CALVIN HUI A HONGKONGER IN MADRID
IN THE EARLY 2000s, Calvin Hui decided to live for a spell in Europe. For a budding art entrepreneur, the UK or Germany might have been the obvious choices. He went for the unobvious: Madrid.
‘I love modern art; and Spain is an important place for modern art,’ says Hui.
Spain, like many nations including China and Japan, has been through long periods of isolation from foreign influence. This has left a distinctive culture and language that can be challenging for incomers. Not for Calvin.
‘It was exciting. Not a shock, but certainly a steep learning curve. I had a friend of a friend and we ended up sharing a flat in the Edificio España on the Plaza de España in the heart
of Madrid. The flat had a stunning view overlooking the Temple of Debot and the Royal Palace.
‘He remains my closest friend to this day. As an Asian learning the language, the people were extremely friendly and I have nothing but fond memories.’
Hui was soon dining and drinking like a true Madrileño, starting the day in a local cafe with a piece of Spanish toast soaked in extra virgin olive oil and a cup of cafe con leche, and ending it with chocolate and churros after a long night of clubbing. (He got used to Spanish hours: lunch between 2pm and 3pm, dinner no earlier than 9:30pm and then out until – when? ‘Oh, 2, 3, 4, 5am’.)
‘Everyone in Madrid loves to eat. People gather with their friends and invite new people to share; it makes immersion easier, because everyone is sharing laughter, wine and food.’
We could provide a list of names and addresses for eating out, but Hui thinks the joy of dining in Madrid comes from wandering around buzzy areas – such as Embajadores, recently named the coolest neighbourhood in the world by a global Time Out poll.
‘Madrid caters to all budgets and tastes, from upmarket areas like Salamanca to trendy neighbourhoods like Lavapiés and Chueca. Bartolomé market sells food from all over Spain, and is famous for its hams, olive oils and turron – a traditional nougat. One of the most enjoyable times for me was choosing fresh Spanish produce at the market to prepare simple yet exceedingly mouth-watering salads at home.’
After a while, it began to dawn on Calvin that his new hometown, seemingly so alien from Hong Kong, actually shared a lot of commonalities.
‘Spanish people and Chinese people have the same view that mealtimes are for sharing with family and friends. They
EVERYONE IN MADRID LOVES TO EAT. PEOPLE GATHER WITH FRIENDS AND INVITE NEW PEOPLE TO SHARE
spend Sunday together. They pay visits to grandma. At festivals we all get together.
‘Unlike other Europeans, the Spanish, like the Chinese, enjoy sharing their food. I think tapas and dim sum are similar for this. Madrileños will often go to several tapas restaurants in one night for different experiences – it remains one of my cherished memories of my time in Madrid.’
Calvin returns to Madrid at least a couple of times a year.
‘I miss the flair of an old European city that is alive with today’s generation making a new statement. And the fusion of Spanish food with Asian influences, which you see more and more in Madrid, is especially interesting.
‘If I landed in Madrid now, I would head straight to Plaza de España to walk through the charming old town, and sit and watch the magic of Madrid pass before me.’