Honolulu HK Cafe - SM Aura Premier — Restaurant in Taguig

Food

For entrée, we had the Hong Kong-style Pineapple Bun with BBQ Pork (Bo Lo BBQ Bun). The filling was flavorful, sweet-savory, and tender. However, the signature crust of the pineapple bun lacked the crisp, flaky top layer iconic to the traditional version. The texture missed the mark, though the flavor was enjoyable overall.

Our meal began with the Fried Rice Macau Style, featuring a generous portion of fluffy, wok-tossed rice served with slices of pork Macau. The pork stood out with its cured, slightly sweet flavor—authentic and comparable to the ones we’ve tasted in Hong Kong. Each bite delivered rich, aromatic satisfaction that felt genuinely traditional.

The Stir-Fried Hong Kong Style Noodles with Pork Chop in XO Sauce was another highlight. The noodles had a delightful wok hei—that prized smoky, charred aroma distinctive of Cantonese stir-fry. The texture was excellent: springy, slightly chewy, and perfectly coated in the umami-rich XO sauce. The pork chop was juicy, well-seasoned.

We also tried the Scrambled Egg with Smoked Duck Fried Rice. While milder in flavor, this dish delivered a comforting combination. The scrambled eggs were soft and creamy, pairing nicely with the tender smoked duck.

Dessert was unfortunately a weak point. The Egg Tart had potential, but the crust was too soft and crumbly to support the custard, collapsing too easily. While the custard itself had the right level of sweetness, it didn’t achieve the rich, silky depth found in more premium versions of this classic treat.

Drinks

The Ice Lemon Tea was an unexpected standout—refreshing, tangy, and perfectly balanced with just the right hint of sweetness. It had that classic zesty edge that pairs beautifully with hearty meals, cleansing the palate between bites.

The Hong Kong Milk Tea also did not disappoint. It had that authentic boldness—a strong tea base smoothed out by the creamy richness of evaporated milk. Served cold, it was both nostalgic and satisfying, capturing the essence of what a true cha chaan teng beverage should taste like.

Service

Service was efficient and fast-paced, consistent with the café-style setting. Staff were attentive, frequently checking on our needs without being overbearing. Orders were served promptly, and requests were handled quickly and courteously.

Atmosphere

The interior gives off a casual, bustling Hong Kong café vibe. However, cleanliness during our visit left much to be desired. The restroom was notably untidy, with wet puddles on the floor and tissues scattered around, which detracted from the overall dining experience. Improved maintenance and organization would significantly enhance customer comfort.

Final Thoughts

Honolulu HK Cafe succeeds in capturing the flavors of authentic Hong Kong comfort food, particularly through its rice, noodle dishes, and beverages. While there’s room for improvement in consistency and cleanliness, the café delivers a satisfying experience for those craving cha chaan teng favorites. A solid pick for a casual meal, especially if you’re after an authentic Hong...

Honolulu Cafe SM Aura Branch

I have never been so dissapointed in a restaurant in my life until we dined today in Honolulu Cafe SM Aura Branch.

My gf and I were the first in line while waiting for a table to be cleaned and vacated when a family of 3 just waltz in and helped themselves to be seated in the said table. The staff didn't even bothered to tell them that we were the first in line. Good thing another table opened up within a minute or so.

We were informed that the roasted items are no longer available since their rotisserie is already closed for the day (7pm). Even disspointed, since I craved for their roasted meat, we still decided to dine here and try their other menus. Around 10 minutes after finishing our orders, I am approached by the waitress to inform me that one of the dish we ordered is unavailable (bummer) so I decided to order another dish from their menu. After 3 minutes, the same waitress aproached me again to inform me again that the replacement dish is also not available (I am already fuming at this point). Trying to calm myself, I picked another dish from their menu and guess what..... also not available. I was not able to suppress my annoyance and asked the waitress to encircle all the dishes that are not available and to my dismay, almost half of their menu is not available! With heavy heart, I just ordered another dish even if I dont really like it.

After all the items were served, a waiter approached us to serve us another set of the same exact dishes we ordered. We quickly dismissed it and mentioned that our orders is already complete so we just continued to eat. When we asked for the bill, we were shocked that we were billed TWICE of the amount we ordered. I quickly went to the cashier to dispute this and luckily it was easily resolved.

The food were mediocore and the service is outright...

It looked pretty inviting from the outside so we decided to try this place. After getting a table, they didn't even give us the menu. I had to call a waiter just to hand one after 5 mins.

We ordered a mango pudding, some egg tarts, and a few drinks.

Verdict:

Mango pudding: Looked nice, but hardly tasted authentic. The mango strips were sour, while the pudding itself was quite bland. It was swimming in evaporated milk which didn't really help improve it.

Egg tarts: It seemed to be one of their highlights so I was expecting it to be better. Unfortunately, it's as bad as the pudding. The egg filling itself tasted nothing like real eggs. It's so bland- your tongue would search hard for flavor and will just end up crying. How about the crust? It's dry and crumbly! Such a scam.

Drinks:

Honey lemon tea (cold) - served in a clear glass mug and looked okay. On the first gulp, my poor tongue was hit by water so sweet (due to that fake honey taste), I actually coughed! It was THAT SWEET. Lemon? Forget it. It sure was floating on top though. I asked for replacement and they did, but it was pretty much the same horrible taste. Diabetes is waving.

Ovaltine - how can they even fail this one? Instead of chocolate, it tasted too thickly of milk and sugar. They were probably measuring the powder and sugar while pulling out flower petals (he loves me, he loves me not...)

Service water - it's TAP water. Don't even doubt it. Yes, you will taste the chlorine.

Overall, sobrang sayang pera. Don't even bother! They charge high, but the quality of the food and the service they offer don't match. Not even close. I hope they get replaced by a better and more deserving...