To be honest, as one living in HK myself…never liked this restaurant 😂 I’d rather pay more for better food and services, or pay less for the same food but better services
I know a lot of Hong Kong people say that the Australian Dairy Company is a tourist thing. But I actually love it, my mom used to bring me there in the 90s when there was no line and the food was and is still good for the kind of food it is. I never find the staff rude, just HK style efficient. Perhaps I'm biased since it brings back fond childhood memory of spending time with my mom. I also feel like there's often a tendency to find something less than if it's a tourists' favourite. I mean, it's a favourite for a reason.
Keywords "when there was no line". It happened to most renowned restaurants, they couldn’t keep up with quality control as pressure increased. It goes from bad to worse when they realize their popularity has little to do with the actual service quality.
As a Singaporean who loves visiting hongkong, Australian Dairy is the worse place to eat. No one should be patronising them or accepting their rude staff masquerading as "fast or quick" service. They are just plain rude. And their food isnt even unique or fantastic.. its basic HKG breakfast food....
I agree. You can get good toasted egg sandwiches everywhere in HK. Australian Dairy would improve their service only if they experienced a huge decrease in business.
From my recent experience they are more polite than before, one guy there even had a chit-chat with my friend asking what model was his phone. To be honest food is between 5-7 out of 10, quality is consistance, food always piping hot. I believe the amount of customers have decreased a lot compare to the old days.
Years ago, my mother in law gave me moon cake to take home back to United States. When I was passing through the customs, they asked me if I have moon cake. I said yes. They asked does it have egg yolk. I actually didn’t know. They proceeded to open my moon cake box, and asked me to break in half, and I did. There appears to be none. They let me go. The IS custom explained that moon cakes are not prohibited, but egg yolks are as they are considered fresh dairy product and is prohibited. The funny thing was that, my moon cake did have egg yolks, but I was just lucky that how I broke the moon cake, yolks didn’t show up.
I don’t understand why cooked egg yolks is not allowed? They don’t allow me to bring “fried instant noodle snack”, because the package said there’s ingredient “egg” in it. 😅
@@starfish2046 My understanding is that some of the egg yolks in the moon cakes may not have been fully cooked. You can tell because often they are still wet in the middle.
Most people follow blindly. Otherwise there would not be words like “viral” or “trendy”. The ones that make their own judgment like you and I are rare 😂.
I'm glad you're returned to Hong Kong, sooner than I thought but ain't complaining and yeah there are still things to either review and/or compare food wise.
:) Yes but... people did say that HK is a financial city.. why do you think that the export and import thing goes... And that "time is money". Which is TRUE... lol.... Cos they have to pay their rents. That is why they have a minimum amount of sales target to be reached per day, so.... lol.. Am not surprised. lol....
Ah..... I'm an 80 years old Hong Konger!! I've been to this so called Aus. Dairy only once in my life and never went back. Now, all the internet fools go there because of the influence by so called Instagrammers. All those in the line are tourists!!
@@isabelwlp every other Cha Chaan Teng that's not Aus Cow. eg. Victory A, Honolulu Coffee Shop, Red Leaf Cafe, Restaurant Kowloon, Ceylon, Capital Cafe, Queen's Cafe, Waso Cafe, Milk Cafe, Hong Kong Taste, Ngan Lung, Glee Cafe, Pak Hei, Kam Kee Cafe, Kei Hing Restaurant, Tsui Fung Cafe, Lok Heen Cafe, New Hung Fung Restaurant, Star River Restaurant, Buddy Cafe, Ki Lung Restaurant, Tai Lee Cafe, Yuen Long Bistro, Sun Hang Yuen, Sun Heung Yuen(Kin Kee) which i think Amy or another vlogger went to already) for their corn beef hash sandwiches, ... it's not about authenticity, Aus Cow is authentic, it's just insane to go there for their shit service while imagining their food to be some kind of god tier when it's not and never have been. there is no god tier tea restaurant, it's just a tea restaurant. it's supposed to be filling, somewhat cheap, fast, and simple.
I tried hot coke with ginger in a Cantonese restaurant and it was amazing, perfect on a cold night. It's easy to make at home too, just heat up some coke and when it's about at boiling, turn the heat off and throw some sliced ginger in there and let it brew for a while.
The egg sammie looked good, but the other stuff did look kinda plain. But I think people usually only order the macaroni and stuff like that for breakfast. It's the sort of quick to prepare, easy to digest thing you'd eat before going to work. Kinda like getting a cup of coffee, buttered toast and a couple rashers of bacon from a diner here.
I never understood the charm in the so called HK style breakfast as a tourist food. As a local food it's fine, you got the bread, some eggs, hotdog/ham/spam, some carbs in macaroni with a hot broth. But it's not "special", probably just a way to get a glimpse of the local life? I don't know.
