A Rare Foreign Restaurant for Asakusa
“One order of stir fried rice noodles with beef and one order of black truffle pork dumplings. Coming right up!”
Tang Yat Shing, the 36-year-old owner and chef of Hong Kong restaurant Kaen, receives every order in this same cheerful manner. Seating only 10, Kaen is small, but always seems to be busy, especially during the lunch and dinner rushes when customers can wait 20 minutes or more to be served. In a bustling metropolis like Tokyo, where speed is king, it is risky business to keep hungry patrons hanging on for so long. A little wait is inevitable, though, as Tang is the sole staff, looking after everything from serving to cooking to cleaning up. Few mind the slow service; what brings them is authenticity second to none. Since Tang opened Kaen in the neighborhood of Asakusa in September 2018, it has been a gathering spot for Tokyo’s Hongkongers, who come to savor the tastes of home.