Hong Kong cuisine in Manchester: What is it and where to find it ?
As a Hongkonger living in Greater Manchester, I often miss home, and whenever this homesickness hits, the best remedy is always savouring the foods I grew up with.
Satay Beef Noodles is one of those flavours, and I was delighted to discover Denton Delight, a Hong Kong-style café which opened in September 2022 in Denton.
This dish is a traditional Hong Kong-style café meal featuring tender beef with a nutty and savoury flavour served over noodles in a lightly seasoned broth.
Satay Beef Noodles
Satay Beef Noodles
Nissin Demae noodles are the perfect complement to this dish.
Owner of Denton Delight Ryan Yeung said: “I hope Hongkongers can taste the authentic Hong Kong style.
“Changing the recipe to a British style would be pointless.
“Hongkongers would feel very homesick, and the feeling is quite terrible. I hope the authentic taste can comfort them.”
A meal always comes with a drink in a Hong Kong-style café.
A meal always comes with a drink in a Hong Kong-style café.
Ryan noted that meals at the café come with a drink, a hallmark of Hong Kong-style cafés.
He said: “In the UK, the drink and the meal are separate. But in a Hong Kong-style café, the meal always comes with a drink. To keep an authentic taste, it is a must.”
Ryan has been involved with the food and beverage industry since he was young, working alongside his parents. He now aims to leverage this experience to establish his own business in the UK.
Ryan has tried his best to recreate the atmosphere of Hong Kong, including using similar furniture and broadcasting Hong Kong channels on the TV.
Hongkongers love going out for meals, and having dessert afterwards is a must—one of my favourite times.
Black Glutinous Rice with Coconut Milk and Dried Beancurd and Ginkgo Nuts Dessert
Black Glutinous Rice with Coconut Milk and Dried Beancurd and Ginkgo Nuts Dessert
Hong Kong-style desserts are unique because they are both drinkable and eatable, and some are even good for health.
Tiffany Kong, the owner of Hallolulu, a takeaway restaurant serving Hong Kong-style desserts opened in December 2023 in Ardwick, shares the same sentiment.
This is why she decided to open Hallolulu.
She said, “In Hong Kong, you will see many people waiting for a spot to have dessert, and they don’t mind waiting an hour.
“I think it’s because dessert time gives us another reason to spend more time with family and friends.
Britain has played a significant role in Hong Kong’s history, linking the two places closely for a long time.
Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 to 1941 and 1945 to 1997.
In 1839, during the First Opium War, Britain invaded China, and one of its first actions was to occupy Hong Kong.
In 1841, China ceded the island to Britain, and the Treaty of Nanking was signed, formally ending the First Opium War.
Following the Second Opium War, China ceded the Kowloon Peninsula to Britain, further expanding the colony.
The new British colony thrived, and in 1898, Britain was granted an additional 99 years of rule over Hong Kong under a particular convention, maintaining British control until 1997.
As a long-term British colony, Hong Kong’s food has been greatly influenced by Western culture.
Baked rice is one example. It involves placing fried rice with chicken or pork and sauce in a gratin tray and baking in the oven.
Tomato sauce with chicken baked rice
Tomato sauce with chicken baked rice
The most classic version is tomato sauce with chicken or pork chop baked rice.
Oscar Cheng, one of owners of HK BBQ and Baked, a takeaway restaurant which opened in October 2023 in Ardwick, has made baked rice one of the main selling points.
He owns the restaurant alongside two other Hongkongers, Tak and Tung, and together, they recognised the uniqueness and demand for baked rice in the UK.
Oscar explained, “Hong Kong food is international, blending Eastern and Western cultures.
“The process of making baked rice is complicated, but it results in a dish with a lot of texture and flavour.
“Hong Kong food is relatively new to British people.
“You can experience many textures in one dish that are harmoniously delicious.
“Like Hong Kong, an international city where everything comes together in a small space, Hongkongers excel at bringing diverse elements into their cuisine.”
The restaurant sees this as an excellent opportunity to promote Hong Kong food culture.
Oscar said, “We are trying to recreate the taste of Hong Kong in the UK.
“The British may not be familiar with Hong Kong food, so we started with familiar dishes like Teriyaki chicken rice.
“If they enjoy our food and return, we will introduce them to baked rice, showcasing the authentic Hong Kong-style taste.”
When it comes to eating out, the choice of drink is just as crucial as the food.
With its rich flavours and diverse dishes, Hong Kong cuisine is particularly well-suited to pair with craft beer.
Priscilla So, the owner of Harcourt, a Hong Kong-style bar that opened in January 2023 in Altrincham, offers craft beer alongside Hong Kong street food.
Priscilla explained, “Hong Kong food perfectly matches craft beer.
“French toast, a signature street food in Hong Kong, pairs best with stout, dark beer.
French toast
French toast
“Stout has a strong malt and baking taste; sometimes you can detect hints of chocolate or coffee.
“This flavour profile complements the peanut butter taste of French toast perfectly.
“Hong Kong-style spicy garlic fried chicken wings is another example.
Hong Kong-style spicy garlic fried chicken wings
Hong Kong-style spicy garlic fried chicken wings
“It pairs well with lager due to their crispy and dry texture.
“They also complement West Coast IPA, as the bitter taste of the IPA balances the oiliness of the chicken wings.”
Having worked in the craft beer industry in Hong Kong for a long time, opening a craft beer bar has always been one of Priscilla's dreams.
She now uses her experience to share Hong Kong food and craft beer in the UK.
Priscilla expressed her hopes that the British will gain a deeper understanding of Hong Kong-style food and move beyond the stereotype of British Chinese takeaways.
She said, “A bar is a magical place where a drink can bring together people from different backgrounds.
“Especially in recent years, many Hongkongers have moved to the UK, which has been quite surprising for the locals.
“I hope our bar can serve as a bridge, helping Hongkongers and local people understand each other better.”
Food pronunciation in Cantonese
Food pronunciation in Cantonese
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