Dundas Cafe (登打士茶餐廳) is a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style restaurant) in Yau Ma Tei known for taking in stray cats and matching them with suitable adopters. Last Saturday, I visited the restaurant for the first time to meet the cats. They hid themselves at first. A waiter said they come out only when they feel like it. After half an hour or so, a feline manager with black and white fur named Eggplant (茄子) appeared and patrolled the floor. Everyone was talking among themselves, but when he showed up, he was ironically welcomed by us as if he was a guest. Shortly afterwards, a white feline manager, Marshmallow (棉花糖), came to oversee the operation, perching on a carton box on the side. Customers were once again united and greeted her. Suddenly, Marshmallow leapt down towards Eggplant, fell onto my dining table and finally landed on the floor. She almost knocked over my food and drink, with many of us letting out a long “whoa!" 😂 For about the same price as in other cha chaan tengs, I enjoyed my meal and interacted with the adorable cats -- a wonderful deal. I also love the ambience and togetherness among customers when we all played with them. It’s a pity that Dundas Cafe will close its doors on the 31st of this month. 🥲 I only learnt about the sad news recently. These years more Hongkongers have been crossing the border to mainland China for entertainment instead of spending in Hong Kong. High rents and the rise of rice with two sides (兩餸飯) as a competitive alternative have added to the challenges facing cha chaan tengs. I sincerely recommend that you go and get a taste of the experience before it shuts down if you’re in Hong Kong. (Welcome to read the Chinese version in my next post. 😸)