Hong Kong Restaurant Guide 2012 by 10dier

Eat me!

Restaurant Guide 2012

Table of Contents About The Guide............................................... 4 Dining trends..................................................... 6 Hot Openings..................................................... 8 Zone 1................................................................. 12 Central, SoHo, Mid-Levels, The Peak

Zone 2................................................................ 40 Tsim Sha Tsui, West Kowloon

Zone 3................................................................ 56 Wan Chai, Admiralty

Zone 4................................................................ 70 Causeway Bay

Zone 5................................................................ 80 Western District

Zone 6................................................................ 90 Hong Kong East

Zone 7................................................................ 92 Happy Valley, Tai Hang, Tin Hau

Zone 8................................................................ 94 New Territories

Zone 9................................................................ 96 Outlying Islands

Zone 10.............................................................. 98 Mong Kok and thereabouts

Zone 11............................................................. 102 Kowloon East

Zone 12............................................................ 103 South Side

Index................................................................. 104 ÂŤPrice Guide $ $$ $$$ $$$$ $$$$$

Less than $200 $200-$399 $400-$599 $600-$799 $800 and up

Price per person, including one drink, appetizer, main course and . dessert. Prices do not include bottles of wine unless stated.

Restaurant Guide 2012

About the Guide I’m drooling over our dining guide this year. For one, the cover looks good enough to eat. That’s because our resident painter-slash-designer, Pierre, used edible ingredients like curry powder, herbs, soy sauce and black coffee to paint the whole darn thing by hand! The result is delectably beautiful—except I have no idea what we’ll be doing to top this for our next guide. Props also to the rest of the design team for the fun-tastic layout, and to Cherry for meticulously importing the listings! You’ll notice there are subtle changes in the way we’ve grouped things this year. The city’s been divided into 12 zones, and each zone roughly encompasses a distinct geographical region. No re-invented wheels here, but hopefully you’ll find browsing a bit more logical. Now, onto the important stuff: what exactly are we offering here? For starters, . we have a whole year’s worth of restaurant reviews to enlighten your taste buds. The new reviews include the no-holds-barred experiences of our undercover staff, and also tasty tasting sessions we’ve had in the name of work; they will all have a “new review” symbol right beside the blurb to make them easier to spot. . We’ve also included heavy hitters and old faves—places you just can’t afford to miss, no matter how long they’ve been around or how much we’ve written about them. You’ll find about 350 restaurant listings from all over town, all for your dining pleasure. Enjoy!

Chow for now.

Hong Kong Asia City Publishing Ltd. 301 Hollywood Centre 233 Hollywood Road, Hong Kong Tel: 852-2850-5065 Fax: 852-2543-1880 E-mail: asiacity@asia-city.com.hk Singapore Asia City Publishing Pte. Ltd. 211 Henderson Road, 14-03 Henderson Industrial Park, Singapore 159552 Tel: 65-6323-2512 Fax: 65-6323-2779 E-mail: ismag@asia-city.com.sg Bangkok Asia City Publishing (Thailand) Ltd 22/F, Silom Centre 2 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500 Tel: 66-2-624-9696 Fax: 66-2-237-5656 E-mail: bkmagazine@asia-city.co.th Kuala Lumpur Pacific Tourism Communications Sdn Bhd Lot 2.44-2.45, 2nd Floor, Wisma Cosway, Jalan Raja Chulan, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: 60-3-2144-4886 Fax: 60-3-2141-1911 Publisher & Executive Editor Stephen Freeman

Adele Wong

Country Manager Greg Crandall Managing Editor Zach Hines Editor Adele Wong Contributors Derek Bullen, Leanne Mirandilla Production Manager Blackie Hui Art Director Chris Huen Senior Graphic Designers Jenna Li, Pierre Pang Graphic Designers Cherry Ng, Mike Hung Director of Strategic Sales Stanley Lau Associate Advertising Directors Adele Ng, Jan Cheng Senior Advertising Manager Patrick Lung Advertising Manager Ashley Lui, Philip Mugglestone

Behind the Scenes: The Making of the Cover

Business Development Associate Arun Bhavnanie

Our cover was meticulously “hand-painted” using only edible ingredients by our resident artiste extraordinaire, Pierre Pang. The media used include paprika powder, black pepper, ketchup, beetroot, black tea, rosemary, thyme, soy sauce, dill weed, sesame and flour. Pierre used the liquids as paint, and sprinkled the solids and powders on top of the picture to create shading and contrast. Paintbrushes and fingers were the only tools used. The knife and fork to the right of the plate, and the sprig of dill weed used as garnish, are the only props used in the image.

Advertising Executives Alice Cheung, Oliver Cheung Marketing Manager James Gannaban Marketing & Circulation Executive Samantha Ng Marketing Executive Louise Graham Cover by Pierre Pang The HK Magazine Restaurant Guide 2012 is published by Asia City Publishing Ltd. Copyright ©2012 Asia City Publishing Ltd. The titles “HK Magazine,” “HK Magazine Restaurant Guide 2012” and their associated logos or devices, and the content of the HK Magazine Restaurant Guide 2012 are the property of Asia City Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Additional copies of the Guide are available for $50. The Guide may not be distributed without the express written consent of Asia City Publishing Ltd. Contact the Advertising Department for ad rates and specifications. All advertising must comply with the Publisher’s terms of business, copies of which are available upon request. Printed by Paramount Printing Company Limited, 3 Chun Kwong St. Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, New Territories, Hong Kong.

s d g n n e i r n T i D &B scene. mill in the F d n e tr e th n t what’s o g scopes ou n o W le e d A

Kitchen M

Exclusive Seating Some restaurants like to limit the quantity of their daily offerings to create a sense of exclusivity and attract curious patrons. But lately, some restaurants have been taking this approach to a whole new level by physically limiting the size of the restaurant itself. The achingly stylish robatayaki joint Robata Zawa Zawa (LG/F, 41 Wyndham Street, Central, 2536-9898)—designed by the same Shigeru Sato whose Gonpachi Nishi Azabu restaurant in Tokyo inspired the set for “Kill Bill”—maxes out at a mere 14 patrons. Inevitably, the restaurant seems that much more inaccessible, and thus desirable. Tantalizingly quirky fine dine gastronomie extraordinaire (a.k.a. g.e, 2/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3763-8803) is even more exclusive, with a dining room that seats a modest 12 (not counting private function rooms that come with a minimum charge). Headed by chef Gianluigi Bonelli, g.e is the city’s first “progressive dining” establishment, and each dish is created with spontaneity as the key element. Since opening with a bang at the end of the previous year, Butao (11-12 Wo On Lane, Central, 2530-0600) not only has a cap on the bowls of ramen noodles it sells each day, but also on the number of people that can sit down on its wooden stools to enjoy them at any given time—the seat limit here is 15, no more, no less. It is definitely not the type of restaurant to bring a large group to, and if queuing isn’t your cup of tea, you can pretty much forget about coming here. Finally, Italian venue Kitchen M (Shop 122, K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2736-1832) makes itself exclusive by being hard to find (it’s hidden at the back of a sports shop) and cozy (read: TINY) in space. Blink, and you’ll miss it.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Chez Patrick Deli

Fashionable Chains The word “chain” doesn’t typically invoke images of quality dining—for instance, most of us wouldn’t celebrate a proper occasion at McDonalds or Café de Coral. But in recent months, more and more one-ofa-kind establishments have been going against the grain by leveraging their name and solid reputation to build multi-franchised empires. All of a sudden, restaurants are trying to appeal to the masses the Robuchon or Nobu way, by replicating successful— and most importantly, respected—venues inch for inch. Take Tim Ho Wan—the humble hole-in-thewall made its name by serving top-notch dim sum at mass-friendly prices and earned itself a Michelin star. Then, unlike other Michelin peers who worry about keeping the star—they decided to go ahead and open a second shop. A couple months ago, their third outlet popped up at the IFC (Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station, 1/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2332-3078), and we wouldn’t be surprised if a fourth were on the way. Local heavyweight Hung’s Delicacies (read our interview with Ah Hung here), also of Michelin fame, decided to broaden its horizons by expanding beyond its North

Point location all the way to the airport (Shop 3P116-3P117, 3/F, SkyPlaza, Terminal 2, Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, 31979331). The mighty Les Amis group, which up until now had stuck to memorable and differently named venues across Singapore and Hong Kong, is testing the waters with Piccolo Pizzeria (Shop 1E, Davis Street, Kennedy Town, 2824-3000), an upscale neighborhood pizza house that has a presence in Kennedy Town as well as in Tai Hang. Meanwhile, ramen phenomenon Butao King is set to open a second branch in Causeway Bay (G/F, 40 Tang Lung St., Causeway Bay), hot on the heels of Ippudo (2/F, 8 Russell St., Causeway Bay, 2892-2387), the Fukuokan chain that also boasts a shop in Tsim Sha Tsui. Chez Patrick Deli (casual Star Street-based brother of French restaurant Chez Patrick) has also just marked a new shop in Stanley (Shop 05-06, G/F, Stanley Plaza, Stanley, 2683-5115). This is probably just the beginning of the high-quality-brand chain phenomenon—which restaurant will duplicate itself next?

The Rise of the Taco

Heirloom

Slowly but surely, Mexican cuisine is drilling its way into the Hong Kong psyche with a spate of establishments offering the popular taco and/or some variant of the much-beloved tortilla wrap filled up with meat, vegetables and sauce. Although Mexican cuisine is still light years away from having a stronghold in our city, we should at least give credit to those who are trying. First, there is the newly opened second branch of Mr. Taco Truck (Shop B, G/F, 14-15 Wo On Lane, Central, 2810-0888) in the heart of Lan Kwai Fong, after a successful first shop and dedicated following in Quarry Bay. Mr. Taco Truck offers some of the cheapest tacos in town. (Although at $19 for a piece that can fit neatly in one’s palm, Mexican food here in general is hardly great value for money.) There’s also Taco Chaca (Shop F, G/F, Tung Cheung Building, 1-11 Second St., Sai Ying Pun, 2599-9519) in the up-and-coming Western District, selling bite-sized steak, fish and chicken tacos and burritos in a cute and casual open-kitchen shop. The tacos, at $40 for two, are also quite a bargain. Meanwhile, Heirloom (226 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2547-8008) veers toward the upscale with dainty and delectable taco offerings on pretty plates as well as a host of glammed-up comfort foods. El Rincon

Heirloom

(G/F, 5 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2530-0025) targets another type of clientele by providing an alternative to shawarma after a night of clubbing and drinking— with some tequila cocktails and tacos and burritos of their own. And then there’s Secret Ingredient (www.secretingredient.com.hk), a company that offers ready-to-cook meals that include a recipe for black bean quesadillas at $220 for two generous portions. With all these new outlets, all you need now is a side of guacamole and salsa to have a whole Mexican experience—or as close as we can get, anyway.

