Death of Street Food in Hong Kong!!! Protests, Pigeons, Dai Pai Dong!

are you a wing guy or a dramatic guy I'm just gonna try to go for progressive I mean okay I'm gonna go for the drum well I bet you could eat the entire head you do that all around Asia from India to Korea there's one attraction that draws in people of all backgrounds oh my god we got flames coming directly at the camera but we don't care feeding the hearts and bellies of locals and travelers alike a tsunami on flavor I'm talking about Jai is he yelling at me No [Music] but in major cities throughout the continent real street food is becoming a thing of the past as municipalities try to clean up their sidewalks and roadways in pursuit of what they consider to be a more modern work due to regulation so you can't leave anything behind it needs to look exactly as it did before right [Music] enter Hong Kong a city of over 7 million hello sir I knew a city once saturated with street food stalls now has only 24 remaining and the clock is ticking it is a dying breed today Hong Kong foodie expert Virginia and I will attempt to explore the fast fading world of street food in Hong Kong to teach 100% like McDonald's maybe McDonald's stole it from here who they're serving up the most delicious that is a lot of garlic we're not gonna make any new friends but we'll be immune against vampires most unique food you'll find anywhere in the city this one is a monster like the joint between this and this the only challenge contending with Hong Kong's current protests protests that began picking up in intensity as soon as we landed here this morning we came to the area where they have the dive high dome the only issue is that today the employees didn't show up because the city is shut down right now no one can even come to work [Music] [Music] we got a nice old breakfast here I got some rice eggs these look exactly like McDonald's little sausages breakfast is arguably the most important meal in Hong Kong fuel for the day like these instant noodles with a fried egg pork chop and spiced pork use or my white rice with fried eggs and sausage patties I taste 100% like McDonald's we mean no offense to them and you did a sausage egg McMuffin this is literally the same thing sweet delicious porky breakfast sausage all of that perfect what you got there I've got instant noodles do you ever eat instant noodles for breakfast no does they make me feel so bad it is so good though I do like my instant noodles on the hard side but some people like them soaked up in the broth I like I'm on the hard side too we are eating at one of the last remaining die PI dome an old traditional open-air food stall what is it I've high dome it means a big licensed eatery there are only about two dozen type items left in Hong Kong some open early for breakfast but the real show happens at night as soon as dusk hits these bustling sidewalk eateries come to life grabbing by all five senses flashes of gas flame sizzling of fiery hot walks cooking executed with precision like a dance that's been performed a thousand times before and once the aroma has a hold of you it's over you must submit that is dye pied almost every day but not today at around very early in the morning I got a call from the owners of the time have no I'm saying that they were not going to open today because a lot of their workers were not able to get to the restaurants because the MGR line is down due to the I guess the escalating protest situation today on the night of July 21 when anti-government protesters were exercising for over six months protesters have been taking to the streets after growing concerns of an extradition bill that was introduced in February Hong Kongers feared that legislation would subject residents and visitors to the jurisdiction and legal system of mainland China in September that same bill was officially withdrawn but what started as a protest over legislation has now become a movement for something much bigger a fight democracy for a while the protests were on schedule usually taking place on weekends since we landed all bets are off our tourists being targeted in any way um I don't think tourists are being targeted in any way none of the protest areas have been liked or attractions but their travel plans might be effective so for example today if the EM chair is not running it was hard for us to get a taxi or even the uber was uncertain - how far he would be able to get us to this location no one I'm gonna first finish my noodles and then that will give me enough energy to think about what's next all right we'll figure it out yes all right let's do it [Music] all around the city we see evidence of protests recently broadcast destruction that's been temporarily patched up or hidden usually I'd say that TV news over States and over sensationalizes the events of the day but on this day images had only seen on TV or online were unfolding right before us [Music] which it this is right now I want to get out of here man quick don't stop to God oh don't go man no I was just happening right now break the glasses so you would you punch up my car hi I would get out of this intersection if I was you we didn't come here in search of the protest but it found its way to us regardless we're headed right now into a restaurant and already traffic is being stopped by people just throwing debris and random stuff into the intersection that's one a lot this is so well although a bit shook