Offside Authenticity.
I don't know when, but ‘Chinese food’ is synonymous with hotpot and chili now.
Before this, it was dumplings and noodles.
Before that, it was probably spring rolls and lemon chicken.
People say they loooove Chinese food, until we order century eggs with stinky tofu.
Chicken feet.
Stir-fry pork chitlins (intestines).
Snake soups.
Steamed camel hump, the emperor's favourite.
We love authentic food.
But not like that!
We accuse our parents of conditional love, but that’s just being human.
The Chinese food we love is the Chinese food that doesn’t challenge us.
I lied about the first part.
The year 2016 is when Melbourne’s Chinatown transferred its Cantonese heritage baton to Sichuan, or wherever they claim hotpot and malatang are from today.
After the closure of D House, Red Silks, Pacific House BBQ, dating back to A1 and King of Kings... HK-style Cha Chaan Teng is now on the list of endangered species - a diamond in the rough.
Which makes it the best time to start a Cha Chaan Teng.
Here's a place food media won't cover - HK Cafe along Russell Street.
You know if they could name it ‘Hong Kong Cha Chaan Teng’ they would, but it would not fit the billboard.
‘Cafe’ will have to do.
After giving up on the long queues in 2023 before leaving for Japan, I finally caught a pre-lunch rush on a Wednesday.
The menu is extensive. No legendary salt and pepper chicken on rice, but the other staples like bolo toast, french toast, curry fishballs, milk tea, XO fried rice, Singaporean noodles, baked pork chop on rice, satay sauce beef on instant noodles, spam and egg… all the ‘east meet west’ characteristics of a Cha Chaan Teng, is the reason why it's packed.
I also love how their website is just the menu.
Perhaps the most emotional item for me is the egg sauce (chiffon omelet) on rice. From King of Kings to Rose Garden, now back to Russell Street, after 20 years. Did it taste like youth, the nostalgia of promise?
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