Keeping up with new restaurants in Hong Kong, let alone new chefs and new menus, can be tricky. Our restaurant news round-up will keep you in the loop about the city’s ever-evolving dining scene. From the latest eatery to open its doors to celebrity chefs to Hong Kong brunches and cool new bars, it’s all here!
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this March
Cabaret and cocktails
Maggie Choo’s is taking the cabaret concept to new heights with a debut headline show every Thursday from 9 to 11pm, plus weekly show days throughout March. The headline show delves into the history of Maggie Choo through a mix of live vocals, a live band, and a troupe of international dancers. This performance also features tailor-made costumes by designer Maria Mayorova. Expect everything from nostalgia of Hong Kong’s golden era to a nod to the glamour of old-world cabaret. The theme will change every three months, and you can also enjoy three new cabaret inspired cocktails – a reinterpretation of a daiquiri, a black tea and gin infusion, and a sweet martini. maggiechoos.com.hk
Holistic holiday idea
TIA Wellness Resort in Da Nang, Vietnam, has revamped its drink menus using science based research and looking at several essential pillars of health: vitamins, proteins, gut health and stress reduction. Every drink packs a wellbeing punch, from microbiome-focused elixirs to collagen peptide boosters and mind-calming offerings. There’s also two dozen new smoothies, juices and more.
This resort is also offering a full wellness retreat called This Body & Mind Cleanse. Launched last year, the experience includes nourishing raw food cuisine, detox therapies, and holistic wellbeing practices from sound healing to private yoga sessions. Intermittent fasting is also a key element of the new package.
Michelin venue reopens
Michelin-starred and Michelin Green-starred venue Roganic Hong Kong has reopened at Lee Garden One. Created by Simon Rogan, the restaurant offers sustainable, zero-waste gastronomy with British flair. With the reopening comes a new sharing set menu format. The dinner menu, available in both regular and vegetarian options, offers four snacks, four choices of main dishes, three desserts and three sweet treats for $1,280. The lunch menu ($520), meanwhile, has two snacks, three sharing dishes and two desserts. There are too many highlights to mention here, though we love the sound of the dry-aged Guangdong duck roasted in honey! There’s also a new drinks programme, wine list and cocktails. roganic.com.hk
Dreamy late-night brunch
Since its opening in 2002, Bombay Dreams has been a beloved culinary icon – it was the first ever Indian restaurant in HK to earn the coveted Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand, which it then received for 12 consecutive years! Popular for its buffets and brunches filled with authentic recipes, it has just launched a new Late-Night Brunch ($298). Only available on weekends, the menu features unlimited servings of selected favourites from chaat bites to delicious curries, freshly baked breads and scrumptious sweets. You can also enjoy live Bollywood beats, with a free-flow option (wines, cocktails, punches for sharing, and a gin trolley) for an additional $200. sandshospitality.com/portfolio/bombay-dreams
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this February
Eat, drink, and bon appétit!
Created by Michelin-starred Chef Franckelie Laloum and hospitality visionary Michael Larkin, LALA offers the best of French fine dining with a side of fun. This new dining venue is simple, memorable and has a load of interesting twists on classic dishes like parsley garlic frog legs and duck, poultry, paté en croute. Other notable items on the menu include sweetbread, langoustine, vol au vent, the Angus beef tenderloin flambé with kampot pepper sauce and charcoaled grill turbot with a hollandaise sauce. LALA also has a pastry program helmed by Natalie Leung, with Pawel Mikusek leading the bar program that channels the golden age of cocktail culture.
3 new openings on The Peak
Grab yourself something from Butter, Messina or Peak Pizza and enjoy the view!
From humble beginnings, Butter now has pop-ups across Hong Kong and over 100 unique bakery creations. Highlights include the carrot cake, triple chocolate cake, red velvet cake and chocolate chunk and lemon crinkle cookies.
Another option to excite those with a sweet tooth is Messina. Hailing from Australia, the brand’s second Hong Kong store has a cabinet showcasing 40 flavours, including 30 classic flavours, five HK exclusives and five rotating specials. Exclusive to The Peak is a flavour inspired by a Cantonese childhood favourite, Tong Chung Beng, featuring coconut gelato churned with shredded coconut and sesame seeds and layered with crepes.
Peak Pizza is the third store to open, bringing a slice of New York-style attitude and flavour to the top of the city. This store offers five new flavours – Pesto, Hawaiian, Caprese, White (three cheese) and a weekly Chef’s Special. This is on top of the classic cheese, pepperoni and vegetable pizzas created on a thin, foldable crust with rich sauce. You can pair your slice or pie with beer by the bottle or unlimited fountain soda refills.
This is only the beginning of the expansion! FALCONE and Rajasthan Rifles are also expected to arrive at The Peak soon.
blacksheeprestaurants.com/events/happenings
Celebrating soy
Michelin-starred Cantonese Restaurant, Ming Court (Cordis Hong Kong) has a new “Soy Symphony” Menu created in collaboration with the century-old local brand, Kung Wo Beancurd Factory. With many traditional soy product shops gradually closing down, Kung Wo Beancurd Factory, established in 1893, has preserved its century-old artisanal craftsmanship. To celebrate this local business, the menu incorporates their products into a selection of dishes. We like the look of the mapo tofu dish mixed with local green lobster, the braised claypot with tofu, sea cucumber, port, salted fish and bird nest tofu panna cotta for dessert. This menu will only be available until the end of April.
cordishotels.com/en/hong-kong/dine/ming-court
Something for meat lovers
Omaroo is a steakhouse by Wooloomooloo that delivers an experience with a focus on authentic Australian-style steaks. With sweeping views of Victoria Harbour, high ceilings and an open kitchen, the restaurant design is worth a visit alone.
What truly sets this steakhouse apart, though, is the commitment to wet-aging meat. This technique involves ageing steaks in vacuum-sealed bags, allowing enzymes to naturally break down the proteins, resulting in a succulent, melt-in-the-mouth texture and a flavour profile.
