Any food you want as long as it’s seafood

[Martin Williams]

Just heard that one of Cheung Chau’s non-Cantonese seafood restaurants may close before long. Hasn’t been open a real long time.

Hardly an uncommon tale: someone opens a different type of restaurant here, the food may be decent, but after a while, it’s bye-bye. Nepalese, Italian pizza, Malaysian, Thai … the list goes on.

So what is it about Cheung Chau and non-Cantonese style seafood restaurants? We have plethora of seafood places, a smattering of dai pai dong type joints, a very few doing something like western, but not much else that works for long.

The population’s not tiny – I’m from a UK seaside town with a population not much greater, and while there are plenty of places selling local specialities – like fish and chips! – there’s a good variety of restaurants.

One thing has to be that Cheung Chau folk tend to be relatively conservative: a dinner out means a seafood dinner, and no funny stuff thank yoiu very much. (Not an attitude alien to my home town in Yorkshire!, albeit tastes have broadened of late.)

Also, wonder if people working in the city are spoiled for choice when there; and when back on Cheung Chau, chiefly eat at home, or if go out likewise to have seafood (which is better than in much of the city, and far better value).

Whaddya reckon? Will Cheung Chauers tastes change, or are there already a vacant niche or two for different restaurants?

[Anonymous]

You are asking the local Chinese to accept something which is not their own?
Good luck.

[Anonymous]

You are asking the local Chinese to accept something which is not their own?
Good luck.

[Author]

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