@@harrislam Hong Kong-style breakfast, with its simple yet hearty dishes like macaroni soup, toast with condensed milk, and milk tea, does carry a lot of cultural and historical significance. These foods emerged during a time when Hong Kong was rebuilding and developing, and they provided affordable and filling meals for the working class. The nostalgia and sentimental value tied to these dishes make them more than just breakfast-they're a connection to the past and a reminder of the resilience of the people during challenging times. This cultural connection is probably why these foods remain beloved even today, beyond just their taste. From ChatGPT.
Having played and enjoyed Black Myth: Wukong for hours on end, watching Amy's channel is surely a refreshing and relaxing experience for me. Again, thanks for sharing.
It's great that you finally get to try the food you wanted to try six years ago! I would have ordered the milk pudding as well. For all those people who said there are better places, it would be helpful if you actually recommend a better place. Yes, Australian Diary Co is crowded, the staff's curt and there are no niceties and small talk, but which cha-chaan-teng does? And name a place with thicker bread, and better eggs? A lot of cha-chaan-tengs I've been to have bread as thin as paper, and either overcooked eggs or eggs with a ladleful of oil that make you choke.
I love how enthusiastic you are about all the food you try. I’m in Melbourne and am living and tasting China and HK vicariously through you. Thank you!!
I'm from HK but have never visited this restaurant. No matter how good the food it provides (maybe some of their dishes are good but they are not so unique that other restaurant cannot provide), I won't pay to be scolded and ill-treated.
@@rachelcookie321 no she did well pronouncing the word. The waiter understood what she was ordering and asked an additional question asking if she wants her sandwich bread to be toasted or not 😊
As a local, people like this restaurant for the quick service and consistent quality which never changed for over 25 years. Also the bread they use is higher quality something Asia isn’t known for. Lastly their hot milk tea is well above average. The sweets section is quite esoteric and specialized.
I've heard the service has mellowed out over the years and they are actually somewhat friendlier now depending on who is helping you which is definitely my experience.
For the egg sandwich, I refer plain bread, not toasted to double up the fluffiness, also you must add the corned beef with the egg to elevate to flavour to another dimension!! Also hot coke must come with ginger and lemon, otherwise no good la~~~ Bakeries and pastries at MO is soooo good, I usually buy their blueburry pastries, almond croissant take away !
oh nice! My dad was born from Hong Kong before him and his family moved here in Canada to start a Chinese takeout restaurant. Planning to visit there someday for vacation and bet the Cantonese cuisine is much more authentic.
I don't notice much difference in noodle joints, BBQ pork, duck etc. between 多伦多 and 香港, but I don't go to fancy places in the latter. I don't see instant noodles at restaurants here.
I went there but also experienced poor service. I ordered a set which included a drink but was given generic tea instead of the drink I ordered. We were happy to order an extra drink that we actually wanted but the staff was hostile and rude so we gave up and never went back. Every other place in Hong Kong were pleasant and nice.
I love your videos and am happy to see more videos about Hong Kong! I have lived here for 12 years and Australian Dairy Company always gets the most exposure on social media, but there are so so many cha chaan tengs in Hong Kong with really good food that are filled with more locals than tourists. I would also suggest you try venturing away from Kowloon and Central and visit places in Tai Po, for example, where you can find really good food. It's super easy to get there by MTR!
There was (and may still be) a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco renowned for it's brusque service -- but it was also some of the best food in town, in a city full of good food! That didn't look to be the case at the place in HK, but I'm glad you finally got to scratch that itch! It was interesting.
Thanks for the sharing👍 Despite of the “service”, Australia Dairy Co is one of the restaurants which I have my lunch at least once each month😂 The bread is fresh and soft. It normally only takes 15 minutes for a quick lunch 😅
props to you for being brave and respectful during the experience! the pace of hong kong is very fast, especially for the workforce, and it’s deep within our culture and everything we do must be with efficiency and speed, which is exactly what australian dairy co’s service is about. it’s intended for locals to just grab a quick lunch thats 1) fulfilling 2) relatively cheap (although their prices have increased lately) 3) fast. they focus on getting the meals to your table instead of good customer service. that’s why people are sharing the tiniest tables, why the lines move so quick, why they kinda rush you to finish your meals. also, don’t understand why there’s so much misinformation in the comments. us hong kong people always appreciate words of gratitude! thank you again for coming!
Not just servers, in general overall customer service in HK sucks, people are rude, unless it is some higher class places, even that if you don't look having money they stare you off. That kind of horrible service was changed at one point due to introduction of western corporation customer service, all the sudden everyone were smiling when you enter a department stores. Knowing their pass services their smiles felt fake and weird. I hope they change their general attitudes or they won't survive long.