If you want to really experience this, the top cuts on the menu include the 2kg Wagyu Tomahawk ($2,420) and the 1kg Short Bone-in Rib Eye ($1,528), both from Queensland. Also of note is a dome-shaped Beef Wellington made with Australian filet mignon, wrapped in golden puff pastry and layered with foie gras, mushroom and truffle duxelles, and Parma ham.
The Hong Kong restaurant also has a great selection of non-red meat options on the menu including a pan seared king salmon, chili slipper lobster, foie gras cajun quail breast, New Zealand coastal lamb rack and potato pithivier pie. For dessert, the showstopper is a mango and passionfruit soufflé. Pair these dishes with options from a wine list featuring over 90 bottles from around the world or two signature cocktails – the tea-infused Earl Grey Collins and Chocolate Old Fashion.
sevenrooms.com/explore/omaroogrill/reservations/create/search
Bite-sized bliss
NIWA takes its name from a Japanese zen garden, so the idea for this venue is to create a calm atmosphere to escape the busy streets of Soho. It’s a minimalist restaurant that has carefully curated menus that celebrate simple and harmonious flavours. This extends to the omakase menus that change seasonally and are centred on creating balanced, creative and expertly put-together dishes.
There’s a set menu for lunch (from $580 for 14 courses) and dinner (from $1,580 for 22 courses) plus a vegetarian menu to select from. Some highlights include the snapper sashimi, charcoal grill eel, caviar sea urchin hairy crab, slow cook abalone with abalone liver sauce and thick-cut wagyu ox tongue amiyaki.
A Spanish spread
Aire has opened its doors at Causeway Bay’s Lee Garden One! At this Hong Kong restaurant you’ll find Basque grill specialities and a meticulously curated selection of meats and seafood prepared in an authentic style. Expect Mediterranean ambiance and lively Iberian hospitality with Edgard Sanuy Barahona, Head of the Spanish Division at Epicurean Group and Catalonia-native Executive Chef Pere Moreno Germès at the helm.
Start with a selection of palette openers, such as the light basque tuna & white anchovy “Gilda”, the cured white anchovies drizzled with garlic vinaigrette and smoked paprika or deboned suckling pig with crisped skin served alongside pureed pumpkin. Then try the Basque grill, with the 600g milk fed lamb shoulder a standout, along with the Galician cow dry-aged 150-gram sirloin, and seafood fideuà, a delightful twist on paella. To finish, there’s grilled pineapple or traditional Catalan cream, a citrus-cinnamon infused custard. Complement this with a homemade Red, Rosé, or White Sangria or cocktails or Spanish wine.
Inspired by vintage Italy
Set in a fascinating cinematic 1950s style, SPIGA’s inspiring interior is by designer Joyce Wang. Under the culinary direction of 13-Michelin-starred Chef Enrico Bartolini, and led by resident Executive Chef Paolo Olivieri, the menu presents Italian cuisine at its finest, with innovative and modern flair.
The new brunch menu ($558) highlights flavours from The Sea, The Farm and The Land, complemented by free-flowing champagne for $258. This four-course Italian menu has been made to share, with options each course listed under the three flavour profiles mentioned above. For example, to start, you can pick a seafood or cold cut platter, then a choice of three antipasti, select your main and then wait for the dessert cart to end the meal on a sweet note!
sandshospitality.com/portfolio/spiga
Sun Moon Place
Many expats still mourn the loss of American Peking, which closed on Lockhart Road a few years ago. Happily, another Peking-style palace has opened just nearby.
The floral yellow dining hall of Sun Moon Place is bright and alive with chatter, and we’re soon joining the buzz as our starters arrive; the mutton and scallion pie is full of flavour and the Chinese chives and egg pancake light and crispy. Fried dumplings with assorted meats are plump and generous.
Unsurprisingly, the barbecued Peking duck is the star of the show. Carved tableside, it’s a triumph of crispy shards, cucumber, spring onion and hoi sin sauce. We can’t assemble our pancakes fast enough!
The hits keep on coming, too; shredded beef in chilli sauce is crispy and tasty, with pieces of baked sesame cake. Extra pancakes arrive, this time to accompany the shredded pork in Peking soya sauce – and it’s almost up there with the duck. Fried egg rolls are packed with beansprouts and meaty morsels, fabulous!
We manage to sneak an extra order from the à la carte menu – chicken and cashew nut, which proves a wonderful blast from the past. We finish with a dish of caramelised apple and, as soon as we put down our chopsticks, vow to return soon to order our hit list.
G/F & 1/F Pao Yip Building, 1-7 Ship Street, Wan Chai | 2893 9686 | epicurean.com.hk
À Poêle French Bistro
After a warm greeting and the swift arrival of cool cocktails, we peruse the neat and tidy menu at À Poêle. Classic and contemporary dishes sit side by side, all at very reasonable prices.
The French onion soup is an immediate showstopper, the Gruyère lid sliding joyously down the sides of the bowl. It’s savoury, crusty, chewy and sinfully perfect. Eggs stuffed with truffle paste and chives are a lovely light contrast; the escargots, seared tuna, charcuterie and foie gras terrine will have to wait for another time.
Seafood, steak frites and beef cheek bourguignon are all winking at us among the mains, but we go with merguez sausage orecchiette, a delightful pasta enveloped in warm North African heat. Roast chicken with sherry jus and green beans is a go-to as well on this drizzly night, served with fries and truffle mayo.
The proud staff also waxed lyrical about the signature dish of seared beef tartare, so we gratefully took their advice. Served in a warm skillet with a toasted baguette and Café de Paris butter, these diced bites of hand-chopped steak with a charred crust go way beyond any burger!
