Economic Rice or Cai Fan is a staple for many Singaporeans’ daily diets. The inexpensive dish covers all the bases and almost always doesn’t disappoint the tastebuds.
That’s why many may wonder why the concept hasn’t taken off in places outside of Singapore. Thankfully, Hong Kong has finally seen the light.
A product of the pandemic, these two-dishes-one-rice places have popped up across the city in numbers.
Source: Facebook
Often served in lunchboxes so that hungry patrons can dig in anywhere, they usually cost at least S$5.50.
According to TODAY, cai fan has taken over Hong Kong during the pandemic, proving to be a hit among those affected by pandemic measures.
As the Hong Kong dining scene limped along, much like in Singapore, people have found comfort in the stalls that serve portable, homely food.
The convenience, in particular, became important as dining-in measures meant the growing prevalence of takeaway food.
A quick look at this crowd-sourced map shows the sheer number of cai fan stalls that have popped up all over Hong Kong.
As with any trending movement, cai fan enthusiasts have emerged online, with many sharing their ‘expert’ takes on their favourites.
A Facebook group aptly called “Hong Kong One Rice Two Dishes Concern Group” now boasts 78,000 members, many of whom share their daily pickups with honest reviews.
Take this customer’s surprisingly expert review on his dinner of broccoli, prawns, and fried eel.
Source: Facebook
He mentions important information like price and even gives tips on saving some extra cash by opting out of the soup that comes with the meal.
As taste is subjective, he lets the picture do the talking.
Although many of us expect the world to return to normal as measures dissipate, some of us would love to have these new habits stick around.
Social distancing and the importance of personal hygiene are just some of the things we hope to withstand the test of time.
So for cai fan stalls in Hong Kong, we hope that the inexpensive trend lasts and becomes a part of their culture like how it is in Singapore.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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