There’s virtually nothing more quintessentially Hong Kong than cha chaan tengs (茶餐廳, CCTs). After WWII, bing-sutts (冰室, the predecessors of CCTs) started to emerge as a source of Western food for the common people. Nowadays, CCTs serve a wide range of goodies, some do wonton noodles and other fried staples, and here’re some universal items you cannot miss.
What Food to Get?
CCT 101: order a seung-chaan (常餐). Its name suggests that you can order it anytime in the day, essentially a HK ver. all-day breakfast. It usually comes with a piece of toast, some eggs and ham/sausages/luncheon meat, and a noodles in soup of your choice, which could be rice vermicelli, macaroni, or spaghetti. (The Italians are so mad at us on this matter…)
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/p-%E9%A6%99%E5%9F%8E%E8%8C%B6%E5%AE%A4-p2108018
There’s one kind of toast I’m particularly fond of which may surprise even some Hong Kong people. A yau-sa-doh (油砂多) is not something you can find on the menu. Instead, you order a toast with butter (鮮油多) and sprinkle on it a thin layer of granulated sugar. The creamy butter and crunchy granules on a fresh toast gives you a complex yet delightful sensation—trust me the calories are worth it.
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/p-%E9%AE%AE%E6%B2%B9%E5%A4%9A-%E8%B6%85%E5%8E%9A%E7%9A%84%E7%89%9B%E6%B2%B9-%E6%AD%A3-%E4%BD%86%E5%8F%AF%E6%83%9C%E5%A4%9A%E5%A3%AB%E6%98%AF%E5%87%8D%E7%9A%84-%E9%BB%9E%E8%A7%A3-%E5%98%89%E6%A8%82%E5%86%B0%E5%BB%B3-p954658
Now let’s move onto some beverages.
Hong Kong-style Milk Tea
THE iconic CCT drink has to be Hong Kong-style milk tea. Another colonial influence, milk teas in CCTs are akin to what the Brits have, except that evaporated milk is more commonly used rather than fresh milk. This gives the mixture a thicker texture and richer taste. But if you want to sound like a pro at a CCT, perhaps try ordering something from below.
Yuen-yeung (milk tea with coffee)
If “coffee or tea?” has been your constant battle, we have just the perfect solution for you: yuen-yeung (鴛鴦). Mixing milk tea with coffee, it is another go-to of locals living a hectic life. (Note: be careful of the high caffeine content! It is the very reason why I lack the privilege to indulge myself in yuen-yeungs:( )
Cha-jau, Feh-jau, or Yeung-jau (adding condensed milk to milk tea, coffee, or yuen-yeung)
The “jau” in cha-jau (茶走), feh-jau (啡走), and yeung-jau (鴦走) originated from “jau-tong” (走糖), which means one need not add white/brown sugar to their drink. Instead, it’s served sweetened because of the condensed milk. Some claim it makes the drink smoother and less bloating than their counterparts. I personally buy this saying, but do tell me what you think after trying both!
https://www.openrice.com/zh/hongkong/p-%E8%81%AF%E7%99%BC%E8%8C%B6%E9%A4%90%E5%BB%B3-p2157544
What’s mentioned above is merely the tip of an iceberg. There’s much more to this cornerstone of Hong Kong culture, such as its ambience, the way waiters take your order, etc.. Make sure you visit a cha chaan teng next time you come to Hong Kong!
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