54-860: Mong Kok (also spelled Mongkok , often abbreviated as MK ) is an area in Kowloon , Hong Kong . The Prince Edward subarea occupies the northern part of Mong Kok. Mong Kok is one of the major shopping areas in Hong Kong. The area is characterised by a mixture of old and new multi-story buildings, with shops and restaurants at street level, and commercial or residential units above. Major industries in Mong Kok are retail, restaurants (including fast food) and entertainment. It has been described and portrayed in films as an area in which triads run bars, nightclubs, and massage parlours . With its extremely high population density of 130,000/km (340,000/sq mi), Mong Kok
108-625: A "national dish" of Japan and even acquired regional variations as it spread across the country. Street food was commonly sold by the ethnic Chinese population of Thailand and did not become popular among native Thai people until the early 1960s, when the rapid urban population growth stimulated the street food culture, and by the 1970s it had "displaced home-cooking." As a result, many Thai street foods are derived from or heavily influenced by Chinese cuisine. About 76% of urban residents in Thailand regularly visit street food vendors. The rise of
162-483: A $ 2 discount on each drink purchased at the fair. In 2018, the street photographer Michael Rababy documented it in his book, Folsom Street Food Court . Netflix has also featured the street foods of the world through its TV series Street Food , with the first volume focusing on Asia, and the second on Latin America. As early as the 14th century, government officials oversaw street food vendor activities. With
216-466: A lot of negative media attention for many acid attacks on Sai Yeung Choi Street from December 2008 through January 2010. The area was the site of protracted demonstrations during the 2014 Hong Kong protests , including the gau wu campaign, and was also the site of the 2016 Mong Kok civil unrest . Mong Kok preserves its traditional characteristics with an array of markets , small shops, and food stalls that have disappeared from other areas during
270-438: A mountain range, including Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock to the north, and Victoria Harbour to the south. Kowloon comprises the following districts : The name 'Kowloon' ( Chinese : 九龍 ; lit. 'nine dragons') alludes to eight mountains and a Chinese emperor: Kowloon Peak , Tung Shan , Tate's Cairn , Temple Hill , Unicorn Ridge , Lion Rock , Beacon Hill , Crow's Nest and Emperor Bing of Song . It
324-697: A nuisance to be removed from the streets". 113 hawker centers were constructed between 1971 and 1986 to remove hawkers from the streets while preserving the food culture. In 2002, a sampling of 511 street foods in Ghana by the World Health Organization showed that most had microbial counts within the accepted limits, and a different sampling of 15 street foods in Calcutta showed that they were "nutritionally well balanced", providing roughly 200 kcal ( Cal ) of energy per rupee of cost. In
378-464: A portion of meat) was inspired by the bento of the Japanese who had been brought to Hawaii as plantation workers. Because of differences in culture, social stratification, and history, the ways in which family street vendor enterprises are traditionally created and run vary in different areas of the world. Often, women's success in the street food market depends on trends of gender equality. This
432-472: A regulation involving city superintendents references "sellers of cooked flesh and cooked rice". In Delhi, India, it is said that kings used to visit the kebab vendors on the street, which are still in operation. During the colonial times, fusion street food was created, which was made with British customers in mind. In Indonesia , especially Java , traveling food and drink vendors have a long history, as they were described in temple bas reliefs dated from
486-534: A result of the pro-democracy protests. 22°19′21″N 114°10′14″E / 22.32250°N 114.17056°E / 22.32250; 114.17056 Kowloon Kowloon ( / ˌ k aʊ ˈ l uː n / ) is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon . It has a population of 2,019,533 and a population density of 43,033/km (111,450/sq mi) in 2006. It
540-578: Is as diverse as Indian cuisine . Some of the more popular street food dishes are vada pav , misal pav , chole bhature , parathas , bhel puri , sev puri , gol gappa (also called pani puri in Karnatake and Maharashtra or puchka in West Bengal) aloo tikki , kebabs , tandoori chicken , samosas , kachori , idli , pohe , egg bhurji , pav bhaji , pulaw , pakora , lassi , kulfi and falooda . In Hindi-speaking regions of India, street food
594-474: Is at the same level as the contamination at restaurants. An estimated 2% or 160,000 vendors provide street food for Bangkok's 8 million people. The Arthashastra mentions food vendors in ancient India . One regulation states that "those who trade in cooked rice, liquor, and flesh" are to live in the south of the city. Another states that superintendents of storehouses may give surpluses of bran and flour to "those who prepare cooked rice, and rice-cakes", while