Hugo’s

Sustainable Seafood

Grand

Central

There’s no denying this: our city’s still playing catchup with the rest of the world when it comes to anything green—and this includes eco-conscious F&B. But in recent years, a slow and steady move towards responsible sourcing has taken hold industrywide, beginning most prominently with sustainable seafood. In general terms, seafood that is farmed or fished within a responsible environment to ensure uninhibited future production, with minimal interference to the ecosystem, can be considered sustainable—and there are a handful of organizations worldwide that provide certifications to qualified

practitioners. Fish Bar & Grill (7/F, JW Marriott, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2810-8366) and Hugo’s (Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3721-7733) are among our city’s leading hotels to proudly promote the practice. Fish Bar & Grill sources fish caught in the South China Sea and thereabouts from a certified supplier, and Hugo’s rotates through a menu of freshly and responsibly caught produce such as Australian salmon and French sea bass. Restaurant groups like IHM and JC Group also offer sustainable produce like Icelandic cod and Australian mussels and salmon at Posto Pubblico (G/F, 28 Elgin St., Central, 2577-7160) and Linguini Fini (1/F, The L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2857-1333), and sakura seabream at Kaika (19/F, The One, 100 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2972-2888). The WWF has also been aggressively promoting sustainable seafood in recent months, signing on venues like Grand Central Bar & Grill (3/F & roof, Civic Square, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2736-4888) and Eclipse Group’s Taku (35 Elgin St., Central, 2545-9966) and Lil’ Siam (38 Elgin St., Central, 2868-4445) to provide a sustainable menu to their diners. If the offerings are given a good reception, the restaurants will in turn make longerterm strategies to provide the items on a permanent basis. We hope this trend will be here to stay.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Sakesan

The Democratization of Molten Chocolate Cake Molten chocolate cake—or chocolate lava cake, or chocolate fondant, depending on whom you talk to—is definitely not a new dessert. It first made isolated appearances in high-end diners in the United States and Europe more than two decades ago, and has morphed into various shapes and forms over the years. Its popularity has inevitably spilled overseas, becoming, by the end of 2011, one of the most done-to-death desserts in Hong Kong. The one indisputable component of any molten chocolate cake is the delectably gooey choco-center that spills out as soon as it’s pierced by a fork. Today, not only have our city’s fine diners affirmed its status as a dessert staple, but even casual coffee chains and pastry shops have started embracing the once-uppity dish as one of their own. All of a sudden, even nonwestern establishments like Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant (17/F, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival St., Causeway Bay, 2506-1018) and Sakesan (G/F, 18 Shelley St., SoHo, 2525-1660) have added molten chocolate cake to their menu. Steakhouses like Edo & Bibo (28/F, Macau Yat Yuen Centre, 525 Hennessy Rd., Causeway Bay, 3421-0472); hotel restaurants like

Hugo’s (Grand Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3721-7733); bars like Angel’s Share (2/F, Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2805-8388) and popular coffee chains like Starbucks (Unit 1, 1/F, Kerry Centre, 683 King’s Rd., Quarry Bay, 2568-1915) have all joined in on the fracas with their own delightful recipes. Meanwhile, having molten chocolate cake in proper western restaurants like Rocksalt (25 Stanley Market Rd., Stanley, 2899-0818) and Black Stump (G/F, 1 Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721-0202) is pretty much a given. The dessert, in other words, has decisively made the jump from exclusive to mainstream. Dare we say that, given more time, molten chocolate cake will even go from “tired old trend” to an undeniable fact of life—if that hasn’t happened already. It’ll be as taken-for-granted as, say, coffee or tea after your meal, or beef-fried noodles at a local greasy spoon. Frankly, the liquidy-chocolatecenter thing is a bit “been there, done that”—but given Hong Kong’s penchant for picking up global trends five years after their expiry date, we kinda saw it coming. Anyhow, consumers may or may not be tired of seeing the item on the menu, but restaurants sure haven’t tired of making them.

Hot Openings Here are some new restos that made a splash in the past half-year. Brasserie de L’ile

Mango Tree

Jaa Kitchen

Piccolo Pizzeria

Kirala

Shop 13, 1/F, Block A, Causeway Centre, 28 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 3101-0782

Plaza Mayor

Liberty Private Works

Greyhound Café

Taco Chaca

G/F, 4 Arbuthnot Rd., Central, 2147-2389

Comilonas

Flat 22, 1/F Yip Cheong building, 4-16 Hill Rd., Shek Tong Tsui, 9863-2270

Greco Pi

Shop OTG01, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2383-6600

Heirloom

Shop 1E, Davis St., Kennedy Town, 2824-3000 G/F, 9 Moon St., Wan Chai, 2866-6644

Mist Pizzeria

Tim Ho Wan

Kushiyaki Beco

2 Shin Hing St., Sheung Wan, 2581-1282

Le Souk

G/F, 4 Staunton St., SoHo, 2522-2128

Libertine

G/F, 26 Aberdeen St., Central, 2858-2022

Restaurant Guide 2012

26/F, 11 Stanley St., Central, 5186-3282

The Chicken Man

Ippou

Shop R002-003, Roof Deck, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2811-9398

2/F, Henry House, 42 Yun Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 2808-0292

Mana

226 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2547-8008

Kowloon Tang

LG/F, 61-63 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2545-5988

Shop F, G/F, Tung Cheung Building, 1-11 Second St., Sai Ying Pun, 2599-9519 Shop 11, G/F, Hang Sing Mansion, 72 High St., Sai Ying Pun, 2559-2190

16/F, Tiffan Tower, 199 Wan Chai Rd., Wan Chai, 2833-2178

5/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 2577-0828

Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station Podium Level 1, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2332-3078

Watch Out For... Ava

99 Wellington St., Central, 2851-1611 7 Wun Sha St., Tai Hang, 2881-8287

Sesame

2/F, L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2870-2323

Sky Crystal

Shop B2, 101/F, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2673-3839

The Helenia

38/F, Hotel Panorama by Rhombus, 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3550-0262

G/F, 25 School St., Tai Hang, 2972-2996

ChomChom

Zummer

2/F, 12 Wellington St., Central, 2868-3302

The Principal

G/F, 9 Star St.,Wan Chai, 2563-3444 23-25/F, QRE Plaza, 202 Queen’s Rd. East, Wan Chai, 2574-6692

Advertorial

Experience the Very Finest in Luxury Accommodations with

The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen

Flavorz

Futian district is the commercial center of Shenzhen, and the Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen is strategically situated to cater to even the busiest of professionals. Directly across the road on the north side of the hotel is the brand new Shenzhen metro station, which connects me with the Hong Kong border in two convenient stops, and a short three-minute walk to the south finds me at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. As ideal as the central location of the Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen is, however, it’s the luxury accommodations, the top tier service, and the delectable dining options that have really made my stay a pleasure that I won’t forget.

Flavorz

Xingli

Featuring open kitchens, the most extensive old and new world wine selection in the city, and a truly unique fusion of Chinese and Western barbecue styles, Flavorz is the perfect dining option for gatherings or celebrations with friends and family.

In searching for a great place to host some important, and extremely particular clients I imagined I’d have to scour the whole of Shenzhen for the right restaurant. But to my immense relief the perfect setting was located right inside the hotel.

If you’re a seafood lover you absolutely cannot leave the Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen without a trip to the weekend seafood buffet. At RMB348** per person this is the freshest, most succulent selection of mussels, king crabs, prawns, Boston lobster, and New Zealand oysters I’ve tasted in my travels, and that’s saying something.

Xingli has nineteen private rooms and the staff will cater to your guest’s needs with the 5-star service you can expect from the Ritz-Carlton. I decided to bring my associates to Xingli’s business set lunch, with over 100 different kinds of Dimsum on offer, plus some of the most exquisite Chiuchow cuisine any of us had ever tasted.

Paletto On a busy day, when your schedule is riddled with business meetings and conference calls, a classic and elegant restaurant decorated in soft colors and warm wood tones really helps to calm the mind. This award* winning Italian eatery is offering a weekday business lunch for RMB88**, which features ingredients imported directly from Sicily and Naples. Truly authentic Italian cuisine, combined with Paletto’s classic European styling, make a lunch here seem like a vacation in Rome. * "Top 10 Western restaurants-Paletto" Golden Pillow Award, by 21st Business Herald (2012) * Paletto being recommended in Cuisine Map, by ModernWeekly (2011) * Paletto being awarded "The Best 50 Restaurants", by Food and Wine (2011) * "Top 10 Business Restaurant- Paletto" Golden Pillow Award, by 21st Business Herald (2011)

Despite how busy it was the restaurant’s head chef, Chef Lo, personally visited our private room to ensure everything we’d eaten was to standard. Needless to say, the clients were impressed. In talking with him we learned he began his career as a specialty Chiuchow chef in Hong Kong and, after spending several years working in China, uncovered the most exclusive ingredients for retaining and enhancing the natural taste of his dishes. He’s since become a master of Cantonese cuisine as well, perfecting the fine art of Dimsum. If you’re looking for the perfect place to pamper and entertain your business associates, look no further than the Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen. ** All prices are subject to 15% service charge.

Address: 116, Fuhua San Road, Futian District, Shenzhen, 518048 China Phone: (86 755)2222-2222 Website: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/shenzhen

Zone1 Central and higher.

Amber

Central 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana Italian. Shop 202, Alexandra House, 18 Chater Rd., Central, 2537-8859. Mon-Sat noon-11pm. $$$$$ This three-star Michelin restaurant by chef Umberto Bombana is the talk of the town at the mo. The intimate lounge and bar area exudes Marlon Brando cool with its dimmed lighting and wooden furnishings. Chef Bombana’s unique brand of contemporary Italian cuisine is offered in the regularly changing lunch and dinner menus (à la carte ordering also available).

Amber French. 7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen’s Rd., Central, 2132-0066. Daily 7-10:30am, 12-2:30pm; Mon-Sat 6:30-10:30pm. $$$$ World-renowned interior designer Adam Tihany really went over the top on his attention-grabbing ceiling sculpture here. He needed to, because once the food arrives, all attention is on the plate. Holland’s one-time “Young Chef of the Year,” Richard Ekkebus, creates modern French haute cuisine that is so inventive it borders on the otherworldly—and Michelin judges agree, awarding the eatery two stars.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Ana Gura

Bistecca

Japanese. 2/F, Unit 208-209, Yip Fung Building, 2-18 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2840-1401. Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sat-Sun 12:30-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$

Western. 2/F, Grand Progress Building, 15-16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2804-6611. Daily noon-2:30pm, 5:30-11:30pm. $$$$

What’s going to entice you to yet another new Japanese restaurant in Central? Decent sushi? Slick décor? What about… excellent tempura? Because this is what Ana Gura has going for it in spades. True, it also has sleek, dark décor and decent sushi, but don’t come here for that—come for the tempura. We highly recommend you give their tempura menu (yes, a separate menu) a full peruse and go for whatever strikes your fancy. Lovingly battered, delicately fried, and served with several kinds of salt, it hits all the right notes and practically melts in your mouth.

The meat here, imported from the usual locations (America, Canada and Australia), is of the highest quality and from our experience, they are prepared by true meat-lovers. Or maybe they’re just lovers of utterly rich food in general—the mashed potatoes and creamed spinach we ordered as sides were a little too creamy for our tastes, but take small bites and they complement the meat well. This new steakhouse also has a fairly extensive wine list compared to its counterparts, and has very good service by LKF standards. But hey, the meat is the point here.

Basement

Bloom

Italian. U/G, 29 Gough St., Central, 2854-0010. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $-$$

American. 5-6/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St., Central, 2810-6166. Sun-Thu 6-11:30pm; Fri-Sat 6pm-2:30am. $$

Lifestyle and design store Homeless ventures into the dining world with the aptly named Basement restaurant, located just beneath their Gough Street store. A cozy medieval cellar-like interior is punctuated with modern design elements. Basement aims to redefine Italian cuisine with a modern and creative menu. Pasta dishes are given an experimental spin. For instance, the homemade linguine is served with the clams and sauce on the side. Basement takes their desserts very seriously and the restaurant’s very own dessert specialist adds a unique, personal touch to all the Italian classics. The tiramisu is served in three separate bowls, with flavors ranging from the mildest to sweetest.

Bloom has been universally heralded as Central's go-to restaurant for its ridiculously awesome design, elaborate cocktails and homey-yet-upscale food. It’s the brainchild of the same folks behind exclusive hotspots Volar and Fly. Plus, it’s open late on weekends. (Its menu, complete with an extensive raw bar, surf and turf, and deliciously creamy mac 'n' cheese, serves as an extremely attractive post-club alternative to kebabs.) The juicy and sizable pork chop with a side of smoky ribs is a good bet for an entrée.

Zone1 Butao Ramen

Caprice

Ramen. G/F, Wo On Building, 11-12 Wo On Lane, Central, 2530-0600. Mon-Sat 11am-3pm, 6-9pm. $

French. 6/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance St., Central, 3196-8888. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$$$

Give the little stall with the longest lines in town a whirl. The ramen is as authentic as it gets, and as savory and delectable as you’re likely to find west of Causeway. The signature is the original pork bone soup ramen, which has a heavy, almost creamy stock. Also try the curry ramen if they have it on the menu during your visit; it’s delicious, spicy and a great twist to an ordinary bowl.