Desserts are serious business here, too, as is the obligatory cheese platter. The crème brûlée doesn’t disappoint, and the chocolate mousse is light, fluffy and welcomely infused with orange.
À Poêle’s one-page menu is well conceived and brimming with choice. The name refers to a frying pan or stove, and everything that comes away from those kitchen essentials is a dreamy delight.
Shop G514, G/F, Hing On Mansion, 5 Tai Yue Avenue, Tai Koo Shing | 2446 1598 | apoelebistro.com
Qué Pasa Tapas y Vino
We always look forward to visiting charming Tai Hang, and on entering Qué Pasa (Spanish for “what’s up?”), we find a modern and airy dining room with a bustling open kitchen, and a large bar to the rear. It’s a great first impression – and the prompt arrival of our jar of red sangria keeps the happy vibes going.
The menu is varied and well-priced with plenty of tapas, paellas, cured meats and enticing selections from the Mibrasa charcoal oven, including cauliflower and chick pea, octopus, chicken, ribeye and suckling pig.
Our focus tonight is on tapas, though, and we start with zingy tomato bread and a dish of boquerones (anchovies), simply prepared with a little garlic to let their freshness shine. A platter of 30-to 40-months-aged Jamón Ibérico is truly outstanding.
Next comes Truffle Bikini, a Barcelona style toastie that’s full of flavour, and patatas aioli, crispy and fluffy – and you’d never know they’d seen any oil. Last comes another hot skillet triumph: plump Basque chistorra (a type of chorizo) sautéed and finished in cider.
From the Mibrasa oven, the quarter suckling pig was crispy and succulent, served with a delightfully creamy mash and sherry jus. To finish, Spanish cheesecake with a fabulous citrus sauce is something to behold, as is the Espresso flan, creamy and sinful.
So, what’s up at Qué Pasa? Tantalising tapas and smiley buzzing staff, that’s what – even a proud barman who checked that our sangria was just how we like it.
98 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang | 9169 0298 | quepasatapas.com
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this January
A tasty collaboration
Popular Hong Kong restaurant and bakery AMO AGO is known for its delicious pastries, French sandwiches and beverages. Now, it has invited high-end French dairy brand Elle & Vire Professionnel to join it in the launch of a limited-time series of festive cakes for the holiday season, available until 31 December 2024. The launch features four innovative French cakes meticulously crafted with top-quality dairy products and showcasing the chemistry and creative synergy of the chefs involved. They’re priced at $62 each – don’t miss out!
AMO AGO, 11 Shelley Street, Central | IG: @amoago.hk
RogAnic Re-launches
Simon Rogan’s new sharing menu is relaxed and accessible while still providing an elevated dining experience with a sustainable ethos. His Michelin-starred and Michelin Green starred venue is reopening in January 2025 on the fourth floor of Lee Garden One, with reservations for a preview period open in early December. The new dining vision focuses on sharing plates using ingredients from organic farms in and near Hong Kong. The venue itself has also been given a revamp and uses upcycled and locally sourced wood, recycled marble flooring and rewrapped chairs.
Playful & Tasty
Heard of Sebastian Lorenzi? He’s the talented young chef taking the lead at fine-dining restaurant Té Bo, located within 1880 SOCIAL. The name adds a twist to the French phrase “t’es beau” (“you’re beautiful”), and there’s a playful approach in the kitchen too. The 14-seat counter allows you to watch the chefs at work, or there are tables for groups. Dine à la carte, from a three-course set lunch menu, or a six-course tasting menu for dinner. Highlights include beef cheek ravioli, three yellow chicken cromesquis, and lobster rolled in caviar, with wines from France, China, Italy and Switzerland.
sevenrooms.com/explore/tebo/reservations/create/search
Taking Off
Jin Bo Law, London’s internationally acclaimed bar concept, makes its debut in Asia, opening on the rooftop of Dorsett Kai Tak. Paying tribute to the historical significance of Kai Tak International Airport, the cocktails are inspired by different countries. They fall under two themes: East to West Synergy, incorporating Chinese spirits into classic combinations, and Odyssey, which nods to Kai Tak’s history by tweaking iconic international drinks (like a boozy version of a mango lassi). Catch the HK sunset with a rooftop infinity pool adjacent to your view!
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this November
Congratulations, Arcane!
Loved for its unpretentious modern European dishes, Arcane is now celebrating 10 years in operation. The one-Michelin-star flagship reflects founder Shane Osborn’s vision of a dining experience that’s conscious of its social and environmental impact.
In celebration of cherished partnerships with its trusted regional suppliers and artisan farmers and growers, there are three new five-course menus available. The menus will rotate weekly in November, available exclusively for dinner ($1,388 per person, with wine pairings for an additional $688).
The Gourmet en Provence Menu (11 to 16 November) showcases fresh French produce complemented by RSRV Champagne. Standouts include potato blinis with crab mayonnaise, caviar, sour cream and chives, a tortellini dish, and herb-crusted limousin veal rump. For dessert, there’s a yuzu and lemon posset with white chocolate tuile, blood orange and yoghurt ice cream.
The Waves Pacific and To-Plate Menu (18 to 23 November) features Australian flavours: seared yellowfin tuna, pan-fried humpty doo barramundi and roasted mayura Wagyu rump cap with cuvee chocolate surprise for dessert. It comes with a pairing selection from Liber Wines.
And from 25 to 30 November, diners can enjoy The Farmhouse Productions Menu. These dishes feature local-inspired flavours and ingredients with a curated selection of Chinese and Japanese wines. There’s “Drunken” Ma Yau, yellow chicken with dau miu and Yunnan mushrooms, and a fig leaf ice cream with Hong Kong-style French toast to finish!
Make a reservation here.
New in November!
Landau’s will be opening its doors in Wan Chai to give you a taste of its modern European cuisine. Headed by HK-born Executive Chef Russell Doctrove, there are two distinct and atmospheric dining areas in the venue. The Bar & Grill is great for a casual hangout while the Dining Room offers an intimate setting. Each space has a different curated menu crafted from fresh, high-quality ingredients.
