Little has changed at Hong Kong Restaurant over the years, and that’s part of what makes it so special. Its first customers have been able to bring their children and grandchildren to enjoy the family-friendly atmosphere, delicious food, fair prices, and cosy ambiance. Owner Afa Yu and his wife, Ming, have experienced the island throughout its many changes over the past 50 years, while steering the family-run business forward and maintaining its go-to status in the community. In an environment that sees businesses quickly come and go, it’s an exceptional feat to mark five decades of existence.
Afa Yu can look back with pride as he sees the fruit of his hard work, the blessings that owning a business has brought his family, and the appreciation of the community that was on full display at the restaurant’s 50th anniversary party.
The street came alive with music, entertainment, food, and drink on the evening of Saturday, September 28, as family, friends and long-standing supporters from near and far came together to celebrate the restaurant’s golden anniversary.
The special occasion brought together family from Canada, the Netherlands, and the neighbouring islands, old friends and supporters from Saba, Statia, St. Kitts, and not to mention St. Maarten retirees, who were among the first customers. The Chinese Association held cultural performances, including a traditional lion dance, where two dancers would coordinate movements, cloaked together in a spectacular lion costume. The iconic Chinese tradition is a hallmark of grand and joyous occasions.
Friends and neighbours brought BBQ grills and offered photography services. International Liquor & Tobacco sponsored tents and chairs, and Shop for Less provided the decorations. Culture Department Head Clara Reyes, who is also a long-time friend, joyfully vlogged some of the celebrations. Retired police officers were counted amongst the special guests, including Major Brown. The officers had been some of the first regular clients, as Hong Kong restaurant was originally located near the police station.
Back in those days, there were just five officers, Yu shared. Unless you lived here, it’s hard to imagine how “small” the island was back then. The restaurant has been part of life in Philipsburg ever since, and Yu has seen many changes as the decades have come and gone.
The restaurant itself has barely changed since it opened at its Cannegieter Street location – a time-capsule of sorts, in an ever-changing capital. The red-and-gold interior, adorned with Chinese lanterns, vases and statues, is perfect for family dining or casual drinks at the bar. Memorable to many, are the placemats depicting the Chinese Zodiac and its 12 animals, representing different years, along with their characteristics. Symbols dotted across the room on banners and lanterns signify positive qualities like optimism and blessings.
There’s a sense of nostalgia for those that grew up with the restaurant, passing by for quick lunches or a relaxing Sunday family feast, so much so that it’s a must-visit for college students on their trips home. The restaurant survived major hurricanes Luis and Irma, but still managed to keep its old style and charm through flooding, damage and repairs.
Afa Yu enjoys the fact that everyone has memories of the restaurant, and that it’s always been a place that everyone comes to, from both the local and Chinese communities, and from all walks of life. When asked what the best thing was about his business, Yu said that it’s given him the opportunity to provide for himself, his family, and even the family of his late brother.
While many small business owners can relate, Yu’s story is one of many life-changing events, which led up to the creation and running of the restaurant along with Ming. Hardships and hurricanes on St. Maarten have been events to navigate and work through, from economic downtimes to the family needing to sleep on the restaurant chairs after a natural disaster struck.
But more importantly, the business has been a way out of hardship and into success after years of hard work, flexibility, change, and one fateful stroke of luck. From humble beginnings, Yu has raised his four children and been able to give them a better life than the one he had. Raymond, Robert, Ramona, and Ron, who were all involved with the family business, are now all married and most have moved abroad.
Yu, who is now 80, was born in Canton, China, and suffered through hunger and famine. He can remember a time when river stones were eaten to stave off hunger. Venturing in search of a better life, he made many big moves. At age 18, he moved to Hong Kong and worked as a baker. At 23, he moved across the globe to Suriname, where we worked as a cook for long hours, with no days off and for a meagre wage. Three years later, he came to St. Maarten where he worked for China Night in Philipsburg. In St. Maarten, things would be better: After working at China Night for a few years, Yu’s uncle opened his own restaurant, called Hong Kong. Things changed quickly from there.
Yu made a six-month trip to Aruba, and this trip proved momentous in more ways than one. He met Ming, whom he married shortly afterwards in St. Maarten. During this trip, he won the lottery – an unlikely stroke of luck landing upon a man with drive. He bought the Hong Kong restaurant from his uncle a few short months after it opened. He worked the kitchen, as he had for eight years, but this time as a business owner. Ming worked out front, and the two started Hong Kong as we know it today. The rest is history.
