Wok hei master and Hong Kong champion Chef ArChan Chan and hospitality veteran Jonathan Leung pay tribute to Hong Kong’s fading yet beloved dining tradition, bringing flickering neon and Lion Rock spirit to the heart of SoHo for three months.
Hong Kong once boasted more than 200 dai pai dongs; today, fewer than 20 remain. These classic streetside stalls have long served as the city’s beating heart: democratic dining centres where kitchen workers share tables with bankers, where the clatter of chopsticks mingles with neighbourhood gossip and where community bonds were forged over sizzling plates of stir fry and bottles of Blue Girl. As these classic, street-side food stalls crawl toward extinction, Peng Leng Jeng (cheekily named after the Cantonese slang for “cheap, beautiful, good”) opens for the summer on Staunton Street, penning a wok-fired love letter to one of the city’s most beloved dining traditions.
The project reunites two friends and teammates from Ho Lee Fook who first bonded over late-night stir-fries: Chef ArChan Chan, a Sham Shui Po native and champion of Hong Kong flavours, explored in her cookbook Hong Kong Local, and hospitality veteran Jonathan Leung, who had a habit of hosting late-night team gatherings at beloved childhood haunts in Yau Ma Tei, meetings set to the clang and sizzle of woks over flame. With careers that took them abroad for over a decade, both found themselves yearning for the unpretentious, fast and fiery food that filled their hearts and souls.
Peng Leng Jeng, a loving tribute to the dai pai dongs of their upbringing, some of which still stand today, provides the pair with a creative sandbox to revisit those early culinary memories, while paying tribute to the OGs who paved the way.
“When I was growing up, going to the dai pai dong with my family was the highlight of the week,” Chef ArChan shares. “At home, my grandma’s cooking was comforting and nourishing, but at the dai pai dong, it was all noise and excitement. It’s a place filled with energy, where the food comes fast and hot and where you often bump into neighbours or friends. I’ve always missed that feeling.”
Jonathan, who shared a similar experience growing up, envisions Peng Leng Jeng as a late-night destination for the neighbourhood, and “a place where we can deliver hospitality to our fellow friends in the industry.” In that same spirit, for an industry whose challenges have been well documented as of late, Peng Leng Jeng will offer 20 per cent discount to all hospitality professionals coming by for a post-shift meal. “It’s our way of giving back to the people that share this community with us,” he adds.”
Set inside Black Sheep’s Team Canteen, a community clubhouse for Black Sheep Team Members to convene and dine, Peng Leng Jeng will open those doors to the entire community for a summer of neon-lit, Hong Kong-style revelry, complete with classic Hong Kong drinking games.
Dai pai dongs may be dwindling, but the craving for their lively atmosphere remains strong. The few that remain continue to serve their local communities, but have also become destinations, drawing crowds from across the city and visitors from abroad. At Peng Leng Jeng, a tribute to classic favourites like Oi Man Sang and Keung Kee, the focus remains steadfast on honest flavours and quality ingredients, complemented by attentive service and a curated selection of drinks including the classic Blue Girl and beyond.
Imagine the streets of Kowloon after dusk — the neon lights flickering on, the wok fires blazing, the beer bottles popping open to cheers and the unmistakable aroma of sizzling claypots and stir-fried dishes wafting through the air. A playlist of ’80s, ‘90s and ‘00s Cantopop, starring names like Eason Chan, Joey Yung and Twins soundtracks the dining room, celebrating an era when dai pai dongs ruled the city’s night markets, with high-energy service and lively conversation.
The menu at Peng Leng Jeng features classic street-side dishes created with Hong Kong flair. Lovers of Cantonese cuisine will be delighted to discover the flavours of wok hei, the elusive “breath of the wok”, a rarity on Hong Kong Island, where flame-friendly kitchens are scarce. Custom high-heat burners at Peng Leng Jeng deliver the blistering temperatures required for true wok char, ensuring each plate reaches the table still crackling with life.
Highlights include Typhoon Shelter Corn, Salt & Pepper Squid, crispy Oyster Omelette, Pork Lard Rice, wok-fried Beef & Potato with black pepper and honey sauce, Black Bean & Chilli Clam and the Crispy Pork Ribs with Mayonnaise Of course, no Chinese restaurant would be complete without its own rendition of the Hong Kong’s most iconic dish, Stir Fry King.
Peng Leng Jeng raises a glass to the dai pai dong, a place where food, memories and good company intertwine — celebrating the spirit of Hong Kong’s beloved local tradition.
Peng Leng Jeng is open from 18 June until 31 August, Tuesday to Saturday from 6pm.
1/F, Staunton Suites, 22 Staunton Street, SoHo. Book here.
