STUCK IN TIME
written by VALERIE WONG
edited by CHRISTIE LAM
artwork by JAMIE SOO
Nothing ever stays the same… the dusty-pink clock turns its hands to another hour. The crowd flows in and out, in and out. And as new shops replace old ones, the view outside the stained window changes constantly.
Hong Kong is a land of opportunities, but also a place of extremely high costs. As rents skyrocket and foreign businesses enter the market with more innovative products, we tend to forget our local businesses.
Old family-run businesses are particularly at risk of closing down, especially with the devastating impact of Covid-19 on a multitude of different industries. Some business owners cannot afford to pay rent; some cannot stand the pressure of living in this fast-paced city; and some simply belong to the older generation, unable to take up the hard labour as they once had. As a result, as the old familiar shops fade away with time, new ones instantly spring up in their place.
My childhood memories all revolve around my home district – Tsuen Wan. My grandmother used to lead me through the bustling streets brimming with street vendors and wet market stalls. But now, the same walk through the streets of Tsuen Wan feels so alien to me… the shops and vendors are no more, taking with them the original pulse of warmth and energy. Rows of new shops line the streets, each one bright and modern and… cold.
However, there is one place that has obstinately remained the same after 43 years – Gala Cafe.
My grandma loved to take me there as a special “weekend treat”, and we would order red bean milk and steaming plates of egg toast. According to my grandma, she used to also take my mother there when she was a child, and that the buttery eggs have never changed in flavour. Despite changing hands from a retired couple to a new owner, the cafe has not lost its sense of nostalgia and warmth.
The cafe itself is nothing special: cramped chairs squished between tables; vintage Ribena posters hung up on the walls; old-fashioned fans still lazily spinning away. The interior is old and the walls are flaked as if the cafe was undisturbed by the shifts in the outside world. Waiters tend to dash to and fro, shouting out orders at the top of their voices. Yet the crowds outside stretch on for miles, each visitor always waiting in anticipation.
43 years ago, Gala Cafe started as a popular lunch spot for blue-collar workers, thanks to its huge portions and affordable prices. It is best known for its 5-inch thick fluffy egg sandwiches, a true delight to bite into. It sells many traditional local foods, from Hong Kong style French toast to the famous YanYuan Milk Tea (a mixture of coffee and milk tea).
However, the hundred-year British colonisation in Hong Kong had impacted many local customs and cuisine, and the Gala Cafe is no exception. Some of its bestselling food items like Chocolate Milk Crunch and cheese omelettes have been influenced by Western culture, highlighting how British influence has crept its way into some of the most unexpected places.
Gala Cafe holds a special place in the hearts of Tsuen Wan locals. It not only serves delicious and filling food, but stepping inside is like stepping through a time machine. Its familiar and unchanging atmosphere fills many Hongkongers with a sense of overwhelming nostalgia, a tender reminder of the past golden days.
Yes, nothing ever stays the same. The clock ticks another hour, the crowd surges in and out and in and out, and the scenery outside the window changes constantly. Yet even just for a brief moment, you are invited to step into the cafe that never changes, the cafe that is Stuck in Time.