Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng (茶餐廳)

Ham Macaroni, Hong Kong–style French toast, and Scrambled Eggs on Toast

Hong Kong, the special administrative region of China, operates as an entity separate from Hong Kong. Due to Hong Kong's long history of colonization, its culture has developed into a stage where it is neither wholly Eastern nor Western but rather a combination of the many cultures it has experienced. While some say that Hong Kong is losing its culture as it is losing its Chinese traditions, I argue the opposite. Hong Kong now has this unique combination of cultures that utilize the best of all worlds. One of the materializations of this culture is the Hong Kong café known as the Cha Chaan Teng. You can find a Cha Chaan Teng at every corner, each with its unique menu which are delicious cultural blends like egg tarts, Hong Kong-style French toast, and milk tea. These Cha Chaan Teng are vastly different from the traditional Hong Kong restaurants in the day. Hence people should see them as the manifestation of a new culture rather than a historical exhibit.

Timeline of Hong Kong's Cultural Exposure

The Old Cha Chaan Teng

Old Cha Chaan Teng Set Up

Old Cha Chaan Teng Food

Cha Chaan Teng Utensils

The traditional Cha Chaan Teng's menu features a combination of different culinary techniques from the different cultures around the world. Some famous dishes would be the French toast and milk tea. These dishes all feature a combination of cultures. The classic Hong Kong-style french toast combined thick-sliced white bread, eggs, and kaya coconut jam, all deep fried and topped with an indulgent amount of butter and sweetened condensed milk (Radez). The result is a sweet french toast that’s crispy on the outside while remaining soft and chewy on the inside. The Hong Kong-style milk tea appropriated the English tradition of drinking tea with a splash of milk. However, since fresh milk was scarce in Hong Kong due to its subtropical climate, shelf-stable substitutes (evaporated and condensed milk) were used instead (Pang). All Cha Chaan Teng serve chopsticks, forks, knives, and spoons. The availability of these different eating utensils further shows the combination of cultures.

The New Cha Chaan Teng

New Cha Chaan Teng Set Up

New Cha Chaan Teng Food

Cha Chaan Teng Utensils

The new Cha Chaan Teng still retains some of the staple dishes such as the French toast and the milk tea but also included several new items as well as a more modern set-up. The image on the left features a scallop roll from a Cha Chaan Teng called May Chow. The scallop roll is an entirely new menu item in the Cha Chaan Teng industry but shows the adaptation of the Cha Chaan Teng to the food industry. The Cha Chaan Teng has been traditionally known as a restaurant that is more casual and caters to everyone. May Chow breaks this tradition by providing more upscale menu items and creating a more fun ambiance with its feature of a bar within the restaurant. Many other Cha Chaan Teng have also upgraded to thicker dining tables which feature a drawer which contains the utensils, allowing for a smoother transition from customer to customer and greater convenience. The Cha Chaan Teng is still evolving with changing trends and will continue to adapt to Hong Kong's rapidly changing culture.

Conclusion

Overall, through the British colonization and Hong Kong's other experiences with foreign cultures, Hong Kong's culture has developed into a combination of international cultures. While this has resulted in some loss in traditional Chinese heritage, we should see Hong Kong's new developments as a gain rather than a loss. This is because we can now experience something that is both Western and Eastern in Hong Kong and this is more valuable than retaining Chinese traditions. An example of this is the Cha Chaan Teng. Through combining culinary techniques from different countries, the Cha Chaan Teng can provide an experience unique to Hong Kong which satisfies the palette on a different scale than traditional Chinese food. The Cha Chaan Teng has also adapted to the modern food industry with updated menu items and a current set up, hence not necessarily reflecting traditional Hong Kong food either.

With this knowledge in mind, I indulge you in trying out some of these Hong Kong foods. I promise you this will be an experience to remember.

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