Chan Kun Kee

This out-​of-​the-​way place was recommended to us by an English-​speaking waiter in a dim sum restaurant near our hotel. It’s a little tricky to find. The menu is all in Chinese, but we were helped by two nice young women at the next table. They recommended a chicken salad with wasabi, which was very good. We also had deep-​fried tofu, and a mixed vegetable with tofu dish. Nothing deep-​fried is ever bad so that was okay. The veggies with tofu were quite plain. Healthy, good to have greens, but not very tasty. If you know what to order, you’ll be fine. The best part is the atmosphere: large, noisy, cheerful. You’re eating outdoors, sitting on green, plastic stools — very authentic. It’s an experience to have, but I don’t think we’ll be going back. And it was only a few HK dollars cheaper than Shanghai Min, which has better food in a prettier atmosphere.

this place is really popular, a lot of people, all full. and the waitors and waitresses don’t even care about you because they have too many customers. obviously services are very bad.
we ordered wasabi chicken — very good, wasabi flavor can be strong. this comes with jelly fish appetizer and some hams in it. the chicken is very smooth and silky.
zi ran pork ribs — the flavor is quite good, grilled well. it comes with some sour spicy sauce. with that sauce, the flavor is even better. it is kinda like the xinjiang and middle eastern grill meat.
eggplant with salted fish clay pot — the flavor is good, but the salted fish flavor can be stronger. it’s too oily. i wish they could use less oil.
dessert — the crispy mango dessert is sold out and japanese milk pudding is also sold out. so i ordered the durian pudding instead. too much cream on top and durian tastes terrible…

Every time I come here, it brings back so much memory. And I bet it happens to those who studied in the Chinese University of Hong Kong before. And I did. Two years ago. And I still miss that place.
This is the place where all the freshmen are brought here one night during the Orientation Camp where they chant their slogan in such high spirit (though sometimes draw too much attention from the neighbours or even policemen…) Looking back, I may find that picture hilarious and a bit annoying, but it is the comradeship and the bond between us all.
All the late night studying and this place will stuff you with amazing food. My personal favourite is the garlic shrimp. They have such perfect garlic flavour but not too strong and the shrimp are just so fresh. Seems to me those food are the reward for all the hard work.
The graduation day when you call up your friends to go back to campus and gown up and take pictures. All those years in the campus and all got captured through lens. Afterwards, going back to this place where everything begin.
This place is more of a reminder of my university life for me. For those who did not study there, I am sure the food will impress you just as much. Remember if you want to try the Asian Chicken Stacks with Wasabi cream, better call in first.

«You live in Shatin right? You should bring me to Chan Kun Kee!» A friend asked.
«Yes! But wait… you know this restaurant?!!» I was astonished by her request.
«Dai pai dong» (大排檔) is a Guangdong style open-​air food stall. Yet the number of Dai pai dong has dropped in recent years due to the restrictions on licences. Outside the Wo Che Estate Market, a typical dai pai dong called Chan Kun Kee (陳根記) is located. In fact, apart from residents living in the nearby estates, few people will visit the estate market. However, Chan Kun Kee is very a famous dai pai dong among Hong Kong people. One may take a 1.5-hour ride from Hong Kong Island so as to have a meal there — this is a true story, my university counterparts once did that! So here is a question worth pondering — why is Chan Kun Kee so well-​liked my people?
Just a few months ago, I gave it a try (as I hadn’t dined there for a long period of time!) with four of my colleagues after finishing an event held in a school in the vicinity. We arrived there at around 6:30pm and could easily find a vacant table. Large fans were turned on and so we got cooled down quickly despite no air-​conditioning. We were attracted by the food aroma and photos on the menu. Glancing around the photos and the dishes which others were eating, we ordered wasabi hand-​shredded chicken (wasabi手撕雞), braised eggplants with minced pork (魚香茄子) and belacan water spinach (馬拉盞炒通菜). The three dishes are served with generous portions and this definitely satisfied our appetite after the whole-​day work. The wasabi chicken wasn’t that spicy as we expected, so it’s suitable for those who are less tolerant to hot food, like me! The eggplants and water spinach were more strong-​flavored than usual, which was just amazing to eat with rice — the typical Chinese eating style!
Not only the food, the atmosphere is the highlight of having a meal in a dai pai dong like Chan Kun Kee. Happiness is found in every table — people savoring the delicious food while talking with your besties. Sharing their laughter together will make the meal even more enjoyable! Perhaps it’s the exoticism and beauty of dai pai dong, as well as the reason why people are willing to dedicate their time to go there just for a simple meal. Spending your spare time here is definitely worth the price, or something more!