Horlicks, the beloved malted milk beverage in the UK, is a staple, just like the rich and creamy milk tea. Flaky egg tarts form part of a diverse range of bakery selections, which also feature light pineapple buns, sweet-savory pork floss buns, and basic crispy buns drizzled with sweetened condensed milk. A variety of baked rice meals complete the savory offerings. Consider the pork chop rice, a Cantonese dish with a fried rice foundation, enhanced with Western ingredients: a layer of tomato sauce topped with melted cheese.
Origins in the Mid-20th Century
Similar to language, cuisine evolves with time. Sharp edges soften and blur. Before one realizes it, a fresh culinary style arises. Such was the case with Hong Kong’s cha chaan tengs, which emerged after World War II, as Western influences began to mold the city’s dining culture.
Samuel Dic Sum Lai, a doctoral candidate at the University of London, has committed his research to documenting the complex history and culture surrounding these eateries. His task is challenging since there is a scarcity of written historical records about cha chaan tengs. “Prior to 1997, many people didn’t consider cha chaan tengs to be of significance,” he states.
Nonetheless, there are certain elements of the narrative he can accurately date. “The term was coined in the 1950s,” Lai asserts, highlighting the fusion of various dining styles that were prevalent in midcentury Hong Kong.