Splurge on world-class haute cuisine at this three-Michelin-star French restaurant headed by executive chef Vincent Thierry, formerly of Parisian three-Michelin-star restaurant, Le Cinq. It’s not just the refined French food that will win you over. The gorgeous interior design includes crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows with glorious harbor views and a glowing walkway past the huge open kitchen. There are private rooms and a chef’s table for those who are willing to really push the boat out. Service is near flawless and a French sommelier (also formerly of Le Cinq) steers you through the 250 wines on the list.

California Vintage

New Revi

American wine bar. 77 Wyndham St., Central, 2525-9808. Daily 11:30am-3am. $$ Brasserie de L’ile

Blue Smoke Bar-B-Que American BBQ. 3/F, Grand Progress Building, 15 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2816-9018. Daily noon-3pm, 6pm-12:30am. $$-$$$ This gem from Dining Concepts mixes grand BBQ cuisine with the ambiance of the American South. The vibe is authentically rustic, starting with the enormous vintage jukebox behind the door. The delicious, signature golden-crusted BBQ ribs are prepared in a huge hickory wood smokehouse. Chef Christopher Mark (who also oversees Bistecca Italian Steak House) uses the traditional “slow and low” technique to cook almost everything, from the BBQ oysters in their half-shell to a whole suckling pig.

Bombay Dreams Indian. 4/F, Carfield Building, 77 Wyndham St., Central, 2971-0001. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$

California Vintage is the first wine bar in Hong Kong to serve exclusively Californian wines, along with a menu of tried-and-true Latin American-influenced classics. Wooden bar tables, caged light bulbs hanging from the ceiling and metal-framed swinging glass doors give the place a comfy, chilled-out atmosphere. Wine is available from self-serve dispensers by the taste, half-glass or full-glass pour, but you can also have the glasses brought straight to you. We started off with Baja fish tacos topped with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo and cumin-enriched sour cream, paired with 2009 Coppola “Sofia” blanc de blancs. The fish tacos were light and tasty, with the undertone of cumin pleasantly unexpected. The blanc de blancs was crisp without being dry. For our second course, we had California flatbread with grilled Angus beef flat-iron steak and blue cheese, with a glass of multi-blend NV Scarlett. The steak was juicy and tender, and the NV Scarlett was rich, smooth and fullflavored without any trace of bitterness.

Casa Lisboa Portuguese. 8/F, LKF Tower, 55 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2905-1168. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30pm-midnight. $$-$$$ Casa Lisboa is old-fashioned, cozy fine dining, complete with white linen tablecloths and rich red velvet chairs. The space is also accented with elements of colonial Europe with mosaic decorations and stained glass fixtures.The menu is a collection of the best dishes from all over the country. Bacalhau (salted codfish) specialties feature prominently and the popular fish can be ordered as crunchy croquettes, grilled with greens, or stewed, to name a few. Other classics include the traditional caldo verde vegetable soup and hearty seafood rice, which combines the sweetness of prawns, clams, crab, lobsters and various seasonings into one giant, comforting vat.

California Vintage

Known for its consistently high-quality cuisine and friendly service, Bombay Dreams is taking both northern and southern Indian dining to a new level with a new contemporary design and mouthwatering dishes like the various-flavored biryanis and kebabs.

Brasserie de L'ile

New Revi

Northern French. 4 Arbuthnot Rd., Central, 2147-2389. Mon-Sat noon-1am. $$$ Even though we’re big fans of Frites, we were still excited about the opening of this atmospheric little bistro—because, really, can there ever be too many places serving top-quality mussels? The décor aspires to be European and is definitely quaint, with plush banquettes, wrought-iron chandeliers and an open façade with outdoor seating under a red awning. The mussels (in myriad varieties as exotic as Thai, but we went for the classic Mariniere) are tasty and more than enough for two people. The duck confit: tender and flavorful.

Restaurant Guide 2012

exquisite glasswork and a subtle, flowing fountain. Like neighboring restaurant The French Window, Cuisine Cuisine is part of the Miramar Hotel group. The menu is long and dishes beautifully presented. Try their Angus beef with broccoli, the handshredded chicken, bean shoots with crab roe, and fried rice with dried shrimp and sea urchin. The food is all delicious and the staff helpful.

Donka

New Revi

International. 11/F, Stanley St., Central, 2811-5611. Daily 11am-11pm. $

Fofo by El Willy

Cenacolo II

New Revi

Italian. 1/F, 4-8 Arbuthnot Rd., Central, 2826-9234. Mon-Sun 11:30am-3:30pm, 6-11pm. $$ The first Cenacolo on Graham Street must’ve been doing something right to justify this second model on the quieter, calmer Arbuthnot Road. Cenacolo II is a modern Italian establishment with straight-backed chairs, square tables and a moody, slightly romantic vibe. It also has an impressive pasta menu that could rival your local greasy spoon’s in its vast selection. The Parma and cantaloupe starter was generously portioned though forgettable, and we would have preferred the meat slices to be thinner and more delicately cut. The pasta “Al Dente” that we ordered, on the other hand, was fantastic. Luscious, firm locks of linguine were given a white wine and garlic treatment and paired with smoky chicken slices, multi-colored bell peppers, jalapeno and spinach.

Chez Patrick French. 26 Peel St., Central, 2541-1401. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$$$ Tucked down beside the Peel Street market stalls, this is an unlikely location for a fancy French restaurant. The menu isn’t huge—a choice of three or four courses. Appetizers are pretty experimental (bitter chocolate with pan-fried foie gras and foie gras ice cream) but the mains are reassuringly staid: tender slices of venison with sides of gratin potatoes and fresh vegetables, and a rare Angus steak. Special mention to the service—polite, welcoming and unobtrusive.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Coast Australian. 1/F, Kinwick Centre, 32 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2544-5888. Daily 8-3am. $$ Aussie restaurant Coast offers food that’s hearty, wallet-friendly, and most importantly, consistent in quality and value. Go for some excellent king prawns wrapped in pancetta. It is Australasian cooking at its best: generously portioned with fresh ingredients and an Asian twist of mango salsa. We also recommend the kingfish in a thin but flavorful black bean sauce.

Craftsteak Steak. G/F, 29 Elgin St., Central, 2526-0999. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ Dining Concepts has expanded its Elgin Street fiefdom with this unassuming steakhouse. The quietly lit dining area furnished with dark wooden furniture and matching flooring is spacious and comfortable in a Chicago-steakhouse style, enticing patrons to linger. Order the 12oz rib-eye from Australia or the king prawns, which are not only evidently fresh but enormous. Also try some profiteroles, which are heavenly—a dollop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched between freshly baked puff pastry drizzled generously with a rich, velvety chocolate sauce.

Cuisine Cuisine Cantonese. Shop 3101-3107, Podium 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2393-3933. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Daily 6-10:30pm. $$$$ Just entering this restaurant is impressive: a majestically designed hallway adorned with

Situated on the 11th floor of a restaurant-stacked building, Donka serves up a hodgepodge of fusionized food—although its Japanesey name might fool you at first. The arrangement is simple: bare concrete floors, wooden tables and chairs lined up in neat rows, and an open kitchen on the side. On the menu is a whole bunch of mainly Asian fare, from Japanese skewers to Malaysian bak kut teh to Korean-style ginseng chicken soup. The inaniwa udon we ordered, firm and handmade, had a semi-translucent sheen and absorbed all the flavors of our rich, thick golden broth. The crabmeat was plenty; the clumps were fresh and mildly savory on their own, and had a lightly flaky texture. The chicken—soaked in fragrant Shaoxing— was also a hit. The steamed yellow skin , moist meat and sultry sweet rice wine were matches made in heaven. The shredded strips also made for easy handling. In short: fantabulous.

Fofo by El Willy Spanish. 20/F, M88, 2-8 Wellington St., Central, 2900-2009. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$ Occupying the M88 building’s top floor, this restaurant plates up Spanish food à la Shanghai’s popular el Willy restaurant. The space is decked out like a modern winter wonderland with plastic white Kartell chairs and a super sleek, frost-colored marble-top bar. The FoFo menu offers traditional Spanish dishes alongside creative new takes on Catalan cuisine. The Barcelonan staple, toasted tomato bread, is served here with anchovies, Spanish cold cuts, or Iberian ham. The restaurant also does a nice selection of authentic, tasty “juicy rice” paellas to satisfy all carb cravings.

Frites Belgian. 1/F, 1-2 Queen’s Palace, 74 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2179-5179. Daily noon-midnight. $$-$$$ This Belgian beer hall is everything you’d expect— cheerful, beer-centric and somewhat average on the food side. The menu is touted as traditionally Belgian, which seems to mean high-end pub fare—roasted meats, stews, and of course the titular “frites” (served with garlic mayo). You’ll be back for the variety of mussels steamed in different sauces. Humble, but good.

tastic location

tastic Man Wah

tastic Pierre

tastic Mandarin Grill + Bar

tastic dining experiences

The legendary Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is home to ten highly individual restaurants and bars including much loved greats and three with Michelin stars. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong

Telephone: +852 2522 0111

Facsimile: +852 2810 6190

www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong

Ganga's Indian. 57-59 Wyndham St., Central, 2537-7933. Mon-Fri 11:30-2:30pm; Daily 6-11pm. $$ This Wyndham Street restaurant formerly known as Gunga Din’s has repackaged itself as Ganga’s and reopened its doors, much to our Indianfood-loving relief. Expect to be spoiled with dishes of authentic, Indian deliciousness from the experienced kitchen team. Classics such as aloo chat (diced potatoes, onions, coriander and chilies) and lamb madras make it really stand out in a sea of mid-par Indian restaurants in Central.

Goccia Ristorante e Bar

ew New Revi

Italian. 73 Wyndham St., Central, 2167-8181. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm; Mon-Thu 6-7pm; Fri-Sat 6-11:30pm; Sun 6-11pm. $$$ Despite its firm status as a Wyndham Street stalwart, we decided to revisit Goccia to see if it’s as good as we remember. We walked past the crowds and straight to the outdoor terrace upstairs, and it was like stepping into a different world—all of a sudden, we were enjoying a peaceful dinner in a romantic, tranquil environment. Exceptionally well-trained service staff hosted our table from start to finish, and were alert enough to attend to our needs, yet not overly aggressive. We ordered a homemade cannelloni stuffed with spinach and potato and covered in a gorgonzola cheese

sauce; a maccheroncelli with pecorino romano and black pepper; and a quattro formaggi pizza for our mains. We were especially delighted with the simple but divine-tasting maccheroncelli. The pizza was a perfect blend of mozzarella, gorgonzola, fontina and emmenthal on top of a just thickenough base. We would recommend Goccia in a heartbeat, and their cheese dishes have a special place in our hearts.

Gold by Harlan Goldstein Modern European. 2/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St., Central, 2869-9986. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$$ With chef Harlan Goldstein's Midas touch, this is the venue to see and be seen. There’s classy furniture, elegant sculptural lighting, and—not too surprisingly— the color gold as its theme. Think rose gold silverware, elegant table settings and casino-thick carpets. Gold serves a wide range of international and ethnic cuisines, inspired by the diversity of Harlan’s Lower East Side roots. Featuring classics such as his 35-ounce Big G Fiorentina steak and specialties that include the wagyu beef cheek ravioli, Gold blends modern European cuisine with Harlan’s own creative touches.