For a sneak peek, head to @landaus.hk on Instagram.
60 dishes under one roof
Tim Ho Wan is an iconic culinary spot in Hong Kong. However, the chain is about to shake things up at its new venue. Located at K11 Art Mall, this concept flagship store will expand the menu to feature over 60 dishes. These include signature roast products, stir-fried wok dishes, seafood delicacies and innovative desserts, alongside the much-loved dim sum offerings.
The menu is not the only thing that’s been given a freshen up. This new venue is nice and bright, with views overlooking the bustling city, and interiors incorporating art by a local calligrapher to create a modern style.
Check it out here!
Brewed and baked to impress
For a second consecutive year, The Hari Hong Kong is bringing back its Afternoon Tea in collaboration with Jackson’s Scone. You can book a leisurely afternoon experience until the end of December at both The Lounge and The Terrace. In the heart of Wan Chai, this elegant eatery serves up an array of irresistible sweet selections, from 3pm to 5pm every day. Scone varieties include butterfly pea flower and yuzu, strawberry and baileys, and a pistachio flavour! These are complemented with a blueberry cheesecake, a zesty Amalfi lemon sponge, and a berry panna cotta. Savoury options include porchetta belly burgers, sausage rolls and an uni and red prawn arancini.
The Hari Afternoon Tea with Jackson’s Scone is $668 for two and also includes detox water and free flow coffee and tea. There are also options to add free-flow Saicho Sparkling Tea (Jasmine or Hojicha) for $1,004, a glass of Moscato d’Asti Scagliola Primo Bacio, Piedmont, Italy 2021 for $1,044, or Perrier Jouët Grand Brut Champagne, France NV for $1,064 per set.
Interested in tasting all the scones? The Afternoon O’Clock tasting menu is $138, with all the drinks mentioned above available by the glass for an additional price.
Find these two afternoon tea options here.
Who from HK came 2nd in the new World’s Best Bars list?
When we brought you news of Bar Leone at the top of the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, we knew this was just the beginning for this stylish place with awesome drinks. But we didn’t know it would rocket to number two on the list of the World’s Best Bars at the Disaronno Highest New Entry awards. It was also named the Best Bar in Asia. Another noteworthy HK favourite is Oaxacan-inspired bar Coa, which came in at Number 18. Might be time for a drink!
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this October
Hong Kong-infused hot pot
Megan’s Kitchen is celebrating its 19th anniversary with a new hotpot series called Savor the Delights. This features new hotpot combinations, a series of dumplings and innovative vegetarian options.
An absolute must-try on the menu is the Hong Kong-style plant-based shark’s fins superior soup. There’s also a hotpot based on Hong Kong favourite satay beef noodles with the addition of pineapples and beef meatballs. You can also try the onion and tomato pork chop hotpot, a cherished “home flavour” for many Hongkongers. For vegetarians, there’s Beyond Meat beef balls with bean curd skin, water chestnuts and coriander.
The new hotpot dumplings selection, meanwhile, ranges from beef brisket with green pepper and black bean sauce, to roasted duck, barbecue pork with sweet soybean, and red beancurd paste dumplings.
Four options for Chinese fare
Looking for Zhejiang, Beijing, Shanghai and Cantonese cuisines? At Golden Blossoms, you can sample them all in one venue. Located in K11 MUSEA, this new dining spot is ideal for an intimate dinner in one of the semi-circular booths or in one of the five private spaces.
When it comes to the dishes, the culinary team is led by chefs who are masters of each cuisine. The Cantonese specialty items include signature honey glazed Kurobuta pork belly marinated in rose-infused sauce. Another highlight is the steamed blue crab with minced Kurobuta pork. For the Zhejiang selection, we like the look of the steamed dried hairtail with salty pork and assorted Shaoxing casserole. A signature braised chicken with abalone is a standout among the Shanghainese options on the menu. And, of course, for the Beijing dishes, the Peking style roasted duck is the showstopper! Golden Blossoms also offers a variety of dim sum and lunch set menus.
Cool Korean cuisine
Bibigo Bapsang is the venue name – dare you to say that fast five times! Speaking of fast, this new Hong Kong restaurant is bringing quick-service Korean fare to Hong Kong. Here you can grab elevated fast food as a meal with family and friends or tasty takeaway.
Combos start from $49 and include a main dish, side, and a beverage or soup. For the main dishes, there’s beef bulgogi rice, K-chicken rice, japchae with bulgogi tossed with potato noodles, and kimchi pork soup with kalguksu noodles. Then choose a side from kimchi, tangy Micho fruit vinegar pickles and gim snacks. Drinks-wise, MICHO Ade is a popular Korean beauty drink and exclusive to Bibigo Bapsang.
Special offer: To celebrate its grand opening, 1000 vouchers for one free mandu dumpling and two pieces of K-chicken will be handed out in Central until 12 October. See the giveaways on Instagram too.
Back open for business
Watermark at Pier 7 has reopened with a new menu and interior décor. Located at the Star Ferry in Central, here you can dine with a 270-degree view of Victoria Harbour. The new menu features a range of seafood and also dry-aged beef. The Seafood Platter ($998 or $588) includes a spread of Boston lobster, freshly shucked oysters, prawns, scallops, squid and clams, served with house-made dipping sauces. You can also order grilled Boston lobster whole or halved, a lobster spaghetti, black ink squid risotto and the catch of the day.
Among the non-seafood dishes are beef cheek, dry-aged CAB beef ribeye and a M7 Wagyu flat-iron steak. Pair these with wines from the curated list or an interesting cocktail. And make sure to leave room for a pavlova or poached pear for dessert!
