Hong Kong - Mido Cafe at Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei (美都餐室)

Mido Cafe at Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong is a scene right out of the movies. Oh, but wait, Mido Cafe was exactly where many Hong Kong movies were filmed. It exudes immense nostalgia and charm, and this is perhaps the only place in Hong Kong that feels unhurried.

Once we stepped in Mido Cafe, we were transported right back to the 1970s. Beautiful mosaic tiles were laid not just on the floor, but also splendidly on the walls. The wooden earthly green booth seats; cream cushioned chairs; bright red coca cola crates; hand-written menu pasted on the walls - all seemed hapharzardly placed, but it is this exact chaos that makes everything at Mido so poignant.

The menu at Mido Cafe is extensive. Apart from those handwritten ones pasted on the walls, each table had a menu detailing all their offerings in both Mandarin and English. We could not say no to a lot of items on the menu, so we decided to go for a safe option, and an adventurous choice for our beverages and food.

The Yuan Yang (tea and coffee mix) at Mido Cafe was not just safe, it was perhaps the best Yuan Yang that we have had. We could taste both the tea and the coffee, but they were not distinct- they were fused together in a smooth, creamy blend with a slightly salty aftertaste.

Iced lemon tea we have had many, but Iced lemon coffee? Now, that was the first time we heard of it and we had to give it a try. We wouldn't have thought that two acidic components could go well together, but the lemon gave a refreshing twist to the black coffee. And with it iced, the lemon coffee was a pleasant delight.

Everyone loves cripsy noodles, don't we? The crispy noodles was thus our safe choice. The noodles were indeed crispy and very fresh- and there was no remnants of oil or its smell. The sauce, however, was a little too salty for our liking. The beef had the wok hei, but it was a little tough. This dish was a little disappointing for us. Perhaps sometimes, the safest or simplest dish may be the hardest to satisfy.

Our adventurous spirit pointed us to the baked pork ribs rice. The creamy tomato and cheese sauce covered the fried pork ribs and buttered rice in a beautiful, fiery red, and gave a nice flavour to the smokey pork ribs that were well marinated and very juicy. Each grain of the rice was coated sunshiney yellow with butter, but after some time, it could get a little overwhelming. The portion is huge, and with the intense flavour, the baked pork ribs rice definitely has to be shared.

There were hits and misses in the food offering at Mido Cafe, and we would prefer the drinks here more than the main courses. Many Hong Kong actors and actresses have graced the seats at Mido Cafe not just for their roles, but also in their personal lives. Mido Cafe still remains as a humble abode for the locals though it has been extensively featured in reel. There is no cheap, gimmicky marketing stunts like photos of celebrities plastered all over the wall; there is only authenticity, class and timeliness here at Mido Cafe.

Hong Kong Food Blog Review by Kumory

☁☁☁☁/☁☁☁☁☁

Mido Cafe 美都餐室 

63 Temple Street

Yau Ma Tei Hong Kong

830am to 930pm daily

ps: Check out our ultimate food guide to Kowloon for more goodies in Hong Kong!