After a busy week of hanging out with friends and family, and driving around NSW for many hours, I bring to you a touch of nostalgia – Mido Cafe in Yau Ma Tei, on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. Mido Cafe is an institution, a blast from the past, but still very much relevant today. Established in 1950, it’s also definitely one of the oldest cha chaan teng in Hong Kong. This place is a must for a true Hong Kong experience. Click through for more photos…
Head to the second floor of the cafe to experience what one may call an American diner – HK style. Booths and 70s style blinds – look out across the road to the park where elderly men huddle around a table playing checkers. Just like the old days.
How to describe cha chaan teng food? To me it’s Western food with a HK twist. Ham on toast? You got it. But it’s not at all like what you’d get in Europe.
The menu is huge, and quite cheap indeed. My personal favourite Condensed milk & peanut butter toast (HK$10) works out to be around AU$1.50. Give me ten of them please.
You may have heard of Asian milk tea a la Chatime etc. – HK style milk tea is simply black tea with condensed milk. Be prepared for a thicker and heavier drink compared to normal tea, and a combination of sweet and bitter flavours.
JYSL and I went all out and decided to order more than just one dish each – Beef with macaroni in broth (HK$30) as a main for her, with Luncheon meat sandwich (HK$15) on the side. I went for Ham & Eggs (HK$48) which I didn’t love, or maybe it just didn’t seem as tasty compared to the Peanut Butter & Condensed Milk toast. Mmm…dat toast.
Mido Cafe – thanks for letting us be part of a small slice of your history. See you next time!
Mido Cafe
63 Temple Street
Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
Hong Kong