Greyhound Café

New Revi

International. Shop 1082, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2383-1133. Daily 9am-10:30pm. $$ We dropped in at the popular Greyhound Café on a busy weeknight without any reservation, so were

pleasantly surprised when the waitress calmly walked us to the back of the restaurant, where lo and behold, two empty seats were waiting. Greyhound Café is an upscale diner straight from Bangkok that serves international cuisine, from Thai specials to Italian pastas. We went for the obvious: a platter of signature wings, a basin of tom yum koong; and the less obvious: a plate of “complicated noodles” and a Shanghainese spicy noodle. The tom yum koong was a bit disappointing: there was no fiery kick from the spices, and the prawn meat felt stale and pungent. The nibble-size wings put things back on the right track, with their sharp crispy skins and juicy meat. The complicated noodles were a bit of a hassle to assemble, but worth the effort. The crunchy lettuce provided a refreshing counterpoint to the soft noodles, and both mediums adapted the flavors of the accompanying sauces as their own. Overall verdict: mostly hits, but there’ll be misses too unless you’re careful when ordering.

H One Italian. 4/F, 4008, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2805-0638. Daily noon-3pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$$$ On a sunny day at H One, the restaurant’s fulllength windows allow abundant sunshine to stream in and you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. The restaurant offers fine Italian cuisine, a scrumptious appetizer spread and many special guest chef promotions during the year.

Habibi Greyhound Cafe

Middle Eastern. 1/F, Grand Progress Building, 15-16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2544-6198. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm. $$ This Middle Eastern restaurant has a cozy, cavernous vibe, with hanging lanterns and partitions leading to intimate nooks in unlikely corners. You can feast here without the exorbitant prices on display elsewhere in the area. The hot and cold mezze is, as always, a treat, with traditional and spiced hummus, yogurt blended with olive oil and exotically spiced salads, served with piping hot, fresh pita bread on the house.

Hakka Ye Ye Chinese. 2/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham St., Central, 2537-7060. Daily noon-3pm, 6:30-11pm. $$ An elegant, modernist joint in bar-strewn Wyndham Street might not seem like the most authentic place for Hakka cuisine, but Hakka Ye Ye is just that. The menu includes such signature dishes as delicious salt-baked chicken, handmade fish balls and braised meats and tofu as well as a twist on drunken chicken with a sweet, delicate rose flavor. The emphasis is on hearty food executed with little fanfare, and this, along with excellent service, draws a clientele of Hong Kong foodies, expat bargoers and CBD businesspeople. Try the traditional Hakka soup; a different one is boiled daily.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Spanning three floors, the chic and semi-formal Indochine also has an outdoor terrace for drinks (or a meal too if you prefer). The crab rolls with crunchy crab legs sticking way out of the rice paper wraps were a great start to the evening; it was paired with a thick, savory and slightly spicy sauce that gave the meat more oomph. We also enjoyed the very tender wok-fried tenderloin, although having had it before, we couldn’t help but notice the beef was served less than piping hot—a no-no for any dish that claims itself wok-fried. The sweet tomato sauce and ample tomato chunks made a balanced accompaniment. The chicken curry reminded us of the thick, opaque sauce that Japanese fast food shops pile liberally on top of their rice and udon—not that we didn’t enjoy it; we like Japanese curry. As for the barramundi, it was well spiced, crispy and delicious according to one fish lover at our table, while it was nothing special for another. You must save room for their crispy banana fritters and sticky rice with mangoes.

Island Tang Hide-Chan

Hard Rock Café

New Revi

American. LG/F, LKF Tower, 55 D'Aguilar St., Central, 2111-3777. Sun-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am. $$-$$$ Live music, generous portions and great cocktails, not to mention all the signature rock & roll memorabilia on the walls, make a visit to the Hong Kong Hard Rock genuinely unforgettable. A gift shop is on the premises so you can prove to your friends and family that you actually ate here. There's all the classic American fare that you'd expect, plus some Asian specialties.

Harvey Nichols 4th Floor Restaurant French. 4/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Rd. Central, 3695-3388. Daily noon-5:30pm, 7-10:30pm. $$$$ If you want to see and be seen, this is the place to do it. Harvey Nichols’ restaurants have gained a reputation for being ahead of the curve, thanks to their creative cuisine and contemporary surrounds, which here means a Mondrian-esque ceiling and an 80s vibe. The menu is French, with usual suspects such as rabbit terrine rubbing shoulders with more creative dishes: pork knuckle and foie gras with apple jelly, applesauce and bread crisps or the playful frog’s legs with parmesan and risotto. The wine list is full of classics but, in terms of price, not for the faint of heart.

Hide-Chan

ew New Revi

Japanese. UG/F The Loop, 33 Wellington St., Central, 2522-5990. Daily 11am-11pm. $ Hide-Chan is conveniently located right next to LKF and serves authentic Kyushu-style ramen. The small venue has a simple and homey décor and a capacity of 40 people. We sat down on the stools by its open kitchen and ordered all three of their

Restaurant Guide 2012

ramen from their limited but worthy menu —Black Hide (with black garlic sauce), White Hide (with original garlic sauce) and Red Hide (with Korean sweet chili sauce). They all come with seaweed shreds, spring onion and big slices of pork, and you can choose different textures for the noodles and add extra toppings such as Japanese eggs and black fungus. While tasting aromatic and rich, the pork bone broth can be overly thick for some. There is also Black Tsuke Hide, which is served without the soup. The crispy dumplings from the appetizers menu are a must-try.

Inagiku Japanese Restaurant Japanese. 4/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance St., Central, 2805-0600. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$ Believe the buzz: the food here is authentic and very, very good. The peaceful, Zen-like atmosphere is enough reason to visit, with an entire wall given over to views of the harbor, a funky bar and teppanyaki stations for a casual meal. Go for the set menu, starting with a small bowl of salad leaves and excellent tuna and geoduck sashimi, served on a chilled dish. The teppanyaki chefs work their magic here, creating a multi-course meal of salmon, beef and scallion rolls, scallops grilled in the shell, vegetable fried rice, miso soup and more. The super-fresh ingredients are cooked before our eyes with just oil, salt and pepper. Wonderful.

Indochine

New Revi

Vietnamese. 4/F, The Plaza, 21 D'Aguilar St., Central, 2869-7399. Mon-Sat noon-3pm; Daily 6:30-11pm. $$ This relocated Vietnamese restaurant with colonial French décor and neat uniformed staff immediately sets it apart from the other eateries of its kind.

Cantonese. 222, The Galleria, 9 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2526-8798. Daily noon-10:30pm. $$$$ David Tang’s latest restaurant is the sole eatery in The Galleria, which otherwise is just a conga line of tailors, dry cleaners and washing-machine vendors. But you certainly forget about the offbeat location once you step inside—Island Tang is in full art deco regalia, from the high ceilings, plush leather chairs and etched mirrors down to the tiniest details, such as the crystal-stoppered soy sauce bottles. The wokfried wagyu is worth the risk—you’ll be treated to juicy, succulent cubes of prime beef in a rich sauce. The Sichuan prawns are equally superb; instead of blow-your-head-off spiciness, their tanginess is more subdued and distinctly more Cantonese-style.

Isola Bar & Grill Italian. 3071-75 & 4011, Podium 3, Shop 3071, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2383-8765. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-11pm. $$$$ You feel more fashionable just being here. The glam factor is off the scale at this sleek, newly renovated restaurant, with magnificent harbor views and high ceilings. It almost doesn’t matter what’s on the plate: think handmade pastas, pizzas, risottos. Blow the diet—the dessert menu is orgasmic.

Ista Indian fusion. 2/F, Onfem Tower, 29 Wyndham St., Central, 2530-5353. Daily noon-3pm, 6:30-11pm. $$-$$$ Pay a visit to Ista to see how Indian cuisine works when it’s done classily. The warm and inviting space is dotted with quiet nooks for intimate meals, or well-spaced tables for business dinners and get-togethers. In addition to its curries and other dishes from all over the country, Ista declares itself a pioneer of Indian tapas.

Just A Restaurant

New Revi

European. 2/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2543-8000. Daily noon-midnight. $$-$$$ The food at Just a Restaurant, or JAR as they like to call themselves, is a lot like the name— ostensibly simple but actually the product of careful consideration and polish. Recommended dishes include: the whole roasted chicken with vegetables, the pastas and the swordfish steak. People also rave about the homemade flat bread, which comes in hefty, chewy portions and is dotted with a range of toppings, such as figs and caramelized onions. Lunch is great too, with a very decent and wide-ranging salad bar of fresh vegetables for less than $100.

Kushiyaki Beco

New Revi

Japanese. 2 Shin Hing St., Central, 2581-1282. Mon-Sat 6:30-11:30pm. $$ It’s like popular yakitori restaurant Yardbird—but for beef, and it’s less trendy. That’s the best way to sum up Beco, a cute ‘n’ cozy kushiyaki joint located on a street of stairs off of up-and-coming Gough Street. Like Yardbird, it’s only open for dinner; unlike Yardbird, it takes reservations and isn’t mobbed with people… yet. The centerpiece of the menu is a diagram of the different parts of the cow and a list of all the beef skewers—the rump and the skirt steak we tried proved to be juicy and flavorful. There’s also an array of skewers with vegetables (leeks, mushrooms, asparagus), chicken (wings and thighs) and other items that come out in delicate portions, beautifully charred from the grill. The service was friendly and attentive and the staff bid us a cheerful thank you in unison as we stepped out the door, as is the Japanese custom. Specials are scrawled on a big blackboard, and diners can opt for cozy wooden tables or a seat at the counter—it surrounds the grill, which flames up with dramatic effect as more skewers are added to the heat.

L'Atelier De Joel Robuchon French. 4/F, 401, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2166-9000. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$$$ One bite of L’Atelier’s set-course dinners and you’ll understand why Joel Robuchon was named Gault Millau’s “Chef of the Century” and why his Hong Kong outpost is awarded three Michelin stars. The super-chef emphasizes the simplicity and authenticity of his food. Each dish is wrought with exquisite finesse and precision—an ordeal on plain view at the open kitchen, the centerpiece of every L’Atelier from New York to Tokyo. The results are extravagant in every possible dimension. The menu changes seasonally but always remains a cut above that of your average upscale French restaurant.

La Loggia Pain Grillé French. 3/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2508-0798. Sun-Thu noon-11:30pm; Fri-Sat noon-12:30am. $$$ This resto at the Agnès b. flagship store has exquisite interiors by AFSO’s Andre Fu—a hauntingly sexy lounge opens into the adorable “Library” area, inspired by Le Fumoir next to the Louvre, one of Agnès’s favorite restaurants. This particular Pain Grillé focuses on French seafood imported directly from France. Try their Byzantine seafood platter and hearty bouillabaisse. The tender, juicy mussels in white wine cream sauce are also a must.

La Piola Northern Italian. G/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2851-2281. Daily noon-midnight. $$$ While we really dig the interiors at La Piola, it’s a bit of a shame that the open-fronted bar is right on the junction of Wellington and Lyndhurst. Heavy traffic on a weekday evening makes people-watching just

La Loggia Pain Grillé

Restaurant Guide 2012

that little bit less pleasant. But hey, we’re in Hong Kong—where are you going to find somewhere that’s not right on the road? The excellent staff is really what makes this a place we’d like to revisit. In a town of indifference, the team here is happy, enthusiastic and very thoughtful—we wanted to share our mains, and without us having to ask, they plated up two half-portions of gnocchi for us, and cut our steak into juicy, bite-sized strips. Our appetizer was by far the best part. The generous slices of delicious Parma ham certainly went down well with a glass of wine, and the creamy, squidgy burrata was second-to-none—definitely don’t try to finish this hulking plate on your own. The gnocchi didn’t fare quite so well, being a little too sticky, doughy and lacking in flavor, and our panna cotta dessert was coated in this awful, artificial-tasting raspberry sauce. That said though, you’ll be sure to see us propping up the open-fronted bar with a glass of Italian wine and a few bar snacks in the coming weeks.

Liberty Exchange Kitchen & Bar Western. Two Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central, 2810-8400. Mon-Sat noon-10:30pm. $$$ The Liberty Private Works team’s two-level restaurant is built on the ethos of simple and honest comfort food. The main dining room stays simple and mature with minimalist décor channeling the vibe of an unfussy East coast bistro. Expect nothing but culinary kickass-ness from the team trained by chef Makoto Ono and led by chef Vicky Cheng. Classic comfort food is done with sophisticated flair.

