Bing Kee - A Long-time Dai Pai Dong, An Integral Part of Hong Kong Life 传说中铁皮大排档: 炳记茶档, 也是香港明星大牌档

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without trying their street food. No doubt, there’s a lot of good food in Hong Kong, be it dim sum from the tea houses or roast goose and char siew at the Cantonese restaurants but for many of us, what characterises the cuisine of a place is its street food. It is eating what the locals eat that makes travelling to these places a truly remarkable experience. And Hong Kong is not short of good street food. Everywhere I went, it is always easy to pick up some local delights. I came back again during my recent trip to reprise the roadside dining experience at an old long-time Dai Pai Dong 大排檔, something truly Hong Kong!

The Tai Hang 大坑 neighbourhood of Hong Kong Island has experienced a renaissance of sorts - it has always been a close knit quiet residential area with charming older residential buildings and narrow streets but in the past two years a large number of small restaurants, bars and coffee shops have moved in. Bing Kee (located along Ormsby Street) is a traditional Chinese tea "Dai Pai Dong" which boasts retro cool and long lines during the weekend. It is a must for anyone seeking a good old-fashioned Hong Kong brew.

香港的大坑这个港岛区独特小社区，位置自成一角，虽与繁华热闹，已逐渐被自由行旅客攻陷的铜锣湾为邻，只是一区之隔，但气氛却是截然两样，宁静悠闲，不少小本经营的食肆在此开业，臥虎藏龙，各有特色，当中很多自己都希望一试。这日因为来到铜锣湾，因利乘便之下，决定多行几步，探访一下这个小社区，顺道看看有哪间吸引的食肆，让自己尝它的美味。

在这小小的大坑区内漫步遊逛，途经的多间食肆都甚为吸引，而最终的落脚点，则是来到这间大坑区内硕果仅存的大牌档。位于大坑施弼街的炳记茶档，是香港现时罕见的真正港式大牌档。牌档一直维持在原来位置即大坑施弼街旁，而牌档的内部结构也基本上没有任何改动，所以体现非常原汁原味的空间面貌。牌档位于大坑区两座唐楼之间，区内楼宇属于低密度，一般都是五六层高的唐楼，楼龄大概30至50年。店内提供的菜式只有十多款，但仍然可以客似云来，更成为明星饭堂。炳记茶档已有多年历史，是陈奕迅、徐濠萦、梁汉文等众多大明星都爱的大排档美食，招牌猪扒面与港式奶茶绝对不能错过，炳记茶档的奶茶还曾被CNN评为全香港4间最好喝的奶茶之一；炳记不仅是知名的大排档美食，特别的是它是少数保留香港传统风味的正港式大牌档。

香港在现今连锁餐厅横行当道之际，自家经营的小型餐厅少之又少，更莫说是70、80年代旺极一时的大牌档。大牌档一直都是香港的特色之一，所以每当找到一家时，心中都会有种莫明的亲切感。

炳记茶档是其中一家真正的港式大牌档。

我坐在正对着安庶庇街的路边，小小的枱，打横着搁在路牙子上，在两座楼之间的巷子里拉起一块塑料顶棚就权当作临时餐室了吧。绿皮屋，利源东街上很多，但那大多数都是杂货店一样的临时铺子，而以绿皮屋为特色的大排档，在香港似乎已经没有剩下多少。

Sporting an increasing number of new coffee haunts and tapas joints, the soul of the whole street in the Tai Hang district remains in its local inhabitants and strong heritage architecture. A place often overlooked by people who visit more well-known hotspots, it has undergone a revival in recent years, with new ventures replacing the old mechanic shops. The contrasts make for a compelling spot for both the wanderluster and the enthusiast snapper.

香港艺人经常出入一些高级地方，但也不要以为艺人只喜欢帮衬贵价食肆，其实有好多都喜欢踎街边大排档，贪佢够晒香港地道风味，当中大坑炳记茶档是一班艺人的聚脚点，因为明星效应，更有不少市民慕名前来。艺人不一定都钟情于高级名牌食肆，其实有很多都喜欢踎街边大排档，跟外地旅客不遑多让，因为大排档食物好之外，还有独特的风味及人情味，是很多高级食肆不能感受得到的，陈奕迅（Eason）就最喜欢到大坑人气茶档炳记，正因为这个缘故，Eason的一班好友亦经常出现于茶档。

墙上有陈奕迅（Eason）：“无食过（炳记）就等于无黎过大坑囖！（没吃过就等于没来过大坑）的亲笔提字，证明炳记的确是大坑之光，也是一众明星的平民食堂。

Diners from all walks of life crowd together at Bing Kee's few tables to munch on simple eats and linger over a fragrant cuppa. It doesn't matter if they drive a Benz or a concrete mixer, everyone loves the creamy tea here.

Bing Kee's menu is succint. It lists a handful of instant noodles, rice vermicelli and sandwich options. The drink is always milk tea. 

People flock here for it.

