On the Scene in Hong Kong: Locals Talk About the Latest Trends in Their City

In Hong Kong, almost everything revolves around food. Eating really well is not the exception here, but a matter of course. However, many of the typical dishes are – let’s be honest – quite heavy on the stomach. I often found it difficult to find something light and healthy in restaurants. What I particularly missed were salads as we know them from North America and Europe, with a base of baby spinach, kale, arugula, or romaine lettuce. Most menus still reflect the cultural influence of traditional Chinese medicine, which divides food into hot and cold. According to this, raw vegetables contradict the aim of keeping the body warm and were therefore not particularly popular for a long time.

Wellness Cuisine Is on the Rise in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong at the moment, especially among young people, I am seeing a trend toward a healthy lifestyle and a food trend toward light wellness cuisine with salads, bowls, and the like. Of course, this movement is not unique to Hong Kong. The world has become smaller, and local trends are quickly developing into global phenomena thanks to social media. What is currently popular in New York will be served the day after tomorrow in the restaurants and cookshops of Shanghai or Hong Kong – and vice versa.

For me as a restaurateur, it’s important to recognize and embrace such trends at an early stage. For the much-hyped American burger chain Shake Shack, I developed a range of salads that are currently available in its Hong Kong branches, including the Family Club Salad with romaine lettuce, kale, breaded chicken pieces, avocado, and a dressing made from maple syrup, mustard, and honey. My son would love to eat at Shake Shack every day, and as a mother, I think it’s wonderful that there is now a healthier alternative to burgers and fries.

The Best Bagels Outside of New York?

I created the Family Food Menu for the Salisterra restaurant in The Upper House hotel. Guests will also find various salads on it, as well as smoothies, which – I make no secret of this – are inspired by the famous wellness drinks from the Californian luxury food chain Erewhon.

Of course, I'm not the only one who has recognized the wellness food trend. Sour Dough, for example, offers not only excellent sourdough bread – as the name promises – but also a large selection of nutritious, vegan salads. The Bakehouse chain, which is run by Grégoire Michaud from Switzerland, is also excellent. I love all their baked goods! If you prefer to steer clear of carbs, there are also salads, such as the Bakehouse Salad with tuna, tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, soft-boiled egg, chicory, and mustard.

How healthy bagels are is debatable. As someone who has lived in New York for a long time, I think it’s wonderful that I can find real New York-style bagels and traditional deli dishes at Schragels. The store is run by Rebecca Schrage, whose Jewish father is from New York and whose mother was born in Hong Kong.

About

Lindsay Jang is originally from Alberta, Canada, and moved to Hong Kong in 2009 after working in New York and London. She runs the Japanese-inspired snack bar Ronin and Yardbird, a Michelin-starred yakitori restaurant. In addition to food, she is passionate about wellness and fitness, both privately and professionally.