KOWLOON RESTAURANT

The emergence of Hong Kong's ice-room culture was influenced by the British afternoon tea culture during the colonial era, and began to emerge in the 1950s. For mid-priced restaurants in the economic climate of the time, the early ice-rooms were limited by their licences in terms of the types of food they could offer, so they only served coffee, milk tea, red bean ices, and simple food such as sandwiches and toast. It was not until 1960 that the Hong Kong Department of Health introduced a new licence for Hong Kong style cafes, allowing them to cook over an open fire and serve a wide range of food such as congee, noodles, rice, etc. The number of cafes grew and the first Hong Kong style caf� was opened in the same year on Tung Shing Road, Aberdeen. As the Hong Kong economy took off in the 1970s and 1980s, the number of people who could afford to spend money at the Ice House increased, and in order to cater to the tastes of its customers, the Ice House began to transform into a caf�, which has since become the most local and popular dining venue in Hong Kong. The history spans half a century, and although Hong Kong's ice houses are now in decline, it is a testament to the evolution of Hong Kong's local culinary culture.