Tai Wo Tong in Kowloon City
Kowloon City is an old area in Hong Kong. Besides the famous heritage sites of the Kowloon Walled City, the Stonehouse Family Garden and the Hau Wong Temple, the area is also blessed with many long-standing businesses that have seen through the best of times in Hong Kong’s history.
The Story of Tai Wo Tong
Tai Wo Tong was once a traditional Chinese medicine shop that had a proud history of 80 years in business. Although it finally did close its doors, a local young man took up the business and revitalized the shop. It is now a café serving both coffee and pastries and regular dine-in meals.
The building that gives home to Tai Wo Tong was built in the 1920s. It remains what the Hong Kong people call “Tong building” (meaning old Chinese building). The original Chinese medicinal business began its long history in 1932. There were three generations of owners overseeing this shop. The oldest traditional Chinese doctor Chung Pak-ming came to Hong Kong in 1940. He was famous for both his medicine and philanthropy, and many well-known people came to see him. His son Chung Fook-lee took over when he passed away. Finally, a relative took over when Chung Fook-lee passed away as well.
The business then continued as a dried Chinese herbal shop. Its specialty was dried ginseng and deer antlers. The Chinese herbal shop closed its doors finally in mid-2017. Then came the current owner, a young man who grew up in Kowloon City, determined to keep the antique vibe of the shop in a different business.
Even at its doorstep one can feel the nostalgia. The original sign of Tai Wo Tong, painted in gold, sits proudly at the beam. As a venue for food and dining, the shop has a hip ambiance, especially that the owner has preserved the century-old herbal cabinets. The walls display the memorabilia of a time past, and its wooden benches match the setup with a touch of antiquity.
These century-old herbal cabinets still bear the original paper notes that delineated the contents each drawer contained. Back in the old days, the Chinese doctor kept the most expensive herbs in the top drawers. It required the most experienced doctor to prescribe those contents.
There are a few success indicators in the current Tai Wo Tong coffee shop. Besides the fact that there are always people lining up for a table (good marketing), the revitalization of the shop is well done as well. The food choices (more below) also meet the current dining trends that Hong Kong people favor.
The Food of Tai Wo Tong
On this weekday afternoon, we were very fortunate to be able to visit Tai Wo Tong. Usually, there is always too long a line there. But this time, we did not have to wait in line. In fact, when we sat down for our pastries, the patrons sitting close to us started leaving. We enjoyed our quiet time there.
In terms of food, the cooked food that the restaurant serves are more of the western style. We only wanted coffee and pastries, and the selection was interesting.
I wanted the black sesame soup, and the staff told me that it actually refers to a sesame cake. My friend ordered a “sweet bean curd and barley tart” and it was also a cake. We thought that the sweet bean curd and barley tart was a little on the sweet side. But the special Signature Vitality Tea, with dried longan, goji berries and red dates, was very much in line with Tai Wo Tong’s former glory as a herbal shop. The drinks were good.
With coffee and tea, my bestie and I chatted the afternoon away in a very pleasant and chic environment.
How to Get There
The address of Tai Wo Tong is 24 Nga Tsin Long Road, Kowloon City. The closest MTR station is Sung Wong Toi.
Sources
Tai Wo Tong, Discover Hong Kong, Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Tai Wo Tong Café, the Fragrance of Century-Old Medicinal Cabinets, Getreadyhk.com.
