty and smoky. Exactly how a cha chaan teng gives you a little bit of everything. 💥
We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal, an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.
AGAINST ALL ODDS
In a city full of vibrant bars, COA stands out as a beacon of novelty and resilience. 🌟
COA defied all odds to make the city appreciate mezcal, transforming the perception of Mexican bars from “a place for tequila shots”, to a sophisticated spot to experience and savour one of the most terroir-driven spirits in the world.
When founder Jay Khan/ @jaykhan313 conceptualised the idea, mezcal was a lesser-known spirit in Hong Kong, and many doubted its ability to take off. Despite the scepticism, Jay remained firm and refused to compromise on his passion for mezcal – a spirit he fell in love with during a trip to Mexico.
“People advised us to play it safe and cater to familiar tastes. Maybe open a gin or whiskey bar? But I believed in the magic of mezcal,” Jay recalls.
COA’s first 18 months suffered financial losses and a lack of recognition. “Many suggested we introduce happy hours to attract more customers, but we resisted the temptation to dilute our brand with trends that didn’t align with our core values. I knew that if I trusted my gut and stayed consistent, it would work out in the end.”
Today, COA has grown from a local gem to global fame, and is consistently recognised as one of Asia’s and the world’s best bars– proving the power of perseverance and unwavering resilience.
Here’s a toast to COA, a true embodiment of Hong Kong’s ‘Never Normal’ spirit. 🥂✨
We’re sharing this story as a proud partner of @hknevernormal , an initiative dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary nature of our city. Follow @hknevernormal for more inspiring stories.
Reimagined HK Classics
Embracing Traditions with a Modern Twist: Reimagined Cha Chaan Teng favourites.
A charming spot in the heart of the city, a sanctuary for you to escape from the monotony of routine while indulging in the simple pleasures of life.
Escape the hustle and bustle, fuel up on a refreshing take on beloved Cha Chaan Teng favourites while you enjoy a much-needed break.
幾忙都要食餐好
香港嘅食物最有特色係佢完全體驗到香港人嘅速度💨，即使出品快都可以非常出色🏆。
這次@evelynchoii帶大家快閃灣仔區，試吓香港唔同類型嘅「速食」文化!
🩷炒滑蛋呢樣野，本身就係出自西方嘅scrambled egg，其後慢慢平文化，炒蛋便愈來愈受港人歡迎。位於大坑順興嘅滑蛋飯真係非一般好味，蛋漿快速「炒兩炒」搭配埋蝦、叉燒、豬扒，甚至係夾入菠蘿包都一樣出色。當然唔少得嘅就係秘製甜豉油，撈飯一流！順興除了一般鋪面外，後巷仲有幾個帳篷，任何天氣都阻擋唔到出面大排長龍。🚶🏻🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♂️
🩷香港人鍾意食燒賣食到要有關注組，呢樣野已經好非比尋常😅！無論係便利店、涼茶鋪，都會見到燒賣嘅蹤影。行過路過拮一串又可以抵肚餓，搭配特製的沙爹咖喱辣油，正👍🏻
🩷法國攝影師Henri Cartier-Bresson推崇的「決定性瞬間」（The decisive moment），為攝影界金石良言！打邊爐黎講，時間嘅掌握都十分重要⏱️！響鈴最佳享用時間係3秒、肥牛係13秒。而香港人係打邊爐上嘅multi-tasking更已經推到極致，可以飲湯又可以打邊爐，有啲仲可以食埋雞煲。老闆仲特別訂造1:1人手製作嘅戲棚花牌，真係忍唔住要打個卡。
Black Kite: The Pub at the Heart of News
High above the bustling city, precisely 18 floors up, lies the heart of the South China Morning Post.
With over 265 journalists from 24 countries, the SCMP has reported on Hong Kong, Greater China, and Asia for more than 120 years, ensuring that it informs and provides perspective and insights to readers in our city, across the region, and around the world.
Founded in Hong Kong in 1903, the SCMP has transformed into a state-of-the-art newsroom and an award-winning global news media company. Despite its advancements, some traditions persist, even from 18 floors up in Times Square.
One of these cherished traditions is the English-style pub located in the middle of the newsroom. It features a special brew called “Post Hop,” which pays homage to the long-standing tradition of journalists gathering in bars to exchange their latest scoops and stories.
So, the next time you read an SCMP article, remember that it may have been given the finishing touches over some lively conversation at Black Kite!
