The “rice with two sides” culture in Hong Kong, while appearing as a recent culinary trend, actually had its roots as early as the early 2000s, though it wasn’t mainstream at that time. To understand its rise, one must look back at the changes in the economic environment of Hong Kong and how society, amidst various adversities, gave birth to this popular dining style.
In the early 2000s, Hong Kong had just weathered the impact of the Asian financial crisis, leading to a significant economic downturn, high unemployment rates, and a notable decrease in consumer spending power. The subsequent SARS epidemic in 2003 plunged Hong Kong into unprecedented hardship. The tourism industry was paralyzed, and the food and beverage sector bore the brunt, with many restaurants and restaurants experiencing drastic drops in business, leading to closures. The daily lives of workers and grassroots citizens were greatly affected. In such a challenging environment, the inexpensive and substantial “rice with two sides” emerged in old districts and industrial areas, serving as a “life-saving meal” for many. At that time, “rice with two sides” eateries were primarily concentrated in areas where working-class citizens resided, such as Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, and Kwai Chung. They operated on a neighborhood basis, offering simple home-cooked dishes like braised pork with preserved vegetables, tomato and scrambled eggs, and salt and pepper pork chop, priced at around $20 with change, providing both satiety and budget-friendliness.
Post-SARS, as Hong Kong’s economy gradually recovered, “rice with two sides” did not fade away; instead, it once again became a popular choice for citizens during economic downturns like the global financial crisis in 2008. The sustainability of this dining style lies in its alignment with the practical needs of Hongkongers – quick, affordable, and filling. For long-working hours individuals under significant pressure, with limited lunch breaks, spending $30 on a box of “rice with two sides” containing vegetables and meat was more in line with their Chinese dietary habits than spending $50-60 on a plate of dry-fried beef noodles at a restaurant.
By 2020, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong Kong’s economy once again faced a harsh winter, even more severe than during the SARS period. Due to the dual impact of social movements and the pandemic, alongside the deepening economic integration between Hong Kong and the Mainland, local small and medium-sized enterprises faced immense pressure. Many restaurants struggled due to gathering restrictions and bans on evening dine-in services, leading to bleak business prospects and closures. In such circumstances, “rice with two sides” once again became a survival strategy for the food and beverage industry. Many businesses that originally operated small eateries and restaurants transitioned to offering take-out, using “rice with two sides” as a draw, resulting in significant popularity. This wave of “rice with two sides” was more intense than before, extending beyond grassroots areas to commercial districts like Central and Causeway Bay, where even white-collar workers began embracing this commoner cuisine.
The resurgence of “rice with two sides” to some extent reflects the transformation of Hong Kong’s economic structure. While Hong Kong traditionally relied on finance and tourism, recent social unrest combined with the pandemic’s impact led to the contraction of many industries, reduced incomes for citizens, and a shift towards frugal consumption patterns. Simultaneously, rental pressures made it challenging for traditional restaurants to survive, while take-out establishments had lower costs and could better adapt to market changes. It can be said that “rice with two sides” is not just a dining choice but a microcosm of how Hongkongers adapt and survive flexibly amidst economic adversities.
Stay tuned for the next episode, where we will delve deeper into the variety of dishes in “rice with two sides,” ingredient selection, and how it evolved from grassroots cuisine to a widely embraced dining phenomenon across Hong Kong.
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