STREETS OF HONG KONG - SHANGHAI STREET
Featured in this series of images is a typical cooked foods shop that are usually found all around Hong Kong. This shop just happens to be one of my favourite ones and is located on Shanghai Street in Yau Ma Tei. Over the past few years, I've passed by here quite often and, on each occasion, I find the place and activities going on around the shop just as fascinating.
"Cooked foods"? Yes, a shop, an establishment or stall that sells cooked food. Typically and in the Chinese tradition, this cooked food will consist of roost goose, "char siu" [or BBQ pork], roast pork and steamed chicken.
While this particular establishment has seating inside, most of the business is in the passing trade - as in selling lunch boxes or packed meals. Sometimes these boxes contain just cuts of meat. At other times, a whole meal of rice, a choice or mix of cuts of meat and gravy.
These take-out meals are a way of life in Hong Kong. Living space here is usually tight and, as they say, "time is few". In many apartments, space is limited as are cooking facilities. Refrigerators are often a luxury and cooking is typically done on a single or twin ring gas cooker. Often, it's quicker and cheaper to stop by at one of these cooked food establishments to pick up an evening meal.