Lin Heung Lau

New Revi

Cantonese. 160-164 Wellington St., Central, 2544-4556. Daily 6am-11pm. $$ Walking into Lin Heung Tea House is like stepping through a time portal back to the 1950s. The greenish shine of fluorescent lighting, the daily specials scribbled onto mirrors, the fans whirling high above our heads—all of this evokes a lost era. The setup has changed little in more than 50 years (nor has the staff for that matter; most servers are well into their 60s) and still remains a popular hangout for those craving a bit of old Hong Kong nostalgia and really, really good food. Most people come here for their awesome daytime dim sum, but we came for their dinner menu—plate after plate of old-school specialties, such as steamed goose intestine in egg custard. Our heaping plate of veggies, ordered from their “retro favorites” menu, was equally as fresh and delicious—zucchini stir-fried with “cloud ear fungus” and fresh crispy whole water chestnuts. But what made our night truly memorable was the signature stuffed duck, their most famous dinnertime dish. In case you fail to notice it on the menu, there are countless posters plastered all over the walls to remind you of its existence. We had eyed it before, but we finally had enough people (and gut space) to tackle a whole duck stuffed to the brim with a medley of Chinese beans and fresh ginko nuts.

dumplings with a topping of XO sauce are pure magic, as is the whole abalone tart.

Man Wah Cantonese. 25/F, The Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Rd. Central, 2825-4003. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Daily 6:30-11pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-3pm. $$$$ Straight-up Cantonese fare with an amazing harbor view in an atmosphere of old-world elegance. What more can we say? If you’ve never been before, make a point of going sooner rather than later.

Manchurian Candidate

New Revi

Sichuan. 5/F, Winner Building, 37 D’Aguilar St., Central, 2522-0338. Daily 6:30-11pm. $$

Man Wah

Linguini Fini

New Revi

Italian. 1/F, The L Place, 139 Queen's Rd. Central, 2857-1333. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm; Fri-Sat 6-11pm; Sat-Sun noon-4pm; Sun 6-10:30pm. $$ On a Friday night, the dim, loft-like space was full to bursting, with post-work revelers chatting and boozing amid atmospheric exposed ceiling beams and leather booths. We nabbed the two seats near the bread oven on the second floor and ordered up a storm: cherry tomato and mozzarella flatbread, fragrant grass-flavored linguini smothered in goat cheese, “nose to tail” fazzoletti (folded pasta squares) and sautéed greens (grown in the New Territories!) with lemon. Everything was hot, fresh and tasty— plus, it was all affordable. The general gimmick here is casual Italian comfort food with some local, Asian flair thrown into the mix (hence the fragrant grass, and the dried shrimp-flavored pasta). In between lunch and dinner, the bar stays open, serving up drinks, flatbread and salumi; LF also just started serving brunch. We had a great night with solid Italian food for a price that didn’t break the bank.

Loyal Dining

New Revi

Chinese. 66 Wellington St., Central, 3125-3000. Sun-Thu 7-2am; Fri-Sat 7-4am. $ Loyal Dining is Tai Ping Koon’s latest rival—one that’s loud and proud and taking up prime real estate on busy Wellington Street. With retro wallpaper on the walls, dark woodsy tones and a slew of marble tables strewn across the floor, you kinda feel like you’ve gone back a couple of decades when you step into this colonial-era Hong Kong diner. The menu includes a mix of western-style dishes with

Restaurant Guide 2012

Chinese-y ingredients, such as seared foie gras with BBQ pork and rice, and soy sauce chicken wings. There’s also a selection of CCT sandwiches, the usual fried rice and noodles, and even dim sum. We were there for a late lunch, and ordered their signature fresh beef and egg sandwich, fried flat noodles with sliced beef in homemade sweet soya sauce, a plate of shrimp rice noodle rolls, and a ginormous portion of baked soufflé. The sandwich was a satisfying affair, each bite full of creamy scrambled eggs and chewy tenderized beef. There was a salad on the side but we didn’t get to taste it, as a quick-handed waitress swept the whole plate off our table before we could register what happened. Moving on to the noodles, we liked the darker-than-usual sauce with a faint sweet aftertaste; the noodles were greasysmooth and the beef nothing to rave about. Loyal Dining’s good—but we’re not sure what it has to offer that can distinguish itself from a stalwart like TPK. Oh, and the waitstaff need to chillax—seriously.

Lung King Heen Cantonese. 4/F, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance St., Central, 3196-8888. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm; Daily 6-10:30pm; Sun 11:30am-3pm. $$$-$$$$ Lung King Heen was the first and only Chinese restaurant to receive three stars in the inaugural Michelin Guide to Hong Kong. And for good reason. Pass beneath a silver-gilded ceiling into a spacious, stylish room with warm timber floors, sleek dark-wood paneling, Chinese antiques and red columns. The service is flawless, and each dish tested and tasted to perfection. The xiao long bao come with little handles so they reach your mouth without breaking. The steamed shrimp and scallop

Don’t be fooled by all the red and the chilis when it comes to Sichuan cuisine, says Mr. Yau, proprietor of The Manchurian Candidate in Central (and don’t be fooled by the restaurant’s title either—it’s just that a friend of Mr. Yau’s liked the eponymous American movie so much he told Mr. Yau to name his restaurant after it). Sichuan food is more about the zesty and mouthnumbing “mala” Sichuan peppercorns, and really can’t compete with truly spicy provinces like Hunan. Although the region is quite diverse in itself (with cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing boasting their own culinary styles), all-round popular Sichuan dishes include the “ma po” tofu (don’t be fooled by the milder copycat versions all over town!), made with chilis and peppercorn oil and stir-fried with pork bits and typically eaten with a bowl of rice. The “sui ju” fish is another specialty, consisting of a fiery red peppercorn broth made with bits of chopped fish and vegetables. And then there’s “saliva” chicken, a dry stir-fry dish of chicken shreds mixed with— you guessed it—Sichuan peppercorn oil.

Maxim's Palace City Hall Dim sum. Low Block, City Hall, 5-7 Edinburgh Place, Central, 2521-1303. Mon-Sat 11am-3pm; Daily 5:30-10:30pm; Sun 9am-3pm. $-$$ If there is one restaurant that epitomizes dim sum culture in Hong Kong, this is it. Ladies pushing carts of steaming bamboo baskets while barking out the day’s specials, large crowds of Sunday foodies waiting in line for a table, and hundreds of variations of little delicious bites of seafood, meat and sweets—in other words, a perfect dim sum Sunday. Go early to avoid the lines (anytime before 11am should get you a table). The dishes are staples of dim sum culture: steamed shrimp dumplings, pork spare ribs in black bean sauce, ma lai go, egg tarts, spring rolls, braised tripe, and sweet tofu. The space is a stadium of hungry diners. Floor to ceiling windows overlook Victoria Harbour and the Star Ferry outside. On a good day, you can see all the way to the New Territories as you are having your tea. Bring friends, lots of them.Best bit: English menu with pictures for those new to dim sum.

hong kong cafe & rock shop: lg/f lkf tower, 55 d’aguilar street lan kwai fong, central, hong kong +852-2111-3777 • hardrock.com/hongkong rock shop: shop g06, level g, the peak tower,hong kong +852-2849-7625 facebook.com/hardrockcafehk

weibo.com/hardrockcafehk

the grain-fed, fullblood Aussie wagyu from the famed, award-winning David Blackmore ranch. For those who don’t want to just have a cow, try the Dungeness crabcakes. The ever-comforting mac ’n’ cheese also enjoys spotlight space.

Ngau Kee Food Cafe Cantonese. 3-5 Gough St., Central, 2545-5557. Daily 11:30am-midnight. $ This is a place for everyone, from SoHo film directors to the guy who runs the newspaper stand on the corner. Like the interior, the food is classic Hong Kong diner: cheap, slap-dash cooking with a touch of magic. It specializes in such classics as steamed fish, pepper squid and clams in black-bean sauce. But it’s the off-piste favorites, such as pork chops fried with mayonnaise, that make Ngau Kee such a fun place to eat. Bring some friends, order plenty of beers and grab a table downstairs as the upstairs gets brain-splittingly loud.

Noble Spice Mesa 15

Mesa 15

New Revi

Tapas. 15 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2530-1890. Daily noon-midnight. $$ The tapas competition in this town is steep, with our favorites being Estudio Iberico in Pacific Place’s Great Food Hall and Viva Ana in Wan Chai. Spanish chef Alejandro Sánchez, whose restaurant back home earned him a Michelin star, designed the menu, but he’s not in the kitchen day-to-day. His dishes are solidly executed, though, and the set lunch is a steal compared with the a la carte menu. To start we tried chorizo with egg and a Russian potato-tuna-egg mishmash with homemade mayo. As for the mains, we were a bit dismayed with the portion size of the short ribs, which were good if a bit over-smothered in gravy. The pork burger and its accompanying fries were delicious and flavorful, and the dessert was a creatively presented rich chocolate mousse, dusted with bittersweet cocoa powder and served in a martini glass. The décor is at once sleek and homey, making Mesa 15 a welcome retreat from crowds outside.

Misocool Japanese. 1/F, 11 Stanley St., Central, 2868-3738. Daily 11am-11pm. $ This place is a modern take on the Japanese ramenya, done in vivid colors with long tables for sharing, high ceilings and décor that includes photographs of celebs from the cult of cool. Choose your own music from the giant iPod player in the corner, before moving on to the food. The bite-sized scallops are deep-fried, drizzled with Japanese curry, dotted with fish roe and served on a Pringle—a fun and fabulous starter. But really it’s all about the ramen

Restaurant Guide 2012

here, and their range is impressive. Besides the usual, there’s al dente seafood squid ink linguini in a milk broth and Kyushu ribs in a spicy soup with chewy konjac jelly noodles. All inventive, and tasty.

Morihachi Yakiniku

New Revi

Japanese BBQ. 3/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2581-1933. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$ Located on so-hot-right-now Lyndhurst Terrace, this new Japanese restaurant serves yakiniku (Japanese for “grilled meat”). The spacious place is decorated in a classy, straightforward Japanese style, and has openarea tables, booths and a small bar. The dinner started with Morihachi-style short ribs and a super big “short plate” of thickly sliced beef. Served with rock salt or onion oil, both were good-sized portions. We grilled the meat ourselves; the slim-cut ribs were incredibly tender, while the short plate was juicy and chewy. Three types of sauce were provided to suit customers’ different tastes. The barbecue continued with oysters with herb butter, which melted on the grills and gave the oysters a mellow, sweet flavor. With its impressive food and good service, Morihachi Yakiniku is an ideal lunch/dinner spot for meat lovers.

N.C. Grill Steak. 7/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St., Central, 2526-2366. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$$ What was once Opus Grill has now transformed into N.C. Grill. Beef is the magic word here and the restaurant sources only the best cuts from the best suppliers. Part of the inspiring lineup is

Indian/Nepalese. 7/F, Cheung Hing Commercial Building, 37-43 Cochrane St., Central, 2854-0916. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; SatSun 6pm-midnight. $ The popular restaurant formerly known as Lovely Corner has undergone a makeover. All the old favorites are still on the menu—vegetarian and meat momos (a Nepalese dumpling that is the epitome of fabulous juiciness), the addictive samosa chat (chopped-up samosas smothered in cool, sweet yogurt sauce), the assorted curries, etc.

On Lot 10 French provincial. 34 Gough St., Central, 2155-9210. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Sat 7-10pm. $-$$ It’s not often that you come across a quaint French bistro serving quality food at affordable prices, but On Lot 10 is definitely one of those places. You can find delectable dishes like the homemade pâté provençale, decomposed Caesar salad, grilled salmon and oven-roasted Cornish hen here. Owner and chef David has worked in Alain Ducasse’s top kitchens in America and Monaco (to name but a few), and gives his own interpretation of provincial French food without all the frills and frightening price tags.

