3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairseateriesWednesday, 18 March, 2015, 10:50pm

LEISURE

Gloria Chan and Vanessa Yung

With rents soaring in Hong Kong, many cafes are moving upstairs.We visit afew with quirky themes that are about more than just food and drink

If you're a fan of cats, or dogs, of board games or comics, or you've got a thing for cute foodarrangements, there's a place for you beyond the high­rent monotony of street­level chains.

Cat StoreNine cats roam freely in this treasure tucked away in an old building in Causeway Bay. The cafestarted out selling cat­themed products, says one of the owners Cat Li Yuet­yu. The idea ofhaving real cats in the shop started when another owner brought her cats to work in order tospend more time with them.

Feline fine: moggies rule the roost at Cat Store (above and below).Photos: David Wong

Most of the cats at Cat Store are adopted strays. You may find one sleeping peacefully next to

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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you as you sip on your drink, or you can grab a pet toy and amuse one of the kittens while youwait for your food to come.

Customers can enjoy the warm and fuzzy atmosphere in this cafe overlooking Lee TheatrePlaza, leave their comments or drawings in notebooks on each table, and learn about the ninecats via cute cartoons on the menu.

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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Flat D­E, 3/F Po Ming Building, Fu Ming Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2710 9953 [1]. Open:Sunday­Thursday, 12pm­11pm, Friday­Saturday, 12pm­12am

Ease CafeThis must be the only cafe in the city boasting a collection of more than 5,000 comic books. The

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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1,500 sq ft space originally housed a comic book store, and when it closed down six years agoand left most of them behind, Ease Cafe's owner decided to keep the impressive collection ofmanga.

Ease does it: manga fans are spoiled for choice at Ease Cafe(above and below). Photos: Edmond So

Current owner Nolan Ng Nai­kung has background in the food industry and confesses that heisn't an avid manga fan himself. Still, with collections ranging from the popular One Piece, to thelong­running Captain Tsubasa and classics such as Doraemon, there's plenty to keepenthusiasts occupied.

It has ceiling­high bookshelves and comfortable sofas as well a large platform in one cornerwhere you can slip off your shoes and lounge on cushions. While reading or playing board

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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games, you can dig into some pasta or a full­day breakfast and enjoy a bird's­eye view of MongKok.

Banana boat.

Unit 2508­09, 25/F Golden Era Plaza, 39 Sai Yee Street, Mong Kok, tel: 2780 3362 [2]. Open:Monday­Sunday, 12pm­1am

J­Point CafeA regular hangout for Japanese culture aficionados since 2004, J­Point Cafe is experiencing arevival since its recent move to step up its plating game. Inspired by fancy bento box lunchesJapanese mothers are known for creating for their children, owner Eddie Chan Yat­fong and his

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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team hope their homey dishes can take guests back to their childhood and enhance the joy ofdining.

J­Point Cafe.

Get your cameras ready before the meal is served. While the lacklustre interior is hardly photo­worthy, it is redeemed by the outrageously cute food arrangement. Think sweet curry ricereimagined as a sleeping teddy bear, tucked in a blanket of omelette with a polar bear cub(potato salad) and a brown bear (beef croquette). The "curly hair of a girl" turns out to be stir­fried instant noodles, adorned by a pink bow made from strips of ham.

Chan is eager to roll out more designs. Even if you turn up hungry you may be reluctant to pokeyour fork into the food, so take a sip of the slow­simmered vegetable soup that comes with eachdish as you ponder the dilemma.

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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Stir­fried instant noodles with omelette and deep­fried chicken.Photos: Edmond So

Room 404, 4/F Prosper Commercial Building, 9 Yin Chong Street, Mong Kok, tel: 2374 2375 [3].Open: Monday­Friday, 3pm­1am, Saturday­Sunday, 2pm­1am

Jolly ThinkersIt is hard to get bored at Jolly Thinkers. Even if you try yourhand at one board game per day, it would take you morethan a year to be able to finish all of them. Started by severaleducators including Joyce Lam Yuen­han and John Guest in2006, the board game cafe has expanded to include twooutlets — one in Prince Edward and a newer, bigger branchin Wan Chai.

Although the essence of the cafes is to nurture a fun English­and life skills­learning environment for youngsters, JollyThinkers has attracted a loyal following from all walks of life.There are staples such as Monopoly and Scrabble, but alsoa large collection of lesser­known finds. Meanwhile, fuel upwith their long list of drinks, mayonnaise­smothered bakedpotato skins or egg toast.

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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Room and board: grab a light snack and a board game to pass thetime at Jolly Thinkers. Photos: Nora Tam

11/F Bayfield Building, 99 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2527 2882 [4]. Open: Monday,12noon­7pm, Tuesday­Saturday, noon­11.30pm

OnDogDog CafeIt can get a bit noisy — and smelly — at OnDogDog Cafe in Ho Man Tin. But regulars don'tseem to mind at all. As the five energetic dogs roaming freely around the 1,000 sq ft space arenot only incredibly lovable, but have been known to break into song when the mood strikes.

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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OnDogDog Cafe manager Candy Chung gives one of the residentpooches a treat; dining dogs. Photos: May Tse

The four­year­old cafe and the pack — three huskies, one akita and one shiba — are owned byBrian Tse Ming­cheung and mostly taken care of by his girlfriend Candy Chung Cheuk­ling. Theobservant customers soon realise it's actually a rescued ginger cat who rules the place. Guestscan mingle and play with the friendly dogs, but are reminded not to feed them.

3/27/2015 Dog, cat and manga cafes: 5 of Hong Kong's quirkiest upstairs eateries

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OnDogDog Cafe's twin malamutes.

Pets are welcome here, too, and a variety of attractive, safe and nutritious snacks can be madefor hungry animal companions.

Dog­themed memorabilia.

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Topics: LIFE

1/F, 3 Soares Avenue, Ho Man Tin, tel: 9045 2766 [5]. Open: 1pm­10.30pm

Source URL (modified on Mar 19th 2015, 11:15pm):http://www.scmp.com/magazines/48hrs/article/1740269/five­quirky­upstairs­cafes­let­you­indulge­your­passionsLinks[1] tel:2710 9953[2] tel:2780 3362[3] tel:2374 2375[4] tel:2527 2882[5] tel:9045 2766