I visited both for my 30th birthday, and honestly had a much better time in Shenzhen. The locals were super friendly, the food was great (and cheap). Good times!
As a HKer, I think Australia Dairy is a bit on the over-hyped scale. The same food can be found elsewhere in a better dinning environment, taste the same if not better. It's more like to experience the quick efficient but often stoic service (which some may consider rude), and see the "OG famous" Cha chaan teng. And IMO, their best offering are steamed milk pudding and steamed egg pudding, also what they were used to known for. After all, they do have the word dairy on their name.
The Australian Dairy co. restaurant looks to be like some kind of marketing ploy, a scam to get people who want to show off or Hong Kong Chinese who think they are a Westerner and want to be associated with such - just like those who'd buy an expensive coffee from Starbucks in order to be seen with a Starbucks coffee cup when there are better and cheaper coffees around the corner in an Italian cafe.
I see why outsiders may read into the name of the Australia Dairy Company, but it doesn't have that association at all. It's a local cha chaan teng place where the only thing Australian about it is the name. People don't go there thinking they're getting fancy western food (Hong Kong has no shortage of options for that) any more than they go to McDonald's for Scottish cuisine. So it's hard to call it a marketing ploy today, though maybe it was many decades ago when it first opened.
@@Woodland26 There's another cha chaan teng establishment called Denmark Cafe which I've never been to but I wouldn't expect anything Danish about it. People know that it serves local HK-style food despite the random name. But now I'm wondering if there's a story there as well.
for me, the most enjoyable part is your presentation of your comment on food. I think it is really a good piece of material for people who want to learn English and promote the impressive features of the stuff one's like as well. Look forward to watching your next videos
was there last year also found the staff less rude and the place less intimidating than what i've read online. the staff was positively helpful (for HK standards) haha loved the scrambled eggs and i think the macaroni is just like the food that i grew up eating, even though i grew up in singapore.
Love all your videos. I’m going to HK in October with the girls so appreciate all the tips. We have been best friends since high school and all are turning 40 this year together.
Awesome Amy! I love your channel. Like that you tried the HK cafe cheap eats. You may want to seek the authentic Chinese savory jerky which comes in beef, pork, or chicken dry jerky. Might be hard to find in Hong Kong. Let me know what you think?
I believe most of the people that went to the Aust Diary restaurant were there because of the crowd and social media, not because of good food. The food there is just ordinary HK breakfast fare with premium prices. I hate to be rush when I'm eating, might as well buy takeaway and eat at home/office. 😂
You should've gotten the lunch set! Always go for a set at the 冰室 or 茶餐廳, you can construct your own egg sandwich. The total cost is noticeably cheaper.
Have always enjoyed your food adventure and so good that you're in Hongkong, my hometown. And just perfect timing for the moon cakes. Love your passion of food and culture. Keep them coming please!!
I guess you might ordered the wrong hot coke. The one that you should try is hot coke with ginger and lemon. It works great, if you are about to getting a cold.
Have you tried any of the other varieties of mooncakes in China? like Suzhou-style with the flaky crust(thanks lard) and not your typical fillings? like pepper-salt, which is more of a crush nuts mix flavoured with a little bit of salt and sichuan pepper. or jinhua/yunnan ham mooncake which is sweetened with honey. or a rock moss(it's a stringy algae that grows on tidal rocks, called tai tiao 苔条) and crushed pine nuts stuffed mooncake. There's some fresh versions as well that basically just bite-sized meat pies, but with minced pork, shaoxing wine, grated ginger, a touch of soy sauce, and more lard.
I've lived in HK for 2 years and used to work 2 mins away from here. In complete honesty, the Australian Dairy Co and Kam's Roast Goose (which is also a famous restaurant in the area) are such over hyped restaurant. 10/10 do not recommend. There are so many local restaurants in the area that are so much better and much cheaper. If you want a better experience I would go out of Hong Kong Island and travel to the New Territories to experience the real delicious local foods at local prices
@@davidchow4459 : It's because those who aren't local, doesn't know where to go.. and often, they also don't ask for recommendations either.. and then, there's the media hype sometimes.. and antagonisms... etc etc.. So.. people don't go. Sorry.. but if I like a place. I SHALL GO AGAIN ! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY !... You can refuse to serve me. But I shall GO AGAIN. And again. And again. What are you going to do ? Kick me out?... Maybe a lot of people also recommend this place, cos it is one of the oldest, and established, while the last place you went to, have changed owners already. There is a reason why travel writers, often write about the same old places. All of the Lonely Planet guides are the same too anyway. So.... While so many new places, enter and go. Some of the oldest, that are decent and good, and are often used, still.... Always exist.... So... They were there, before most people were born. So....
