Check In Taipei: Redefining Taiwanese Cuisine in Hong Kong
How does a restaurant introduce overseas cuisine to a new region while adapting it to local tastes? Check In Taipei, a Hong Kong-based restaurant serving contemporary Taiwanese cuisine, stands out by doing things differently. Jacky, the owner of Check In Taipei, shares the story of its beginnings and the journey to success.
Jacky’s interest in cooking began during his final year at university in Canada. After graduating, he worked various jobs in Hong Kong before deciding to shift careers. Check In Taipei originally belonged to his friends, and Jacky helped them manage it. However, as the business began to struggle, Jacky decided to take over and try to turn things around.
“The first couple years was a headache because nothing was working.” - Jacky
The first three years were a steep learning curve for Jacky, as his lack of restaurant management experience posed significant challenges. The turning point came when he made bold changes to ensure the business's sustainability.
To this date Jacky has opened multiple branches of Check in Taipei around Hong Kong in locations such as:
Yuen Long
Causeway Bay
Tsim Sha Tsui
Big Turning Point
After four years of dedication and hard work, Jacky finally found the formula for success, transforming Check In Taipei into a thriving establishment. Jacky pointed out some key factors on what turn the tides for his business some of them are:
Price
Customers often compared menu prices between Taiwan and Hong Kong. Jacky decided to make the food more affordable, ensuring it appealed to a broader audience.
Design
Unlike most Taiwanese restaurants in Hong Kong, which recreate a night market vibe, Check In Taipei offers a modern, contemporary experience, reflected in both its menu and ambiance.
Taste
While embracing a modern approach, Jacky ensured the authentic flavors of Taiwanese cuisine were preserved. He went a step further by offering unique condiments, such as being the only restaurant in Hong Kong to serve beef fat at the table.
One example is the Beef Noodle Soup, which he elevated by incorporating a cut of beef steak to enhance its taste and texture. Innovations like this, along with creative menu upgrades, are what truly distinguish Check In Taipei from its competitors.
Despite these changes, Jacky credits the launch of their mochi dessert as the game-changer. Inspired by a mochi shop in Tamsui, Taiwan, this dessert features a tapioca flour-based outer layer that is chewy like traditional mochi but melts in seconds. Its uniqueness brought long lines of customers and became a defining feature of the restaurant’s success.
“It was the first time where we would see lines of customers waiting.“ - Jacky
Why Taiwanese Cuisine
Jacky’s decision to serve Taiwanese cuisine was deeply influenced by his upbringing. Growing up in Canada, he often visited cafes serving Taiwanese dishes with his friends. These experiences left a lasting impression, and when it came time to open his own restaurant, Taiwanese cuisine was the natural choice. It represented both a connection to his past and a way to share the flavors he had grown to love with a wider audience.
Taiwanese Cuisine in Hong Kong is particularly famous for its iconic street foods. Many Taiwanese restaurants in the city aim to recreate the vibrant ambiance of a night market, offering menus that feature popular dishes such as:
Bubble Tea (Boba)
A sweet tea-based drink with chewy tapioca pearls, available in various flavors and milk or fruit options.
Beef Noodles
A comforting dish of tender beef, chewy noodles, and a savory, aromatic broth. A very popular dish among Taiwanese.
Taiwanese Fried Chicken
Crispy, juicy fried chicken seasoned with five-spice powder, salt, and pepper, often served as a street food snack. It is commonly found in night markets.
Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan)
A flavorful bowl of rice topped with slow-cooked minced pork in a soy-based sauce. A quick and affordable choice for a quick meal.
Oyster Omelets
A mix of fresh oysters, eggs, and tapioca starch, pan-fried and topped with a sweet-savory sauce. This cuisine often paired with Lu Rou Fan.
Stinky Tofu
Fermented tofu, deep-fried and served with pickled vegetables and chili sauce for a bold, acquired flavor.
Like many places, Hong Kong was heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, with a significant drop in visitors from Taiwan. However, data shows a strong recovery, with over 1 million Taiwanese visitors recorded from the start of 2024 through October.
While this may not directly reflect the core dining audience at Check In Taipei, it offers insight into its potential customer base, particularly since Taiwanese residents in Hong Kong are noted as a key target demographic. This shows the immense potential for both Taiwanese cuisine and culture to flourish in Hong Kong.
What’s on the Menu
Check In Taipei offers a range of traditional Taiwanese dishes, including favorites like Lu Rou Fan and Dan Bing. But Jacky mentioned one dish that particularly stands out, which is the Taiwanese Beef Noodles. Instead of the usual large bowl, they’ve taken a different approach, serving it with modern plating to give customers a fresh and unique dining experience.
The drinks menu is just as impressive, with a variety of options from their popular milk series to creative cocktails. One highlight is their tea-infused spirits, where they use tea leaves to create unique flavors like Oolong Vodka and Tie Guan Yin Gin. It’s a clever way to blend traditional Taiwanese elements with something unexpected and modern.
Check In Taipei’s wide selection of Taiwanese dishes has made it a favorite among Taiwanese living in Hong Kong. Jacky shares that while some Taiwanese customers were initially skeptical, they became regulars after experiencing the authentic flavors of the food.
Wrapping Up
One of Jacky’s proudest achievements with Check In Taipei has been watching the brand grow and gain recognition, not just from locals but also from Taiwanese expats living in Hong Kong. For him, it’s not just about the success, it’s about seeing his vision come to life and knowing that people connect with what he’s created. This is especially meaningful given how tough the early years were, with constant struggles and uncertainty. Turning those challenges around and building something lasting has been incredibly rewarding.
Jacky is also deeply passionate about changing how people view Taiwanese cuisine. He wants customers to see it as more than just night market snacks or street food. At Check In Taipei, he focuses on showing a more refined side of Taiwanese flavors, blending tradition with modern presentation and techniques. This approach not only sets the restaurant apart but also gives diners a chance to experience a different, more nuanced take on the food.
For Jacky, it’s about more than just serving great dishes, it’s about creating an experience that stays with people. From the modern plating of their beef noodles to their unique tea-infused cocktails, he wants every detail to reflect the richness and creativity of Taiwanese culture. It’s this deeper connection that makes all the hard work worthwhile.