Paisano's Italian. 9 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2544-4445. Sun-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-midnight. $ One of our favorite Sai Kung staples makes its way to Hong Kong Island with the opening of a slender little takeout pizza joint on the burgeoning Lyndhurst Terrace. It’s an ideal location, primed to hoover up sloppy late-night castaways from the nearby clubs thanks to very excellent pizzas, available by slice or pie, and great meatball subs. PS, the lasagna is also good.

She then took the offending dish off the bill without us even having to ask—this is literally the first time this has ever happened to us in Hong Kong.

Robata Zawa Zawa

New Revi

Japanese. LG/F, 41 Wyndham St., Central, 2536-9898. Mon-Tue 5pm-midnight; Thu 5pm-midnight; Wed 5pm-3am; Fri 5pm-3am; Sat 5pm-3am. $$$

Pastis

Pastis French. G/F, 65 Wyndham St., Central, 2537-5702. Mon-Sat noon-around 2am. $ Pastis is the successful little experiment by two bona fide Frenchmen, Olivier and Jerome. It’s emphatically French, exuding casual bistro chic, with posters and bric-a-brac from all over France. The toilet area’s a slice of Nice, making the bar a calmer respite from the Wyndham Street scene. It’s predominantly a wine bar, but with a touch of home-style French cooking. Notables include escargot with a hint of star anise from the Ricard, and the salade niçoise topped with ample anchovies and olives.

Peking Garden Chinese. Shop B1, Alexandra House, 16-20 Chater Rd., Central, 2526-6465. Daily 11:30-3am. $$$ This famous-with-tourists restaurant tucked into the basement of Alexandra House is known for its signature Peking duck and other Chinese delicacies. The Peking duck has to be ordered in advance; one of the servers will come up to your table as soon as you get seated to ask if you want this specialty, as it takes 20 minutes to half an hour to prepare. The restaurant is also known for its Beggar’s Chicken, which has to be ordered days in advance.

Pierre French. 25/F, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Rd. Central, 2825-4001, Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm, Mon-Sat 7-10:30pm. $$$$$$$ This two Michelin-starred fine-dine on the upper levels of the Mandarin Oriental serves innovative French cuisine created by the legendary Pierre

Restaurant Guide 2012

Gagnaire. Think art, think food, think of the two elements fused seamlessly together, et voila.

Pizza Express Western. SoHo Square, 21 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2850-7898. Daily 11:30am-11:30pm. $-$$ Describing Pizza Express as your regular pizza place would be a gross understatement: this newly renovated restaurant serves all kinds of pizzas with classic toppings (Chicago), Asian fusion toppings (Peking duck), healthier alternatives (Margherita Leggera, featuring a salad in the center) and toppings that are just plain innovative (Trifolata, which features a truffle oil dressing). Besides pizza, Pizza Express serves plenty of salads and pastas. You can also pair your meal with a wine from the restaurant’s wine list.

Pure Dining

New Revi

Western. 2/F, Kinwick Centre, 32 Hollywood Rd., Central, 8199-8189 Mon-Wed 7:30am-midnight; Thu-Fri 7:30-2am; Sat 10-2am; Sun 10am-midnight $$$ For mains at this healthy-sounding resto right under (and owned by) a gym, we went for the salmon and barley salad. While the salmon was adequate, the salad was drowning in a dressing that tasted like orange-flavored high-fructose corn syrup. The barley was slimy, too. The meal was saved by Pure Dining’s famous truffle mac ‘n’ cheese (which can do no wrong) and also by the thoughtful waitstaff. After seeing us forlornly picking at our plate, our server asked if everything was OK. When we complained about the dressing, she immediately asked if we wanted anything else, so we requested a plate of mashed potatoes to go with the rest of the salmon.

This tiny space with awesome paper lantern décor serves kickass food fresh off the robata grill. We began with two complimentary starter dishes of marinated vegetables and loved them very much. Then we went straight to the mains, enjoying orders of potato croquettes that looked and tasted like takoyaki (battered octopus dumplings), ground chicken skewers made crunchy with water chestnut pieces added to the mix, some firm and juicy swordfish, pork skewers with plum paste, Japanese wagyu and a delicately handmade fish cake. We thought the wagyu could’ve been cooked less, but the meat was still flavorful and very tender. After the delectable robata feast—cooked on a very small and deceivingy unimpressive-looking grill—we decided to loosen our belts one more notch by going for a big bowl of soba noodles. We loved the textures of the onsen tamago and green soba, which was served at a refreshingly cool temperature in a savory soy sauce soup base. We liked it so much, in fact, that we decided to forget about the cracked eggshell we found in the mixture.

Sen-ryo Japanese. Podium 3, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View St., Central, 2234-7633. Daily 11:30am-10:30pm. $-$$ This place is strictly conveyor-belt “kaiten-zushi,” with the bulk of the space given over to a revolving sushi train. It’s popular and takes no reservations— we are told the best time for dinner would be 10pm. Diners are fitted in like pieces in a jigsaw; cozy is an understatement. But once seated at the sushi-go-round you’ll realize that the frenetic pace guarantees freshness. Everything is affordable and good. Favorite dishes are the zuwai crabstick and avocado sushi, and salmon roe eggs that—on detonation—are like oral explosions of salt. Pizza Express

NOW OPEN

CONTEMPORARY CUTTING EDGE JAPANASIAN CUISINE A new taste of Asia where tradition and creativity meet

www.sesamehk.com

2/F, L Place, 139 Queens Road Central, Central HK | +852 2870 2323

Sevva

Shore

Sportful Garden Dim sum. Golden Centre, 188 Des Voeux Rd., Central, 2851-8013. Daily 8am-midnight. $$

Sevva

Sohoway

Western. 25/F, Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Rd., Central, 2537-1388. Mon-Sat noon-3pm; Mon-Thu 6pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 6pm-2am. $$$$$

Cafe. G/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 3153-4291. Mon-Sat 7:30am-10:30pm; Sun 8:30am-10pm. $

Who wouldn’t want to lie back comfortably on their lush deck furniture atop their fabulous wraparound balcony? Savor delicate wontons, or a giant, crisp dosa, or a silky soft angel cake with silky soft jazz wafting through the air.

Shore Steakhouse. 3/F-4/F, L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2915-1638. Mon-Wed noon-1am; Thu-Sat noon-2am; Sun noon-midnight. $$$-$$$$ Chef Jason Black’s swanky joint has evolved into a proper steakhouse with a bar and massive adjacent outdoor terrace downstairs. Go for the prime tenderloin, which comes all dripping with delicious sauce alongside parmesan polenta with caramelized onions. If you still have room for dessert, order a refreshing coconut-lemongrass crème brulee or a Valrhona fudge tart.

Restaurant Guide 2012

ew New Revi

Sohoway is a bright, clean and cheery little restaurant on Lyndhurst Terrace. Their two-course lunch sets that come with a crisp green salad and a main are priced right at around $70 bucks each and include a refreshing drink of choice. Our Caesar salads were fresh, crunchy and nicely drizzled with a creamy Caesar dressing heavily laced with anchovies. Our pastas were also generally good. The linguine carbonara came out a perfect al dente—however, the watery puddle of cream sauce and the few undercooked bacon pieces left much to the imagination. The stir-fried blue mussel and clam linguine fared better—plump mussels, clams and summer veggies tossed with the springy pasta was light and refreshing—but despite nearly half a dozen or so ingredients thrown in, it was still a bit on the bland side. But, all is not lost here; there are plenty of satisfying fruity teas on offer, as well as Swiss roll cakes and desserts peeking through the display case, perfect for late afternoon munchies.

Let’s get this straight right away: Sportful Garden has nothing to do with sports and everything to do with dim sum. To make sure you don’t get confused, you’ll see and smell a variety of freshly cooked dishes from the demonstration stands as soon as you walk through the restaurant. There are no trolleys here and everything has to be pre-ordered on a form. Try their plain soy sauced cheung fun, abalone pancakes and deep fried lightly-battered tofu with a sweet and clear vinegar dip.

Sumac Mediterranean. G/F, 8 Glenealy, Central, 2147-9191. Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight. $$ The long-standing Austrian restaurant Mozart Stub’n in Central has closed down and taking its space on Glenealy is Sumac, a Lebanese restaurant. Chef Nadim Hamze has decided to up the ante for local Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine. Traditional Lebanese favorites include lamb kafta and chicken mograbieh. Also on offer are less familiar dishes such as rack of lamb with vegetables and giant couscous, scallops siya dieh and even a few dishes made with sumac (a Lebanese spice, hence the restaurant name), including spot prawns with rosemary and sea salt in Provençal sauce.

Sushi Kuu Japanese. 1/F, Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington St., Central, 2971-0180. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-11pm. $$$ Come for the exquisitely styled dishes, stay for the humble curry on rice. Sushi Kuu is a modern Japanese restaurant with a menu of classic dishes and contemporary items, like fusion sushi rolls and almond tempura prawn. But it’s the simple, homestyle cuisine like eel and egg fried rice that make this restaurant worth the return visit.

Tandoor Indian. 1/F, Lyndhurst Tower, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2845-2262. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$ Eat your Biryani while experiencing cheesy Bollywoodesque song and dance in the chintzy enclaves of Tandoor. Since moving from Wyndham Street in 2004, Tandoor has never looked back. The biryani, vindaloo and chicken sagwala are fragrant, tasty dishes but the standout is tandoor chicken, perfectly succulent from the clay oven. And try the street-food dishes such as bhelburi, a sweet-and-sour salad. Service is speedy, attentive and friendly without being intrusive.

Tango Argentine. 1/F, 77 Wyndham St., Central, 2525-5808. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$ We love the warm lighting, the wooden touches, the general ambience. We also highly recommend the food. The firm, bouncy yet completely tender chunks of calamari tossed with greens is an amazing starter salad. But keeping in mind that this is, after all, an Argentinean steakhouse, do order an Argentinean filet for the main, which comes on a sizzling platter flanked by six condiments (from salsa to horseradish to mustard). Churros con chocolate and a flan de leche make a perfect end to the meal.

cod, $130. Yes, the portions come with a heaping serving of those massive fries… but still. On a recent night, the cod tasted significantly better than the sole. Guess you better be ready to pay if you want the good stuff.

The French Window French. 3/F, 3101, Podium, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View St., Central, 2393-3812. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$$ Taking the place of Lumiere, the old Sichuan-viaSouth-America resto, is The French Window. With Singaporean chef Justin Quek and France’s Mickael le Calvez having created the menu, fans of Gallic fare will be going gaga for its traditional French dishes with an innovative twist. The dining area is breathtaking too, with its gorgeous views of Victoria Harbour and a serene, salon-like ambiance. Hurry, because we hear that the place is slated to be taken over by Cuisine Cuisine next door.

The Square

New Revi

the food isn’t good (some dishes are downright fantastic) but there are also a few misses in the mix, and ironically, those dishes are the very ones recommended by the Michelin guide. We couldn’t get enough of the casserole rice in a stone pot though—the fully marinated grains were more gentle than fried rice, not as sticky as glutinous rice, and belonged in a category all their own. Other hits included the curry beef (although it wasn’t very Cantonese) and the vegetable beancurd sheet rolls. There was a steak dish that came with onion rings on top—downright blasphemy. There are great dishes to be had here—but we’d like to see a menu that’s bit less bastardized. The restaurant should stick to its roots instead of trying to please less-acquainted patrons.

