Missing Hong Kong too?
Perhaps having some authentic HK cha chaan teng food of Egg Tarts, Pineapple Buns, Hong Kong-style Milk Tea and Curry Fishballs can help bring back those joys.
Joy Luck Teahouse 歡樂冰室 has brought 3 iconic F&B brands from Hong Kong to Singapore at ION Orchard #B4-61.
A 2nd sit-down concept is already in the works, anticipated to open at Bugis Junction next month.
The person behind this concept is none other than veteran Singapore-born TV producer Robert Chua, who has persuaded over a year for the long-standing brands of Hoover Cake Shop, Kam Kee Café and Tak Hing Fishball Company to bring their signature items overseas.
A little trivial: He was also the producer of Hong Kong’s popular TVB variety show “Enjoy Yourself Tonight” 歡樂今宵, and therefore the similarity in the names – both representing joy and happiness.
While an air ticket to Hong Kong is not quite possible now, you can also satisfy those cravings for Hong Kong Curry Fish Balls aka Gah-Lei Yu-Dan by Tak Hing Fishball Company right at Joy Luck Teahouse. Here’s more:
Hoover Cake Shop 豪華餅店
The Egg Tarts from Hoover Cake Shop has been listed by The Guardian as the “Top 10 dishes to try in Hong Kong”. The bakery shop is also famed for being Chow Yun-Fat’s and Liza Wang Ming-Chuen’s favourite.
Founded in 1975 by Chow Ping-kuan, you could always spot a line around the block with its unmissable buttery aroma at Nga Tsin Wai Road, Kowloon City.
There are two styles of Egg Tarts offered here, one with a puff pastry shell and the other with sweet shortbread crust almost like butter cookie.
Both are filled with rich custard made with high-quality eggs and butter, resulting in a rich yellow hue, and creamy-smooth texture.
Hoover Egg Tart Cookie Skin ($2.30)
Between the two, I found the shortcrust with a distinct butter fragrance leaving the deeper impression, as the firmer also complemented the custard’s silky flavour better.
I loved that the fillings had a rich and wobbly egg-iness, and would highly recommend you to eat this warm.
Hoover Egg Tart with Pastry Skin ($2.30)
There are also many fans of the flaky puff pastry.
The good thing is: this is not the super-crumbly kind where pastry bits would likely fly all over, but I could imagine some may prefer that more-airy and light version.
Even so, easily one of best Hong Kong style Egg Tarts you can find on our island.
Kam Kee Café 金記冰室
Kam Kee Café started more than 50 years ago, originally as a dai pai dongat Shau Kei Wan which grew to a famous cha chaan teng at Sheung Wan (Sai Ying Pung). You may have also spotted a more version of it at Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1 Arrival Hall.
Popular for its Pineapple Butter Buns aka Boh Loh Bao and Hong Kong Milk Tea, and has remained true to its recipes from the 60s.
Kam Kee Pineapple Bun Butter ($2.80)
The classic cha chaan teng staple which is baked fresh within the store itself, and comes with sweet, crumbly golden crust.
Available in original, butter, luncheon meat and kaya versions.
Get the Bo Lo Yau which has fragrant premium butter in the middle that melts within the soft warm bread.
The exterior still had a light crisp, and thankfully didn’t fall flat even though I dabao to have at home.
Kam Kee Pineapple Bun Luncheon Meat ($2.80) and Kam Kee Pineapple Bun Kaya ($2.50)
Exclusive to the Singapore market at the luncheon meat and kaya buns – the former if you prefer something sweet-savoury like a sandwich.
While still good on its own, I would personally prefer a thin slab of butter which should go very well together.
Kam Kee HK Milk Tea ($3.80 for hot, $3.50 for cold)
This is the one drink that would instantly bring me back to Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong-style milk tea also follows Kam Kee’s secret recipe that calls for a blend of many types of superior-quality tea leaves imported from Sri Lanka.
European full cream evaporated milk is added to the brew to lend a moderately sweet flavour. I did find mine slightly on the sweet side, and an option for half-sugar would have been great (because I am trying to cut down on sugar).
The criterion of a good cup of HK milk tea is how fragrantly-smooth (香滑) it is, and this was indeed creamy, fully-bodied – even after much of the ice melted (as I brought the cup home).
And yes, it also had that lingering distinctive siap-siap bitterness that was alluring.
HK Bubble Milk Tea ($4.80, $5.80 with collagen)
Exclusive to Singapore will be this Hong Kong-style bubble tea – Joy Luck Teahouse’s milk tea complemented with a chewy brown sugar tapioca balls.
Wait, there is a collagen version. It didn’t really add much to the taste, but I suppose you would feel prettier after. You decide if you want that included.
Tak Hing Fishball Company 德興魚蛋公司 HK Curry Fish Balls ($4.80)
A popular Hong Kong street snack, but quite hard to find around there. The Curry Fish Balls are from the famed Tak Hing Fishball Company, served in a cup of six.
If you are wondering, the fish paste is freshly-made by a local supplier using yellowtail fish, with a no-flour and no-additive recipe so that they would be both soft and bouncy.
Unlike the usual Fishballs, these are first fried to make them more flavourful and with a golden coating, then drizzled in a curry sauce before serving.
I can’t say that the sauce was what I was used to having while in Hong Kong, but I liked that spicy tinge at the end that was quite addictive – and actually drank the last bits down.
Joy Luck Opening Specials
– 10% OFF regular items with no minimum spending for all walk-in customers
– 20% OFF regular items with $10 minimum spending with membership signup in the 1st 2 weeks of ION opening
– Buy 1 get 1 Free Hong Kong Milk Tea (Hot/Cold) or Pearl of the Orient (Hong Kong Milk Tea with Bubble) with membership signup in the 1st 2 weeks of ION opening. The free item will be the lower priced item.
Also, remember to keep your Joy Luck Teahouse receipt as customers can get 20% OFF Kam’s Roast Mooncakes with the receipt 2 days of purchase, or 15% OFF when purchase is made by 30 Sep 2020.
Joy Luck Teahouse – ION Orchard
#B4-61 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: 9am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/joyluck.teahouse
* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Joy Luck Teahouse.
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