up we make it to our next destination intact here's the thing we have about four days left in this city I'm not sure what's gonna happen I think we're gonna be all right I mean it's a city with millions and millions of people I don't think anyone's targeting tourists making food videos but still my main priority is keeping the team safe my second priority is making these videos well I don't know I don't know what's gonna happen you you [Music] on this street corner just a couple miles away from our recent run-in you'd never suspect anything of note is happening in this city this is sue Choi long what are the last type I'd Dome in Hong Kong sir thank you so much thank such an honor to be here meet the boss mr. Phi 2nd generation and runner of operations though his uncle is the real license holder type I don't literally means big license stall these licenses cannot be passed down and when the license holder passes away so does their restaurant for me it's clear the type I don't is a really special part of the culture in Hong Kong but to you what do you think is the future of dyfodol I or they cannot term like although they told me so obviously he wants us to continue however it is depend on the support and the coordination of the government whether or not the government will want them to keep on going to do so look you have my support it's um meaningless but it's symbolic thank you thank you you're welcome guys we're drinking beer cuz we're doing dive high dome this is when adults go out and do adult things right I'm saying y'all dancing explain to me what is going on here we are at a thigh Python so what you like to do is you just order all these dishes you have your bowl of rice and then you just dig it brilliant so this is a chicken cartilage but it's the chicken knees I try to sell it as like popcorn chicken I like that you have to sell it this chicken knee cartilage is dredged in cornstarch then deep-fried in hot oil after frying it stir-fried with chilies and other spices it's like a ball the size of a pea it's really hard cartilage but you can still get to it it would be the same it's like popcorn shrimp as hard as how everything else is fried it's just that inside there's a knee cartilage I love these so this one here the menu says noodle fish but we in Chinese it translates to white rice fish and it pairs really well with rice starched deep-fried then stir-fried with imitation butter and chemical movie theater quality cheese powder it's awesome with beer noodle fish Oh super fried meeting and it does have just like that weird kind of cheap movie theater cheese taste afterwards processed cheese I don't feel any bones or anything though this is pretty awesome when you say like Oh frying a whole fish eating it whole I was like could be fishy not fishy at all oh that's very nice we spoke to the owner earlier it seems like most businesses in general are taking a hit cracked shoe Choi Wong is a massive die PI dong in sharm true pol we were supposed to follow his staff to the market today but last night due to the protests they didn't sell enough food to warrant the trip the protests happening here it's such a complicated issue what can business owners do to help themselves or they hey bong me boss he want keep being expensive to the bare minimum in terms of staff and everything like that and this is actually quite nice I can think for the landlord is there's a little bit of a decrease that's incredible that's so you know sympathetic to what's happening but also thinking about long term despite these hard times CEO Choi Wong still focuses on what got them here in the first place providing a huge variety of high-quality fresh food to hungry patrons this is my absolute favorite and these are razor clams is that garlic on top that is a lot of garlic we're not gonna make any new friends but we'll be immune against vampires for the next 24 hours that was good [Applause] oh god I'm so good oh yeah it's really good it is the best thing ever it's a nice firm almost like scallop and then just tons of greasy buttery garlic that's been saturated into these noodles if it's like fresh seafood like this we always just separate very simply steamed it being in taste of freshness that is really good Oh mmm that's my Jim [Music] this is kenneth lee full-time manager of oman sang deep I don't yesterday they were forced to close when staff members couldn't commute to work today they're open that means a trip to a nearby wet market to pick up fresh food for the day here we are we're in the market what are you picking up here comes your fish shellfish and filled with so many people not going out to eat right now how do you come to the market and know how much food to buy food oh that game antenna they check at the end of the night sold he'll take stock up with left and then he'll put in this order in the morning so a lot of things that they have they can't keep for tomorrow so they will estimate and they just have lesson things on DNA yeah that for the restaurant everything is fresh daily so whatever is left at an end of the night maybe they'll give it to the workers to eat or hang back businesses are being hit hard all across Hong Kong but right now their only option is to keep fighting and wait out these tough times we got the first dish to come out of the kitchen this is kind of a special moment usually people wouldn't stand up they would sit down they would enjoy some beer with their food especially