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The smell of fresh egg waffles beckons customers in the streets of downtown Mountain View.
T. Castle, which opened in late December, serves traditional Hong Kong-inspired drinks and treats and specializes in egg waffles. Egg waffles resemble a honeycomb structure with each pull-apart piece having a slightly crunchy outside and spongy texture inside. T. Castle’s version is slightly elevated from the kinds available on the streets of Hong Kong.
When first designing the menu, owner Ken Luk planned to partner with local Chinese bakeries to create a Hong Kong-style hot dog bun, reminiscent of jumbo pigs in a blanket. The buns differ from American types since they are softer and have a slightly sweeter taste.
“In the beginning, we wanted to make hot dogs, and we asked a couple of different bakeries if they could make the bun for us and they said they wouldn’t do it,” Luk said. “Then all of a sudden I said, ‘Hey, what if I do this?’”
Instead of scratching hot dog buns off the menu entirely, Luk reinvented the classic snack by using an egg waffle as the bun for a hot dog – a creation he calls Puffy Dog.
Luk emigrated from Hong Kong 24 years ago and carried his recipes to America. The ingredients and method for making the egg waffle batter is the same as those used by street vendors back at home, and in Luk’s opinion there’s a distinct taste difference between his egg waffles and other American competitors.
“Ours tastes different because our recipes are from older Hong Kong and it’s not from here,” Luk said. “The flavors, the recipes, the food – it will bring back all the memories from Hong Kong,”
The “Corny” Puffy Dog is a fan favorite featuring a grilled hot dog wrapped in a freshly made egg waffle, then topped with buttered corn, cheese, onion and mayo ($13.95).
For customers interested in trying classic Hong Kong drinks, T. Castle also serves housemade milk tea and fruit tea.
The Hong Kong Silky Classic Milk Tea ($6.50) is not to be confused or even put in the same category as English milk tea. Creating this traditional drink involves boiling water with imported tea leaves from Hong Kong, letting it sit, filtering the drink then repeating the filtering process 10 more times. It’s a comfort drink best served hot and accompanied with an egg waffle.
T. Castle’s interior strikes a comfortable balance of minimalist but inviting, with low seated wooden chairs and greenery to brighten the store.
The store’s opening marks the expansion of Luk’s businesses across the Bay Area. His other store, Milktopia, is located in San Francisco and also serves egg waffles and various boba drinks. Luk plans to dedicate his energy toward getting T. Castle up and running.
“I want to make this stable first and then try to figure out what I should do next, but I will see a lot of opportunities,” Luk said. “I will add more Hong Kong snacks and street food.”
T. Castle, 738 Villa St., Mountain View; 510-828-8465. Open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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