Hong Kong’s First British Chinese Restaurant 1908BC Opens in Sheung Wan

The new restaurant at The Pemberton brings together a nostalgic collection of popular dishes that are uniquely found in the Chinese restaurants and takeaways of Britain

1908BC is the first of its kind to debut in Hong Kong: a restaurant devoted to celebrating the dishes commonly found in the Chinese restaurants and “takeaways” of Britain, set up by the different waves of migrants, mostly from Hong Kong, who settled there.

Crispy shredded duck, chop suey and fried chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce are just some of the dishes that are ubiquitous in Chinese restaurants all over Britain and popular with western palates, yet are seldom if ever seen in Hong Kong.

The restaurant’s name honours the year the first Chinese restaurant was opened in the UK, in London’s Piccadilly, while BC stands for British Chinese.

1908BC is conceived by Suzanna Ho, a British-born Chinese of Hong Kong origin who grew up in a family that ran Chinese takeaways and restaurants in Britain.

Born and raised in Bristol, where her family owned and ran the city’s most famous Chinese restaurant, Dynasty, for the past 20 years, Suzanna came to Hong Kong last year to help her mother resettle after retirement. She soon realised that there was a gap in the market for a restaurant catering to people like herself who were nostalgic for some of the style of Chinese food they were used to back in Britain.

The menu is a concise collection of old and new recipes, including Suzanna’s mother’s creations from their first “chip shop” Willow and from their restaurant Dynasty, as well as some of her own favourite dishes. Uniquely, some of the menu items have also been crowdsourced through social media, by asking fellow Brits and other overseas Chinese in Hong Kong about some of the Chinese dishes they miss most from back home.

As the restaurant evolves, Suzanna hopes to include favourite Chinese dishes from other western countries where Chinese food has become popular too – American, Canadian, Australian and even South African Chinese dishes.

More than just a remake of some traditional British Chinese dishes, 1908BC makes a point of elevating these classics. The quality of the ingredients is key, and the produce will always be fresh, in season and consistent. Adamant not to use MSG or flavour and colour enhancers, the 1908BC team are careful when selecting the right items to best extract their essential flavours in order to replicate and recreate dishes in the most natural way possible.

Perhaps the most anticipated dish and one which holds a very dear spot in every Brit’s heart – is the ‘Chip Shop’ Curry. Unlike any other curries found in the world, this unique recipe is a blend of the Chinese, British and Indian cuisines often found in the UK all rolled into one. Served with a basket of crisp golden fries to dunk and soak up all the saucy goodness, guests can select from the recommended House Special (HK$250), Prawns (HK$250), Chicken (HK$180) and Vegetables (HK$160).

An essential part of British Chinese food, and probably one of the most known countrywide, are Fried Chicken Balls (HK$90). Bite sized pieces of juicy chicken breast are tenderised and coated in a seasoned batter before deep fried to a golden nugget. What truly completes this dish is a tangy sweet and sour sauce. Using hawthorn for acidity and hibiscus for colour, 1908BC’s red sauce awakens the taste buds and whets the appetite.

Another Chinese restaurant staple is the Crispy Aromatic Shredded Duck (HK$140). 1908BC’s version of the westernised Peking duck takes an entire bird and marinates it in a special concoction of soy sauce, fruits and spices (similarly to the recipes in the UK where these ingredients are readily accessible), shredding the meat first and deep frying it until crispy. A mix of tender meat and crackling skin, the suggested way of eating is to envelope in a Chinese pancake with cucumber, scallions and a generous dollop of flavourful sweet duck sauce.

No British Chinese restaurant would be complete without the British style Chicken Chow Mein (HK$140). Unlike the local fried noodles found in diners, 1908BC adds a British touch that makes all the difference. Cooked whole, each chicken is then shredded by hand and tossed with bean sprouts, scallions, noodles and a secret sauce in a seasoned wok.

The Kung Super-Pow Prawns (HK$280) are a must-try at 1908BC. Flown in directly from either The Maldives or Seychelles, each prawn is sizeable, meaty and succulent. Drenched in a crispy tempura-like batter and flash fried then coated in a sweet and sour sauce, the exterior is crunchy while the interior is fleshy and bouncy. Beneath the vermillion crustaceans is a bed of fried vermicelli that complements the sauce while also adding extra texture to each mouthful.

For those seeking big flavours, the Roasted Beef Short Rib (HK$390) has it all. Slow cooked in a marinade of soy and spices and then thoroughly seasoned in a dry rub before slow roasted, the ribs come out lightly smoky charred while still achieving the fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Once served with bean sprouts on the side, Susanna switched out her mum’s recipe for kimchi to add an element of acidity to cut through the fattiness of the meat.

For Suzanna and most Chinese families, soup is a dinner necessity and there’s a good selection of soups to accompany the dishes at 1908BC. The Nourishing Soup (HK$80) reflects the family-style broiled broths common at Hong Kong dinner tables. The soup rotation changes on a daily basis, dependent on the season, availability of ingredients, and even weather. In the summer time, expect melon soups for its cooling properties, while in the winter, 1908BC will be serving heartier soups like fish maw to nourish the body and mind.

Apart from its a la carte dinner menu, 1908BC is also catering to the lunch crowd in Sheung Wan. Starting from HK$210, guests can pick from a pre-set lunch menu which includes a starter, main and dessert.

To celebrate the opening of the restaurant, from now until 31 August, guests can enjoy 20% off lunch sets while they explore this very familiar, yet unique cuisine.