“We sell food. We sell relationships.” Interview with Zoe Pun, the owner of Hon Fat Noodle

Located just next to one of the island’s busiest roads, I was mesmerized by the emerald green walls and the bright yellow sign that read “漢發”. Hon Fat Noodles sits on Gloucester Road in the middle of Wan Chai. From a short distance, I peeked through its clear windows and there it was – one of the very first murals I have ever seen in a Hong Kong restaurant. Something about it made it particularly special; perhaps it was the simple facial expressions, or the pastel color palette, but either way it perfectly encapsulated the cozy yet bustling scenes of a Hong Kong Dai Pai Dong.

As I stepped foot into the restaurant through their automatic sliding door, I was greeted not with a “hello, welcome”, but a gesture that pointed to an empty seat. After ordering my meal, I attempted to look for the owner, whom at first I thought was nowhere to be found. Turns out she was in the backroom of the restaurant. She approached in her simple white t-shirt and leggings, smile beaming from across the room. She was excited to speak about Hon Fan Noodle and glady shared her perspective on being a second-generation restaurant owner with her husband…  

A lot more Mcdonalds and Starbucks shops have appeared recently. Have there been any impacts on your businesses? 

I believe there is no effect. We are two very different branches of food service.  The fast food and the starbucks you see,  it’s evidently different to local food. This business has lasted 50 years already – we sell local food, and it’s a relationship. This is hard to find in the other types of restaurants. 

How do you get your customers? 

Pun: I mean… this is a new location. This restaurant is relatively new to the Wan Chai district. The first few months were not very busy, up until our old customers from our other two branches, one in Kowloon and one in …., started to bring their friends over. We introduced ourselves and that’s typically how this chain of relationships appears. We also had media coverage. That was really helpful. You’ve probably seen the newspaper extracts on the window outside as you came in. That was a beneficial experience to introduce our shop to the general public. 

I will admit that the tradition of old local food is quite hard to preserve and continue. These days, many struggle to find their second generation to continue the legacy. My husband himself is a second generation owner. Perhaps my son or daughter will continue the business when they become older, but I can’t be sure….

Is the menu the same as 50 years ago? 

Pun: Surprisingly no. We have added a lot more dishes to our menu. It’s a strategy: we have to attract more people and that starts off by tailoring our menu to their needs, you might want some drinks or some snacks. We want to sell more products to our customers. 

What are the most original dishes?

Pun: Thirty years ago, we only sold the beef brisket, the dumplings and the wonton. Twenty years ago, my husband added drinks, instant noodles and then until ten years ago, we added snacks, for example the pork chop, and this pork liver you are currently eating. The deep fried wonton, the french toast, the sandwiches and many more.

Does your restaurant attract a specific age demographic? 

Pun: We have a lot of older customers, but at the same time I notice more younger people coming. Hong Kong people love to eat, so if your restaurant is of good quality, people are willing to drive all the way to the city to come eat your food. 

In terms of the customers, what is the breakdown? 

Pun: I would say typically it’s more local Hong Kong people. We have seen more visitors and tourists though I must say. 

How is your business? What is your biggest obstacle of this moment? 

Pun: I would say the staff shortage. Hiring staff is very challenging. I guess a reason is due to the fact that our restaurant values high quality control. We have high standards, so it might be hard for the staff to work for long terms 

Lastly, I just wanted to say I love this mural on the wall. What location is drawn here specifically?

Pun: Fifty years ago, our shop looked exactly like the scene of that painting. It serves as a reminder of our roots and origins and hence we have made sure to place the identical mural in all of our branches.

Photo on the right belongs to Siu Ye-Word Press