It’s been three days since the district council elections, and a lot of Hongkongers are still on cloud nine after pro-dems’ shock landslide win, which toppled numerous pro-Beijing politicians.
But no electoral loss has been the cause for quite as much celebration as that of renowned non-doctor and fiery pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho, whose defeat in the Yuen Long district council race saw dozens of people gathered outside the counting station to crack a few cans of beer and even pop open the champagne to toast Ho’s downfall.
The jubilant crowds also chanted “Ho’s finished,” which in Cantonese is pronounced “Ho yi yuen” — a stinging homophone for “councillor Ho.” Now, one cha chaan teng in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Kwong Wing cafe, has commemorated that euphoric chant, posting a bright orange sign outside advertising a “Ho’s finished set meal”: a plate of white rice with a chicken chop, sausages, slices of ham, and a sunny-side-up egg with a drizzle of soy, complete with a hot or cold drink of your choice, for HK$42 (US$5).
There’s really only word that describes the homey jumble of a dish marking the humiliating loss of one of the most divisive politicians in the city: satisfying.
#LIVE: Some Hong Kong restauranteurs celebrate the waterloo of the city’s pro-Beijing bloc. One of the targets has to be Junius Ho, who was seen shaking hands with alleged triads after the Yuen Long violence on July 21. This shop names a dish “Ho is over”. #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/qyVBRJsyUr
— Ezra Cheung (@ezracheungtoto) November 26, 2019
HK01 stopped by for a visit and described long lines of people outside the restaurant, whose exterior has been turned into a Lennon Wall of sorts. The reporter noted that on a recent evening, about 50 people were seated inside and another 20 were waiting in line outside.
The crowds are evidence of Ho’s enduring unpopularity among the pro-dem camp. In fact, he is arguably the most reviled figure in the eyes of the city’s protesters, with the possible exception of Chief Executive Carrie Lam herself.
Long known for gleefully courting controversy, Ho’s already substantial infamy skyrocketed after he was filmed glad-handing men believed to have taken part in the July 21 mob attack on protesters, journalists, and commuters at Yuen Long MTR station. The vitriol directed at Ho, however, took a turn for the physical when he stabbed while canvassing in Tuen Mun earlier this month. The assailant was quickly subdued, and Ho wasn’t badly injured in the attack.
Despite his loss in the district elections, Ho remains a lawmaker.
Of course, the Kwong Wing cafe isn’t the only Hong Kong eatery to serve up a protest-themed dish.
Since September, Sai Ying Pun burger joint Electric Avenue has been serving up a Fuck The Police burger, a hefty — and boozy — burger made with port and red wine mayo, whiskey cheddar, bourbon-glazed bacon, gin-candied jalapenos, Seven Brews NEIPA onions, and also a free shot of bourbon. An Instagram post announcing the burger said it also comes with a middle finger (though a Coconuts HK staffer visited Electric Avenue to try said burger, and confirmed no middle fingers were given — though the burger was good.)
Similarly, Tenno Ramen in Hung Hom recently rolled out a special called the “blue object ramen,” a not-so-subtle jab at police who, in late September, were filmed kicking a man in a yellow vest. In an unfortunate choice of words, an officer later referred to the man as a “yellow object.” The change to blue is likely explained by the color’s traditional association with the pro-police camp.
(Don’t worry, though — the egg wasn’t boiled in the pesky blue-dyed pepper solution sprayed from the police’s water cannons. It’s just been soaked in natural blue food coloring overnight.)
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