Lounging Around

In fast-paced Hong Kong, where every hour is rush hour and no one seems to have the time to prepare their own meals, diners even have to eat in shifts. This is especially true during peak hours in popular restaurants, and the shifts normally run from 6 to 8pm and 8 to 10pm.

So I have great appreciation for restaurants where I can dine without having to check my watch. I think that no meal is better than a meal in a restaurant where I can sit, read and/or chat for as long as I wish without being hinted at by servers that there are other patrons waiting to be accommodated.

After window shopping, hanging out is our (Queen J and me) next favorite activity. And when we get too tired of hanging out in our flat, we visit some of our favorite spots where we can sit back and read while sipping refillable brewed coffee.

Fusion meal times are the best time to hang, think brunch and tea-time. Because we will be dining for 2 to 3 hours, it is best to just turn 2 meals into 1.

Tea-time (ha ng cha [pronounced as ha-mm-cha] in Cantonese), which usually runs from 2.30 to 6pm, is very popular in Hong Kong and is a great way to gain business from citizens who are not in the workforce, i.e. students and senior citizens. Most restaurants, both upscale and fast-food places, have tea-time set meals. Normally, tea-time sets are cheaper than but just as filling as lunch sets. Hotel cafes offer tea-time during weekends and public holidays.

So here are some of the spots Queen J and I love to lounge around in:

Cafe on the 1st, Excelsior Hotel, Causeway Bay (CWB) - This is the best place to escape the CWB shopping crowd on a Saturday afternoon for a nice cup of iced coffee. It is often impossible to find a seat in Starbucks at this time of the day during the weekend, and even if there were any seats, the place is too crowded and noisy for us to be able to relax. We have dined here for lunch, brunch and tea-time, and the food is so-so at best. But Cafe on the 1st always offers a nice refuge for a couple of tired souls, or more appropriately, soles.

(This is the mushroom omelette I ordered when we had brunch there a couple of weeks ago. I remember telling the server that I wanted the English muffin but would gladly have the toast if they already ran out of muffin. Funnily, I was served muffin AND toast.)

Dickens Bar, Excelsior Hotel, CWB - Located at the basement of Excelsior Hotel, Dickens Bar offers some feel-good but guilt-filled Western staples such as onion rings, fish and chips, and club sandwich. We go there when we want a different ambience from Cafe on the 1st. The food is surprisingly better, but the seats are less comfortable.

Landmark Cafe, Landmark, Central - This is the perfect place to lounge around in. We often buy a couple of trashy tabloids and go there to sit for hours. Situated in the middle of the second floor of Landmark, the cafe offers a good view of the posh shops at the center of Landmark. The open space is worlds away from the cramped environments of many HK restos. The seats are very comfortable, particularly the booths, and the food is just great.

We have tried the tea-time set for 2, which includes 3 layers of bite-size pieces of pastries, cakes, sandwiches and dim sums along with 2 drinks. We have also tried lunch entrees such as the sea bass, the beef stroganoff, and the mushroom risotto and other tea-time dishes such as the mini burger and the berry and waffles. And I can say I have never been disappointed with the food there yet.

(From top: beef stroganoff; foamed sea bass; our fruit smoothies; me with the berry and waffles, mushroom risotto, and very cute mini burgers with Queen J reflected on the mirror while taking the shot)

Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill, Pacific Place, Admiralty - A new discovery, Dan Ryan's may be the latest addition to our hang out locations. I had tried their steak and pasta before and was very satisfied. During lunch and dinner, their bread basket contains hot muffins, which I just love. For tea-time, I ordered a huge plate of onion rings with a decaf iced coffee for only HKD 52 plus 10% service charge. Because Dan Ryan's is more famous for its steak, the resto is pretty quiet during tea-time, which is a plus, but the place is too dim to read a book or magazine.

(Wow ancient pics! From top: me when I was still a brunette with the said hot muffin, broccoli fettucini, steak)

Note: No, I did not relapse, I am still a vegetarian. All shots of meat dishes were taken before I became a vegetarian.

Other locations we have tried:

Garden Cafe, City Garden, Fortress Hill - The tea-time here is cheaper compared to other hotel cafe tea-time buffets. But at HKD 133, not many good food must be expected to be served here. Most of the selection consists of instant food such as honey sausages and star-shaped nuggets. But on the bright side, there is refillable coffee, fondue, and ice cream.

(A not so ancient one from last year: me with my fondue dipped bread stick, ice cream, a cup of coffee, and some questionable dessert)

Marriott Cafe, JW Marriott Hotel, Admiralty - I have tried their breakfast, lunch and tea-time buffets and find their food selection for each meal very good and the price agreeable. The ambience in Marriott Cafe is relaxed and not at all intimidating. Everyday is seafood buffet here for lunch and dinner, and the weekday lunch buffet costs HKD 265 per head plus service charge. Breakfast and tea-time are great too but cost almost the same as a weekday lunch buffet.

(Just as ancient as my Dan Ryan pics: me at a bustling Marriott Cafe during lunchtime on a Monday)

I think nothing inspires me more to write such a lengthy entry than food. Just remember, the next time you're in HK, try to go to ha ng cha to get special discounts on dimsums and set meals and feel like a real HK-er. And also, don't forget to invite me.