My grandparents used to live in the building across from Austinalian Dairy Co. and whenever we visit we (the kids) would order takeout or grab some "afternoon tea" while our parents play mahjong. It wasn't crowded back in the days but the waiters were rude (i call it HK style rude) back then as well lol. Thanks for the great memories!
I am not a foodie and i have never subscribed any foodie's channel except this one. I don't know, i just love her way of speaking. Her voice, tone and speed of speech is just perfect. I can never get tired of hearing her speech.
Dr Pepper is also great hot. The company actually suggested serving it that way in the winter decades ago and it became a bit of a niche Texan tradition in the areas around Waco where the company was founded
I grew up in HK, and honestly I think the macaroni just isn't meant to be 'flavourful', since it's usually a breakfast item, so it should be 'lighter' anyway, so make sense that it's kind of plain. I could be wrong though!!!! Personally I haven't tried the macaroni at that specific shop so maybe they're not as good. That custard mooncake looks so good, is it kind of like salty egg yolk custard??! That would be so good if it is!
I went here in January of this year. Me and two more very big (250+) guys were seated at a tiny booth, and I was placed on a tiny stool right in the middle of the chaos. Hot coffee milk, egg sandwiches, and soup was flying over my head every few seconds. I loved the sweet milk pudding, and I've never seen an outdoor line move faster in my entire life 10/10
Always like Amy’s video, always shows your real thoughts. Several of family members visited HK, small place, every thing is much expensive than the mainland and food doesn’t taste better. No good feedback so far. I don’t think I will travel there in the future. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Amy I love your channel and when I get notifications for a new video, I know I have something to look forward to at the end of the day. I remember your camera broke a few videos back when you were in the desert,and had to rely on your iphone and Insta 360. Can I ask what you've been using since, as well as what other gear you use? I want to look into an Insta 360 and was wondering if you've used any of there other products?
Yeh.. I think going to a food market could be a better experience as well for foreign travellers... they avoid the rushy places. I guess this is why some places do buffets... cos then it gives the control back to the person instead. So...
No wonder... It's in Hong kong. The place known for its wonderful service. Love it when they give you the "hurry the fux up" face when you try to pull out some bills to pay for your food.
@@foodmore exactly, like if you hate your job/life so much that you feel the need to take it out on paying customers then maybe you shouldn't be working in hospitality.
Oh…another thing….as Hong Kong is gearing for the mid-Autumn Festival, you have to try the various kinds of Cantonese Mooncakes 🥮, as well as the modern versions of “western” ice cream cold Mooncakes. They are really greater in taste and a👍👍👍👍👍👍😋😋🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤
ADC has rude service but i've found that as a foreigner, knowing what you want, ordering quick, eating fast, and getting out will get you pretty decent service. the milk and egg puddings are items i rarely see people order but they're a must for me. as is their fresh milk, which comes served in a glass bottle. very creamy, very rich, and i would return just for those items.
Next trip to Bangkok, Thailand - you have to try Bakery Hut on Suriwonge Road next to the Marriott Hotel ! They have a varieties of interesting filling for you to try !
My first visit was summer of 1983. Last was Nov 2023. The food is the same through all these years. Well and the service is also the same. I never felt offended and many good memories especially those associated with family elderlies. A small corner of the city endured the recent changes.
I wonder if Amy is playing Black Myth Wukong, right now lol. Nothing from that Australian Dairy restaurant with previously rude staff looked good enough to justify waiting in a queue and potentially suffering rude treatment. The beef saute noodles at the other restaurant looked delicious
A lot of the dishes in these cafes could easily be cooked at home with little effort. Young people queuing up to eat them and paying a premium is just a twenty first century hype.
In addition to being a shopping paradise, Hong Kong is also known as a "food paradise". Hong Kong’s food culture is the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, forming a set of eating habits that combine Chinese food (mainly Cantonese food) and Western food. As a gathering place for people from all over the world, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Thai and Indian restaurants are very common in Hong Kong.
Nice bit of food adventure. Perhaps a eating tour of Sham shui Po would be fun. This place is a share table part of culture. Two place to hit for sure are Oi Man Sang--my all time favorite with fun outside cooking on the streetside. It is wildly popular and I recall sitting alone and being joined with made up couples and worker with no shirts at same table. Also the top floor of the wet market is fun and a pretty much unique HK eating experience.. Just crazy fun and great food. There are dessert places around the market as well. I always go for the tofu "pudding" (douhua) with sugar and ginger.
Welcome back to our beautiful city! You must be the only westerner I know who loves Chinese mooncakes! 😂 Personally I only like the traditional version … salted egg yolks with lotus seed paste. Love your positive energy and open mindedness for food. It’s a joy to watch your videos. Keep up the good work and safe travels! ❤