greasy heavy food like this the first dish of the evening Crispo fide bird deep-fried in hot oil I love that the skin has become crunchy Oh shite okay yeah delicious spice on there break this wing off I got a drop tryto oh that's super yummy but usually the best pigeon I've ever had it's pre-marinated you can taste the seasoning inside that's what it is start a nice city I think Star enemies secret season they are you sometimes people like Worcester sauce to wick away the fat and oil and you need that I want the batten oil look at that it's so fatty and juicy and then just kind of sweep I gotta say I'm very impressed that is decadent and delicious I love it okay I'm on sang is an institution the license has been held by Kenneth Lee's grandmother since 1956 even as she pushes into her 90s she keeps an eagle eye on day-to-day operations this is considered the less developed part of town but still people flee their five-star hotels and their overpriced buffets to pull up a stool here our final dive high dome experience here we can see the flame kissing your cheek right now because there's so much stir-fries there's so much walking face to foot that's the walk hey we talked about including these duck talks deep fried duck tongue after frying it's walk tossed with garlic red chillies spring onions salt sugar and chili oil with more fried garlic and cashews thrown into I'm more ladylike I can they use mine oh yeah I keep doing that it's like making out with a dump did you know there was going to be a bone in there yeah chums have bones maybe a hard to eat that one comment is delicious this is like classic drinking food oh my god the skin is just punchy fatty oily a beautiful blend of spices on there boy spicy little bit of chili oil mmm it said to my mouth a blaze a bit but it just makes you want more beer than wine when I come with my gas we don't order because that's always freaks them out it's a freaking huge I didn't count of me yeah earlier in the day these ham hocks get torched scorching off any remaining leg hair next they're blanched for two hours in Chinese five-spice and soy sauce upon ordering they're popped in a blazing hot wok along with onions and black pepper sighs super fatty gelatinous skin on the outside oh wow it's super soft that is a tremendous to meet oh my all in a grab somebody's oh that pepper dust that's fascinating it's so badiy and robust at night you guys soak it up with a sauce there's onions I'm gonna put some of that together but my god that's so huge and mediums oh there's no joke that gravy is so good it just makes me so happy going to places like this where this guy moves with ease he's been doing this a long is so quick it's so natural for him everything he does it just comes out perfectly like the recipes in here and you can taste that ten years from now this may no longer exist while it's still here these owners continue to demonstrate their value night after night perhaps a change in government legislation will influence this fate but for now die pi dome are an endangered species at risk of going extinct so 10 years from now unless we've got some people with outstanding health there's a chance all this is going away right it is a dying breed and hopefully there maybe will change the laws who knows within the 10 years because it's something that's very iconic in Hong Kong a younger generation is fighting for their future while an older generation is fighting to preserve what took a lifetime to build every worthy cause has its casualties but only time will tell if the Hong Kongers who helped build this city can take the pressure before the hardships become irreversible I'm a very positive person no I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel but how that looks like I don't think anybody really knows well I'm hopeful and I hope everybody else is also hopeful Hong Kong there's no doubt history is being made right now in Hong Kong if you're planning on visiting the city I suggest you enlist the help of Virginia and her tour company human with a Chance of fish balls to make the most of your time from food tours to private tours and all to help you need navigating the city from researching and shooting to editing and mastering our 10-person best ever food review show team works hard to roll out the highest-quality travel food entertainment twice a week if you like what we do here please consider supporting our patreon patreon allows fans of the show to contribute a monthly sum and receive a load of extras like early video releases private q and A's and beyond to learn more about our patreon check out the link in the description box down below and if you can't give or don't even feel like it that's ok too we're just happy you're here boom that is it guys thank you so much for watching Virginia thank you a pleasure oh I see guys we will see you next time thank you so much for watching a breeze [Applause] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Best Ever Food Review Show

Views: 5,334,398

Keywords: hong kong, dai pai dong, best ever food review show, sonny side, hong kong street food, hong kong food, hong kong protest, where to eat hong kong, hong kong safe, is hong kong safe, hong kong tourist, hong kong best food

Id: xN75_QQODLw

Length: 18min 39sec (1119 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 19 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/cocoshiva]

Anyone see or have access to the deleted video?