Oldish

Out of 300+ reviews I have ever written, this will only be the 4^th one star Unilocal review I have ever given. I do not give it out easily, but there has to be a line that is really the mark on what is acceptable and what is not. I would like to say that the food was bad, the atmosphere was unwelcoming and the staff was rude beyond belief in order a render a measly one star Unilocal review. But none of this would be true.
We had be interested in trying Oldish for some time for it is located in the cute sidestreets near Sheung Wan. When we entered on a Sunday around 3PM for a late lunch, we were seated and immediatley became unraveled. The tall male staff member behind the food prep counter was very publicly clipping his nails. CLIP! CLIP! CLIP! The snap of a nail clipper is recognizable and my husband and I were both really shocked that nobody in the restaurant was equally perplexed. Sounds you should never hear from staff in a restaurant… nail clipping makes my list. CLIP! CLIP! CLIP! Because they were slow at this time of the day, the staff member was clearly taking his time and focusing on his nail trim. He is right there, where they make coffee and prepare sandwiches and grill eggs and prep food… CLIP! CLIP! CLIP!
We did not walk out and it took a lot for us to not walk out. We ate their all day breakfast, which was pretty good and a good portion really, but nothing is good enough for us to forget this incident nor to return ever again.
Every Unilocaler and every restaurant patron has to decide their own personal line of what is acceptable and what is not acceptable while dining out Regardles of what restaurant I might visit in any city in the world, there are some deal breakers for me: nose picking, someone sick not wearing a mask, no clear hand washing and absolutley nail clipping. It is a poor reflection on hygiene of their staff and this is how people get sick. Someone else might say that this is OK and they would not have a problem with this. I am a hygiene/​germ freak and have no problem going down dark alleys, eating in dingy cafes and enduring questionable conditions to seek out the best dining experience I can, but nail clipping in the food prep area is a line for me that was clearly crossed.

I enjoy the atmosphere but the food and coffee have never quite lived up to my expectations. As with a lot of tai ping Shan, things look a lot better than they are, so I’m often drawn into these places and left a little disappointed.

Typical annual leave… waking up after noon, brainlessly get on a taxi and feeling hungry (as usual!)… I need to eat something which is filling and energising, I need great coffee, I need all-​day-​breakkie!!! (inside screaming!)
Enough nonsense! God scream back at me (oops). Don’t you realise it’s a day before Chinese New Year?! OMG, almost everything is closed. Common Ground is closed, Deadend is closed, Teakha is closed… *CRY*. However, God did hear me! Here I spot it! What a charming place packed with lots of people, and we are just lucky enough to get a 2 seater. And I’m blessed, the first item on the lunch menu was just what I want (haha).
Great oldie music, interesting décor…50s’ Mickey Mouse, tin mugs, yellowish painted wall, oak mirror… and here it come, my sizzling all-​day-​breakkie and the veggie cake my hubby ordered. Yummy and awakening. Love it! And the coffee is great too. Now I’m awaked.
Curious finding: the furniture are not truely old, but in fact quite expensive and could be bought from a warehouse in HK. Check the tags under the table and on the chair~