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2009-03-24
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An overdue pickup of something I should've done so 4 months ago brought me here, in Wan Chai's secret corner, surrounded by now-popular establishments on St. Francis and Star. There they were, walking up around the bend passing the posh CHEZ PATRICK and minimalist CLASSIFIED. The once-dreary landscape of unknown has been transformed into the new chic culinary mecca. I arrived at the lifestyle boutique and greeted the owner, picked up my item, and headed out the door to find an old-style joints.
The violent flurry of interest flushed across my face when I studied the cursive calligraphy on the walls -- dishes at $45 each. Clearly it's the lunch/ dinner menu. The more casual all-day one posted in yellow written in black. Drinks started at 10 dollars. Scanning at the familiar items including breakfasts "A" and "B" featuring macaroni soup with ham and sausages with eggs and toast. I spotted what I was here for in the first place -- noodles with Pork Chop. I also got a hot tea with milk to go with.
It wasn't a busy morning, the waitstaff lady was crouching on a wooden stool trimming vegetables with a pair of sharp kitchen shears. The metal clicking sound ever so rhythmic in the snip-snip motions as flakes of green drearily fell into the collecting bucket below. The sweet smell of bread toasting in the well, simmering tea stovetop, and eggs being scrambled. The sizzling symphony of sounds from the kitchen and out was reassuring enough, as my milk tea, presented in a glass-looking plastic cup slid halfway through the table and stopped right in front of me, tea not spilling a drop. The tea bears a good brownish-orange colour but somehow tasted short of an essential bitterness to it. The tea was nowhere as complex as the ones served at 金鳳, but I didn't expect it to either. It downed smoothly enough, though.
The noodles with porkchop arrived shortly. An aura of steam arose as 3 slices of porkchops topped a bowlful of hot noodles. I took a bite into the porkchop to notice its tenderness and good seasoning throughout. The noodles were of the instant kind, and at $26 this bowlful of noodles aren't exactly cheap, but for this many porkchop (and were nowhere near cardboardedness you get in some well established joints), it's quite of good value. Speaking to Mr. So, the owner for 30-odd years, I noticed the lack of "promotional introductions" (aka newspaper clippings introducing this place) on the window, nor are there any signs of exaggerated pride and expressions of half-daring brags on the faces either. Mr. So made it clear that he intended for the people to come by as they please, and as long as the customers know they are good, that's all it matters. It's at least better than getting all hyped up and then the quality goes down the drain -- a common and frequent-occuring restaurant nightmare upon press coverage.
Looking over, the macaroni with ham was equally scrumptious, with ham sliced into thin strips and eggs "scrambled" with the slightest flakes of white and an uniform golden pile throughout. I took another sip of tea, and slurped up the rest of the noodles and the last bits of the porkchops, reminding myself that the lunch crowds will arrive any minute now, as I saw the staff busy wiping tables, unstacking the stools, be ready for the peak hours to come. I paid the check with equal joy and satisfaction, that I have reclaimed the porkchop noodles I've been searching for quite a while, and the assuring comfort that a little gem that has survived more than 3 decades will sustain with its own fanbase for another long while. I couldn't help but smile inwardly with the lingering taste of fried porkchop and tea, looking back (and taking a picture) of the invaluable joint which has stood still in this neighborhood 'longer than I have lived', according to the owner. On my way back I brushed past a few chic, Chandlier-studded establishments on the same block. I did not feel the least bit deprived not venturing in for luxurious indulgences, as I realized that it doesn't take much to make a foodie happy, sometimes, just simplicity itself will do just fine.
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