Sun Wah Cafe    新華茶餐廳  

At a time when my age was still a single-digit number, I remembered drinking SOMETHING of a certain colour as a summer quencher. I didn't remember what it tasted like, or what it looked like -- only that it's fruity and cold. I didn't get woozy from drinking it (no booze) but I did get the childhood excitement and anticipation drinking it again.

One special post-badminton summer afternoon (pre-Applegreen), The four of us, walking through crowded streets with sweaty backs and tiresome bodies, dragging ourselves to this lifesaver joint. It was all very old-style. We settled down upstairs, passing the Barbie cake and freshly baked custard tarts at the entrance. Opening the menu, the beverages caught my eyes in the first look. On the second look a "Pineapple Ice" (菠蘿冰) called to me. It's something I have never ordered, in fact I don't remember the last time I've had something fruity in places like these. (I'm a milk-tea sort of guy -- there is something about the old thick porcelain cups that draw my attention every time). And to go with the ice, I ordered the custard tart as well.

The custard tart arrived promptly, simply put on a coloured plastic plate and half-slid across the table to me. It looked darker than I thought the crust would be, but the custard filling on the top and middle was very eggy and slightly jiggly when I shook it slightly. Biting into it the flaky crust gave out buttery vapours complimented by rich and wobbly custard filling. I was surprised that it wasn't so sweet to begin with. In a few bites the custard tart was diminished into light crumbs remained on the plate, as I awaited my drink to arrive.

Served in a tall glass not unlike a highball glass, the Pineapple ice was surprisingly lemony in colour -- just about the most perfect summer mocktail it can be. Call me silly or anything but I've never had a pineapple ice in my life, or at least so I thought.
One sip of it, up the straw and down my throat. I took a deep breath from its cool icy beverage, and took another sip. In an instant messages and memories fired across my mind -- now THAT, was the taste I was sorting after all these years, one that I have forgotten since childhood. It was not the pineapple, but the orange juice blend that I have had when I was little. Another seemingly silly indulgence of orange juice concentrate (from a bottle) to be diluted with iced water to make 'orange juice' drinks.

This "Pineapple Ice" was made with the exact orange juice concentrate and chunks of canned pineapple chunks, topped with ice. It didn't get any more artificial and hands-off than that, but let's face it, it's gotten me back down the memory lane as I reminded myself I've got a piece of my culinary memory from a place like this one, that I've gotten a piece of my budding appetite for foodie knowledge from childhood, and perhaps one of many "food mysteries" in my life sorted out.

The taste of reclaiming a lost taste extended to greater lengths than the food itself, it reminded me how I grew up in search of just about the exact same taste I've tasted at a time I didn't know what food was all about. It also encouraged me to soldier on to look deeper into the complex world to find out more about food, be them simple or complex, rare or common...

Not even one sad face for the cafe.

standard set
The noodle used was 'fok mian', cooked to the right degree with the juicy tender satay flavoured beef, the ham omelet was generous, with juicy egg sauce streaming out when sliced. The milk tea was nice too, with blend of tea aroma retained

Eggtart
Another delicacies, here served the cookie-crusted, cripsy and slightly sweetened egg filling, nice too.

Service was good with good manner, rare scene in HK-styled cafe

reli reli love the ketchup they use for the 茶餐廳's fried rice. although i know it's artificial but i still love it. the porkchop is also very tender...... hehe! my frd's fried spaghetti was very tasty. the aroma was nice when it was served. the portion was good too......

wanted to try the tea set but cuz we went at dinner time not much cake left. i'll go back for sure.

without a crying face 茶餐廳..... i agree!

my favorite foods in sun wah includes:

1) fresh hot egg tart

2) satay beef noodle

3) warm pineapple bun with butter...yum yum

4) hot milk tea...really smooth!!

also the environment and the service is really good compare to other local hong kong "cha chang tan"

really worth trying although the location is in cheung sa wah... \(o^_^o)/