"I’ve been a bit obsessed with Hong Kong-style cafes of late, visiting the newer and excellent Tam’s Noodle House and Pearl River Deli, but I decided to go a bit more classic with a lazy Sunday visit to Ho Kee Cafe in Arcadia. I’m always thinking of movies like Chungking Express, of loud noodle shops and busy streets immortalized in Wong Kar-wai films. In contrast, Ho Kee Cafe sports a rather elegant dining room but has enough design details like murals of streetscapes and trolleys to make it feel like I’m in Hong Kong. It’s a nice place to duck away with a book or newspaper on weekends as it lacks the typical busyness of dim sum palaces. Bites like tender roast duck with sweet orange sauce make way for fish filets in black bean sauce. A hefty wonton noodle soup comes with righteous-sized shrimp wontons, the broth a bit thinner but still more satisfying than competitors. Part of the charm of HK cafes is the brutally efficient service, which could come off as brusque, but I appreciate it. If you leave them alone, they’ll mostly leave you alone, which I rather prefer on Sundays." - Eater Staff