Guangdong. 4/F, Two Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central, 2525-1163. Daily 11am-3pm, 6pm-11pm. $$-$$$ Maxim’s Group is a mighty empire—so mighty that most people have a hard time keeping track of its myriad operations, The Square being one of them. Serving dim sum during the day and a selection of Guangdong-style dishes (with a bit of western influence, we note) at night, The Square is the group’s proud one-Michelin-starred venture— although we’re a bit puzzled as to why. Not that

The French Window

The Chippy Fish and Chips. 51 Wellington St., Central, 2523-1618. Sun-Wed 9am-9pm; Thu 7:30am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 7:30am-midnight. $-$$ True to its name, the signature dish is the reason to come here. The protein comes crispy and flaky on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. The fries are enormous; eating one, as a friend remarked, is like consuming one-fourth of a whole potato. Amazingly, The Chippy even manages to make mushy peas taste good. Beyond fish and chips, it also serves up enormous British breakfasts and heart-attack-inducing desserts such as deep-fried Mars bars. In a little shop behind the costume-selling stalls on Pottinger Street, Chippy has an endearing hole-in-the-wall ambience. Now for the not-so-good part:the prices. The cheapest fish, the sole, goes for around $80 on its own ($95 with a set lunch), while the halibut is $115 and the

Restaurant Guide 2012

Tango

crispy bacon, which hits all the right notes. These succulent pasta dumplings have a very rich flavor and the bacon adds a perfect touch. The menu is updated on a regular basis but the charming appetizers and desserts are always good bets.

Wagyu Australian. GF, 3, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham St., Central, 2525-8805. Mon-Fri 7:30am-11pm; Sat-Sun 8am-11pm. $$$

W52

Tim Ho Wan

New Revi

Dim sum. Shop. 12A, Podium Level One, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2332-3078. Daily 9am-8:30pm. $ IFC’s Tim Ho Wan is the third branch of the original Mong Kok-based Michelin-starred hole-in-the-wall that still generates queues on a daily basis. Owned by former Lung King Heen chef Mak Kwai-pui, Tim Ho Wan offers a set selection of dim sum day and night—nothing more, nothing less. The branch at IFC is hardly humble, but with prices from $14 to low 20s per dish, it definitely sets itself apart from the swankier—and pricier— venues around. On the weeknight that we went, there were plenty of people ordering takeout on the side and a handful more waiting for a table, but it took us less than 10 minutes to secure our seats. The tables are communal so you’re likely to be flanked by strangers delicately negotiating table space. There isn’t a big selection to choose from, but you’d be able to get all the classics like har gow, steamed beef balls and steamed rice rolls (cheung fun)—all of which we ordered along with their famous baked BBQ pork bun, steamed rice with beef and pan-fried egg, and a deep fried bean curd sheet roll. The dim sum came without frills—no gold foil on the har gow or truffles on the steamed beef—but everything was spot-on. Meaty prawns, silky smooth noodle skins, tender and textured beef—the dim sum at Tim Ho Wan is exactly what you expect dim sum in its purest form to be.

Tokio Joe

New Revi

Japanese. G/F, 16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central, 2525-1889. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30pm-11pm; Sun 6:30pm-11pm. $$$ One would expect to pay about $100 for a drink in any bar in LKF, so it’s no surprise that a couple pieces of spicy salmon roll served here would cost roughly double that. But it was a damn fine roll. In fact, everything we ordered at Tokio Joe was damn fine. The free snacks at this dark-wooded resto alone won us over, and we had yet to even open the menu. We ordered the spicy toro tartare, rock shrimp salad, dynamite roll (tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, crab roe and spicy mayo),

Restaurant Guide 2012

crystal roll (tempura shrimp, garlic chips, cucumber and dried chili rolled in rice paper with sweet miso sauce) and spicy roll combo to start, and every dish was lip-smackingly delicious. The miso sea bass for the main also did not disappoint, with a sweet miso glaze painted over a fresh, succulent chunk of fish. Yes, it’s a little bit bank-breaking, but you’ll definitely see us back here again… and again.

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin Japanese. Shop 3013, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2295-1112. Daily 11:30am-11:30pm. $ Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin in IFC is a very decent place to enjoy the eponymous Japanese pork cutlet done decently in several different ways. Get your donburi, pork katsu, pork katsu sandwiches, minced katsu—you name it. We particularly recommend the donburi with special sauce, and the sandwiches are good too. There are also very generous set meals available, most of which come with unlimited rice.

VeggieSF Vegetarian. 10/F, 11 Stanley St., Central, 3902-3902. Mon-Sat noon-10pm. $ VeggieSF is a cozy little vegetarian café with a big personality. It’s themed around 1950s San Francisco and the moment you step out of the lift, you feel instantly transported to another era. American memorabilia decorates every nook and cranny, and crackly 50s music adds to the relaxed, fun atmosphere. The menu changes weekly except for the two most popular dishes—the beetroot burger and the lasagna. A meal at VeggieSF is a memorable and enjoyable experience.

W52 Italian. 52 Wyndham St., Central, 6768-5252. Daily noon-3pm, 6:30-11:30pm; Fri-Sun noon-11:30pm. $$$-$$$$ The space at W52 is rather nice, and the size of the restaurant allows tables to be positioned quite far apart from each other. We recommend the casoncelli and pears served with butter sauce and

Wagyu was an instant hit and is still packed around the clock, with an upscale clientele checking out the massive wine list, noshing on tapas or going the full monty on a celebration dinner. Wagyu is the marbled beef famous for melting at room temperature and being jam-packed with monounsaturated fats (the good, low-cholesterol kind). You’ll pay for your pleasure but the steaks are juicy, tender and bursting with flavor.

Wakayama

New Revi

Japanese. 3/F, Shop 3020, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2295-1221. Mon-Sat 11:30am-10:30pm; Sun 11am-10:30pm. $$ This ramen and noodle joint at IFC offers tasty inaniwa udon and other starchy goodness in simmering broths, all under a simple but tasteful (no pun intended) environment. The inaniwa udon (a flat, less bouncy cousin of your typical udon) we ordered was delicious. The broth was flavorful, the udon boiled to just the perfect consistency, and the slices of pork were tender and juicy—it’s a dish we would go back there to slurp up all over again.

Wang Fu

New Revi

Chinese. G/F, 65 Wellington St., Central, 2121-8089. Daily 11am-8:30pm. $ We swanned into Wang Fu late one Friday night after a failed search for affordable Peking duck in the Central area. We were one of the last groups of diners, but we were welcomed enthusiastically and shown our table in the humble yet cozy establishment. Ravenous after our wild goose (duck?) chase, we over-ordered, but were pleased with the results. Though most of Wang Fu’s hype is due to its dumplings, we’re not sure how much we’d agree, as one of our dumpling orders was stellar while the other left much to be desired. We could only get a half-order of the pork, shrimp, scallop and yellow chives dumplings—must be a popular choice—and we cleared that plate in seconds. The green onion and mutton dumplings, however, were disappointing, and needed plenty of soy sauce and chili sauce to make up for the lack of flavor. Next up was sautéed sliced fish with sweet and sour sauce. The highlight of the meal, though, was the spicy minced pork noodles, which consisted of dry, cold noodles topped with shredded raw cucumber and minced pork in a savory sauce. The staff also let us linger and finish our meal after closing time. While our meal was a mixed bag, it was nonetheless a decent one.

Wanya Japanese Restaurant New Review

Mid-levels

Japanese. M/F, New World Tower, 18 Queen's Rd. Central, 2521-8807. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm 6-10pm; Sat noon-3pm, 6-10pm. $$$

Hometown Dumpling

Wanya is a popular all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant with typical Japanese décor, even bordering on the slightly underwhelming side. But don’t judge this book by its cover: the food is good, although the deals are all limited to twohour sessions. Also, although there are those who will always be skeptical about the quality of food served at an all-you-can-eat, Wanya does not skimp on quality and freshness. Their menu is broad and features a large range of sashimi, tempura, roast skewer dishes, hotpot and Japanese noodles. Even high-end sashimi such as sea urchin, swordfish and herring are on offer. We ordered their deep-fried oysters, and although they were small, they were sweet and tender. The batter was light and not overly filling or heavy. Our only misgiving would be that they were slightly oily. We advise that you order these cooked dishes early as service takes some time. We also tried their assorted vegetable hotpot. The broth was a tomato base; it was sweet with a rich tomato taste that was not overly sharp. We recommend booking at least one week in advance. The buffet costs around $400 per person including a 10 percent service charge.

Full disclosure: we were loyal Hometown Dumpling customers even before its move from a modest ground floor space to a more posh first floor location down the street. And even with its new tacky floral chairs (versus the humble wooden stools that gave the former place an old world sort of vibe) and high-tech flatscreens blasting Korean dramas in the background, we still adore it. Hometown Dumpling has a dizzying selection of choices on its menu, but all you really need to experience are the dumplings (duh). On this particular visit, we ordered a dish of pan-fried pork and leek dumplings (which cost $10 more than their steamed counterparts) and a plate of stir-fried Shanghai-style noodles. The skins of the dumplings were nice and tough, giving them that priceless chewy quality that made us fall in love with them the first time. The turn on the pan ensured a golden brown crispiness that contrasted with the tender meat inside. But they could’ve stuffed the dumplings with potatoes, for all we cared.

Shandong. 1/F, SoHo Workstation, 110-118 Caine Rd., Mid-levels, 2517-0969. Daily 11am-10pm. $

Yachiyo Japanese. 3/F, SoHo Square, 21 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2815-5766. Daily noon3pm; 6-10pm. $ This no-frills, modern Japanese restaurant is simple and efficient, serving up several varieties of some mean ramen. Besides the usual bowls of soy, miso, and pork-bone-based broths (which are all very savory and satisfying), they have a wide selection of cold dishes. The rose-flavored chilled noodles (with rose tea, rose wine and rose petals) should be a hit with the dainty office lady in your lunch group. Yachiyo also serves tsukemen (Japanese lo-mein), which comes cold with a cup of hot broth on the side.

Zuma Japanese. 5-6/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Rd. Central, 3657-6388. Sun 11:30am-3pm; Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$$ We love the modern Japanese fare at Zuma. This fancy restaurant at the Landmark is popular with the Central crowd, and not only for its trendy bar but also for its selection of sashimi in all shapes and sizes (we recommend the standout yuzu seabass). The place boasts its own fine sake with sweet, wonderful flavors. Zuma also has one of the most-raved-about Sunday brunches in town. Zuma

Restaurant Guide 2012

Panevino

New Revi

Italian. 30-32 Robinson Rd., Mid-levels, 2521-7366. Daily noon-2:30pm; Thu-Sun 6-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 6-11pm. $$$ This intimate diner a couple slopes removed from busy SoHo is showered in warm lighting and has cozy arched brick alcoves framing the wines on the wall. The restaurant, which has relocated from its original Mosque Junction abode, is very atmospheric. We were given an attractive plate of breads, breadsticks and bruschetta and a plate of parmesan on the side to start. The parmesan was shaved from a mound the size of a small wash basin and the generous pieces were delectably crumbly. We moved on to a starter of fritto misto: a scattering of battered fried seafood served with tartar sauce and a slice of lemon. The batter was crispy and not too thick, and the scallops and fish were fresh and juicy, although the prawns were not as succulent as we would’ve liked. We were modestly sated at this point, but soldiered on to the pasta with an order of linguine alle vongole (fresh clams and white wine sauce) and egg tagliolini with fresh crabmeat and cherry tomato. The lightly peppered white wine sauce was a smooth, buttery concoction that seeped deep into the chewy clams, outshining even the delicate texture of the al dente linguine. We were equally satisfied with

their tomato-based dish topped with bite-sized vegetable chunks. There was absolutely no room for dessert or even a proper main after so much starch, so we were content to end the meal there. Great food and ambience and generous starters, but stay away from the lower end wines.

San Xi Lou

New Revi

Sichuan. 7/F and 22/F, Coda Plaza, 51 Garden Rd., Mid-levels, 2838-8811. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $$ Some might argue that there’s little point in reviewing a hotpot restaurant—you cook everything yourself after all, right? But a good hotpot (as any connoisseur knows) is all about a kick-ass broth, fresh ingredients and great sauces. And San Xi Lou has all of these in spades. Go for a fiery Sichuan soup, which comes filled with mouth-numbing peppercorns and fat, angry red chilies, or the milder “miraculous chicken” broth—don’t go for all-spice unless you’re an utter masochist. The pea shoot dumplings are also magnificently fresh.