Special offer: From now until 30 November 2024, Watermark diners who order the Seafood Platter ($998), receive a complimentary bottle of Inedit Damm Beer (750ml, worth $228)
Tapas with a local touch
The Wooloolooloo Group has just opened MOOO! The cheekily named restaurant in Mira Place has beefy roots and also embraces the spirit of Hong Kong’s dim sum culture. On the menu are generously portioned sharing plates and tapas-inspired “MOOOpas” such as prawn toast and peppercorn-seasoned chicken wings. For meat lovers, there are baby back ribs that have been pickled, slow-cooked, fried, glazed and topped with pineapple and tomato salsa, and satay beef langos fried bread.
Dishes that take centre stage include the porterhouse steak ($888) and the Mixed Grill ($498), which includes spiced hanging tender, pork sausages and chicken skewers. There’s also a bone marrow and brisket wellington and slow-cooked Australian sirloin claypot rice. For a sweet finish, try the banana bread pudding or a vanilla, red bean or Yuen Yeung MOOO!shake. There are tea-infused cocktails too!
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this September
A festival of Indian flavours
From 2 September to 20 November, Repulse Bay restaurant Spices is offering flavour-packed authentic specialties by resident Indian Chef Sagar Sapkota. Chef Sapkota recommends starting off with his South India version of crispy lamb samosas, stuffed with a blend of minced lamb, tomato and onion, and his signature dish of peri-peri chicken – a recipe his grandfather took from South Africa and gave a fresh new Indian flavour. Other dishes worth noting include grilled the garlic chicken kebabs, prawn korma and orange-red chana masala. For a sweet ending, select the kesari rasmalai, a traditional Indian dessert of milk solids soaked in sweetened saffron milk with cottage cheese, green cardamom and pistachio topping.
therepulsebay.com/en/dining/spices
New dishes for lunch and dinner
Wakaran’s all-native Hong Kong culinary team led by Head Chef Tommy Tsui has designed a range of new dishes to share with friends and family. With the new two- and three-course lunch menus, you can start with miso soup topped with Boston lobster meat or glazed fried chicken with Sichuan pepper. For mains, there’s a soya scallion oil tagliatelle, crispy mapo tofu and Australian Wagyu beef cheek. Round the meal off with a dessert of tiramisu or mango pomelo sago. The à la carte menu also has some fresh additions including chicken wings with yuzu kosho romesco, pepper tiger prawns and Hibachi hanger steak with a blue cheese and Chinese fermented bean curd sauce.
sevenrooms.com/reservations/wakaran
Free-flow dinner with a view
Perched on the 30th floor of V Point, ZENG enjoys a 270-degree view of Victoria Harbour. Added to the drawcard is a newly launched free-flow dinner menu available from 6pm to 10pm with 12 premium dishes to indulge in for 120 minutes ($498 per person). Highlights on the menu include hanger steak with malabar koji sauce, spicy spaghetti with fish maw and dried scallop, vegetarian shark fin, duck breast with cherry plum sauce and miso-glazed black cod.
Bottomless pasta, anyone?
Tucked away in Kau U Fong, Posso has launched a new lineup of bottomless pastas for $570 per person. This all-inclusive menu features a four-course meal with endless pasta refills, two starters and a sweet. Available from Monday to Thursday for dinner and on Saturday for lunch, it includes freshly made maltagliati with fennel sausage and porcini mushrooms, spaghetti bolognese, seafood-laden mafaldine, and canestrini with bell pepper sauce, creamy ricotta and guanciale (or a vegetarian version).
Afternoon tea inspired by Italy
Looking for a new afternoon tea to try? Head to The Stage Music Bar on the weekend from 3pm to 6pm for a special afternoon tea featuring a range of iconic Italian sweet and savoury items, including cranberry scones with cream and jam, toasted bread topped with seaweed butter and anchovies, tacos with salmon and avocado, a prawn cocktail tart and more. There’s also a sweet spread with tiramisu tart, pistachio macaron, red puff with vanilla whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
Priced at $218 per person or $398 for two, the tea set comes with the choice of tea or coffee – and you can add on three freshly shucked David Hervé oysters for $48 or two hours of free-flow Prosecco ($200). Complimentary tarot card readings are available every Saturday in September too! By the way, if you like the sound of the free-flow Prosecco, head along to The Stage on Tuesday for a four-hour deal. There’s also a one-for-one happy hour from Wednesday till Sunday.
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this August
Flavour Fiesta
Taking the helm at Bayfare Social in the Rosewood Hong Kong is Chef Gerard Rubio Casabayó, whose new menu of à la carte and tapas options includes the likes of chorizo “hot dog” on toasted brioche, Catalan-stewed Iberico meatballs with squid and potatoes, and almejas en Salsa Verde (clams in green jus). Plus, there are heaps of family favourites from Iberico rib fingers and hearty roasted chicken cannelloni with foie gras to a striploin paella and Suquet de Salmonete, a fisherman’s stew.
There’s a happy hour, too – from 3pm to 6pm daily, you can choose one beverage and two tapas or dessert dishes to share for $198. You can also add on extra dishes for $70 each, and enjoy two hours free-flow for $200 per person.
Bean There, Sipped That
Call yourself a café connoisseur? Here’s a chance to go café-hopping in North Point for a reward! The Hyatt Centric Victoria Harbour Hong Kong has launched a campaign to support local coffee shops with a mix of caffeine and kindness. Anyone (including visitors to HK) can collect a stamp card from The Farmhouse Deli in the hotel, or from Coffee Obsession, LUNGO or Uncle Ben Coffee. Then, just make a purchase at The Farmhouse Deli to collect one stamp and do the same from one of the other listed cafés listed above, and you can return to The Farmhouse to collect a $50 voucher to use at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant and bar.
You can redeem stamps until 30 September, so get hopping!
