kowloon cafe

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 The Hong Kong tea house is home to some of my favourite Asian bites. Usually a nostalgic mix of Eastern / Western food, the Hong Kong tea house immediately brings to mind scenes from my favourite film, In the Mood for Love. If you haven't seen this moody, darkly-romantic and bitter-sweet 2000 masterpiece directed by Wong Kar-wai (who also brought us, notably, Brokeback Mountain), take this as my strong recommendation. 

Kowloon Cafe more directly translates as "Kowloon ice house". It serves street food as well as more filling items like a beef brisket noodle that looks to-die-for. In this review, however, I will be looking at its casual street food items. 

Hong Kong Style milk tea (hot), $5.80

This is my favourite drink, ever. Pulled through mesh stockings for that velvety smoothness, the milky taste of a HK style milk tea is from evaporated milk. Some people like to add sugar to sweeten this warm, toasty and oh-so-satisfying hug-in-a-cup, but I prefer it just the way it is: strong but well-balanced. Kowloon cafe also makes an iced version, pre-sweetened, for $6.80, which I imagine would be great for summer, but for me, it is always the original that wins, every time. 

Steamed Rice Roll, $7.80
Steamed rice roll, or better known as "chang feng", are glutinous rice rolls drenched in peanut and hoisin sauce, then topped with sesame. Though these may sound simple and unremarkable, they are anything but. The rice roll, for one, needs to be that perfect balance of soft yet not sloppy, bouncy yet not sticky. The sauce needs to be a perfect balance of salty and sweet. I'm usually not a chang feng fan, but the one served at Kowloon Cafe totally changed my mind. I would definitely order these again. 
 

Hong Kong style siu mai, $6.80
The siu mai that we enjoy at yum cha restaurants are usually made with pork. Not those. Those, unusually, are made of fish. That lends the siu mai a more tender texture. The light soy with which the siu mai are paired gives these a gentle and slightly sweet saltiness, which compliments the delicate fish flesh perfectly. 

Curry fish balls, $6.80
These are absolutely delightful. A classic Hong Kong style street food, the fish balls are absolutely bouncy and delicious. The curry sauce has a  slight kick. If you have to try one snack at Kowloon Cafe, I'd recommend these. 

Score: 4/5
Price: cheap eats, around $20 - 30pp 
Address: Shop 7A-9A 421-429, Sussex St, Haymarket

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