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#1732765597824648-606: Is connected to Hong Kong Island by two road-only tunnels (the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the Western Harbour Crossing ), three MTR railway tunnels ( Tsuen Wan line , Tung Chung line / Airport Express and East Rail ) and one combined road and MTR rail link tunnel ( Eastern Harbour Tunnel , containing the Tseung Kwan O line and road traffic in separate parallel conduits). No bridges connect
702-599: Is evidenced in Bangladesh, where few women are street vendors. However, in Nigeria and Thailand, women dominate the street food trade. Doreen Fernandez says Filipino cultural attitudes towards meals affect the street food phenomenon in the Philippines, because eating street food outside does not conflict with eating at one's house, which typically lacks dedicated eating rooms. Other cultural phenomena that affect
756-516: Is found all around the world and varies greatly between regions and cultures. Dorling Kindersley describes the street food of Vietnam as being "fresh and lighter than many of the cuisines in the area" and "draw[ing] heavily on herbs, Chile peppers and lime," while street food of Thailand is "fiery" and "pungent with shrimp paste and fish sauce." Street food in Thailand offers a varied selection of ready-to-eat meals, snacks, fruits and drinks. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, has been listed as one of
810-460: Is known as antojitos (translated as "little cravings") and features several varieties of tacos, such as tacos al pastor , as well as huaraches and other maize-based foods. New York City 's signature street food is the hot dog , but New York street food also includes everything from Middle Eastern falafel to Jamaican jerk chicken to Belgian waffles. In Hawaii , the local street food tradition of " plate lunch " (rice, macaroni salad, and
864-528: Is one of the three areas of Hong Kong , along with Hong Kong Island and the New Territories . It is the smallest, second most populous and most densely populated of the divisions. Kowloon is located directly north of Hong Kong Island across Victoria Harbour . It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait to the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen , Butterfly Valley and Stonecutter's Island to the west,
918-460: Is popularly known as nukkadwala food ("corner" food). In South India, foods like mirchi bajji , punugulu , and mokkajonna (corn roasted on coal) are common street foods, along with breakfast items like idli, dosa and bonda . Other popular Asian fusion street food include gobi manchurian , momos and omelette. While some vendors streamline the recipes of popular dishes to sell them on the street, several restaurants have taken their inspiration from
972-596: The Kowloon Wharf , but because of the close proximity of Kowloon's built-up area to Kai Tak Airport , building construction was limited by flight paths. As a result, compared to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon had a much lower skyline. After World War II , Kowloon became extremely congested when slums for refugees from the newly established People's Republic of China gave way to public housing estates , mixed with private residential, commercial, and industrial areas. The area of reclaimed land now known as West Kowloon
1026-608: The New Territories . Statutorily, "Kowloon" is only the area south of Boundary Street and Stonecutters Island, but in common use, New Kowloon is not regarded as part of the New Territories, but as an integral part of the Kowloon urban area whether north or south of Boundary Street. Large-scale development of Kowloon began in the early 20th century, with the construction of the Kowloon-Canton Railway and
1080-815: The 'negro' Sango vendor" and Na Agardite are still remembered today. During the American Colonial period, "street vendors sold oysters, roasted corn ears, fruit, and sweets at low prices to all classes." Oysters , in particular, were cheap and popular street food until around 1910 when overfishing and pollution caused prices to rise. Street vendors in New York City faced considerable opposition. After previous restrictions had limited their operating hours, street food vendors were completely banned in New York City by 1707. Many women of African descent made their living selling street foods in America in
1134-743: The 18th and 19th centuries, with products ranging from fruit, cakes, and nuts in Savannah, to coffee, biscuits, pralines and other sweets in New Orleans . Cracker Jack started as one of many street food exhibits at the Columbian Exposition . The selling of street food in China stretches back millennia and became an integral part of Chinese food culture during the Tang Dynasty . In ancient China , street food generally catered to
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#17327655978241188-519: The 2013 film Young and Dangerous: Reloaded are also set in Mong Kok. The literal Chinese title of the 1988 film As Tears Go By by Wong Kar-wai is "Mong Kok Carmen". Part of Robert Ludlum 's 1986 novel The Bourne Supremacy was set in Mong Kok. The area is known locally for a youth subculture, the Mong Kok culture . Mong Kok was one of the main sites of the 2014 Hong Kong protests . Banks, jewellery stores and clothing stores were closed as
