Drama Digest
Night in the Greater Bay focuses on a dai pai tong restaurant located in the Greater Bay Area. As the country slowly develops, there is a massive need for promoting food and culture in the exchanges between Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. In this show, five Hong Kong-based members from the popular show Call Me By Fire: Jordan Chan, Julian Cheung, Michael Tse, Jerry Lamb, and Edmund Leung, are selected to run and operate a Hong Kong-style food stall in Guangzhou. The show looks at their daily lives and events, the preparation of food, the atmosphere, the people, and what it takes to run a diner and the anxieties that come with it. Through hard work and a love for their culture and food, we get to see how they grow and develop an optimistic attitude toward life. What will they learn along the way? Will they face any problems? Watch this drama and find out. There is nothing but greatness in the Greater Bay Area and its food scene.
The Feel-Good Part
Street food is deeply engraved into Asian culture. Therefore a show that gets deep into street food culture is extremely interesting and will pique the interest of its viewers. What makes this show so great is its ability to shine a light on the hard work that goes into setting up, running, and making a living off these stalls. Even in highly developed areas in Asia, street food still manages to stick around and remain an integral part of the Asian identity and the nightlife scene. While most shows stop at showcasing the types of food, this show goes the extra mile and challenges celebrities to try their hand at it. It gives the celebrities a newfound respect for the craft and we as an audience get to accompany them on their road to this understanding. This show is just filled with great food and good energy. Even in moments where it feels a bit tense and anxiety-inducing, it manages to assure us that with a great love for food anything is possible. This show is beautiful from start to finish.
The Disappointing Factor
The only disappointing factor of this show is that there are moments when it feels a bit too busy and invasive. There is a lot of stress and work when it comes to making street food, especially for massive crowds. Having a camera monitoring your every move does not seem to make that easier, especially for our group of chefs. Aside from that minor critique, there is not much you can fault with this show. It truly is just about the food, the culture, and the nightlife.
In-Depth Analysis
Dai Pai Dong is an essential part of Asian culture. A lot of what we know as Asian food to be coming from these stalls and the years of history behind them. You can be sure to find cheap food that tastes amazing even in places that are considered to be extremely expensive. This show is a great homage to all the workers and what they do. We must understand the importance of street food and this show does a great job of reminding its audiences why it is necessary.
Star Power
Our five celebrities: Jordan Chan, Julian Cheung, Michael Tse, Jerry Lamb, and Edmond Leung deliver some great moments throughout the show in terms of food and interactions with one another. Jordan Chan stars in OCTB, Genius Left Lunatic Right, Word Twisters’ Adventures, Imperial Inspector Liu Luo Guo, Foolish Plan, League of Gods, Trivisa, and Dark Wedding. Julian Cheung stars in Triumph in the Skies II, The Rippling Blossom, Point of No Return, L Storm, The Leakers, Always Be with You, and S Storm. Michael Tse stars in Sniper Standoff, Sergeant Tabloid, Friendly Fire, Lives of Omission, Turning Point, Those Were the Days, The Masked Prosecutor, and The Storm Riders. Jerry Lamb stars in Old Time Buddy, A Recipe for the Heart, Man’s Best Friend, A Smiling Ghost Story, A Journey of Happiness, Golden Job, Those Were the Days, and Midnight Zone. Edmond Leung stars in #MeToo, The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra, Street Fighters, The Disappearance, The Calling of A Bus, Chase Our Love, Troublesome Night 15, and Full Strike.
Overall Opinion
There is a lot to enjoy with the show: From the food to the celebrities, to the beauty of the Greater Bay Area nightlife. Every moment is just perfect.
