2012年2月6日 星期一

白宮冰室:R.I.P




回到中學時代,老師在作文堂開個題目,叫"我的飯堂"。放在今天的我,要為此標題寫一篇文章的話,二話不說,我會用十多年來,光顧超過數百次的白宮冰室作題材。



這是我一生人之中,光顧次數最多的食店。早,午,晚都常在此解決,不叫飯堂,叫什麼?為何這間到今天仍沒有冷氣,夏天如坐熱狗巴士般悶熱的冰室,不是人人可以接受到。

在現今懷舊風氣,吹得正盛之大氣候下,白宮可算是其中一個得益者,好幾個MV,電視劇,雜誌硬照,更甚者,當年林海峰也曾徵用過其內廳,用作開記者招待會,可想而知,這間白宮的江湖地位,不比跑馬地的祥興差。



物以罕為貴,幾十年老字號,地下的階轉,窗眶的鐵枝,隱約滲進點點另類的Art Deco味道。現今全面禁煙,地下沒有煙頭,比以前好得多了。牆上的不准吐痰之告示,是見証著幾十年來的變遷。高高在上的掛鐘,本來的九龍錶行在數年前解甲,顯得有點點失色,懷舊得未夠盡。



時代不同了,冰室內的電視播放著,不再是一味本港兩間免費電視台節目,也要播寫體育節目來迎賓,連ESPN也會播,踢拖來吃早餐,邊看NBA,或隔夜的歐聯賽事。



每個早上五點多,天未光白宮已燈火香盛,這個時候,當然吃個出爐麵包。其菠蘿包都不錯,當然少不得一杯港式奶茶。



說到其奶茶,小弟一向對白宮的奶茶推崇備至。可是近年水準反覆,有時奶多過茶,有時茶多過奶。幾十年老店,時價之弊也能包容,手上的名貴腕錶一天也會誤差三數秒,更何妨是出自人手的掛杯奶茶?如今,奶茶又歸位了,茶與奶味五十五十,香滑有致,喝到最後的回甘感覺,令人為之一震。雖然近年四圍去喝港式奶茶,喝過好也不少,到最後,還是乖乖地回到白宮。為何?喝開有感情,喝一杯奶茶,除了味道,還有感覺。


帶著奶茶回甘的味道,凝望著奶茶杯內的掛杯痕,不期然腦海又在翻起一些漣漪。十多年前有段時間在白宮吃早餐,經常見到一名樣貌清秀,挺有氣質,穿衣風格簡約派的女生。即是一穿上身,大家會"咦"一聲:(係咪Agnes b 定係APC的那種反應.}坐在窗邊的一角,她手上的,不離日本或歐美的時裝書,小弟每次早餐look都殘破不堪,手上的總是一份蘋果日報馬經,相形見絀。就算大家相遇多次,也不敢冒昧搭訕。

如何在你心窗一角,矇矓呈然我的愛,如今之計,便是去吃早餐,也要執一執自己的外表。本來用來穿去中環的APC 外套附會。可惜,她不在。

自此之後,亦不再見其蹤影,問一問老闆娘,老闆娘說他本來是租住在樓上,最近她說要去外國進修,所以已經搬走了。

沉默地在唏噓中送走希冀,剩我空虛中憶記,十多年之後的今日,偶然仍在偷偷想想無名字的妳.。在近乎失去的回憶中醒過來,看著掛杯的奶茶痕,就如床單上的夢遺,教人英雄氣短。




特餐上的菴列,水準較為穩定,一分為二,蛋汁同火腿絲一同湧出,煎得恰到好處,沙爹牛肉嘛?同九龍城樂園相比,水準自然差一皮。不過吃了多年,愛屋及烏,也覺得好吃。



說到全店最愛之食物,就是午市快餐內的炸髀飯,由多年前的$20,到今天的$26,對他從一而終。對炸髀的態度與顏福偉一樣愛多八十年,態度未曾改變。

即叫即炸的炸雞髀,本身是配紅汁,不過,你想跟白汁,洋荵汁,黑椒汁又得。倒頭來,還是與紅汁最襯。雞髀是雪藏貨,肉味自然不夠,小弟吃炸髀的態度,不會像某些人要說成必修科。最著重的,是炸得香脆的雞皮。也吃過多年,水準照舊沒變,雞皮從來香脆好吃。年前曾帶友人Ryan兄前來,他大叫:好味!

