Green Waffle Diner

Pisco loves diners.  Pisco loves waffles (although this love was unknown until a spell in Brussels).  So perhaps it is not surprising that Pisco loves Green Waffle Diner, a new restaurant in Central on Graham Street.

The clear theme is waffles, and they are available with breakfast, lunch, or dinner choices.  The waffles are large, substantially larger than an iPhone, but not quite as vast as an iPad.  An iPad-sized waffle… now I am swooning… but I digress.  They are light and airy (unlike a Brussels gaufre) – perfectly cooked, almost ephemeral on the palate, but they stand up to a host of accompaniments (because the waffle is always the star).  I am not clear on the original provenance of this style; I almost want to say it’s a brioche-style waffle, since its texture, lightness, and sophistication all remind me of a perfect brioche, but whatever the history, the folks here have chosen a great concept and can execute it very competently.

There are many breakfast dishes available, and breakfast is available all day.  Let me repeat: all day breakfast is alive and well, and you don’t have to put up with the Flying Pan crowd to get it.  Several savory dinner choices also exist, and several of these are also served with waffles.

All day breakfast

Here is the all-day breakfast.  One perfect waffle, a couple scramble eggs, sausage links, home fries, and toast.  As good as the waffle is, the scrambled eggs stand out – they are slow-cooked, and have a creamy texture so rarely found in restaurant fare (Pisco makes these at home, but they take 25 minutes).  A variety of toast options are also available; I suggest wheat rather than the white in the photo.  The sausages are juicy, savory, and soft to the touch.  The home fries were fine, but on a plate with the waffle, eggs, and sausage, they were outclassed.  Kind of like the least talented player on Brazil’s World Cup team – undoubtedly a world-class star but he’s just warming the bench in South Africa.

Pisco ordered the Fried Chicken and Waffle for dinner.  Two drumsticks are normally served, but I asked for an extra because I knew K would want one.  I’ve already waxed poetic over the waffle, so let’s focus on the chicken: it’s another A grade.  Juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, it is a marvel.  I’ve eaten fried chicken with biscuits all my life, but now there is no looking back: it’s waffles from here on out.  It’s a great combination – the rich, juicy chicken, crunchy and slightly salty skin, a light waffle, and a slightly sweet syrup.  Well done.

Fried chicken and waffle

The chef came out to visit as we were finishing up and asked how it was.  We told him that it was fantastic and asked what his secret was.  Somewhat surprisingly, he said, “We sous-vide the chicken, then deep-fry it.”  So there you have it: get yourself a Sous Vide Supreme, set up a deep fryer in your tiny Hong Kong kitchen, and you can make this dish at home.  Except your waffles will not be as good.

The folks who run this place seem very cool and they definitely know what they are doing.  Slow-cooked scrambled eggs?  Sous vide fried chicken?  I can only wonder what other tricks they have up their sleeves.

I have only a few suggestions for a better experience.  First, I prefer my home fries a little crispier.  Second, consider adding Vermont maple syrup as an upgrade/side order – your waffles deserve only the best.  Most importantly, consider adding a colourful garnish on the plate.  A sprig of parsley would go a long way on my dish filled with a golden waffle, golden fried chicken, and golden home fries; the bland, monocolour aesthetic belies the quality of the meal you are about to experience.

Yes, my biggest complaint is that I want better garnish for my photos.

Pisco recommends the lychee smoothie, which hit the spot on this warm summer evening.

Two plates of food and two smoothies ran around 200 HKD, ridiculously cheap considering the quality of the food.

Food: A
Service: A
Ambiance: B
Value: A

Green Waffle Diner
35-39 Graham St
Central, Hong Kong
2887 9991

Time Out HK review
Green Waffle Diner on OpenRice

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