Photographer Tun Shin Chang takes over Chinatown’s Instagram

Photographer Tun Shin Chang takes over Chinatown’s Instagram

Malaysian photographer, Tun Shin Chang is passionate about two things: travel and food. Tun’s dreamy shots of his travel exploits have earned him countless Instagram followers and a worldwide fan base. Now residing in London, he’s something of a Chinatown expert. We wanted to tap into Tun’s knowledge and bring you all his favourite places so we invited him to hijack the official @ChinatownLondon Instagram account. From traditional hot pot with a 21^st century spin to the most delightful dim sum – here’s Tun’s top Chinatown recommendations.

“When @chinatownlondon asked me to take over their account, my memory raced back to the first time that I set foot at this place, right at the heart of London metropolis. I still vividly remember walking under the red lanterns at the tourist-laden Gerrard Street which the familiar scents, sights and languages reminded me of home and brought up a sense of belonging. While many locals consider it a tourist destination, this is where authentic Chinese cultures and food lie since the Chinese settled in the city. Follow my takeover this week as I take you on a culinary trip down this special place in the capital.”

“Dim sum is de rigueur when you visit Chinatown. Originated from the Cantonese, dim sum is consumed during the ‘yum cha’ (literally drink tea) tradition which a wide variety of steamed and fried bite-sized dishes would be ordered. While at Imperial China, I had ordered a few of the ‘must haves’ – har gao (steamed shrimp dumplings), siu mai (steamed pork and shrimp dumplings), char siu bao (steamed pork buns) and egg tarts, all to be downed with a few swigs of Chrysanthemum tea.”

“When it comes to roast duck rice and aromatic duck pancakes, many in-the-know locals regard Four Seasons as the crème-de-la-crème! They serve unpretentious meal of duck cuisine in their very traditional Chinese-styled restaurant.”

“Hot pot has been on the rise in London. I like the modern twist of hot pot here at Shuang Shuang where you could sit at a long counter and choose the ingredients, from corn shoots, noodles to pork strips, from the conveyor belt. It makes the whole dining experience more interesting! The ‘ma la’ (literally numbing and spicy) soup base is perfect for a cold and wet day as it warms not only your stomach but also your heart!”

“For the last recommendation, I chose to feature the Chinese style buns and desserts as I find them underrepresented in the Chinese cuisine. While the silken tofu is well known Chinese desserts, the buns and ‘you tiao’ (Chinese fried dough) are widely consumed as breakfasts or afternoon tea in the Chinese households or eateries. (From left to right: Almond bun, Ying Yang (coffee with tea), Silken Tofu, You Tiao, Red Bean Bun).”