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2008-12-01
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I had 20 minutes.As an advanced person it never occurs to me that punctuality will be a problem. I usually head out early in case something happens...extended waiting times, traffic jams, weekend protests that blocked up half a street with no particular notice etc...This day was different, for a class in Shau Kei Wan I have arrived just in time, with 20 minutes before start, and a lunch to eat. On normal circumstances I could walk over to 東大街 for a bite. Not today, standing at the entrance of 百利
As an advanced person it never occurs to me that punctuality will be a problem. I usually head out early in case something happens...extended waiting times, traffic jams, weekend protests that blocked up half a street with no particular notice etc...This day was different, for a class in Shau Kei Wan I have arrived just in time, with 20 minutes before start, and a lunch to eat. On normal circumstances I could walk over to 東大街 for a bite. Not today, standing at the entrance of 百利, I realized at some point I'll weigh in here. Crowded inside and out, it's surprisingly easy to get seated when you come alone --squeezing in a tight wooden booth that already seated three, I ordered a 'special meal', what everyone's having. That include a bun, macaroni with luncheon meat, ham omelette and a beverage of choice, which in a place like this will be synonymous to hot Tea with milk. Oh, and a 'fried egg ball' ($4.50 apiece), which is displayed on the front with alongside some fabulously looking breads.
百利 occupied a square room with too many tables to be seated comfortably. The booth next to mine seated 2 couples with one husband's bottom halfway in mid-air. (The wife is not particularly strenuous looking). The place is loud, noisy with chitchats flying over each others' heads. It's crowded with joy and yells from the front to the back and back to the front. In no time the macaroni arrived with two generous half rounds of luncheon meat. Everything tasted like it should be, and even though I've never had much pleasure eating macaroni, thanks to childhood memories of sick days with macaroni for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I downed the pasta in swift and repetitive spooning motions, almost like a robot. Looking at others around me, munching on pineapple buns with a slice of butter inserted on the side slit, my bun looked comparatively less tempting. One bite into it changed my view, the bun was glazed with sticky sweetness on the top, but the inside is ever so light and fluffy, almost like floss of cotton candy you get at the carnival!
The omelette was a good one, not one of those oversalted and overcooked kin you get in many places. The milk tea was steaming when arrived with thick porcelain cups. All hailed to the old school style, really. In less than 10 minutes I have completely finished my special meal, which is exactly the time when dessert arrived. The 'egg ball', was really a relative to deep fried choux pastry, expanded exponentially in size bigger than my fist. It's not fried to order, but the sugar sprinkled on top offered a crunch to the airy inside, slightly sweet and hollowed out. It's light on the pastry part and not overly greasy.
I looked at the children in other tables rejoicing over the egg balls, or their parents busying themselves with their noodles or sandwiches. The mixture of satisfaction and joy flashed across their faces, with hand gestures, conversations over topics alike. It looks like a microcosm of the city we live in -- where food is appreciated with ubiquitous pleasure and appreciation. How's that, for a quick meal in less than 15 minutes, and for less than 30 dollars I've had my educational lunch, epiphany in a doggy bag to go?
张贴