From Tokyo to TST
Let us set the scene: a jazz soundtrack plays in the background while you sip a sake or agave drink, leisurely running your eyes over a Japanese art exhibition and menu featuring world-class sushi. This is not your usual omakase dining experience or sushi restaurant – it’s Udatsu Sushi, which became a Michelin-starred venue in Tokyo and has now opened in Hong Kong.
Located in FWD House 1881 in Tsim Sha Tsui, the Hong Kong restaurant has a 12-seat, 150-year-old Yoshino cypress counter with a collection of contemporary art and rotating exhibitions creating an upscale gallery vibe. Food-wise, expect everything from small plates of beloved Japanese favourites to the likes of tuna smoked over straw and served with extra smoke added to the bowl. The drinks menu is similarly inventive – one of the uni dishes, for instance, is paired with a tiny shot of artisanal agave.
Clashing Cocktails
World Class Champion bartenders Antonio Lai and Samuel Kwok have joined forces at new Central cocktail bar, The Opposites. After working together for over a decade, they’ve decided to emphasises their contrasting creative styles.
On offer are eight pairs of well-known cocktails. The catch? The drinks completely juxtapose one another – Antonio brings theatrical mixology techniques, Samuel cultivates classics with a twist. The Pimm’s Cup set is a highlight: the first drink, Son of Pimm’s, features a fluffy lychee foam and black pepper; it’s paired with Selling Seashell, which combines strawberry, mint and cucumber for a more savoury flavour. Another must-try combo is based on a Pisco Sour: the Soya Sour has tofu and ginger foam with matcha, passionfruit and lime, and the Scoop Me Up brings together pink guava redistilled pisco, tea foam and a smoked bubble on top.
The fab-sounding bar bites on offer include Hot Wave Chips and Sichuan Sour Fish Fingers.
Three Chefs, One Restaurant
Minato in Wan Chai brings the best of teppanyaki, omakase and kaiseki together in one venue, with a huge range of dishes across the three cooking styles.
The teppanyaki dinner menu for two ($2,808) features two nine-course options spearheaded by US Prime Beef or A5 Miyazaki Wagyu Beef – plus lobster, cod fish, abalone and more. Omakase offerings include duck liver lettuce hand rolls and seared tuna belly, with a lunch and dinner set available ($588 and $1188) per person. And the showcase of kaiseki specialties is highlighted by simmered kinki, slow grilled tuna collar and rice crisps in fish broth. There are two nine-course Kaiseki sets, from $1388 per person.
Finally, all three chefs combine their culinary expertise in the Shokado-style Minato Bento ($668 per person), a lunch set option of six curated dishes.
sevenrooms.com/reservations/minato
Sunday Sessions on Lamma
Mediterranean restaurant Terracotta is bringing a boozy brunch to Lamma island, with a sharing feast and DJ sets by Sol Passion. Taking place on 29 September, with sittings at 12pm or 3pm, the event includes an array of Mediterranean fare with free-flow wines, beers and soft drinks for $698 per person. Enjoy warm Greek olives, grilled pita with hummus with labneh, roasted chicken, sea bass in ’nduja butter and more.
We’ve sampled this Hong Kong restaurant’s menu before and enjoyed every dish and the ocean views! This is truly an unbeatable seaside venue where the breeze lifts off the water and through to your table.
Make a booking and check out the menu at sevn.ly/xP8Ge1CW.
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this July
Hong Kong triumphs in Asia’s 50 Best Bars
When we brought you news of Bar Leone opening in Sheung Wan last year, we knew it was a stylish place with awesome drinks, but we didn’t know it would rocket to the top of the list of Asia’s 50 Best Bars! The award, which was announced at a ceremony at Rosewood Hong Kong on 16 July, marks the first time a newcomer has gained the number one spot in its first year. Hong Kong bar Coa, which was looking to make it four wins in a row, came in fourth, while seven other HK venues also made the top 50 – a remarkable result. Congrats to Argo, The Aubrey, Darkside, The Savory Project, Penicillin, Quinary, Mostly Harmless, Coa and, of course, Bar Leone for the fantastic results. Might be time for a drink!
theworlds50best.com/bars/asia/list/1-50
Take your tastebuds back in time
Prepare to be transported to a world where nostalgia meets old-school cool at RightSideUp. This new restaurant on Peel Street combines retro American charm in the form of whimsical vinyl decorations, vintage accents – even a mirrorball! – with classic comfort food. As you run your eyes down the menu, beer-battered pickles fried to golden perfection are sure to jump out, alongside classics like buffalo wings with blue cheese dip and layers of crispy potato with truffle mayo. For mains, the Baby Got Back Ribs and Highway to Hell Burger sound as fun to eat as they are to say. Then, add on creative cocktails like the Spicy Granny, Retro Sour and Pickle Highball.
Divine dishes
Located in the heart of The Magistracy, this new venue is inspired by the royal courts from an era of empires and kingdoms. Called Prince and The Peacock, the Hong Kong restaurant’s menu incorporates Persian, Turkish and Mughlai influences. Grab a cold G&T in the downstairs Botanical Garden, then take the elevator to the second floor and enter a space decorated in Indian headdresses, fabrics and tropical greenery. Signature dishes include crispy spiced chicken, Poona onions and curry leaf samosa; lamb kebabs with mint chutney; pull-off-the-bone braised chicken; a whole white pomfret fish char-grilled and wrapped in lotus leaves; gosht rogan josh; and slow-cooked lamb shank and ribs. Finish your feast with rose kulfi, a sweet frozen delicacy infused with saffron, rose petals and pistachio, or try the caramelised milk dumplings. To complement your selection, choose from 130 wines and creative cocktails.
themagistracyhongkong.com/prince-and-the-peacock
HK highlights
On the hunt for Hong Kong-style and Asian-inspired cuisine in Quarry Bay? Tong Chong Kitchen have moved from a van into a more permanent space. And it has brought its popular Cha Chaan Teng set menu, Hong Kong-style siu mei (roasted meat) sets, Japanese donburi (rice bowls), Indian and Southeast Asian dishes, as well as bubble tea beverages to Taikoo Place. The steamed mixed seafood with rice in a lotus leaf and Cantonese fried noodles with shredded pork are other local classics not to miss. The idea behind it all is to provide a comfortable dining experience with high-quality dishes and affordable options.
