Hong Kong-style cafes are the hearty diners of Chinese comfort food. A wide array of rice and noodle dishes keeps things interesting and they’re all extremely inexpensive and quick, which explains for bustling lunches.
ABC Bakery & Cafe has a rotating weekly slate of lunch specials ($6.95) that always includes a hot soup, fresh bakery bun and hot drink. Most dishes involve something saucy over noodles or rice.
My deep-fried pork cutlet turns out to be two massive pieces with black pepper sauce over a mountain of rice and a small pile of frozen vegetables. It’s not fancy but it is tasty, with enough leftovers for the next day’s lunch.
Other menu items are hybrids of Chinese and British influences such as baked ox tongue with spaghetti in a tomato sauce, or French toast.
Service is brisk but don’t bother with small talk; ABC is all about getting you in and out.
