The Bui siblings of Pak Loh Chiu Chow endeavour to bring chiu chow cuisine to the forefront whilst serving as an ode to their grandfather
At Pak Loh Chiu Chow Private Kitchen in Central, the storied and deep flavours of chiu chow cuisine are elegantly complemented within the opulent and grand palace-like design of the restaurant.
Hand-designed walls depicting floral scenes and aged French wine meet rich chiu chow food embracing the 58-year-old history of Pak Loh Chiu Chow and ancestry of one of China’s oldest cuisines.
In the hands of Alexa, Jonathan, and Melissa Bui, the siblings continue a heritage set out by S.H. Bui to drive the popularity and reframe the image of chiu chow cuisine in Hong Kong.
“We wanted to move away from the stereotypes of chiu chow restaurants with goose hanging in the food, street food-heavy, and food served on bare, worn tables,” Alexa comments on the luxury interior design of their Central restaurant and chain.
One of five locations within the Pak Loh Chiu Chow brand, Pak Loh Chiu Chow Private Kitchen, Times Square, Elements, Moon Lok Chiu Chow Citygate, and Moon Lok Chiu Chow in Shenzhen, Alexa finds the Private Kitchen to embrace the east-meets-west childhood all three siblings have enjoyed.
“With Pak Loh Chiu Chow, we wanted to bring the cuisine into a new and modern light but retain what is central to its identity,” Melissa adds.
As opposed to the warming nature of China’s northeast cuisine, sharp tones of Shanghai, lamb and mutton-heavy west China, or seafood-fresh delicacies of the south, chiu chow cuisine focuses on the aromatic and full-bodied ancestral fare of generations born with Chauzhou.
The three siblings originally did not plan a venture into the Pak Loh family business. Alexa has led a successful 16-year career as a makeup artist, Melissa studied fashion design in London and is now an illustrator and mural artist, and Jonathan was on a career path to become a physiotherapist before all three joined together to continue their grandfather’s legacy.
“Where Melissa brings her creative flair in designing the spaces, I am more practical, executing our direction in a certain way. Jonathan, having started his career busing tables, is the only one who’s really worked from the ground up in a restaurant,” Alexa says.
“As our father often says, we’ve overcome many hardships over the years on this journey, and we are incredibly grateful for our many supporters. What drives us and our team to continue thriving is creating a home for our customers to enjoy this special cuisine,” Jonathan adds on.
Since 1967, the true chiu chow flavours have remained central to the menu across the restaurant chain in Hong Kong. Loyal and curious customers can achieve a full exploration of the cuisine sampling their highlights, namely the Chiu Chow Lobster Crystal Ball, Chiu Chow Soyed Platter, Stir-fried Thread Noodles with Dried Scallop in Soy Sauce, and Three Sauces with Cold Chiu Chow Flower Crab.
As Alexa explains, due to mass migration from southern China to Southeast Asia in the 20th century, chiu chow people and cuisine has penetrated Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, the latter of which has popularised the growth of Thai-Chinese food.
Their culinary approach focuses on the original flavours popularised in their ancestral village, as well as embracing Hong Kong twists on the cuisine following decades of chiu chow integration in the city.
Jonathan notes that what “most people know about Chiu Chow cuisine only skims the surface level,” the potential to educate people on the heritage of the cuisine is great. Their aim, he states, is to pass on the same flavours to the next generation of Hong Kong’s diners.
“Our restaurants, especially in the old days, are staffed by families joining us from our villages in China to cook and share chiu chow cuisine locally,” Alexa says.
What makes Pak Loh Chiu Chow also special, Melissa notes, is their lo shui, the Chinese master stock used to braise their famed Chiu Chow Soyed Platter and used as a base for sauces across the menu.
“Our grandmother knows exactly what the lo shui should taste like and because we have been here since 1992, we also know what it tastes like. When you eat at [other chiu chow restaurants] and you try their lo shui, you can tell it is very different from ours.”
Jonathan is quick to note that their lo shui marinade has been transferred from location to location in the same form since their opening in 1967. “This taste alone is uniquely ours, and it is what our customers come back for time and time again,” he says.
At Pak Loh Chiu Chow Private Kitchen, education is key and central to this branch, where the Bui family takes great effort to interpret the cuisine through tailored menus and dishes.
Beyond the Central location, at Pak Loh Chiu Chow Times Square and Elements, and Moon Lok Chiu Chow Citygate, a more casual experience of chiu chow cuisine can be weaned, speaking to the cuisine’s adaption for a homely meal or a moment of luxury with friends and family.
Where regional Chinese cuisine has taken with the trends and global popularity in recent years, Alexa, Melissa, and Jonathan hope that chiu chow cuisine can soon enjoy the same image that Sichuanese and Shanghainese have for years.
Innovating on the storied cuisine, bringing chiu chow flavours into the current conversation, and continuing their grandfather’s legacy, all three siblings have noted of their closer family bond since joining the Pak Loh Chiu Chow business.
What S.H. Bui began 58 years ago in Hong Kong, Alexa, Jonathan, and Melissa Bui are continuing today with one of Hong Kong’s leading family restaurant brands at the forefront of chiu chow cuisine’s growth.
“Established in Hong Kong in 1967, it is one of the city’s Chiu Chow brands that is still thriving today. Since we’ve been around for many years, we’ve built a loyal following and have created many memories with our customers. Generations of family members dine here,” Jonathan says.
Explore the traditions of chiu chow cuisine with a modern take at Pak Loh Chiu Chow Restaurant in Hong Kong.
