Capital Cafe
Shop B1, G/F, Kwong Sang Hong Building, 6 Heard Street, Wan Chai
Tel 2666 7766
Grub: Vaguely western with Cantonese characteristics.
Vibe: Capital Cafe is a re-creation of a 'bing sutt'. Back in the 1950s and 60s, bing sutt were popular places where folks gathered to chat over cups of tea, coffee or fashionable iced drinks. Over the years, most bing sutt have disappeared, but since it opened last year, Capital Cafe and a few other like-minded ventures have been riding high on a wave of nostalgia. The best thing about Capital Cafe is that it is neither gimmicky or overpriced. While the decor is retro, the laminate booths and hard black chairs are authentically cheap and the black and white floor tiles convincingly worn. Service is swift and the staff all wear white jackets with the restaurant's badge on the breast pocket. The only thing out of character is that dishes are served with a smile and they probably haven't had the waiter's thumb dipped in them.
Who to take: Everyone. And with prices like these, you can afford to treat them all. If you have grandparents who grew up in Hong Kong, you could treat them to a walk down memory lane and they can tell you if it is really authentic.
What's hot: Bing sutt menus were typically small. There are three main items here: the breakfast set, which is served from 7am to 12pm; the regular set from 12pm to 10pm; and the light meal, which is available all day. They are all variations of the same thing.
The regular set includes spaghetti or macaroni with either beef or char siu in a broth. The broth itself is quite bland but you can add salt and pepper to taste. With it you can have eggs, fried or scrambled, with ham and two slices of thick toast. The fried eggs are nothing special, but the scrambled are rich and buttery. The set includes milk tea or coffee. If you don't have the appetite for a full set, all the components can be ordered individually. There are various toast options to satisfy a sweet tooth.
