What is Hong Kong’s popular bubble-shaped street snack called in Cantonese?

Hong Kong’s bubble-shaped street snack is called gai daan jai in Cantonese.

The name is commonly translated as “little chicken eggs,” referring to the snack’s rounded, egg-like bubbles. A sweet batter is cooked in a distinctive honeycomb mold, producing crisp outer edges and soft, airy centers. Vendors usually serve the waffle warm, often folded or placed in a paper bag.

Egg waffles became associated with Hong Kong street stalls during the twentieth century. Their exact early history is debated, but the snack is firmly part of the city’s cha chaan teng and hawker-food culture. Modern versions may include chocolate, fruit, or other flavorings.

English-language sources often call the snack an egg waffle or bubble waffle. Those names describe its appearance, while gai daan jai is the Cantonese term. It is different from a Belgian waffle, which is generally rectangular and has deeper square pockets rather than separate spherical bubbles.