Love it, or hate it?

Hong Kong is a schizophrenic society. Just when the government answers an overdue call to conserve dai pai dongs and help keep this unique culture alive, another obstacle appears in the way. It would seem the spirit of preservation is not shared by certain communities living near restaurants that have put tables outside to create an authentic Hong Kong-style alfresco dining experience. The most famous of these alfresco restaurants is in Yau Ma Tei, a popular spot for tourists and hardcore food lovers. The restaurants around here, despite their charms, have always had a bad reputation for such alleged annoyances as blocking pedestrian paths or having unsanitary conditions.

On 851 Canton Road in Yau Ma Tei you’ll find Yau Kee, a relatively young restaurant at 6-years-old, which has been repeatedly busted for placing tables outside. The raids were conducted by the police and officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and on one occasion, seven police officers stood guard as Yau Kee was busted and given a fine. Now Yau Kee’s restaurant license may fail to be renewed due to all the fines it has received.

Now let’s clear this up right here—it is in fact illegal to place dining tables outdoors without permission and the officers are just fulfilling their duties, but it’s also well known that Yau Kee’s neighbors in Temple Street, restaurants that also put tables outside illegally, have had no trouble and are even promoted by the Tourism Board. So what’s with the double standard?

Yau Kee is now run by Tsuen Gor. In his 50s, Tsuen Gor was a regular at the Yau Ma Tei restaurants until Yau Kee’s original owner asked if he would like to take over the venue five years ago. Even though it was located on a relatively famous street, this particular block of Canton Road was not exactly busy—Tsuen Gor found Yau Kee’s location quiet, dark and seemingly dangerous to walk by at night. “In the past this area was ghostly quiet, and there were many junkies gathered around here,” he remembers. Because of that, he decided to revamp the place entirely—instead of doing quick rice dishes as a hole in the wall, Yau Kee has turned into a dai pai dong-style restaurant, with good stir-fry dishes that they serve both indoors and also outdoors. Thanks to this, that particular block of Canton Road has been lit up at night with repeat customers frequently returning to Yau Kee, and all of a sudden the neighborhood has become more lively. And all of this because of Yau Kee. “My restaurant has improved the security and economy of the street,” says Tsuen Gor. “After I made Yau Kee alfresco, the area became more energetic because more people started visiting. And I told those heroin addicts off when they tried to use my washroom [to shoot up]. Residents actually feel safer now when they’re going home.” He added that his restaurant is also the reason why roadside stores that sell vegetables and tofu have extended their opening hours into the night—they used to close their doors early in the evening because of lack of business.

However the honeymoon was cut short. District councillors filed complaints from residents to the police and the FEHD that Yau Kee was operating outdoors illegally, and that it was a nuisance to the community. The complaints triggered the numerous raids of Yau Kee and repeated fines of up to $30,000. Tsuen Gor is now worried these fines could result in him losing his restaurant and liquor licenses. Because of this, Yau Kee has currently stopped putting tables outside and the area has fallen quiet once more.

Exactly how much of a nuisance has Yau Kee caused? A concern group, Yau Gig Dui (literally translated into “guerilla,” but they refer to themselves simply as “Squad for Pissing Off Officers in Yau Ma Tei”), ran a survey and talked to about 200 residents in the neighborhood, asking whether they think it’s a nuisance for the restaurant to have outdoor seating. Turns out 70 percent of them do not mind at all, and regard this as a local characteristic that they all welcome because the restaurant has made the street brighter and safer. “We even talked to people who live right above Yau Kee, and they don’t think it’s loud nor dirty,” says group member Fred Lam. In fact, according to Tsuen Gor, he has invested in an awning which he hopes will sound proof the area and minimize the disturbance to his neighbors.