The Love of Lucky Snack House (NOW CLOSED)
Hong Kong is “a dining heaven,” and the people of Hong Kong are natural epicureans. From the very basic to the very upscale, the food scene of Hong Kong is one of abundance. There is a king choice for every edible and non-edible category you can imagine — cuisine, beverages, view, ambiance, thematic, service, pet-friendly, you name it.
I think the Lucky Snack House in Wan Chai is the king choice for the love.
Having seen some news report about its final closure to come next year, I decided to visit Lucky Snack House and have a fast food meal the very old-schooled Hong Kong way. Tucked away in the back streets of Wan Chai, the Lucky Snack House has seen the times that passed and the neighborhood that morphed. This very old-schooled fast food joint opened its doors in 1978. By next year, when it is scheduled to close, it would have earned a proud 45 years of continuous existence in this very location in Wan Chai.
“I have been here since day 1,” the owner sat down for a bit and started telling me the story, “I was 27 years old then, and now I am 71.” The owner naturally takes care of money and so her role in the shop is the cashier. At her age, however, she does have the need to sit down often to rest her leg. “We witnessed the sea change that took place in this neighborhood. You see, the Imperial Cinema used to be right behind us.” Pointing at another direction, she said, “there were those other cinemas over in that direction,” (she hushed), “they showed XX-rated films there.” Her small eyes squinted as she smiled ear to ear reminiscing the past.
“You are 71? I thought you were 50!” Upon hearing my compliment, her eyes disappeared into two long lines and I could feel her heart pouring out joy. She told me that the staff working here are mostly also in retirement age. Except for one or two younger ones, they will all retire when the shop closes. “I thought this one looks like he’s 20!” I was being quite liberal with giving compliments. If this food brought forth love, I could reciprocate by spreading some. The staff there all roared in laughter, “me? In my 20s!!” The owner said, “this pretty lady is here to ‘hand out benefits’!” (I can’t quite translate this into proper English, the approximate meaning is that I was there passing out free compliments).
Including the owner, there were three other staff in the kitchen area. I saw them doing endless chatter when they cooked. They were bustling about for the lunchtime orders that started pouring in when I was having mine. I noticed how there were a few more people in and out of the shop doing things here and there. One picked up my plate. The other handled the takeout boxes and cut open some packaged food etc. I asked the owner how many staff do you keep? Her shop has barely the space for customers. She said they are 11 people strong, and three are delivery boys. “Yes, if you stick around for maybe another half hour, you will see people lining up for the two tables we have in here!”
The Food of Love
From this picture you can see what I mean by “old-schooled Hong Kong fast food joint.” These fixtures in the shop have been there for decades. They are very much the classic of that era of fast food joints. This type of interior is very familiar to my generation of Hong Kongers. There are usually just a couple of small tables with some stools. Or otherwise there are simply standing spots at a bar table. The utensils are always disposables, and the open kitchen would be spewing with the fumes from the year-old oil, with which they fry their food.
The food bloggers rave about their hand-patted hamburgers and the fried chicken leg. I therefore ordered this following platter, and it was plenty. And of course, I must get my old-schooled milk tea too.
The quality of the food is not the best as compared to what the greater fast food market has to offer. But I enjoyed every minute of my time there. I was tasting the love and dedication that brimmed in this small space, every bit humble, every bit authentic. And it is this authenticity that draws a loyal following for places like the Lucky Snack House. Its wok-fried food is spirited with the very fumes of the year-old hot oil. In Cantonese we call this “wok hey.” To make food this way the chef has to sweat a whole lot in a very hot kitchen.
The owner takes pride in her food. “These days you go to those high-end places, and all that they do differently is in making the food looks good on the plate. If you pay a few hundred dollars for a small morsel of course you are going to say it tastes good.” I admired her for seeing her shop’s value in this vast dining universe of Hong Kong.
When I grew up in Hong Kong, this type of fast food joints were really all over on the streets. By now, the prosperity of Hong Kong, and with it came much higher expectations on the dining experience, is slowly smothering the existence of these fast food shops. When Lucky Snack House closes next year, there goes a memory too. And they are numbered.
The owner told me that they are scheduled to close in February 2023. If Hong Kong reopens travels to China, the shop will close earlier. They will close earlier than the Lunar New Year so that their staff can visit their hometowns in China for the festivities. We are sure to say goodbye soon. But before then, I shall visit again, and try at least some more of what their extensive, wall-paneled menu has to offer.
How to Get There
The address of Lucky Snack House is 17 Burrow Street, Wan Chai.