It had been ages since I abandoned the mountain of forms that had me keying until my hands cramped and actually left the office for afternoon tea.
This egg-cake shop is literally across from the office. I had passed it hundreds of times without really seeing it, but for some reason I finally looked properly today—and then...Wait a minute!Isn't that Kagu behind the counter?!
(Cue my brain instantly rewinding the memory tape.)
My husband used to spend all day watching that gloriously dumb show Crazy God. The first time I saw it, all I could think was: what kind of idiotic program is this, and why do they keep smacking people on the head with blue-and-white slippers?
But men are children. Every head-smacking bit would leave my husband helpless with laughter on the sofa, while I had absolutely no idea what he found so funny.
The point is, he actually hit me on the head with a slipper once. Ask him to kill a cockroach, though, and he freezes in terror. Great—Brave enough to hit his wife, not brave enough for a cockroach!A man reaches 40 and is left with nothing but talk. Ladies, choose carefully.
Location and transport:
卡古雞蛋糕 is about a 5-minute walk from Gangqian Station, on the side opposite the school nicknamed 'Rouhu Technical High.'
Why call it 'Rouhu'? Don't ask me; I don't know either. My husband graduated there, and ever since I met him he has repeated 'Rouhu, Rouhu' like some religious incantation.
The school nickname is not the only mystery. His high-school friends are each more ridiculous than the last, so ridiculous that they named their chat group 'Project Low.' Yes, they run stupidity as a long-term project, complete with branding. I had never seen anyone systematize it so thoroughly.
Shop atmosphere and the owner himself:
Back to Kagu: he is genuinely friendly and agrees whenever customers ask for a photo. Damn it, next time I am absolutely bringing my husband and a pair of blue-and-white slippers here for a pilgrimage photo, ticking off one item on his life list.
The person sweating beside him over the egg-cake iron is probably his girlfriend. Standing at the stove in that heat looks truly exhausting, and deserves full credit.
Quick food notes:
As for the egg cakes themselves, they are made to order and still burn-hot in your hand. The shell is baked crisp and the cake smells wonderful. No gimmicks needed; the original flavor alone is excellent.
The Ceylon black tea is icy and just right without sugar. It slips down easily with the egg cakes and is also perfect for filtering out the resentment of a Neihu office worker.
Overall verdict:
In short, this place is basically 'a full-force nostalgia hit, with egg cakes thrown in.'
The next time I want to escape Excel and get away from the never-ending forms, I will quietly walk over, buy egg cakes, and question my life choices on the side.
Barring surprises, this is going to become my regular afternoon refuge from all that data entry!
