The Hong Kong greasy spoon-style cafe in Prestwich selling milk tea and toast
If you're a fan of milk tea and thick, white sandwich bread slathered in condensed milk, peanut butter and lashings of golden syrup, Hea Toast & Dessert is the place for you
A Hong Kong-style cafe has opened up in Prestwich selling tea and toast with a distinctively eastern twist.
Opened by owner Jack Lau in June, here you’ll find butter-drenched toast, Hong Kong’s famously silky milk teas (inspired by our very own British cuppa) and Yeun Yeung – an iced drink that’s typically made from two-parts milk tea and one-part black coffee.
Made famous amongst Western foodies by Anthony Bourdain in Parts Unknown following a trip to China Cafe, a former fixture in the city since 1964, this Hong Kong-style French toast has now made its way to Bury of all places.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
All done on the cheapest white sandwich bread, over in Prestwich Hea’s signature Hong Kong Toast – also known as sai do si, or ‘western toast’ – is layered into a peanut butter sandwich, then dipped in egg and fried before being topped with a thick slab of butter and lashings of golden syrup. We’ll be honest, it’s the sexiest eggy bread we’ve ever had.
That’s not all that’s on offer here, though. There’s also a host of savoury toast options – a little kimchi and cheese number for the veggies, a tonkatsu pork and cabbage toast, and ‘The Classic’ made with scrambled egg, honey roast ham, sweetcorn, cabbage and a secret house sauce.
This cafe, the first of its kind to open in the area, is loosely modelled on the classic Hong Kong cha chaan teng – or “tea restaurant” – a phenomenon that’s been popular in the region ever since the British colonisation.
Just like our greasy spoons here, these cha chaan teng are no-nonsense cafes and tend to specialise in relatively low-brow, East-West hybrid fare – combining the culinary traditions of two different worlds.
Drinks are central to the whole concept, and at Hea we find multi-colored ice cream soda floats sitting side by side with the aromatic Hong Kong-style milk tea, which is typically brewed strong and served with evaporated milk.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
It’s a refreshing shift away from your standard greasy spoon or butty shop and is staffed by the most lovely people. The service we receive on our visit is so warm and friendly, with owner Jack and his employee Jack Chan smiling non-stop, that we instantly feel at home.
They even offer us some complimentary Shuimai, a sort of traditional Chinese dumpling, to enjoy alongside the raft of food we greedily order.
In the corner, a little ukulele sits in a box next to a sign that reads ‘play me’ and a tiny dog bowl of water. This really is just the most wholesome spot – good for the soul and full of comfort.
You’ll also find matcha ice cream, bubble waffles and a host of different milkshakes on the menu here, with the option to build you own however you like it – but it’s the tea and toast we’ve really come for, and it’s what we recommend you go for too. Trust us, you won’t regret it.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Manchester favourite Nell’s to open new site for New York-style pizza, karaoke and shuffleboard
Daisy Jackson
Much-loved New York-style pizza joint Nell’s has announced big plans for a brand new location – they’re heading to MediaCity.
Nell’s are stepping things up a notch with the move, adding in private karaoke booths, shuffleboard tables, and a huge outdoor terrace in their new site.
Nell’s MediaCity is set to open this autumn, promising 22-inch New York-style pizza (also served in gigantic slices), frozen margs, and ice cream sandwiches.
There are already several spots around Manchester where you can get a slice of Nell’s, including their restaurants at Kampus and in Altrincham, the OG Northern Quarter site in Common, and at The Beagle in Chorlton.
And now it’s Salford’s turn, with plans unveiled for the team to expand over to MediaCity’s quayside Orange Building.
Nell’s co-founder Jonny Heyes said: “We’ve been thinking about MediaCity for a long time, it’s such a great area and we’ve seen what brilliant operators like Kargo have achieved so when this space came up, we jumped on it!
“The venue is huge which has given us the chance to really play with the experience.
“This idea of karaoke and shuffleboard accompanying our made-for-sharing pizzas and great cocktails feels like a natural next step for us as a brand.”
Nell’s have also partnered with Deliveroo and Slerp to send 14-inch and 22-inch pizzas far and wide.
The new opening is expected to create more than 35 new jobs, and as Common & Co has twice been named in the Times 100 Best Places To Work list, you might want to check those out HERE.
These viral sensations are a plush toy created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised designer Kasing Lung, who drew inspiration from his love of fairytales to create a character with bunny-like ears, large eyes and big smiles.
They’re swinging off handbags all over the UK at the minute and people are queueing for hours for the latest Labubu drops.
At Sweet Dreams, they’re making edible chocolate Labubus using a special mould flown in from Japan.
Each one has a pistachio kunafa filling and is painstakingly painted by hand.
And that brings us neatly to the next viral craze at play here – Dubai pistachio chocolate.
An army of pistachio chocolate LabubuInside a chocolate pistachio Labubu
Kunafa is a staple in Middle Eastern bakes and pastries but hit the global mainstream last year when thick chocolate pistachio bars stuffed with it went viral online, spawning countless dupes and inspired specials.
And finally, chocolate covered strawberries – hardly a new invention, but this simple dessert has rocketed in popularity especially in food hotspots like Borough Market in London.
Head into Sweet Dreams and you can build your treat from the base up – choose white or milk melted chocolate for your strawberries, layer on pistachio kunafa, then top with either a milk or white chocolate Labubu.
A slightly daft novelty? Yes. But that doesn’t stop them being delicious.
This is the only place in the UK currently selling Dubai pistachio chocolate Labubus.
Georgina Pellant -
26th July 2022 
