Edison Chen's streetwear label CLOT has moved into the food business with CLOT Canton Cafe (凝结冰室), its first permanent restaurant, which opened on Nanjing Xi Lu. It's a two-floor setup: the ground floor has a takeaway drinks counter and a small shop selling exclusive CLOT T-shirts, caps and tote bags, while the main dining area is upstairs. The decor takes its cues from an old-school Hong Kong cha chaan teng, with CLOT's signature silk patterns worked into the tiles and details, plus plenty of neon signs and retro touches. It's clearly designed with photos in mind, but at least it doesn't forget to look like a place where people actually eat.
The menu sticks to familiar cha chaan teng territory, with dishes like tomato beef macaroni soup, pork chop rice, scrambled egg and beef sandwiches, pineapple buns and the cafe's signature condensed milk toast, or lou nai hua. There are also a few more elaborate additions, including charcoal-grilled Iberico pork ribs, drunken pigeon marinated in aged Huadiao wine, and butter laksa tiger prawns. The food is solid, with some interesting twists, though not every dish is going to blow you away. The pork ribs are on the sweet side, while the pigeon is a lighter option. The condensed milk toast is rich and sweet, so maybe don't order it alongside too many other heavy dishes.
We dropped by for lunch on a weekday and found the place fairly busy, but there was no queue. The location is easy to find, right across the road from Exit 11 of People's Square Station. Lunch sets make sense if you're in the area during the week, while ordering a rice dish and a drink will set you back around 70–80rmb, a little more than your average neighborhood lunch, but not outrageous for this area. The takeaway drinks downstairs are around 20rmb, while the CLOT merch is considerably less casual: expect to pay around 300rmb for a T-shirt. Unless you're a fan, you might be happier spending that money on lunch.
Overall, CLOT Canton Cafe is a decent new option for a Hong Kong-style lunch, with a bit more variety than the usual cha chaan teng menu. The food is worth trying if you're already nearby, but there's probably no need to make a special trip just to tick it off your list. Fans of CLOT, on the other hand, will have the added excuse to browse the shop after their meal.