2/F, Devon House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay
A bite from the Big Apple
Get a taste of NYC without having to travel halfway across the world! Shake Shack is making its New York Steakhouse Burger available at all locations in Hong Kong until 8 September. These are crafted with all-natural Angus beef, white cheddar cheese, sautéed cremini mushrooms, fried onions, and a layer of horseradish peppercorn mayo. And let’s be real, no steak dinner is complete without a delicious side; the crinkle-cut fries covered in bacon, fresh scallions and horseradish peppercorn mayo will do the trick. Pair your meal with a pinot noir or sauvignon blanc to elevate your meal. Plus, when you buy any NY Steakhouse Burger or Steakhouse Fries with any wine or beer, you’ll get the second half price.
A new “outside the box” menu
The Square is an esteemed Hong Kong restaurant in Central that’s long been dedicated to preserving the rich cultural heritage of Cantonese cuisine Now, it has 30 new dishes and dim sum to excite diners in Hong Kong. Highlights include beef brisket in coconut soup, steamed Kurobuta pork with taro and sakura shrimp, sautéed crabmeat and fish maw with vermicelli and Kamei chicken marinated in Himalayan salt. New dim sum offerings include black pepper wagyu beef puffs, steamed scallop and black truffle sauce dumplings and baked taro, corn and bamboo pith puffs. Savour these with pomelo flower orchid tea or Lingzhi black tea. There’s also a fantastic new set lunch for $378, including five Cantonese dishes.
landmark.hk/en/dine/the-square
Drink, eat and bon appétit!
Just in time for summer, La Terrace by Louise has officially opened at the ground floor garden lounge and patio of 35 Aberdeen Street. Marrying timeless French cuisine with a laid-back ambience, this is the place to be for an after-work drink or a gathering with friends. Choose between a plush lounge or the charming alfresco terrace setting to sample snacks crafted with French flair, cocktails, mocktails and wines. We like the sound of the mimolette arancini and shrimp toast with caviar and lemon for starters. Then, for larger plates, try the octopus with romesco sauce and the sautéed potatoes with young Cantal cheese, garlic, and parsley. To finish, our pick is the cherry “Eton Mess” with sorbet and crème fraiche. If it’s just an evening tipple you’re after, the drinks menu won’t disappoint, with all-day spritzes, French wines and exciting cocktails.
For bookings, WhatsApp 5722 3269 or email reservations@louise.hk.
Explored this new landmark mall yet?
The Southside is officially open in Wong Chuk Hang, with 510,000 square feet of new venues to explore! That’s over 100 new cafes, Hong Kong restaurants, activities and brands ready to ignite your inner shopper and foodie. Before you arrive and feel overwhelmed by choice, here are four places you must give a taste test. First is Bamboo Thai, a tranquil restaurant specialising in seafood prepared in the spices and herbs for which Thai cuisine is renowned; they even have a spiced whisky made using a secret Thai recipe. Elsewhere in the mall is Taiwanese beef noodle specialist Duan Chun Zhen and Japan’s leading matcha café, Nana’s Green Tea.
We review Bedu
Bedu’s Head Chef Ali Ahmadpour has introduced some exciting new dishes this summer, which tempted us to revisit this Middle Eastern gem in Gough Street. The restaurant serves an authentic selection of mezze; we devoured small plates of perfect falafel, warm feta drizzled with honey and a lip-smacking smoky hummus. But it was the new mains we were most keen to try, starting with the roasted chicken ($185); deboned, marinated in chermoula chili and slow-cooked to perfection, it’s served on a bed of earthy carrot hummus, delicious! Golden Persian Prawns ($190) is also a treat, with whole grilled tiger prawns served with a lemon sumac sauce and a clever twist of an Iranian Do Piyazeh onion sauce. Inspired by Indian migrants, this fragrant, oniony and tangy sauce offers a rich contrast to the prawns.
The team has also recently introduced a Grilled Platter Sharing Menu available from Sunday to Wednesday nights priced at just $290 per person. This includes a selection of mezze, a mixed grill platter, salad and dessert.
6346 5219 | bedurestaurant.com
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this June
A Pop-Up with a Difference
Relive the joys of jumping into a ball pit, only this time with 750,000 glowing balls… and a cocktail bar! Open for the next six months, GlowBall is a unique space that will also have a cosy social area and DJ booth beside a sea of transparent orbs where you can bask in the glow of nostalgia.
Creative Cantonese Fusion
Nook is a new all-day café in Quarry Bay blending Cantonese street food and international flavours. Expect modern interpretations of the high-quality food found at Hong Kong’s local cha chaan tengs, within a design space that reflects the idea of Hong Kong as an international melting pot. At the helm is Jon Lee, who skilfully merges his grandmother’s age old Cantonese recipes with exciting global twists. His signature dishes include shrimp and pork dumplings infused with truffle, spicy fish balls topped with crispy bacon, sweet, nutty and spicy rice rolls, satay wagyu beef and more.
Draglicious Brunch with Benefits
For one day only, Cruise Restaurant & Bar’s legendary Draglicious Brunch is back to celebrate Pride month. Book a table and enjoy an expanded brunch bash and rooftop afterparty featuring drag performances, free-flow champagne, a four-course feast, live DJs, games, prizes and more! Only on 22 June, this promises to be an epic Saturday with entertainment by HK’s most loved queens Miss Tina Uglyhaira, Pansze Diva and Coco Pop. The menu will feature the likes of lobster miang kham and southern style yellow crab curry, plus a Pride Gateau for dessert.
buys.hk/hyattcentric/html/drag-brunch-checkout-en.html
New restaurants, bars and menus to try this May
A new menu and chef!
