Hong Kong Choi
Salford, Greater Manchester
The exile of many Hong Kongers has been to Manchester’s benefit over the past decade, and has had a welcome impact on the city’s dining opportunities. This cheerful, family-run restaurant-cum-café is in the HK tradition of casual eateries called ‘cha chaan teng’ (literally tea restaurant), where the menu reflects the historical crosscurrents of the territory’s food culture. Most striking is the amalgamation of occidental and oriental traditions – although this isn't really 'fusion' food. Retro items (at least to British eyes) such as tinned pineapple, macaroni, mozzarella, fried bread and peanut butter, and the beloved, sweet/creamy milk tea are HK comfort foods that reflect many years of colonial rule. But the vast repertoire is also defined by the influence of other Chinese regions and countries of South-East Asia. History plays its part too: ‘typhoon’ dishes, for example, originated from the typhoon shelters of the late 1800s and their punchy, bold flavours are a taste of old Hong Kong at its best, while HK borscht (made with beef brisket) is a sweet-sour, tangy, rich memory of dishes brought over by Russian chefs. Hong Kong Choi may belong to this venerable tradition but is neither hidebound nor stereotypical; its kitchen skills and culinary sophistication notably elevate this casual style of dining. Occupying the corner of a modern block in an upgraded part of Salford, it's a bright and cheerful spot with floor-to-ceiling windows capturing the light and a soundtrack of 80s and 90s HK pop. Food-wise, be prepared to expect the unexpected: Simon Choi was trained in both traditional Chinese and top-end fine-dining kitchens: his textbook lobster bisque, for example, comes in a white china bowl with a puff pastry lid. Other choices might range from handmade pan-fried dumplings with spicy sauce – glistening and generously filled – to HK-style baked pork chop with tender meat, crispy and bubbling cheese, tomato and pineapple rice. Although we were initially doubtful about the substitution of pasta for noodles, we were won over by a slithery hillock of wok-tossed spaghetti studded with plump, spicy prawns, washed down with an addictive brew of hot ginger, lemon... and Coke. Dishes are not as cheap as your average chippy but, given the quality and huge portions, value for money is an understatement.
