02 October 2010

Ching Yip Coffee Lounge ~ Hong Kong Style Coffee Shop - Chinatown


Back to the future in the surreal 1980's world of Ching Yip Coffee Lounge, a Hong Kong style coffee shop in Dixon House in Chinatown.




On the way into town we spot a great sign at the gates of Sydney University...



Today we feel like something simple and homely so we head for Ching Yip Coffee Lounge in Chinatown. The first time we set foot in Ching Yip a couple of years ago we thought it was utterly strange: weird 1980's decor with mirrored ceilings, pastel pink walls and a menu that includes luncheon meat sandwiches and spaghetti alongside Chinese classics. It seemed like a surreal Chinese RSL club from a parallel universe. Since then we have been to Hong Kong and realised that Ching Yip is just like a Hong Kong Coffee Shop, but it's still wonderfully weird.

There's a nice vibe here on a Saturday afternoon, Hong Kong expats reading the newspaper and having loud conversations in wonderful sing-song, hold-that-vowel-at-little-longer Cantonese; homesick students, families and giggly teenagers. Love it. Out of nowhere Miss Chicken says, "I feel so comfortable here." It's just like Hong Kong but not so squishy.



How rare is to have a craving for something specific and get exactly what you want at a restaurant? Well today  it happened to me. I wanted a lightly fried pork chop between two slices of buttered fresh white trash Tip Top bread, and that's exactly what I got. Only $4.20. Very happy.



Pork and preserved vegetable soup to go with my dream sandwich, $4.50. It's plain, viscous and filling, a perfect combo with the sandwich.



Miss Chicken orders a beef brisket soup but we think something was lost in translation, she received a beef noodle soup. It was very plain but just what she felt like at the time, the perfect dish for anybody under the weather. $8.



Ching Yip Coffee Lounge Specials Menu.

BACK AGAIN FOR BREAKFAST - MAY 2012



We notice that Ching Yip is open for breakfast from 8.30am so we stop in for a Sunday brekky. The escalators weren't running yet but that didn't stop us and a bunch of old Aunties getting there.



The best deals are the sets, these are the breakfast\morning tea sets. There's also some more breakfasty dishes on the regular menu - omelettes, bacon and eggs on toast etc.



How's this for a breakfast deal - pork congee and fried noodles - this feeds two of us for only $7.00. That's $3.50 each for breakfast, has to be the best deal in town. It's dang good too.





Ching Yip Coffee Lounge is up two flights of escalators at Dixon House (above the Dixon Food Court) 413-415 Sussex St, Haymarket/Chinatown. Kudos to Sydney food blog queens grabyourfork and notquitenigella for bringing this wonderful place to our attention :-)

Ching Yip Coffee Lounge (Dixon House Level 2) on Urbanspoon

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