Have you heard of Nikkei cuisine? Whether you have or haven’t, you should give this blend of Japanese and Peruvian cultures a try at Tokoylima. Newly appointed Executive Chef Stephan Joubert has a decade of experience working in Peru, which means his crispy pink tacos with slow-cooked beef cheek and pico de gallo are totally on point! There are four new Maki rolls too choose from too, with playful variations of traditional sauces. You can also order grilled skewers featuring Australian grass-fed beef, seabass, lamb chops glazed in panko miso and slow-cooked pork ribs. When it comes to mains, the must-try items include a creamy traditional Peruvian-style seafood rice and a Peruvian marinated roast spring chicken. Don’t skip the desserts! There’s a twist on a crème caramel and blueberry mousse with shortbread. Plus, you’ll also find a brand new brunch and cocktail menu.
G/F, Car Po Commercial Building, 18-20, Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
tokyolima.hk
Buffet for Disney buffs
If meeting your favourite Disney characters and enjoying rides at Hong Kong Disneyland has left you feeling hungry, keep the magic alive while you dine with the new Explorer’s Semi-Buffet (adult $298, child $198). Based on the theme park’s beloved character Lord Henry Mystic, the menu is inspired by his life as a globetrotter. Dine in one of five themed rooms and sample an array of flavours. Moroccan-inspired dishes include lamb tagine and beef kebabs, for Italian fare there’s a mushroom lasagna, Indian favourites include the butter chicken and spiced sea bass and Chinese options include Hainanese chicken and pan-fried salmon. There’s also Russian eggplant caviar and mimosa salad appetisers. If your little ones are picky eaters, they’ll love the meatballs with Disney characters and Banana Surprises dessert.
Hong Kong Disneyland Park Explorer’s Club Restaurant, Lantau Island
Book here
A hot new restaurant
It’s 1868 in Tokyo’s Shiba district, and a hot-pot restaurant pioneers the art of sukiyaki. This is the story that has inspired Sukiyaki Nakagawa, helmed by culinary maestro Chef Kazuyuki Itagaki. Here you’ll have a chance to taste the rare and internationally acclaimed Matsusaka, Oita and Jinnai Japanese wagyu-beef varieties. The star of the show is the Matsusaka beef, widely considered the most prized wagyu for Hong Kong gourmands.
What is the Sukiyaki process? The sukiyaki pan is greased with wagyu fat and white sugar to slightly caramelise the meat. Once lightly seared, soy sauce is added along with the chef’s secret blend of seasonings before being served with dips, one featuring prized Kosawari Tamago eggs from Hyogo Prefecture. Complementing the menus are appetiser options such as Hokkaido’s abalone, firefly squid, slow-cooked duck breast and a sashimi selection. One standout dish is the goose liver sukiyaki on soy milk and egg toast and a cold lime Inaniwa udon. Pair these with a drinks menu crafted by a sake sommelier. You can choose from five, eight or nine courses ($780, $1080 and $1380) and the lunch menus begin at $280 per person.
Shop B, 3/F, CUBUS, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay
sukiyaki-nakagawa@ponghk.com
Saturday lunch fever
There’s plenty of new flavours on show at Aulis Hong Kong this month. Chef Kieran McGarrigle has a brand new lunch menu that highlights local produce from nearby farms so you can sample his latest creations. Think caramelised pumpkin tarts, grilled farmhouse brassicas and poached Akasaki Iwate oyster. You’ll also have the chance to try the grouper with roasted Karuma shrimp sauce, Zhongshan slow-cooked pigeon and, for dessert, Himalayan mulberry with molasses, pear and jasmine. The Saturday lunch menu is $680.
UG08, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
aulis.co.uk/aulis-hong-kong
Spring flavour food fight!
Embrace spring at Feather & Bone with a variety of food-related fun. This includes Feather & Bone’s annual “food fight” in celebration of International Burger Day on 28 May. Head chefs from several branches will battle it out for burger supremacy. The Hong Kong restaurant that sells the most specialty burgers by the end of the month will get an exciting prize.
On 29 May, book a ticket to the Nanny Goat Vineyard Wine Dinner at the Wan Chai Branch. This experience includes a five-course feast and the chance to sample exquisite chardonnays and pinot noirs from the renowned Nanny Goat Vineyard in New Zealand. And there’s more! New lunch and dinner menus will be available at all the Feather & Bone locations. We’re excited to try the Spicy ‘Nduja Pepperoni Pizza, truffle porcini risotto and rainy day favourite, shepherd’s pie. There are also some fantastic weekday breakfast deals you should check out.
Multiple locations across Hong Kong
featherandbone.com.hk
Sip and savour the spectacle
Behind some curtains at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, an intimate, low-lit space draped in velvet combines performances with unique cocktails. From Tuesday to Saturday, LIPS Cocktails & Theatre hosts a dynamic roster of Performers. Drinks from the circular blue marble cocktail bar are equally as interesting and created by mixologists Max Traverse, Nicole and Benoit Lavaud. We like the sound of Wet Lips, a fiery punch with Sichuan flavours, rum-based liquor, grapefruit, yuzu and cardamom. Catch Me If You Can is an visually striking option blending Amaretto, lemon, Angostura bitters, egg white, blueberry juice and acai berry. What’s most exciting is the flavoured bubble that floats in the air for you to catch with your cocktail glass!
Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
lips.hk
Mindful meats and menus
Moxie, a casual eatery at Landmark Alexandra House is now expanding its horizons to offer new meat dishes alongside its plant- and seafood-based menu. The Hong Kong restaurant has also introduced SERVO, a takeaway coffee bar serving Australian-style coffees, sandwiches and pastries, including the famed Canelés from Shane Osborn’s Arcane.
Shop 203, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Rd, Central
moxiehk.net
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