炳记茶档餐牌简单，供应的食物不超过廿种。它的食物清单是如此简单，说不上精致，反而是处处透着怀旧的气息，风味十足。抬头看墙上的餐牌，也不过面而已，说区别的是单拼、双拼，能拼的，约或猪扒、火腿、餐肉、肠仔这些在寻常茶餐厅里见惯了的平价平民食物。猪扒的调制还算特别，用了酱油和黑胡椒，有一种中西结合的曼妙，让人看到了豉油西餐隐隐的影子。

我坐的那个位置，刚刚好能看见铁皮屋里的忙碌。一个穿着白汗衫的老人围着炉火汆公仔面，真要说什么技巧，大概就是时间磨练出的火候巧劲吧，尽管只是普通的速食面，最多也就是换出前一定罢了，但汆烫的面软硬适中，爽滑筋道，平实中自有一些味道 。

Hong Kong cuisine owes a lot of its characteristics to dai pai dong culture. Many Cantonese dishes are cooked in a wok, which is the main cooking vessel in a dai pai dong. The Cantonese often speak of a dish having wok hei, or the “breath of a wok” that ever-elusive quality to a dish cooked at high heat in a wok over an open flame. The “breath” is the same word as 'qi' in Mandarin — energy, life force. And indeed, imparting wok hei into a dish requires the skill, deftness, and expertise of a master. A dish with wok hei has a slightly charred taste but is never burnt. The high heat immediately vaporizes moisture, so the food has just the barest crisp edge to it. And it’s not supposed to be greasy. I imagine a dish with wok hei tastes like it’s been cooked by a dragon. The quality is that mythical.

午市，总是一个人来吃碗面的人较多；是以，全店的感觉，包括老板、伙记、顾客等，都比较从容；完全没有赶着要交枱的感觉，一个人就悠悠闲闲地吃着面吧，感觉真舒服。

在香港，这一种只设街边坐位的铁皮档仔，已经可以说是罕见，而且，在大热天时坐在这路边饮热奶茶，绝对没有中暑的感觉，反而，多了几分自然风，是新鲜空气的凉快。

Milk tea is Hong Kong's undisputed king of drinks. Stemming from the British colonial practice of adding milk to black tea, the Hong Kong version is strained through a sackcloth to encourage smoothness.

A medley of flavors in a simple, affordable meal at Bing Kee.

炳记茶档最重要的茶水档，也不过在铁皮屋外一张简单的折叠桌上。香港茶餐厅的奶茶，黑白淡奶几乎一统天下，不过这里却是原产新加坡的双喜牌淡奶，洋红的双喜字样似乎也让这杯奶茶多了不一样的中国情结。我看了很久，想要闹明白究竟奶茶的冲制是否需要什么技术标准，不过似乎没有，完全都靠手劲的拿捏，而那是时间带来的经验直觉吧。要说绝对口感上的好喝，其实谈不上吧，只是满足了基本条件，不涩、顺滑、回香回甘。茶没有那么多花哨的拉茶动作，甚至只是从热水瓶里直接冲到铺了淡奶底的玻璃杯里，简单到让人脑子出现空白，一时忘记港式奶茶里 “先茶后奶” 还是 “先奶后茶” 的各种争议。

Bing Kee as a long-time operating Dai Pai Dong is undoubtedly an indispensable element in Hong Kong due to the collective memories. The main reason why traditional Dai Pai Dong is so popular, it is because it relates to old Hong Kong. Most Dai Pai Dongs which were set up by old-aged people from grass-root families. The cheap and delicious food attracted many people to have meal at that time. As an intrinsic attribute of collective memory, that’s why people in Hong Kong endeavor to preserve Dai Pai Dong because it is not only an eating place but also a symbol of lower class life in Hong Kong in 60’s to 70’s.

Nowadays, Dai Pai Dong still remains popular among the public. Many office workers would like to have lunch in Dai Pai Dongs once a week. They think that a group of colleagues have a meal in there like the family union. It shows that Dai Pai Dong as the family provided warm and comfortable feelings to the public. They do not fear of the hygiene problem, contrary they have the collective memories in there because when talking about Dai Pai Dong, it evokes resonance among the public. As an important feature of Hong Kong’s dining culture, it has accompanies the growth of Hong Kong citizens and become part of their memories an passion. 

炳记是港岛区其中一个着名的铁皮屋排档，历史悠久，是个本土饮食历程的活文化见证。铁皮大排档已经系香港历史一部份，旧区多已被重建依家确系买少见少。人渐大，亦更珍惜这种老式大排档。深怕有朝一日，政府又把这些附有纪念价值的地方拆掉重建。其实这些地方正好记录着香港的成长和让下一代更了解历史的文化。

那驳色的铁皮屋沾上了寒碜的粗糙岁月，五十年代起一直维持在这街道看着人事变迁，一代接一代，雨疏风骤、时光荏苒，却韶华自负。香港老旧的文化气味，如奶茶香般蛮缠于这裹凝结了时代的空气，化不开的浓，陪伴着香港人的每个早／午晨。