Danny, Pun’s Food owner, was not a big fan of Taiwanese cuisine before. Two years ago, although he survived a nearly-deadly car accident, the wounds he suffered made it difficult for him to pull himself together. Not long after that, his uncle advised him to travel to Taiwan for a break – never had he thought it would lead to a turning point in his life. During the trip, Danny was invited to his Taiwanese friends’ home for a meal. Even with no expensive and luxurious ingredients on the table – just some authentic home-cooked dishes like braised pork rice and beef noodles, this wounded soul was deeply impressed. ‘When I saw everyone cheerfully sharing the food on the table, those dishes seemed to have become our connection, creating a magical atmosphere which moves my heart in an indescribable manner,’ he recalled.
He believes food should e shared to create a joyful atmosphere. These days, many restaurants would provide customers with WiFi connection, but Danny wants his customers to put down the phones and savour their ‘offline’ dining moments more. Sitting inside this restaurant with a comfy interior design, apart from pots of plants, you can see decorations related to boats. ‘To me, boats are romantic,’ Danny said. Perhaps whenever you set sail, you can always get something from the sea but will also let go of something at the same time.
Danny values his customers’ comments a lot. Besides selecting high-quality ingredients, sometimes he would also clean the tables and serve the dishes. He would try to get customers’ feedback about the food from their chit-chat as well – what a ‘down-to-earth’ owner. ‘While others may focus on money, I focus more on value. Things will be of value when you put your heart and soul into it,’ he held.
After that Taiwan trip, Danny broke free from his wounds and has reconnected with the world. In less than a month since the restaurant’s opening, he bumped into many long-lost friends there – even his secondary school teacher after more than 20 years. It dawned upon Danny that life can by quite amazing. If you believe there are ‘fateful coincidences’ in the world, then ‘all encounters in life may just be reunions after a long time’.
Pun’s Food: G/F, 11 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay
