Remember to Eat

Most food reviewers would write about taste, price, ambience, service of a diner, but few would touch on ‘feng shui’. Yet many (in business) believe that ‘feng shui’ (which includes architectural planning, internal furniture arrangements, space and position) would affect the wealth and prosperity of a place or person.  

Let us take a look at this shop spaced currently occupied by “Ji De Chi” (JDC), translated as ‘remember to eat’. This shop space has probably changed hands several times in a span of three years, from a bao stall, mango dessert place to bak kut teh shop from what I can remember. Riding on the waves of local and Hong Kong desserts, it is a close competitor with Ah Chew’s Dessert a stone throw away.  

JCD serves the typical desserts from Sesame Paste, Almond Paste, Walnut Paste, Red Bean Paste and even Yin-Yang (a black-white combination of sesame and almond paste). The price is very reasonable at about $2.00 for a bowl. Its specialties include Ginger Juice with Fresh Milk, Mango and Grapefruit Juice with Herbal Jelly and Mango and Hasma, ranging from $4.00 to $5.50.  

The desserts are tasty, but easily forgettable. It can probably fulfill your sweet tooth craving, but it’s not a place you would come back again and again. The main factor is perhaps it lacks of a unique selling point or signature dish.

They serve some food items like Yam Cake, Carrot Cake, and Hakka Yam Abacus. But the few times I went, they were seldom available except one or two items.  You shouldn't expect restaurant quality service, but the ‘aunties’ here are patient with orders, adhering to special requests for combinations (such as glutinous balls in almond soup).  

The major put-off would be the ambience – white washed walls, grey floors, and shaky tables. Little money was spent on interior décor unlike its previous owners, perhaps because they were ready to change hands anytime soon.  

Don’t get me wrong. The desserts are definitely edible. But with strong competitors just opposite, and the ‘curse’ of the bad feng shui for this location, we can only wish the best for JCD. And if Ah Chew’s too crowded, just remember there’s Ji De Chi just a minute’s walk away as a back up plan.