Eat your way through Hong Kong’s food in ... Singapore

Hong Kong’s iconic Honolulu Cafe is finally opening the doors of its first Singapore outlet today. The much-hyped opening joins the wave of many Hong Kong eateries that have recently made their mark here, such as Mak’s Noodle and The Coffee Academics.

It is not stopping there. At least four more Hong Kong F&B concepts will be opening here, including A La Bakery, Mr Rich Bakery, Kam’s Roast Goose and Tai Cheong Egg Tarts. (Incidentally, Tai Cheong started its second week-long pop-up stall run at Takashimaya Basement Two Food Hall yesterday.) This is almost a 45 per cent increase in the number of Hong Kong F&B concepts in Singapore.

Food trends from Japan, which have taken hold in Hong Kong, such as Sanrio-themed cafes and cheese tarts, have also found their way here with the opening of Pompompurin Cafe at Orchard Central, Hello Kitty Cafe at Changi Airport (opening on Thursday) and Bake.

Are we adopting Hong Kong’s food trends? Is food from Hong Kong simply popular among Singaporeans, or are Hong Kong establishments creating the demand with their entry into the Singapore market? Experts TODAY spoke to say it is a bit of everything.

CHASING TRENDS

Obviously, Singaporeans love food trends — and Hong Kong loves creating them.

Take the salted egg yolk croissant for example: The French-Chinese hybrid was first served at Urban Bakery Works in Hong Kong in 2014, before it became the subject of a well-executed publicity campaign by Singaporean bakery Antoinette three months ago. “The trend started in Hong Kong and Malaysia, and I thought that it was a great idea to reintroduce our viennoiserie to the public with a flavour they are accustomed to,” said chef Pang Kok Keong, 40.

All 300 pieces of Antoinette’s Salted Yolk Lava Croissant were snapped up within the first hour they were offered to the public on Feb 1, and queues continued to form outside the Penhas Road outlet days after they were launched. Cafes and bakeries across the island soon added their own versions to their menus.

It was the story of the liu sha bao (molten salted egg custard buns) all over again: As early as 2009, salted egg custard buns were served in Hong Kong. They showed up in Singapore in 2011, and are now a staple in Chinese restaurants offering dim sum, and bakeries. Liu sha bao has now morphed into pandan- and charcoal-flavoured buns.

When Tim Ho Wan, a Michelin-starred Hong Kong dim sum restaurant, opened its first overseas branch in Singapore in 2013, it could take three hours to get a table at the walk-ins-only Plaza Singapura outlet. The draw of the “world’s cheapest Michelin restaurant” was its signature char siew polo buns — baked pastry-topped buns filled with sweet roast pork.

Tim Ho Wan’s baked pork buns have spurred Singapore restaurants and local bakeries to rise to the occasion with their own versions, from Wah Lok Restaurant and Imperial Treasure Bakery to heartland bakery chain Baker Talent.

It makes sense to think of the Singapore food scene as a younger version of Hong Kong’s. Singaporean foodie and lawyer Nicole Oon, 26, lived in Hong Kong for 10 years before she moved back to Singapore. “The Hong Kong food scene is way ahead,” she said, noting that “Michelin chefs went to Hong Kong. It’s only recently that they’ve moved to Singapore”.

The Travelling Singaporean

For chef Mak Kwai Pui of Tim Ho Wan, he felt the time was ripe to set up shop here in 2013 after he observed many Singaporeans visiting Tim Ho Wan in Hong Kong. It was for similar reasons that wonton noodle specialist Mak’s Noodle opened in Singapore last year. “A lot of tourists visit the Mak’s Noodle outlets at The Peak and Wellington Street in Hong Kong. An estimated 30 per cent of the tourists are Singaporeans,” revealed Michael Chan, 38, Food & Beverage manager of Asia Gourmet Pte Ltd, the company responsible for the Mak’s Noodle partnership in Singapore.

The traffic that passed through Mr Rich Bakery’s retail shop in Kowloon was also the green light for the butter cookies shop’s foray into Singapore. “About one-third of our customers are tourists from Singapore,” revealed founder Hugo Yu, 33. Late last year, the Hong Kong bakery started selling tins of its cookies online in Singapore and via pop-up stalls at various shopping malls. Yu hopes to bring Mr Rich Bakery to Singapore this year.

If the demand for competitor Jenny Bakery’s butter cookies is anything to go by, Mr Rich Bakery would need to stock up on or maintain regular shipments of its goods to Singapore. Jenny Bakery’s Ang Mo Kio shop ran out of butter cookies just two days after it opened.

With both cities sharing similarities, it is easy to see why Hong Kong F&B concepts are interested in opening in Singapore.

“Both are international cities with a blend of Western and Chinese cultures,” observed Yu.

Furthermore, with Singapore being an international city, brands will get exposure not only in South-east Asia but also internationally, among tourists and expats, he noted. “In addition, Singapore’s consumption and gross domestic product is high, making it more attractive for Hong Kong brands to set up in the country.”

Chef Pang believes that the differences between the two former British colonies make it “refreshing for Singaporeans to try foods from Hong Kong”.

CULTIVATING DEMAND

For early movers like Honeymoon Desserts, expansion into Singapore — its first choice outside of Hong Kong — in 2010 was to grow the business and build demand.

“Back then, Singapore’s economy was good, and it was already a hub. The country also has a food and beverage culture that is similar to Hong Kong’s — it has a big Chinese population with roots from Southern areas like Fujian and Canton. The population from these areas like desserts, which is good for a dessert specialist like us,” explained Peter Chu, 51, regional manager of Honeymoon Desserts. The dessert chain now has six outlets in Singapore.

Director of Legendary Hong Kong Singapore, Margaret Tsang, 54, wanted to introduce authentic Hong Kong food culture to Singaporeans. The casual dining concept, which showcases the skills of eight speciality chefs from Hong Kong, was set up at Jurong Point in 2014. “Singaporeans are known for appreciating quality, value-for-money food. It was very easy for us to come into the Singapore market with this high quality, authentic Hong Kong concept. We have been proven right.”

Similarly, Honolulu Cafe owner, Or Ming Chun, who is in her mid-30s, sees the opportunity to build demand for authentic Hong Kong char chan teng cuisine in Singapore. “We will be the only char chan teng (tea restaurant) in Singapore to make almost everything from scratch. It’ll be true to the culture of char chan tengs in Hong Kong,” she said with pride.

Honolulu Cafe is known for its egg tarts made in-house. To show that Honolulu Cafe is serious about pushing the char chan teng culture in Singapore, Or will be keeping opening prices low. A plate of fried rice with salted fish and chicken is priced at S$7, while the egg tarts will cost S$1.70 each. This, she hopes, will lay the foundation for at least four more branches in Singapore in the next two years, and then, in Taiwan.

With brands like Honolulu and Tim Ho Wan paving the way, it looks like more Hong Kong F&B brands will follow. However, until the rest of the Hong Kong’s food culture is imported — think hawker carts, dai pai dongs — translating the food scene to Singapore will not be complete.

Well, that is until someone brings in the likes of Sing Heung Yuen and its famed tomato egg soup noodles here.