Café Deadend
Dead good. This weekend I got ombre toned, which doesn't mean I got a taut, fit man. I got my hair dyed. After I dyed, I got dead... or Café Deadend anyway.
Café Deadend is just round the back of Po's Atelier, a bakery that has items which could challenge herb-loving James Franco for the prize of most awesome, baked good.
It's a lovely alcove of a space; plain concrete walls, simple stylish tables & chairs, with French windows that open up giving all diners a bit of alfresco dining. 15 or so seats are sheltered while 20 are on the unshaded terrace (including a dinky kids table). A counter that runs the length of the space has high stools on one side and the open kitchen on the other.
Service for the most part is beige but efficient - only the spunky manageress adds chirpy colour. The crowd is a varied mix; some lycra-laden fitness types, some who think doughnut-eating might qualify as a sport, some chirpy youngsters, and me.
The menu is printed on a folded horizontal strip of paper; it's concise to read but a pain in the arse to photograph:
Poached egg with crab HK$85, is majestic. Two pert poached eggs coated with a light layer of hollandaise sit on a nest of rocket leaves, underneath that a generous wodge of white crab meat muddled with weeny cubes of apple, lifting the fresh sweet crab meat. The base is a buttery bread (Po's signature 'AOP' bread), it's an elegant, clean brunch dish balanced with richness from the egg yolk. It. Is. Awesome.
French ham and brie on rye HK$85 looks less bombastic, in fact it looks comparatively mormonly, but it's really fucking tasty. A short baton with a crust with just enough give for a satisfying crunch, leading onto a decent chew. The roasted ham is quality; deeply meaty and textured. A sting of wholegrain mustard gives it pep, while the cheese comes through at the end with a velveteen earthiness. The side of homemade pickles add a cheeky slap of sour. Pretty perfect.
The desserts are Instagram-picture perfect (#nofilter required because they're beautiful #andillstabyouwithmyfuckingforkifyoucomenearit #itsmineitsMINE.... I really don't understand how these hashtag bollocks work to be honest... ). Chocolate terrine HK$85 - a dark chocolate ganache topped with blood orange sorbet served with slices of oranges. Pistachios add a verdant nuttiness, slivers of fresh tarragon nudge a lovely aniseed aftertaste and the smear of caramel is the cherry on top (if that cherry didn't taste of cherry but of buttery toffee tones and was on the bottom instead of the top... yeah, fine, shit analogy). A lovely balance of wicked richness with spritely citrus.
For liquids; an iced coffee HK$45 got a bit lost in the food-fawning, can't even remember drinking it to be honest. And the homemade lemon and ginger fizz, HK$45, would have won me over if it had more than a tingle of ginger. The freshly squeezed orange, HK$45, is pulpy and good.
Just as Po's is a superior bakery, Deadend is a superior cafe. Pricewise, it's in the bracket of fnar-fnar-bit-posh coffeeshop. But the upscale food is worth it, you're paying for the carbs of kings and well-sourced ingredients. As a yardstick for cafe eats, it's pretty hard to beat - after Deadend there's no turning back.
Café Deadend, 72 Po Hing Fong, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Open: Tues-Sun 9.30am-6pm
www.cafedeadend.com