Distinctly Hong Kong — Cha Chaan Teng

Want milk tea? Cha Chaan Teng is the way to go. Cha (tea) chaan teng (restaurant), refers to a practice in the early times that these restaurants would charge you double if you sat there and only sipped the bland Chinese tea that the waiter served you. People certainly do not go to the cha chaan teng’s for tea drinking only, as there is always a “free” hot beverage for you if you order the meal sets.

A Distinctly Hong Kong Dining Culture

The Cha Chaan Teng is a little bit difficult to dub an English name over. In European terms, the cha chaan teng is somewhat equivalent to the café’s of France in the way that they are prevalent in all corners of Hong Kong. The commonality of the food served in the cha chaan teng is like the fish n’ chips shops in Britain, as classic food that is humble but representative of the local dining culture. In American terms, the cha chaan teng is like the millions of fast food stores in America, each restaurant or brand serving a variety of, essentially, the same type of food, meant to be consumed in an easy, quick and casual manner.

There is no argument that the cha chaang teng’s are distinctly Hong Kong, as its food clearly expresses Hong Kong’s historical character as a predominantly Chinese society with heavy foreign (British and otherwise) influences. The omnipresence of cha chaan teng’s in Hong Kong is also the very testament of a working class culture. Most of them serve up comforting food in one plate, ultimately meant for just one person to order, eat, finish, have a milk tea, then move right along the day’s rhythm.

For Hong Kong locals, cha chaan teng’s are the go-to for quick meals. Whilst they usually have more to offer than fast food restaurants, the cha chaan teng’s are known for being very efficient in their service as well. The ambience is usually a little more comfortable in cha chaan teng than fast food restaurants. Their milk tea is also generally better. The menu items are the commonplace dishes, but there are usually more varieties than the fast food chains. The standard features on a cha chaan teng menu don’t go wrong — in any such restaurant that you randomly walk in — local pastries, fried rice, fried noodles, soup ramen, soup spaghetti, baked rice, and standard home-cook style rice plates.

Cha Chaan Teng as Heritage Dining

The idea of the Cha Chaan Teng has been around for some 70, 80 years in Hong Kong. After World War II, there was a void between the two predominant dining cultures of Hong Kong, that of the food for the local Chinese and for the western foreigners. At the time, most Chinese people could not afford the high-end restaurants that served western cuisine. The cha chaan teng then rose as a localized vision of western food, offered cheaply, for the local Chinese. And it is in this sense that cha chaan teng’s are distinctly Hong Kong.

Take the milk tea for an example. The British rightly take credit for the idea of putting milk into tea. The cha chaan teng’s of Hong Kong adapted the milk tea to the preference of Chinese diners. The British milk tea comes with the lightness and subtleties of high quality tea leaves. The local Hong Kong version comes with a heavy infusion of a strong tea base with mixed tea leaves, double, triple, quadruple-brewed, and the evaporated milk and sugar serve to taper the bitterness of the tea and add a touch of smoothness without the creaminess of regular milk. This is a classic example of how western cuisine is adapted to meet the budget and preferences of the local populace. And surely, every cha chaan teng has its own secret recipe for its milk tea.

In a previous entry, I have discussed Hoi An Café, which is now permanently closed, as one of the longest-standing cha chaan teng’s in Hong Kong. There are some other very well-known cha chaan teng’s that have acquired the status of heritage dining. In their decades-long experience in the dining scene, these old-schooled cha chaan teng’s have made their names in different kinds of menu items. As common as cha chaan teng foods are, the Hong Kong diners can easily tell the difference between good, regular and bad cha chaan teng food. In the following, I will introduce two historic cha chaan teng’s, each having its own specialty. In an upcoming entry, I will discuss Lan Fong Yuen, namely the oldest cha chaan tang standing in Hong Kong.

Sun Wah Café

Sun Wah Café has established its presence in Cheung Sha Wan since 1966. A restaurant of the Or family, Sun Wah Café had a somewhat unusual beginning. The Or family originally ran a grocer business selling rice and containers. Because a restaurant owner owed this family business money, he sold his restaurants as the way to satisfy the debt. Or Ming Gon, the son of the grocer, then took up these restaurants and began the family’s business in food and dining.

Sun Wah Café’s name meant “A New China.” Even in its very beginning, the wonderful pastries, milk tea and coffee drew a large crowd. Over the long years, Sun Wah Café had gone through significant revamp to meet the changing preferences of its diners. In terms of pastries, Sun Wah Café has slowly phased out some of the old-fashioned items. For now, its egg tart in puff pastry remains the most popular pastry on its shelves.

Besides its egg tarts, Sun Wah Café also makes a fried Singapore rice noodle dish that has earned the praise of famous food critics. Its breakfast menu is also very popular, particularly the satay beef soup ramen and its omelet. Finally, its fried dry beef noodle and fried beef in scrambled eggs over rice are also must-order items.

By now, the restaurant is run by the third-generation owner, Ms. Or Shuet Wan. She has transformed the restaurant in significant ways as well, including the introduction of the afternoon tea set menu. The family purchased the shop as its own property, and it is hoped that the good name of Sun Wah Café will be passed on for generations more.

The address of Sun Wah Café is G/F, 334 Castle Peak Road, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon.

Kam Wah Café & Cake Shop

A restaurant with a long history in Mong Kok, Kam Wah Café & Cake Shop has earned its name since its beginning in 1973. In Chinese, the restaurant’s name is “bing teng,” a variant of the “bing sutt,” which is somewhat a predecessor of the current-day cha chaan teng. The owner of Kam Wah Café thought “bing teng” sounded trendier than “bing sutt,” and so Kam Wah’s Chinese name is Kam Wah Bing Teng.

The difference between a “bing sutt” and a cha chaan teng is in the license. Bing sutt’s only have the license to serve “snacks” (Light Refreshments License), but the cha chaan teng’s have the permission to sell any kind of cooked dishes. As a result of this limitation, the bing sutt itself is slowly becoming obsolete in Hong Kong. Kam Wah certainly made a smooth transition into a cha chaan teng, and long lines very often form for its wide variety of menu offers.

It being in a very busy part of Kowloon, Kam Wah Café & Cake Shop is especially popular with tourists. This is a key difference from Sun Wah Café, which mostly serves loyal local customers.

In my opinion, its most sought-after pineapple bun really is the very best on the menu. The buns are made throughout the day and they are kept warm on the premise. The most typical way to enjoy it is to order the bun with a fat slab of butter. The crunchy, sugary topping of its pineapple buns are made of lard from the Netherlands, A-grade flour, imported eggs from Europe and evaporated milk. Kam Wah Café sells over a thousand of these buns every day. Its kitchen churns out a new batch every ten, fifteen minutes.

Besides the pineapple bun, the restaurant features a menu that covers literally all bases in terms of cha chaan teng dining. From soup udon to fried ramen, curry with rice or Hong Kong styled fried rice, its menu will hit both your savory and sweet spots. Remember to top off your meal with its signature milk tea.

The address of Kam Wah Café and Cake Shop is 46-47, Bute Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon.

Sources

Hong Kong Historical Shops on Sun Wah Café (Chin).

Various Chinese sources online on Kam Wah Café.