1242-416: The 9th century, as well as mentioned in 14th-century inscription as a line of work. In Indonesia, street food is sold from carts and bicycles. During the colonial Dutch East Indies period c. 19th century , several street foods were developed and documented, including satay and dawet ( cendol ) street vendors. The current proliferation of Indonesia's vigorous street food culture is contributed by
1296-561: The United Kingdom, the Food Standards Agency has provided comprehensive guidance of food safety for the vendors, traders and retailers of the street food sector since 2000. Other effective ways of enhancing the safety of street foods include: mystery shopping programs, training, rewarding programs to vendors, regulatory governing and membership management programs, and technical testing programs. In India,
1350-454: The area as early as the western Han dynasty (206 BC to AD 8 ) to Jin Dynasty (266–420) . The area used to be a Hakka settlement, with about 200 villagers according to Bao'an records in 1819. The heart of the present-day Mong Kok is along Argyle Street near Sai Yeung Choi Street whilst the proper Mong Kok used to be to the north, near the present-day Mong Kok East station . Mong Kok
1404-504: The area: Mong Kok was the setting for the 2004 hit film One Night in Mongkok directed by Derek Yee . The movie portrays Mong Kok, one of the most densely populated places on Earth, as a hotbed of illicit activity. Similarly, the district was also the setting of the 1996 film Mongkok Story (旺角風雲) directed by Wilson Yip , which depicts a young man who becomes involved in a triad gang. The 2009 film To Live and Die in Mongkok and
1458-725: The best places for street food. Popular street offerings in Bangkok include Pad Thai (stir fried rice noodle), green papaya salad , sour tom yum soup, Thai curries and mango sticky rice . Indonesian street food is a diverse mix of local Indonesian, Chinese, and Dutch influences. Indonesian street food is often strongly flavored and spicy. Much of the street food in Indonesia is fried, such as fritters, nasi goreng and ayam goreng . Bakso (meatball soup), satay (skewered chicken) and gado-gado (vegetable salad served in peanut sauce ) are also popular. Indian street food
1512-474: The city's downtown area," which critics have called an "anti-competitive" rule for food truck operators. Since 1984, Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco is home of one of the most diverse street food fairs. In addition to much leather, and people in various states of dress and undress, the event features an outdoor food court serving a variety of street food. For donations of $ 10 or more, visitors get
1566-617: The city's merchants and workers. Proprietors of street food in the United States have had a goal of upward mobility, moving from selling on the street to their own shops. However, in Mexico, an increase in street vendors has been seen as a sign of deteriorating economic conditions in which food vending is the only employment opportunity that unskilled labor who have migrated from rural areas to urban areas are able to find. In 2002, Coca-Cola reported that China, India, and Nigeria, where
1620-616: The company's expansion efforts included training and equipping mobile street vendors to sell its products, were some of their fastest-growing markets. The libertarian Reason magazine states that in US cities, food trucks are subject to regulations designed to prevent them from competing with brick and mortar restaurants. For example, in Chicago, a regulation prevents food trucks "...from selling food within 200 feet of brick-and-mortar restaurants and, hence, prohibit them from operating throughout
1674-512: The concept of a street food culture to other countries. The street food culture of much of Southeast Asia was established by coolie workers imported from China during the late 19th century. Ramen , whose predecessor was originally brought to Japan by Chinese immigrants in the late 19th or early 20th century, began as a street food for Chinese laborers and students who lived in Yokohama Chinatown . However, ramen gradually became
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1728-497: The country's tourism industry has also contributed to the popularity of Thai street food. Thailand's 103,000 street food vendors alone generated 270 billion baht in revenues in 2017. Suvit Maesincee, Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation , expects the Thai street food segment to grow by six to seven percent annually from 2020 forward. Multiple studies showed that contamination of food that street food vendors sell
1782-845: The first country to legislate and standardize the sale of street food. In the 19th century, street food vendors in Transylvania sold gingerbread nuts, cream mixed with corn, and bacon and other meat fried on top of ceramic vessels with hot coals inside. French fries , consisting of fried strips of potato, probably originated as a street food in Paris in the 1840s. Street foods in Victorian London included tripe , pea soup, pea pods in butter, whelk , prawns and jellied eels . Aztec market places had vendors who sold beverages such as atolli ("a gruel made from maize dough"), almost 50 types of tamales (with ingredients ranging from
