The beloved home of milk tea and pineapple buns, cha chaan teng, or tea restaurants, came into prominence in post World War II Hong Kong, when British customs permeated the local population.
As Hong Kongese acquired a taste for new ‘luxurious’ western delicacies, tea restaurants met the rising demand with a mix of coffee, milk teas, cakes and sandwiches. Cantonese dishes, too, remained on the menu – in case culinary buccaneers lost heart while skimming through the list of foreign foods.
Later on, cha chaan teng adopted more exotic recipes and spicy curries, influenced by Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.
Now a common sight in Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou and other southern cities in China, tea restaurants have evolved to appeal to an even larger consumer base by adding to the menu an array of flavors from all over China.
Ga Sung (meaning ‘add dishes’), nestled self-consciously between big boys the Tavern and The Brew in Zhujiang New Town, veers from tradition with its array of Sichuan specialties. Spicy shrimp (RMB78), Sichuan poached beef (RMB58) and the famous spicy and sour, hand-ripped cabbage (RMB38) promise zesty tongues and nonstop requests for water.
The Singapore prawns with black pepper (RMB78), one of Ga Sung’s signature dishes, bodes a foreign aroma. Yet the prawns have a novel, stimulating taste that sparks one’s appetite – well, at least ours.
Inside, oblong tables are paired with chairs or benches, making the restaurant feel more like a cafeteria. A cheesy red carpet extends from the door to the kitchen, where, through its glass window, a line of roasted poultry hangs ready to greet customers.
We start with Ga Sung’s recommendation – the iced Hong Kong-style milk tea (RMB28). Served in a large glass filled with crushed ice, the beverage is subtly sweet and great for warding off Guangzhou’s heat spells.
The roasted goose meat (RMB68, recommended for four people) is satisfyingly tasty with classic, crunchy skins. A side of sour prune sauce adds a grease-free aftertaste.
To spice up your meal, try the pork ribs in scallion oil (RMB58), which are conveniently foil-wrapped at one end. Arriving smoking and fragrant, the ribs are covered with fried and diced onions, peppers and, of course, scallions. They taste as rich as they appear, but a bit more tenderness would garner high marks.
Though it pursues the same pioneering spirit as original tea restaurants, Ga Sung falls short in execution. Its all-Chinese menu and lackluster flavors hardly compete with the real deal in Hong Kong. And the location, well – we’re pretty sure the folks behind this venture overlooked the type of clientele hanging around Huajiu Lu.
Price: RMB80
Who’s going: Local old-timers, visiting families
Good for: Eating late-night xiaoye, Hong Kong-style milk tea
0 User Comments