COMMUNITY

Have Your Say – Jada Seaton

Author/ Being Neighbourly
29 March 2025

Jada Seaton moved to Hong Kong from the U.S. at the end of 2024. They currently live in Tai Po and have spent the past several months documenting their experiences—the good and the bad—through writing.

How long have you lived where you live?

I have lived in Tai Po for five months now.

Can you see yourself anywhere else?

As much as I’ve enjoyed living in Tai Po so far, I’m definitely open to living elsewhere. I originally chose to live here because it was close to my place of work; however, now that I’m no longer working there, I’m considering moving to other parts of Hong Kong once my current lease is up.

What’s so great about your home/neighbourhood?

Despite being in the New Territories, Tai Po still feels quite urban to me. It has quaint cafes, busy market streets, late-night bars, a mall, and two MTR stations all within walking distance of each other. In five minutes, I can be at Lam Tsuen River and see dozens of cranes soar overhead or be on a minibus, headed for one of the neighboring villages. There’s also this restaurant right downstairs from me that serves the most amazing beef noodles. Tai Po has everything I need, really.

Best little known gems?

The Book Cure is a small bookstore located on the ground floor of the Tai Po Arts Centre. It has ornate chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and exposed wooden beams that give the place a warm, antiquated feeling. I was surprised by the amount of English books it has. I highly encourage anyone who happens to be in Tai Po to go check it out.

Best places to eat breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner?

I’m not a huge breakfast person, but if I’m ever in the mood for something, I’ll stop by Akita Cake Shop. It’s a bakery that sells all sorts of pastries, but I really enjoy their croissants and pineapple buns. The ladies that run it are also super sweet and always say hello to me when I stop by.

For brunch, there’s this dim sum place called Fai Tea House that’s always packed. I don’t go very often, but I like how bright and airy the place feels. The walls are also decorated with traditional Chinese paintings and old black-and-white photos of Tai Po which I love to look at while eating.

The beef noodle restaurant I mentioned earlier, Mei King Noodle Restaurant, is a great lunch option. Lately, I’ve also been obsessed with the tonkotsu ramen at Wo Ramen—they have the best broth.

There are a ton of great dinner options in Tai Po. My go-to is barbecue pork from Man Wah Fish Ball Noodle. If I’m feeling fancy, though, I’ll walk over to Yu To Tei, a Japanese restaurant on the other side of the river. They have really good pork cutlets and shrimp tempura for very reasonable prices.

Best places to drink coffee/find a drink?

I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but I love bubble tea. Kwong Fuk Road has several nice shops like Gong Cha and Kung Fu Tea. My drink of choice is usually brown sugar fresh milk (with boba, of course).

Best other hangouts?

What’s true/not true about your neighbourhood?

People might think there’s nothing to do in Tai Po because it’s in the New Territories, but like I said earlier, it has a lot to offer. It doesn’t have the same level of liveliness as a place like Central or Mong Kok, but it’s far from boring. It has a quiet sort of charm.