Tsui Wah is Back in Lan Kwai Fong - Will the Historic Magic return?

By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law

AJ Halkes
February 7, 2025
5:54 pm

After a five-year gap Tsui Wah in Lan Kwai Fong has reopened. Once the ultimate go-to place for post-drinks, post-clubbing, post-anything respite; Tsui Wah embodied the essence of Hong Kong’s vibrant, 24/7 food and nightlife culture.

But with its new 12am closing time, the iconic early morning noodles and shared-table chaos which forged friendships and community, looks to be a thing of the past.

Will this Tsui Wah ever capture the frenzied energy of Hong Kong in which it thrived, or has this 2am or 3am beacon lost touch with its Lan Kwai Fong roots?

We need our food scene to stay fresh and contemporary, but what draws people to Hong Kong is also a taste of its heritage. The recent revivals of Jimmy’s Kitchen and Landaus are great examples of balancing nostalgia with relevance. We may have some room for more “high-end” dining concepts, but the market also craves the basics and the textured; we need to get this right all over again.

Let’s bring back the buzz: the affordable, the eclectic style of round-the-clock dining that’s quintessentially Hong Kong, places where chance friendships can and do spark over a plate of fried rice at 2am.

Can the new Tsui Wah rekindle that magic, or is it too polished, too modern, and detached from what the late-night market embraced in the past, by closing too early?

Time will tell but of course I’m rooting for success; sadly with a midnight closing time it’s also ignoring part of what made it iconic.

For me, the acid test on food will be their curry beef brisket and potatoes with rice—I’ll be dropping by soon to see if my favourite staple has survived.

If you want me to speak to them about opening later so we can rekindle some of that real late-night energy and buzz Hong Kong does so well … let me know and I will make the call!

Need input regarding a strategic Hong Kong challenge or related legal matters in the HKSAR you can always DM me and check out my profile at https://www.ajhalkes.com

HongKongHeritage TsuiWah FoodCulture FNB LanKwaiFong HKDiners BringBackTheBuzz 24HourEats FoodiesHK CentralHongKong CurryBrisketTest JimmysKitchen Landaus FoodBusinessSuccess HongKongClubbing

Tsui Wah is Back in Lan Kwai Fong - Will the Historic Magic return?

By HK Lawyer AJ Halkes Barrister-at-Law

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