You all know by now that people flock to the Australia Dairy Company (ADC) for their scrambled eggs on toast, chicken soup macaroni and steamed pudding. But what if the prospect of having to gobble down your food in 15 minutes while one of Hong Kong’s fiercest waiters breathes down your neck sounds like it’ll give you indigestion? Don’t fret. Here are 3 alternatives for a more pleasant foodie experience.
1. Capital Café/Chrisly Cafe
The first Capital Café in Wan Chai was meant for Hong Kong Islanders who didn’t want to travel all the way to Kowloon for the ADC. So it’s no surprise that the menu here looks very familiar. For one, it even lists ADC’s classic sets featuring scrambled or fried eggs on toast and chicken soup macaroni with a choice of coffee or tea.
But really, most people come to Capital Café for their bougie Scrambled Egg Toast with Black Truffle, which is literally a mountain of egg with a dash of black truffle on top of crunchy buttered toast. Their eggs are prepared in a Chinese wok, giving them a denser but equally moist and creamy texture.
Capital’s become an institution in its own right and the vibe here is a great alternative to ADC’s hustle and bustle. The owner was a celebrity manager at the now defunct Capital Artists Music and the café’s walls are dripping in celebrity photos and concert posters autographed by the who’s who of Hong Kong’s entertainment scene. Come in during the late afternoon and find locals chatting over milk teas and pineapple buns with a slab of butter. If you’re lucky, you might bump into a celebrity or two – no kidding!
Oh, and the waiters aren’t half bad if you catch them at the right time.
Capital Café has multiple Hong Kong locations.
2. Yee Shun Dairy Company
Yee Shun’s Kowloon store is conveniently a street away from the Australia Dairy Company and it’s a great alternative if you’re just after some good old pudding without the madness.
There’s almost always no queue at the Jordan branch and that’s mostly due to the fact that there’s ample seating inside. Yee Shun will also feel like a heaven sent to people who don’t appreciate being shouted at during their mealtime! While still not the friendliest establishment in Hong Kong, the waiters here will at least let you eat at your own pace…before wanting you to move on after you’ve finished your meal.
Yee Shun’s steamed puddings are comparatively lighter and a great midday treat or end to dinner. They’re milkier, silkier and slightly less sweet thanks to the use of buffalo milk, which has a lower water content than cow’s milk. For something out of the ordinary, try one of their pudding variations like the ever so popular Ginger Milk Pudding, Chocolate Milk Pudding and Red Bean Milk Pudding. Pair a bowl with their crunchy Macanese Pork Chop Bun and you have yourself a pretty decent meal!
Yee Shun has 3 locations in Hong Kong.
3. Café Seasons
Depending on who you ask, ADC’s chicken soup macaroni can be a bit of a write-off. Many wouldn’t willingly order the dish if it weren’t included in one of ADC’s sets. It’s an entirely different story at Café Seasons, a new style restaurant serving traditional cha chaan teng dishes with high quality ingredients.
Café Season’s macaroni rendition is far from half-assed. The soup is homemade by boiling pig bone and egg shells for 6 hours straight and then thickened with Japanese rice. The broth is clear, nourishing and it seeps right into the macaroni giving you a big bowl of warm goodness.
Their scrambled eggs are also a huge hit. They’re made from a mixture of Japanese, WuBei China and US eggs and are also milk and cream-free. The end result is a rich and almost runny plate of scrambled eggs served with thickly cut toast. Don’t just stop there! Many have said that their BBQ Pork Rice with Scrambled Eggs is the best pork and egg rice dish in town!
Pro tip: Café Seasons is a real winner with the Central office crowd because their lunch sets are a steal for the area at around HK$50. If you can, avoid coming here during lunch hour which is 12-2pm.
Find Café Seasons at 112-114 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong.