Apart from a one day stopover when I was seven years old, this trip over the new year was my first time in Hong Kong. For the first time in a long time, this was a proper holiday with no work commitments; I was there to see one of my best friends who moved out there about two years ago. My trip was packed with catching up, seeing the sights and sampling as much of the local cuisine as possible. Thank you so much, M and S, for hosting me!
One of the first and best breakfasts I had (jetlag meant that I desperately needed a big meal in the morning) while there involved scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs. I went all the way to Hong Kong to eat scrambled eggs!
Oh, but what luscious and silky scrambled eggs. They were from the famed Australia Dairy Company and when we visited one weekday, we found a queue going down the road. Not being in any rush, we joined the end of it and to our surprise, we found ourselves at the head of the queue (still going down the road) in about 10 minutes. It was soon apparent how they managed to turn over customers so quickly. Everyone was sat wherever possible, sharing tables if necessary. Your food arrived within 5 minutes of ordering and your bill was also ready when you finish for you to take up to pay at the counter next to the entrance. This was not a place to linger. We shared a table with two other friends having breakfast and while it was a bit cramped, it was never uncomfortable.
The short menu is either on Chinese on the table or brought in English separately. There are a few sets and then an a la carte menu that mostly consisted of the food in the sets served separately along with a few more bits and bobs – like I said, it’s short and they obviously specialise in dairy and eggs (it’s the “Dairy Company” after all though I have no idea if they have any relation to Australia). We both opted for a Breakfast Set (26 HKD): toast with butter, fried or scrambled eggs, macaroni with ham in chicken soup and coffee or milk tea. Scrambled with milk tea for both of us.
I think the macaroni soup is a good example of what they call soy sauce western food – there is obviously a western influence on this dish but nowhere in the west would you see a dish like this. This was certainly filling but not something for which I’d jump through hoops.
But those scrambled eggs! I’d jump through a dozen flaming hoops for that plate of softly set yellow. The buttered crustless toast on the side was thick and fluffy perfect with it. All this and a hot milk tea really set us up for the day.
We also tried one of their egg custards (20 HKD). There are yellow (egg) and white (egg white and milk) versions and we tried a yellow. It’s very smooth and soft set and while I’m not a big fan of milk in general, it very slowly started to grow on me. Well, it didn’t grow on me enough to actually like it – we didn’t even manage to finish half.
Definitely recommended and if you happen to pass it and are feeling a bit peckish, do get their scrambled eggs (also available in a sandwich). I’ve got to learn to make eggs like they do.
Australia Dairy Company
47 Parkes Street
Jordan
Hong Kong
Mon, 16 Jan, 2012 at 01:11
*sighs* I love Hong Kong… It’s exhilarating even though Kai Tak is now closed to be replaced by such a boring but modern airport. I know it’s not food related really. But I used to like watching families eating their dinner from the window of my plane seat!!
Mon, 16 Jan, 2012 at 03:44
yum!
Mon, 16 Jan, 2012 at 06:28
The food looks awesome – nice post.
Mon, 16 Jan, 2012 at 13:05
I always find it surreal that macaroni soup is one of HK’s most popular breakfast dishes. Like you, I can’t say it’s one of my faves either!
But for those that do like it, SeeWoo (in Chinatown on Lisle St), sometimes sells instant HK-style macaroni (with a powdered soup sachet). The packets are made by Nissin (the famous instant noodle peeps) and are imported from Hong Kong.
PS: Looking forward to where else you ended up in HK!
Mon, 16 Jan, 2012 at 16:39
I don’t really see the connection with Australia here, either.
But, the scrambled eggs sound like something else … as they should be if they specialise in dairy products. For the very best, then, you should use free-range eggs, butter, not margarine and fresh, full-cream milk … alas, since I have to watch the cholesterol, I can’t indulge too often! 😦
Sun, 29 Jan, 2012 at 01:15
Robert: I’d heard so much about the first HK airport when I was younger! I must have flown in and out of it when I was 7 but I really can’t remember a thing.
kat: So so so good.
shardsofchina: Thank you!
Mr Noodles: I hit up mostly classics as it was my first time there!
travelrat: You’d love them, for sure.