| Duen Kee |  |
When one comes to Chuen Lung Village, sitting down here to have tea is a must, all because it is so hard to find such countryside environment and to listen to bird-calls while having tea, also because this tea-house uses mountain stream water to prepare tea.
Owner Mr. Tsang is known as Uncle Pig, and he is a Chuen Lung local. In the 1950s the Government started road works in these mountains; he saw the business potential and prepared hot milk tea by himself to sell, his clients being the workers from construction sites. Later as more tourists came around, he also tried preparing steamed rice with spare-ribs, buns, rice rolls and other dim-sums for people. The small tea-stand has by now become a renowned countryside tea-house known far and wide.
At Duen Kee, one feels as if sitting down at the door-steps of somebody’s house and having tea. The second floor has open-air seating, and an area set aside for bird fans. Bird owners will take their bird cages here and enjoy tea, listening to the birds chirping away. Another enjoyment is the countryside food; vegetables are grown locally, particularly fresh and crispy, from farmlands irrigated by stream water. Prices are affordable, tea just sells for $3 per head and dim-sums are inexpensive. There is no cash register. The shop is now managed by Brother Fai, son of Uncle Pig. The customers, the staff and the bosses all have implicit trust in each other. On weekdays they mostly serve morning hikers and villager neighbours, on weekends they serve more tourists; sometimes Japanese tourists will come, making a special trip to see the birds. Be sure to come early for morning tea, or else by 9am it is already late, the shop looks like ready to close and the dim-sums half sold out.
Date founded: 1950s
Founder: Mr. Tsang, now managed by his son, Brother Fai
Address: 57-58 Chuen Lung Village, Route Twisk, Tsuen Wan
Telephone: 2490 5246
