The cha chaan teng – which literally means “tea restaurant’ – is an intangible cultural heritage in Hong Kong and a unique facet of the city’s dining scene, serving affordable and filling meals for the masses complete with brash, speedy service.
The Western-influenced Asian staples include pork chop rice, chicken soup macaroni with ham, baked rice and pasta with cheese. A typical menu includes pork chop buns, pineapple buns, instant noodles with spam and egg, beef or pork chops, and macaroni chicken soup with ham or pork chop rice. Soya sauce and ketchup are often used in marinades and flavouring these East-West dishes.
