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[title]“I really love char siu. It’s been my one and only comfort food since childhood. But It’s hard to find in Thailand so I came up with an idea to open my own restaurant.”
That’s the inspiration behind the Hong Kong-style roasted pork specialty restaurant Kwong Charsiu in bustling Chatuchak Market. Thai-Hongkongese founder Kitti “Danny” Kwong, who has lived in Thailand since he was a teenager, quit his job as an event organizer to put up this food venture. It took him around six months to discover the right location and develop the recipe in consultation with relatives from Hong Kong.
Some may say that there is char siu in Thailand, in the guise of popular street food kao moo dang or roasted red pork with rice. But Danny begs to disagree. “They are different,” he insists. “Moo dang’s taste relies on the sweet gravy it comes with, but char siu focuses on well-marinated pork that can be eaten with rice or noodles without the gravy.”
Danny concedes, however, that his house-crafted char siu had to be adjusted for the Thai preference. “To run a restaurant in Thailand, your food must cater to the local palate. Thais really like something flavorful with a bit of sweetness so I had to make my char siu a little sweeter and serve it with a homemade sweet sauce as most Thai diners can’t seem to take any food without some form of dip or sauce.”
The 10-seater, weekend-only Kwong Charsiu officially opened its doors in October 2020 and welcomed a wide range of customers. Unfortunately, on-site service was suspended due to the government ban on dining in restaurants during the pandemic. So Danny had to find new channels to market his specialty.
“B2B sales was the solution to survive the crisis,” he recounts. “I joined foodie groups on Facebook like “Kao Moo Dang Lovers Club” and introduced myself as a char siu wholesaler. There were a few entrepreneurs who contacted me for orders. This social media approach helped introduce my products to the public. It was easier and more cost-efficient than creating my own Facebook page.”
On-premise dining has long resumed at the Chatuchak shop, but wholesale continues to be one of Kwong Charsiu’s core businesses, with several customers constantly coming back for orders. Danny has also expanded his reach by serving his roasted pork at Gaginang, his new Chinese-style bar and restaurant on Phra Sumen Road that allows char siu lovers to enjoy their favorite meal in a different vibe.
“I want to strengthen the branding of Kwong Charsiu,” Danny says. “But for now, my short-term goal is to add new items to the menu. The concept would be food from my childhood, such as crispy pork belly and roasted duck.”
Another goal is to continue learning and improving himself as an entrepreneur. Despite the success he now enjoys with his two ventures, Danny refuses to rest on his laurels. “Be realistic. Do not stick to your own thoughts but consider customer feedback and the perspectives of others before doing something. Be flexible and always adapt to new changes.”
Get your Hong Kong-style char siu fix now at Kwong Charsiu at Chatuchak Market. Visit https://instagram.com/kwongcharsiu for updates on new dishes and promotions.