1836-513: The food prepared and eaten at home, with some non-Indian food being too "strange" or tied too closely to non-vegetarian preparation methods to be made at home. In Tanzania's Dar es Salaam region, street food vendors produce economic benefits beyond their families. Because street food vendors purchase local fresh foods, urban gardens and small-scale farms in the area have expanded. In the United States, street food vendors are credited with supporting New York City's rapid growth by supplying meals for
1890-920: The government recognized the fundamental rights of the street food vendors and have imposed reasonable restrictions. And in 2006, the India legislature enacted the Food Safety and Standards Act to monitor the quality of food. Despite knowledge of the risk factors, actual harm to consumers’ health is yet to be fully proven and understood. Due to difficulties in tracking cases and the lack of disease-reporting systems, follow-up studies proving actual connections between street food consumption and food-borne diseases are still very few. Little attention has been devoted to consumers and their eating habits, behaviors and awareness. The fact that social and geographical origins largely determine consumers’ physiological adaptation and reaction to foods—whether contaminated or not—is neglected in
1944-480: The increasing pace of globalization and tourism, the safety of street food has become one of the major concerns of public health , and a focus for governments and scientists to raise public awareness. However, despite concerns about contamination at street food vendors, the incidence of such is low, with studies showing rates comparable to restaurants. In Singapore, street food vendors known as "hawkers", over half of which were unlicensed, were considered "primarily
1998-687: The island and Kowloon. 22°19′N 114°11′E / 22.317°N 114.183°E / 22.317; 114.183 Street food Street food is food sold by a hawker or vendor on a street or at another public place, such as a market, fair, or park. It is often sold from a portable food booth , food cart , or food truck and is meant for immediate consumption. Some street foods are regional, but many have spread beyond their regions of origin. Most street foods are classified as both finger food and fast food and are typically cheaper than restaurant meals. The types of street food vary between regions and cultures in different countries around
2052-528: The massive urbanization in recent decades that has opened opportunities in food service sectors. This took place in the country's rapidly expanding urban agglomerations, especially in Greater Jakarta , Bandung , and Surabaya . Singapore has a large number of hawker centres which evolved from the traditional commerce of street food and was incorporated into UNESCO 's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage on 16 December 2020. Street food vending
2106-480: The meat of turkey , rabbit , gopher , frog and fish to fruits , eggs and maize flowers), as well as insects and stews. Spanish colonization brought European food stocks like wheat , sugarcane and livestock to Peru , but most commoners continued to primarily eat their traditional diets. Imports were only accepted at the margins of their diet, for example, grilled beef hearts sold by street vendors. Some of Lima 's 19th-century street vendors such as "Erasmo,
2160-525: The past several decades of economic developments and urban transformation. As such, a few of these streets in Mong Kok have acquired nicknames reflecting their own characteristics. Some interesting sites are: Some popular shopping plazas located in this dense area include: Other streets in the area include: The Mong Kok area has many food-booths selling traditional snacks such as fish balls , fried beancurd (tofu) and various dim sum . These fingerfoods are very popular in Hong Kong, especially for folks on
2214-518: The past when it was a coastal region. Its present Chinese name, " 旺角 " ( Jyutping : wong gok ; IPA: [wɔːŋ˨ kɔːk˧] ), means "prosperous corner" or "crowded corner"; however, the English name did not change. For a period, the area was also called Argyle, and this name was used for the MTR station when it opened in 1979. The office building Mong Kok Centre [ zh ] , which
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2268-496: The poor, though wealthy residents would send servants to buy street food and bring it back for them to eat at home. Street food continues to play a major role in Chinese cuisine with regional street food generating a strong interest in culinary tourism among both domestic and international travellers. Because of the Chinese diaspora , Chinese street food has had a major influence on other cuisines across Asia and even introduced
2322-568: The run. In addition, there are restaurants serving different kinds of cuisine, ranging from Japanese to Thai and Italian . Built heritage in Mong Kok includes: Educational institutions in Mong Kok include: Mong Kok is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 32. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and Tong Mei Road Government Primary School ( 塘尾道官立小學 ). The main thoroughfares are: Three rail lines serve
