查理布朗咖啡專門店 Charlie Brown Cafe

尖沙咀金馬倫道58-60號
國鈀大廈地下及1樓
58-60 Cameron Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui
KCR: Tsim Sha Tsui East

When I think Charlie Brown, I think pumpkin patch, I think little red-haired girl, Woodstock and Snoopy of course. What I don't think about is food, coffee, or cute little cakes...so I was naturally surprised but curious when I passed by a Charlie Brown Cafe found within an eclectic jumble of herbal medicine shops, clothing stores, and even smelly-tofu stands, so I walked up the steps into the Charlie Brown Cafe, and as I did, I was greeted by some very nice Peanuts collectibles.

When I reached the top of the steps, I realized I'd just walked into a world so oozing with everything-Peanuts that I'm sure it'd make even the Schulz Museum envious.

From Linus on your table-top to Lucy on the lady's room door, from statues of Charlie Brown to Sally above you, and even a TV running Peanuts cartoons; not only is everything Peanuts themed, but the food itself comes in endearing bite-sized portions, you'd think they came from the little world of Peanuts itself...
...like this "Mini Burger Platter", which might remind you of White Castle burgers until you take a bite into them and realize that they're not the msg/preservatives-laden tiny pops of buns and meat some of us are so fond of in the US, but real respectable burgers that are actually thick, juicy, and delicious. There's variety in this dish too, one's a chicken burger, the other is beef; and don't let their diminutive size fool you...with some veggies and a hearty helping of fries it fills the average stomach, and is delicious enough to warrant a second order if you've got a big appetite.

It is a cafe, so you can enjoy your food or coffee with magazines or newspapers, but unlike other cafe outlets, if you've had enough of the South China Morning Post, why not pick up some Peanuts comic books?
That's exactly what I did while enjoying this American Hamburger.

Just like the mini burgers, this one was thick, juicy, and delicious, but I admit, there is a certain satisfaction from getting a big traditional burger in your hands that just barely fits in your mouth with every bite...and every bite into this burger is simply savory. The fries are good ol' thick wedges of potatoes, hard to come by in Hong Kong, just as greasy-good as they are in the States.

But if you're looking for something lighter and healthier, they've got those options too. Nothing out of the ordinary here with this "Turkey Ciabatta" sandwich, but what would a cafe be without a good deli sandwich?



Dessert, or just a plain snack, you ask? No problem. They've got those, with Peanuts' flair even. Here's Charlie Brown joined by Woodstock.


All-in-all, the Charlie Brown Cafe is a very comfortable, and surprisingly spacious cafe, that doubles as a miniature museum, and also sells collectibles like mugs, models, and other gifts. If you're a Peanuts fan, this is a wonderland for you, but if not, it's still a really nice place to grab food, coffee, or tea. And unlike Starbucks and Pacific Coffee outlets, you never have to worry about finding a table, or some plush sofas.

Ebeneezer's Kebab

尖沙咀亞士厘道24-38號
天星大廈地下G01C號舖
24-38 Ashley Rd.
Astoria Building G01C
Tsim Sha Tsui
MTR Station: Tsim Sha Tsui

Here a great place to go when you're craving a different tradition of spice, style, and texture in Hong Kong - Ebeneezer's Kebab. Tucked at the back of happening Ashley Road, this Middle-Eastern cafe in TST boasts foods that'll jump out at you and excite your taste buds, not to mention fill and satisfy any appetite. Its signature dish, of course, is the kebab. The menu describes this chicken kebab we ordered: "Roased chicken served in Lebanese Pita bread with salad and your choice of dressings."

雞肉卡巴 Chicken Kebab

The pita bread wrapping is not only quite nutritious, but its crispiness wraps a delicious and filling core, fired up to the right temperature to ignite a smorgasbord of flavors and spice. If you order the lunch set, it also comes with a drink for a pretty good deal. I got some coffee.

咖哩羊肉 Lamb Curry

With a little more spice and a little more flavor than most curries in Hong Kong, some people would prefer Ebeneezer's curry over others. It's really good, but I've had better; as far as curries go Tak Lung's oxtail curry or Macao's Porto Interior's curry just overshadows it. This lamb curry just doesn't have the same tasty complexity of what I've had, but it's a good one nonetheless.

咖哩角 Samosas

Samosas are really popular in Hong Kong, but are mostly Hong Kong-ified, a fusion of Cantonese and Indian style. These samosas are of the western tradition, rounder, crunchier crust, and tightly filled with Middle-Eastern style spiced potatoes. Dip it in the green dressing for a cool minty taste.

Ebeneezer's is definitely a nice, convenient and cheap place to get a meal. It draws a young professional crowd and more foreigners, it's got some hindi music videos playing on a TV, and it's located on a road with bars and restaurants of all sorts of international cuisines, giving the place a nice colorful metropolitan vibe. Together with its good quality food, it's already a regular feeding spot for me, and I'd definitely recommend anybody to go have a try.

得龍大飯店 Tak Lung Restaurant

新蒲崗康強街 25-29 號地下
25-29 Hong Keung St. G/F
San Po Kong, Kowloon
KMB Bus 5C
Get on at TST Star Ferry Pier, or Hung Hom Station
Get off at Ng Wah Catholic School


If you want good ol' country-style Cantonese cooking, without the expensive decor of banquet style restaurants (酒樓 jau lau), this is where you want to go: Tak Lung Restaurant. With a down-to-earth cha chaan teng atmosphere, its quality cooking is bound to please anybody. Plus they've even got a neat rating system on their menu telling you which dishes are ordered the most.

My visit started off with this freebie appetizer, nice to munch on to pass the time.

咖喱焗牛尾 Curry Baked Oxtail

This curry oxtail was delicious. The sauce was spiced just right, the potatoes gave it hearty texture, and the oxtails were simply succulent. Slices of carrot gave a sweetness to it all, and while the little clay pot that holds it might be the secret to its perfect fusion of flavors, it does definitely give it a nice cozy appearance. On top of that, the Curry Baked Oxtail actually came with slices of garlic bread.

While curry oxtail with garlic bread isn't quite country-style Cantonese cooking, they do it up so amazing here that you'd be a fool to pass it up. But the draw to Tak Lung is, after all, country-style Cantonese, and so this next dish is an exemplar of it.

家鄉炆鵝缽 Country-Style Goose

This dish had such a unique flavor, a kind of sweetness boosted by a bit of spice and salt that kicks your tastebuds into ecstacy. The taro in the dish took on the juicy flavor of the goose, making it the best taro I've ever tasted before, and I normally don't even like taro. The pieces of goose meat were tasty, and had a filling feeling biting into them, but not too heavy, a perfect balance of tenderness and heartiness. And the interesting bowl it's served in keeps it nice, hot and tasty. This is a signature dish of the restaurant, making it known throughout Hong Kong for the place to go for goose-meat.

And of course, what would a traditional Cantonese meal be without sweet soup? The green bean soup was another freebie.

The only drawback I can think of for this restaurant is that it's not the most conveniently located. I went to San Po Kong, the district it's located in, mostly because I wanted to see the area my mom got her first job as a teenager, and moved out to live on her own for the first time. But while family history was what drew me to Tak Lung Restaurant, it was the knock-your-socks-off food that'll have me recommending this place to anybody. It's well worth the trip, which is a 30 minute bus ride from Hung Hom station. I'm certainly not the only one impressed, considering that they had to buy more space just to keep up with the business. Check them out. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.