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To yachties, and countless others, the 31st of May will be a day of much sadness as the legendary Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant on Po Toi will be closing. Tables will be folded, chairs will be stacked and fish tanks emptied – a part of Hong Kong’s maritime story come to an end.
Since the 1970s, Ming Kee has filled a very special place in Hong Kong’s outdoor life. A godsend to hungry, thirsty sailors it has also fed and watered bankers, doctors, judges, engineers, brokers, surveyors, politicians, and normal people.
Prawns, squid, grouper, fried rice, washed down with Tsingtao, make for the perfect Sunday lunch and, while lots of local restaurants serve seafood, few, if any, have their own bay with a Tin Hau temple at the entrance and a sandy beach with a landing dock in front. Bottom holding in the bay is good and the array of craft filling the anchorage is often a show in itself. On Ming Kee’s port side is a public pier and a regular Tsui Wah ferry connects the island with Aberdeen.
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 Ming Kee’s décor is modest but, in our opinion, the canopies overhead are what make the place special. These yellow and blue retractable awnings provide shade, colour and a shed-like atmosphere; tables are strewn about the two levels and the stools are made of plastic – informality at its best!
So, what a tragedy that, from the 1st of June 2026, it will become yet another ‘cultural casualty’ like the Jumbo, Queen’s Pier, Marine HQ, Repulse Bay, Sunbeam, dai pai dongs, dim sum trolleys . . .
But all is not lost. Ming Kee’s third-generation proprietor, Leung Wing Cheong, 70, says he remains open to offers should anyone express an interest in continuing the business.
According to Dim Sum Daily, Mr Leung’s decision to close was ‘driven by retirement and the absence of a successor, rather than rising fuel costs as previously speculated online’.
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By the way, Po Toi was once home to more than a thousand souls. These days it has fewer than 10 permanent residents. This is a problem for the restaurant as staff have to be ferried from Hong Kong Island. Furthermore, Po Toi is not connected to the city’s power grid and has to generate its own electricity through a line-up of Gardner generators.
Po Toi and nearby Beaufort Island are remote, but it is important they stay that way. That’s what gives them their allure and charm. Getting there is an adventure in itself and hiking the crests and exploring the coastlines provide a wholesome and healthy release from city life. No need to fill in the gap between the two islands. Honestly. Or build a bridge.
https://www.fragrantharbour.com/Flip%20PDF/264/264.html#p=16
With the right political will, vested interests, muscle and enthusiasm, something could surely be done to save Ming Kee. Think Alexander Grantham on display in Quarry Bay Park.
https://www.fragrantharbour.com/Flip%20PDF/229/229.html#p=60 It is now one of our waterfront’s most striking features, all because a former Fire Services divisional commander, Sung Sau-man, made it happen.
As a footnote, the Aberdeen Boat Club’s first race of its Summer Series (often referred to as ‘The Restaurant Series’) has been scheduled for the 30th of May. And guess where the fleet is going for post-race festivities?
Ming Kee Seafood Restaurant!
Let’s all hope that it’s not for the last time. |
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