當某名食家在攝影機鏡頭下,於廣大電視觀眾面前,吃著千多銀的法國雪雞。我們就在這座有五十年樓齡的舊樓之下,吃這個價值$26碟的炸髀飯,一樣樂不思蜀。

有時聽人說吃雞不吃皮,每個人口味不同,小弟只會覺得吃雞走皮,在某程度上,或是有點缺陷。就像做愛沒有foreplay,單刀直入,一點情趣也沒有,生活何來美滿?反過來想,香港人大多做事,不求過程,只求結果,想起也有點道理。




幾十年的老字號,始終敵不過時代巨輪的侵蝕。旁邊的翔龍灣已經成為地標,連未來的沙中線亦如箭在玄,土瓜灣這一帶舊樓,相信除牛棚這個歷史文物之外,全部將難逃劫數。包括白宮冰室。

兔年一過,白宮無聲無息地走了,五十多年的歷史,一下子灰飛煙滅。回望重門深鎖的鐵閘前,欷歔的感慨一年年,但日落日出永沒變遷。

最喜愛的冰室結業,像失去一名老朋友/女伴,(我同你同床十幾年,你粒聲唔出就走咗去,妳唔喺咁撚樣丟低我呀嘛?)



幾十年後的同一日,年邁古稀的我,坐在三不像陰陽怪氣之茶記,望著沖到如屎水的奶茶,,或者我會想著今天我所想的事情。。。

我們還會有甚麼,留給下一代?連鎖快餐?連鎖茶餐廳? 實在不敢想下去。。。。

白宮冰室 (已結業) :土瓜灣馬頭角道 91 號地下

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8 則留言:

  1. Thank you for sharing a piece of your food history. Many westerners and Chinese who never lived in Hong Kong don't really know what "collective memories" means and what places like these mean to us. So sad to see an institution close, like seeing a dear family member pass on to heaven.

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  2. 真的可惜。

    我在facebook share了你這一篇。www.facebook.com/kursk1943

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  3. It is very shocking also to us the hong kong loving Japanese.!!!

    http://oneday55.exblog.jp/16953050/

    http://oneday55.exblog.jp/16946102/

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  4. I was (have been) living few blocks away from Pak Kong for more than 40 years. I call it my childhood memory rather than "collective memories" in a more appropriate way. Sorry to say, foods there from 40 years ago was no good and expensive. Let alone the service attitude people there. BUT it is the way, typical HK cafe, arrogant (the owner was not friendly to his customers except you knew him well) but neighborly, dirty (Siu Keung moved freely on the ground and on wall) but stylist (see its shop sign, floor bricks and window frames). There were metal jars on the ground preparing for customers to pour water and to shot their arrows. But these jars had disappeared for more than 10 years. Many people living nearby see each other for years. Some, including myself, met their girl/boy friends at this kind of cafe (there were once 3-4 in the adjacent blocks). A boy and a girl meeting everyday are more ready to tender HIS phone number to get acquaintance, dear blog owner! The airport moved to CLK for a decade and silenced the surrounding, both noise generated by planes landing or taking off and the economy. Recently, many of these old flats were broken into smaller quarters. Mainlanders and South Asian (and I am not racist) moved in because of the relatively low rental. However, strong as their structure is still (refurbishment was done a year ago). Property developers and agents have expressed interests in buying out the whole lot due to Grand Waterfront being next to. We are still looking forward to it. Back to the topic, P.K., like other café of the earlier generations put their noodle stall on the up right front next to the main door so as to attract passerby’s eyes and appetites. And steam of its wonton noodle attracted me every time I was on the way home but a student, even when I was studying University, without budget limited my feet. Now, I am 40 and P.K. was 50+. Time changes everything and everyone in HK has to move forward….

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  5. 夏天食白宮,很懷念!

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  6. 夏天食白宮,很懷念!

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