The Arrival
Driving down Parramatta Road, it’s astonishing how quickly we travel from the city to the heart of Kowloon, Singapore, Tokyo, and Jakarta. Burwood’s vibrant eateries feel even more authentic than the CBD’s tired looking Chinatown. We struggle to find parking, passing several restaurants that tempt us for a visit. We haven’t been here in ages. Why, why, why?
The Design and Vibe
Nestled close to where Chase Kojima’s Senpai Ramen used to be, Kowloon Cafe is a riot – in a good way. Tables are snugly arranged, with window-side booths the prime people watching spot. The newly installed BBQ area is the ultimate foodie manequin showing off it’s glossy, hanging ducks and meats. The pièce de résistance? A real Hong Kong bus, imported, gutted, and transformed into the restaurant’s live action drinks station. The next bus stop on ‘Jordan Road’ is our table, as we grab our menus and settle in for the ride.
The Food
Hong Kong is the beloved muse for the owners, who frequently travel for inspiration from DJ’s to dining set meals. While the island has retained elements colonised gentrification, Kowloon remains raw and edgy. The menu is a culinary tome and it’s now even larger thanks to the new BBQ menu. Co-owner Fai Li of Golden Sun BBQ in Hurstville is the master of marinades, dunking, frying, drying and roasting, The choices are endless -beloved food ‘sets’ from breakfast to dinner, including coffee, toast, eggs, and dessert, extending through lunch and more. Locals rave about the baked rice, (a nostalgic nod to English tradition), and the uber-thick French toast.
Chicken Curry
Our journey begins with fish balls. Despite their mysterious origins, these curry-coated spheres are tender and delicate, not rubbery or dubious. The curry sauce, a golden wonder, has a red fire oilslick on top and a depth of flavour found in the best of hawker curries. The seafood baked rice arrives with two oversized mussel halves, perfect scoops for the cheesy, gooey, and decadently naughty lucky dip of prawns, calamari, and more. We’ve traveled back in time and across continents.
The combination BBQ plate is a landscape of BBQ pork with an addictive sweet coating, chicken, duck, and pork belly. It’s an Atkin dieter’s dream, each protein owns its place on the plate. The chicken is juicy and succulent, the pork belly crispy and perfectly rendered and the duck is succulent. At under $30 a plate, it’s an insane value for this quality.
The chicken curry, served on the bone with a mound of white rice, and the Singapore Noodles, with a lighter curry touch than expected, complete our feast. We end with a crowd-pleaser: two sky scraper slices of white bread, generously slathered in the middle with peanut butter and served with a choice of squeezy bottle honey, butterscotch, and condensed milk .
Summary Kowloon Cafe offers an rolicking ride around Hong Kong. It’s, best enjoyed with a group. It’s low-fi, fun, retro, and serves freakin’ awesome food. Whether for lunch or breakfast, do yourself a favor—hop on the 461 bus from the city to Burwood and say hello to the best transport stop in town.
Kowloon Cafe, Lot 11a 27 Belmore St, Burwood Hours: Mon-Sun 11.30am – 9.00pm
