☕️ Ting Ting’s Café | The Underrated Hong Kong-Style Café

☕️ Ting Ting’s Café, located in Chinatown, has been open for a while now. But because of its slightly awkward positioning—it’s the kind of place you’d visit if you woke up too late for a Western-style brunch but too early for a proper lunch—it’s been largely overlooked. Plus, with virtually no posts about it on social media, it’s been easy to ignore. Last week, during a very casual gathering with old friends, we randomly chose this seemingly random restaurant. I was thinking on the way there that maybe dinner here was a bit of a gamble, but the first bite left the whole table stunned. The food was so good that I had seven amazing meals in a row! 🥬 While waiting for my friends, I ordered some fried Brussels sprouts to tide me over. This vegetable is usually a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing—some people adore it, while others could throw the plate. But this dish was a revelation: - The caramelization was just right, with a crispy exterior and a bit of moisture inside. - It was generously sprinkled with parmesan, which was so fragrant it was almost intoxicating. - Even my friend, who claimed she’d never touch Brussels sprouts in her life, ended up sneaking a few bites after being coerced into trying just one. We then added 🍗 fried chicken nuggets and 🦑 fried squid rings to our order, but opinions were split on these: they were on the drier side. I thought they were just okay, but my friend loved them. Main Courses: 🥩 Cheese-Baked Pork Chop Rice (in tomato sauce) : The sauce was perfectly balanced, the rice was flavorful, the pork chop was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the cheese was baked to perfection. 🍗 Cheese-Baked Chicken Cutlet Rice : Since the pork chop version was devoured without a trace, we hastily ordered the chicken version, but... the result was highly inconsistent. It was so salty it was inedible—like, “Why would you do this to me?” kind of salty. I thought it was a one-off, but my friend experienced the same issue when ordering takeout the next day. 🍔 Pork Chop Burger : Delicious! Delicious! Delicious! Even I, who usually dislike burgers and pizza, could enjoy this American-style handmade burger. The bun was grilled and toasted. I wonder if the chef is a fan of Bruce Lee? (Just kidding) 🐂 Beef Brisket Rice : The brisket pieces were large, and the flavor was average. 🍜 Creamy Seafood Udon : Recommended by the server, it was good, but a bit bland compared to the other dishes. The creaminess was heavy and could get a bit cloying. I suggest sharing it among a few people. 🐟 Grilled Shad Cheek (Teriyaki Style) : The seasoning had a Japanese appetizer vibe and was very tender. 🥤 Silky Milk Tea : My friend commented that it was very “silk stocking” (a term used for high-quality milk tea). It was super authentic. Although there were some inconsistencies in the dishes, overall, it felt much more sincere than most Hong Kong/Asian fusion restaurants. My friend later quipped that it seemed like the owner really wanted everyone to know they had no idea how to name a restaurant and didn’t bother asking for help. The service was exceptionally good. The server patiently helped us take photos for a long time. If she ever sees this, thank you again! #Philadelphia #PhillyRestaurants #PhillyEats #PhillyDining