The owner of a machinery company who has been in Hong Kong for 8 years switched to a snack shop
Toshiya Sakane, the owner of Miri Cafeteria, has been in Hong Kong for 8 years. He opened a precision machinery parts company in Japan, exported parts to different countries in Southeast Asia, and later used Hong Kong as his base. He brought it here, so he opened an online store to sell Japanese snacks in 2015." Because of the good response, four years after the online store opened, he thought again and wanted to open a snack shop.
"When I first came to Hong Kong, I only went to Japanese restaurants to eat the most familiar foods. However, Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong are more expensive, so I started to try some local food. I would eat street food in Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui, eating as I went." However, Mr. Sakane said frankly that he was not used to it at first, because eating while walking is very rude in Japanese culture, and sometimes he would be pointed at by people, which was very embarrassing. It’s normal, so I’m gradually being assimilated.”
When I first arrived in Kwai Kwang, I was shocked
When we first talked about opening a snack shop, a Hong Kong colleague proposed to open it in Kwai Kwong. He had been in Hong Kong for more than six years and entered this snack spot for the first time: "It was the first time I came to Kwai Chung Plaza. I was honestly surprised because it was so small. There are so many shops in this place, and there are so many people, so it’s shocking.”
He added that although there are similar places in Japan, for example, department stores have food courts that sell different foods, and there will be a lot of space in the middle for people to sit and eat, but Kwai Hiroshi has three floors full of small shops, densely packed together , there is no place to eat, "Sometimes I have to go to the elevator and escalator to stutter, which is really amazing!"
Do as the Romans do, the small shop he opened in Kwai Kwang sells snacks suitable for walking and eating, but they are all Japanese flavors. The trump card is the juicy meatball ($28), which is made with Japanese Wagyu beef and Hokkaido onions. If you upgrade the burger (+$8), it will also be topped with roast sauce and salad sauce. The beef is fragrant and bursting with juice; $16) is Wagyu Potato Cake, which has a strong potato flavor and a soft texture. In addition, there are skewered meatballs, warabi pancakes, cheese rice cakes, crispy fried koike fish and other Japanese snacks. Among them, the Japanese style rice ball ($15/2 pieces) is added with shredded mushrooms, shredded radish, bean curd skin, etc., which is light and fragrant with mushrooms. Suitable.
Although the popularity is not high, Mr. Sakane actually has high expectations for Miri Cafeteria: "I want to pass on Japanese culture to Hong Kong people. In fact, there are many different Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong, but they may not be authentic. I want to bring real Japanese food. It will be more convincing if I bring it to Hong Kong and I, a Japanese, will introduce it.” He said frankly that his current goal is to make this shop a success first, and then expand it slowly, hoping that more people will know the taste of Japan.
Interview and photography: "Eat Diet Men and Women"
Address: Shop T7, 3/F, 3069 Top World, Kwai Chung Plaza, 7 Kwai Foo Road, Kwai Fong
Tel: 2628 0074