2376-459: The socioeconomic importance of street food and its associated risks. These risks include food safety , sanitation , illegal use of public or private areas, social problems , and traffic congestion . In ancient Greece , small fried fish was a street food; however, the Greek philosopher Theophrastus held the custom of street food in low regard. Evidence of a large number of street food vendors
2430-402: The street food market include the cultural implications of eating while walking down the street. In some cultures, this is considered to be rude, such as Japanese or Swahili cultures . Despite not being allowed for adults, it is culturally acceptable for children to do. In India, Henrike Donner wrote about a "marked distinction between food that could be eaten outside, especially by women," and
2484-700: The street food of India. Falafel is a popular dish in the Middle East . Vendors sell it on street corners in Israel, Egypt, and Syria. Another food sold commonly on the street in Egypt is ful , a slow-cooked fava bean dish. In Denmark , sausage wagons allow passers-by to purchase sausages and hot dogs . In Jamaica a traditional dish is Jamaican jerk chicken . The original marinade calls for ingredients such as Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice berries and sometimes wood from laurel trees. Mexican street food
2538-530: The world. According to a 2007 study from the Food and Agriculture Organization , 2.5 billion people eat street food every day. While some cultures consider it to be rude to walk on the street while eating, a majority of middle- to high-income consumers rely on the quick access and cheap service of street food for daily nutrition and job opportunities, especially in developing countries. Today's governments and other organizations are increasingly concerned with both
2592-521: Was also spelt 'Kawloong' in some 19th-century sources. The part of Kowloon south of Boundary Street , together with Stonecutters Island , was ceded by Qing China to the United Kingdom under the Convention of Peking of 1860. For many years the area remained largely undeveloped, used by the British mainly for tiger-hunting expeditions. The part of Kowloon north of Boundary Street ( New Kowloon )
2646-500: Was an area of cultivated lands, bounded to the south by Argyle Street, to the west by Coronation Road (a section of present-day Nathan Road ), and to the east by hills. To the southeast of Mong Kok is Ho Man Tin and to the west Tai Kok Tsui . On 10 August 2008, the Cornwall Court fire broke out. More than 200 firefighters were involved in the rescue operation. Four people died, including two firefighters. Mong Kok received
2700-497: Was described as the busiest district in the world by the Guinness World Records . Until 1930, the area was called Mong Kok Tsui ( 芒角嘴 ). The current English name is a transliteration of its older Chinese name 望角 ( Jyutping : mong gok ; IPA: [mɔːŋ˨ kɔːk˧] ), or 芒角 ( Jyutping : mong gok ; IPA: [mɔːŋ˨˩ kɔːk˧] ), which is named for its plentiful supply of ferns in
2754-737: Was discovered during the excavation of Pompeii . Street food was widely consumed by poor urban residents of ancient Rome whose tenement houses did not have ovens or hearths. Chickpea soup with bread and grain paste were common meals. A travelling Florentine reported in the late 14th century noted that in Cairo , people brought picnic cloths made of rawhide to spread on the streets and sit on while they ate their meals of lamb kebabs, rice, and fritters they purchased from street vendors. In Renaissance Turkey , many crossroads had vendors selling "fragrant bites of hot meat," including chicken and lamb that had been spit-roasted. In 1502, Ottoman Turkey became
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#17327655978242808-585: Was leased by the British as part of the New Territories under the 1898 Second Convention of Peking for 99 years. Within New Kowloon is Kowloon City, an area of Hong Kong where the Kowloon Walled City used to be located. The Kowloon Walled City itself was demolished in 1993. The same area was called Kwun Fu Cheung ( 官富場 ) during the Song dynasty (960–1279). "New Kowloon" has remained part of
2862-696: Was named after the area, is known in English as Argyle Centre. Mong Kok is part of Yau Tsim Mong District . It was part of the Mong Kok District before the district was merged in 1994. The area belongs to the Kowloon West geographical constituency of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong . Displays at the Chinese University of Hong Kong include antique potteries indicating that there might have been settlements in
2916-904: Was once home to a dockyard for the Royal Navy . The 1911 census recorded a population of 7,306, with most being Hakka . The invasion of China by Japan in 1937 caused the population of Kowloon to grow drastically. Between 1937 and 1939, 750,000 refugees arrived in Kowloon and nearby areas, with many not having residence. As of 2011 , 2,108,419 people lived in Kowloon. About 94.2% of Kowloon's residents are of Han Chinese ethnicity. The largest ethnic minority groups are Indonesians (1.8%), Filipinos (1.5%), Indians (0.5%), Nepalese (0.4%), and British (0.3%). Around 86% of Kowloon's residents use Cantonese as their usual language, while 2.3% use English and 1.2% use Mandarin . Kowloon comprises these localities of Hong Kong: Lists of primary and secondary schools in Kowloon by district: Kowloon
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