It’s hard to believe that Qiaowei Bingshi (巧味冰室) only opened in 2005. This Hong Kong-style cafeteria looks like it dates back to the 1970s, with its peeling wallpaper and the well-worn patina of its dark brown plywood dining booths.
But this is exactly the atmosphere that Qiaowei’s proprietor has set out to create at this eatery located behind Sogo Department Store on Zhongxiao East Road (市忠孝東路) — a greasy spoon that stirs nostalgia for Hong Kong’s ubiquitous cha chaan teng (茶餐廳), or literally, tea restaurants.
These establishments are the equivalent of a 1950s/1960s-style American diner, serving coffee, tea and quick meals on the cheap. Cha chaan teng are so revered in Hong Kong that one legislator even proposed that they be submitted to UNESCO’s “intangible cultural heritage of humanity” list.
Qiaowei’s menu offers the standard fare of a cha chaan teng: rice plate lunches, noodle soups, Western breakfast items adjusted for Cantonese palates and milk tea. The restaurant says many of its ingredients are imported, and even the cook hails from Hong Kong.
The simple but tasty pork chop steak with onions and rice (洋蔥豬扒飯, NT$130) could be considered the former colony’s answer to the American diner staple of steak and eggs.
The grilled pork steak is tender in the middle, crispy brown around the edges and is topped with sauteed with onions. It comes with a side of boiled greens and a serving of rice with an egg on top, which can be ordered fried (全熟, quan shou or sunny side up (半熟, ban shou).
The fried beef rice noodles (千炒牛河, NT$130), which is stir-fried with thin slices of leek and tender cuts of meat and topped with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, are another plain but satisfying house recommendation. What sets this dish apart from the commonly available versions in Taipei are the chewy rice noodles.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the extensive menu. Go for any of the starred items, which include the curried chicken wings and noodle soup (咖哩雞翅麵, NT$130) and the rice with beef tenderloin (原汁牛腩飯, NT$130). For a taste of the West as interpreted by Hong Kong cooks, try the buttery French toast (法蘭西多士, NT$70) or the fried egg sandwich (炒蛋三文治, NT$70).
The uninitiated shouldn’t visit without having a “silk stocking” milk tea (絲襪奶茶), a rich concoction of black tea mixed with evaporated milk. After having one of Qiaowei’s refreshing lemon teas (檸檬茶), which come with several fresh lemon slices and just a tad of sugar, you’ll think twice before returning to the cheap iced tea stand.
Other novel drinks include the cha chaan teng standard “yuanyang” milk tea (鴛鴦奶茶), which is milk tea mixed with coffee. All of these beverages come in stainless steel canteen mugs and are NT$75 hot, NT$80 iced.
To make sure customers know they’re not eating at just any cheap cafeteria, the restaurant adds a small touristy touch. Each dining booth bears signs with the name of famous Hong Kong locales, including Repulse Bay, Hollywood Road and Temple Street.
When Qiaowei’s dingy charm starts to wear off, indulge in a buluo bao (菠蘿包) (NT$30), a fluffy pastry with a sugar-coated top and palm-sized slice of butter inside.
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