Kong Sihk Tong is a modern take on the traditional Hong Kong cha chaan teng — the Cantonese name for Hong Kong cafes that revolve around serving food quickly and at cheap prices. These cha chaan teng serve both Hong Kong cuisine and Hong Kong-style Western cuisine, with dishes including takes on pasta, toast, and coffee. Similar to cafes in Hong Kong, Kong Sihk Tong offers a large variety of dishes, both popular traditional dishes and unique ones, unlike any served elsewhere.
Located in Flushing, Queens, and Chinatown, Manhattan, even from its exterior, Kong Sihk Tong stands out. In the Flushing location I visited, its simple yet vibrant color scheme of baby blue, pink, and gold immediately pops through floor-to-ceiling windows. Upon entering, a colorful cartoon drawing of a bustling street in Hong Kong painted on the right wall catches my eye, creating a calm, comfortable atmosphere. Seating comes in two options, booth and table, with booths seating up to six people while small tables sit two for a more intimate experience. Overall, decorations are minimal, sticking to that blue-pink-gold color scheme, recreating the simple look of cha chaan teng, which tend to have more cramped spaces with minimal decorations and plastic cutlery to save on costs.
As I sat down with my family at a booth table, I couldn’t help but notice how at home I felt. A friendly waiter took our order, conversing with us in Cantonese as we debated what dishes to get. When I looked at the menu, I was delighted to see some of my favorite dishes from Hong Kong featured, even some with original spin-offs. They had the cafe staple, Hong Kong-style milk tea, Hong Kong-style french toast, and an assortment of baked dishes with cheese, just to name a few. To start, I ordered the Hong Kong-style milk tea and Hong Kong-style french toast, both of which I enjoy and have tried in various other cha chaan teng. I followed this up with luxurious pork chop stirred instant noodles in cheese sauce, which is an original take on traditional instant noodle dishes served in Hong Kong.
Iced Hong Kong-style Milk Tea:
Hong Kong-style milk tea is very much a British-influenced drink; its origins arose during British colonial rule from the British practice of drinking afternoon tea. What distinguishes it from other types of tea, however, is its smoothness, which comes from straining tea leaves through a sackcloth bag resembling a silk stocking. Additionally, condensed milk, rather than sugar, is added to enhance the richness of the tea after straining. I found Kong Sihk Tong’s iced Hong Kong-style milk tea to be the closest tasting to those found in Hong Kong. As I took my first sip, the creamy, smooth tea coated my mouth and I was able to taste a few notes of bitterness, which enhanced the tea’s sweetness from the condensed milk. Within a few minutes, the drink was gone but an earthy, slightly bitter aftertaste lingered.
Hong Kong-style French Toast with Condensed Milk:
This dish, like Hong Kong-style milk tea, originated during British colonial rule. The British had brought over traditional French toast, which quickly became an expensive dessert served at high-class hotels and restaurants. In the 1950s, when Chinese chefs tried to replicate French toast using cheaper ingredients, Hong Kong-style French toast, which uses white bread deep fried in a wok rather than sliced baguettes fried in a pan, was born. Traditionally, a slab of butter is placed on the steaming hot toast and served to customers, but there are other common variations as well, such as toast with peanut butter between the slices of bread and condensed milk poured on top. Kong Sihk Tong has many choices for Hong Kong-style French toast, including toast with peanut butter or condensed milk and even a chocolatey special Ovaltine French toast based on the popular Ovaltine drink.
To properly judge the quality of Kong Sihk Tong’s French toast, I ordered the traditional French toast with condensed milk. When the toast came out, the toast’s golden edges first caught my eye. The bread was both thick and fluffy, with a crispy golden coating and a rapidly melting slab of butter topping it all. As I sliced into it, a fragrant buttery scent wafted into the air, and melted butter began to seep into the bread. The first bite was glorious: the perfect crisp crunch was paired with a super soft, pillowy interior. Adding condensed milk further elevated the experience; the thick, creamy, and sweet condensed milk paired perfectly with the hot, slightly salty, butter-soaked slice of toast. I’ll definitely be back to try their other variations of toast.
Pork Chops Stirred Instant Noodle in Cheese Sauce:
Unlike the other dishes reviewed so far, instant noodle in cheese sauce is not as commonly found in cha chaan teng across Hong Kong: I’ve only come across it a few times during my time in Hong Kong. Instead, its soupy cousin is often served — instant noodles in soup with an assortment of meats. With that being said, this unique dish is a must-try if you come to Kong Sihk Tong. These velvety-smooth, cheese-topped instant noodles make for the perfect comfort food. The springy chewiness of the instant noodles balances the indulgent, cheesy white sauce; each noodle is coated thoroughly with sauce so that each bite carries a good ratio of noodle to cheese. There are several variations of this instant noodle and cheese dish, differing in the type of meat used. I chose pork chops, which went well with the dish: its breading was fried to crispy gold perfection offering a gentle crunch with each bite. It, paired with the texture of instant noodles, made for a fun explosion of flavor and feel. Surprisingly, the noodles were not too salty or heavy either, which is a gripe I have with foods that have a lot of cream or cheese.
Overall, Kong Sihk Tong offers a unique taste that few restaurants have around here — a true “taste of Hong Kong”. Everything, from the decor and menu to the dishes themselves bringsreminded me of meals spent eating in humble cha chaan teng in Hong Kong. Still, dishes like the pork chop stirred instant noodles in cheese sauce introduce unique flavors not found anywhere else. For anyone who wishes to experience authentic yet distinctive Hong Kong cuisine in an accessible, friendly setting, Kong Sihk Tong is the perfect place.