SoHo La Marmite

New Revi

French. 46 Staunton St., SoHo, 2803-7808. Mon-Fri 11:30am-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 10am-10:30pm. $$$ La Marmite is a classy-casual French bistro on the west end of Staunton—those of us who’ve been here long enough will remember it’s the former home of Allora Wine & Grill and, before that, Cru. The two-story venue is awash in easygoing pale green colors and chat-friendly lighting, giving it a quaint Parisian air with none of the snobbery. The front of the restaurant is exposed, creating an al fresco environment that would be perfect if we were actually on a street in breezy Paris instead of in simmering SoHo—we give them credit for trying. We ordered starters to share; the smoked salmon and caper rillettes (a meat spread that’s similar in consistency to pate) were a delightful savory contrast against bite-sized sourdough thins. A hands-down favorite was the crème brulee foie gras, which was every bit as decadent as it sounds and consisted of a delicately crisp caramelized sugar top

La Marmite

over a sweet, dense pate. We ordered—and devoured with pleasure—many mains, including a fragrant lamb rack accentuated by an Afro-burst of thyme, an almond-crusted sea bass and a linguine with grilled scallops and lobster sauce. The only sticking points were the slightly clueless servers who played peek-aboo with our menus and the artificial-tasting (though refreshing) lychee sherbet. From now on, La Marmite is at the top of our list for a solid SoHo meal.

Restaurant Guide 2012

ham and a wine shelf reaching to the high ceiling. It seats around 20 people. Dinner kicked off with some delicious meat—there are five different types of sliced sausage and ham, and a two-item combo only costs $65. For main courses, we went for penne arrabiata, a classic served with garlic, chili and tomato sauce, and their original, no-cream pasta carbonara, which was rich and tasty with bacon and onion despite being slightly dry. Regular steaks, racks and salmon are also on offer as well as creatively prepared veggie side dishes if you crave something lighter. Do get a glass from their good selection of Italian wine; the 2006 Sengia Rossa is a must-try. The low-key place is set away from the street, which gives it an intimate and private ambience. With decent service, very reasonable prices and classic Sinatra tunes in the background, Mo Bros is an ideal joint for both friendly and romantic meals.

Posto Pubblico Organic, Western. 28 Elgin St., SoHo, 2577-7160. Daily noon-11pm. $$$

Mostaccioli Brothers

Le Bouchon

New Revi

French Bistro. 49 Elgin St., SoHo, 2525-9300. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ Generally speaking, it’s very good. Our duck confit came from a mallard, a wild duck with a gamier flavor and less fat. Definitely a thumbs-up, especially served with rich mustard sauce, as opposed to the hit-and-miss fruit compotes often served with duck confit in this town. One sore spot was the sides. Now, we didn’t mind paying good money for our rich, bubbling pot of beef cheek bourguignon, but 50 bucks for a small pot of fries to soak up the gravy? That’s annoying. And no—calling them frites doesn’t make it worth the extra cash. Dessert was a disappointment: the upside-down apple tart came out mushy, like we were eating applesauce and filo pastry. We’d come again for dinner—the atmosphere is comfortably squashed, and the clutter au français lends a jovial air. Next time, though, we’ll forgo pudding for an extra glass of wine, and just grit our teeth about the sides— if you wanna eat in SoHo, you gotta pay the side-dish tax. Sunday brunch 11am-4pm.

Le Souk

New Revi

Middle Eastern. G/F, 4 Staunton St., SoHo, 2522-2128. Daily 6pm-late. $$ From the folks that brought us Sahara comes Le Souk, a dim, atmospheric spot that looks like the perfect lair for shisha and hummus. Jewel-toned lanterns and tinkling music make for a romantic setting, but on a recent evening the real highlight was the meat. The starters—hummus, a salad and pan-fried halloumi cheese—were yummy, as was the house signature cocktail, a combination of champagne, mint and other booze. But when the main course—an enormous platter of sizzling meat, doused in delicious Moroccan sauce—arrived at the table, our latent carnivores perked up. Generous portions of cous cous and vegetable stew came alongside the tender, flavorful

Restaurant Guide 2012

chicken, beef, lamb and sausage. The service was friendly and attentive, with the head waiter sporting a long tunic and a turban. At the end of the night, we delicately asked if it was traditional attire worn out of observance or a costume. He answered that it was just for fun—and he’s right, it was fun to see a restaurant in high-falutin’ SoHo poke fun at itself a bit. The small restaurant filled up after 8pm, with patrons ranging from couples out for date night to a group birthday dinner. If SoHo’s your neighborhood of choice for a meal out, head to Le Souk for a fun, solid meal.

Life Cafe Vegetarian or Organic. 10 Shelley St., SoHo, 2810-9777. Mon-Fri 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun 9:30am-10pm. $$ Hippies, vegans, Birkenstock-wearers, here is your home. The furniture comes from sustainable forests in Indonesia and the takeaway is organic from vegetarian lasagna to beer. It’s cheerful and sunlit by day, mellow and candlelit by night, whether on the open terrace or in the cozy dining area. The menu caters to vegans and gluten-, garlic-, onion- and wheat-free diets. The Life’s Live Salad has mixed leaves, sprouted organic chickpea dip, mixed nuts, “nutritional yeast,” shredded carrot and beetroot topped with mung bean and alfalfa sprouts.

Mostaccioli Brothers

New Revi

Italian homestyle. B/F, 18 Elgin St., SoHo, 2525-5770. Daily 11am-11pm. $$ Serving home-style Italian-American cuisine, the El Grande-owned Mostaccioli Brothers is the shy little cousin of Grappa’s Cellar and Domani. Cozily located on SoHo’s Elgin Street with a small shop front, the venue is divided into a bar and a restaurant, both featuring outdoor dining/drinking areas. The dining room has an open kitchen with hanging salami and

This eco-conscious Italian resto goes back to the basics with a menu concocted from mainly local, sustainable ingredients. The food is New York-style Italian, and the décor reflects this, with dark woods and bare brick walls. Hip Greenwich Village types come to get their fill of such dishes as veal meatballs and “Brooklyn Special” sandwiches of homemade mozzarella, eggplant and lashings of balsamic vinegar. Their thin-crust pizzas are excellent too, and their bread is baked fresh daily.

Sakesan

New Revi

Robatayaki. G/F, 18 Shelley St., SoHo, 25251660. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ Sakesan is one of the only bars in Hong Kong to stock Japanese Baird beer. Order from a range of dishes fresh from the robata grill, and round out your meal with a dessert; the white peach sake sorbet, perhaps? Wash it all down with one of Sakesan’s vast collection of regional Japanese beers, or with a cocktail made of classic Japanese ingredients such as sake, shochu or awamori. All this in Sakesan’s relaxing, lounge-like atmosphere, accented with splashes of black and gold and colorful sake barrels rimming the bar.

Shelley's Yard

New Revi

Western café. G/F, 14 Shelley St., SoHo, 2810-9326. Daily 7:30am-midnight. $ We dropped in on this little joint in SoHo after hearing about how it serves some of the best (Western) breakfast food in town. We were greeted by friendly staff and cozy, casual décor consisting mostly of wood and warm, earthy tones. We reckon that you can just forget about the dinner and stick with what Shelley’s does best: brunch. We ordered eggs benedict with smoked salmon, a chicken and avocado sandwich and a “basket of fries” (which actually came in a big bowl). We’re a big fan of eggs benedict, and Shelley’s version did not disappoint—the poached eggs were almost creamy, and the Hollandaise sauce was light and subtle in flavor, not overly thick or overwhelming.

The eggs and smoked salmon were served with wilted spinach and whole wheat bread instead of the traditional English muffin. The fries were obviously fresh—nice and fluffy on the inside—and came with a number of interesting seasoning options (we chose smoked paprika with a cumin dip). Unfortunately, the chicken and avocado sandwich was spectacularly bland. Shelley’s attentive staff and convenient location near the bottom of the Mid-Levels Escalator, though, ensures that we’ll be visiting again.

So Bali Bali

New Revi

Indonesian. 31 Elgin St., SoHo, 3489-2318. Daily noon-midnight. $$ So Bali Bali, a casual Indonesian restaurant complete with teak furniture and Balinese artworks, seems a bit incongruous in SoHo. But hey, we’re just happy that someone’s trying to do something different. The mixed satays (two pork, two beef, two chicken) were absolutely delicious. Smothered in a rich peanut sauce, they were juicy and tender in the way that only Indonesian satays can be. The gado gado, a salad of veggies, boiled eggs and peanut sauce was probably one of the best we’ve had. The

vegetables were thinly sliced and the homemade sauce was rich but not overwhelming. The fried beef and potato cakes were something we’d never seen before, so we had to give them a whirl. We were glad we did as we bit down on the crispy crust to get at the fluffy, piping hot potato within. However, the big flunk of the night was the seafood. With fond memories of the fantastic beachside barbecue restaurants in Bali, we went for the baked fish in banana leaf. What a mistake. A tiny whole fish ($168!) came to the table bone-dry. It had a nasty, bitter flavor and was in fact, barely edible. But given how thoroughly we enjoyed our starters, we’d hate to flat-out condemn a restaurant for what seems to be one (admittedly big) misstep. So we’re passing So Bali Bali for now—but failing the fish. Let’s hope the one off-note was an unfortunate anomaly.

Taku Japanese. 35 Elgin St., SoHo, 2545-9966. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$ Yes, an architect from Osaka did the décor—there’s even an old bicycle from the 20s parked outside its charming front door, and once you pass under

Posto Pubblico

Restaurant Guide 2012

the noren, you enter a dimly lit dimension of dark woods, with vintage Japanese bric-a-brac on its walls and around its sushi bar. On every table sits a pot of soy sauce, with a brush in it. It’s used to paint a thin layer of sauce on your sushi and sashimi (we can understand the trepidation of using the same brush that has touched someone else’s raw fish, but chefs in old sushi restaurants in Japan have been doing this for decades). Besides the fresh seafood, there’s a simple menu of grilled items, and the restaurant’s specialty is their house-made tofu.

The Brunch Club European. 70 Peel St., SoHo, 2526-8861. Daily 8am-11pm. $$ This popular eatery is always busy and full, and the simple, white décor and little alfresco area only add to the intimate and cozy vibe. The Brunch Club serves an all-day brunch menu of yummy eggy, fruity and meaty treats but also has solid dinner options at night. This is a great cozy place to hang out, relax and read a magazine. Taku

Restaurant Guide 2012

The Globe Gastropub. 45-53 Graham St., SoHo, 2543-1941. Daily 10-2am. $$ Serving some seriously juicy burgers, succulent bangers and the biggest selection of soul-warming meat pies, The Globe’s gastropub menu is second to none. Their sweet potato, lemongrass and honey soup lets the subtle aroma of lemongrass

pierce the creamy sweet potato puree and is well balanced by the sweet honey finish. It’s no wonder the Globe has racked up such a loyal following of expats and low-key locals who fill this place come weekday dinnertime, and come in droves for their Sunday night roast.

Yellow Door Kitchen Sichuan. 6/F, Cheung Hing Commercial Building, 37 Cochrane St., SoHo, 28586555. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Mon-Sat 6:3010:30pm. $$ This is Hong Kong’s original private kitchen, opened in the late 90s. And it’s still one of the best for those who like it hot. The menu is a combination of Sichuan and Beijing dishes and pretty much everything except the stir-fried baby cabbage is super-spicy. The fish with chili bean paste and beef fillet in spicy sauce for instance arrives in scary-looking bowls of hot chili oil, but are worth burning your tongue for.

The Peak The Peak Lookout International. 121 Peak Rd., The Peak, 2849-1000. Sun-Thu 10:30am-11:30pm; Fri-Sat 10:30-1am. $$$$ The Peak Lookout is a Hong Kong favorite for two reasons: the garden and the heritage building. Even in its previous incarnation as the Peak Cafe, pre-2001, the destination was always more important than the dining. That it doesn’t hit the high notes with foodies is largely thanks to its ambitiously encyclopedic menu that lists everything from Mexican to Chinese. With different chefs specializing in the various cuisines, the food is usually competent but rarely achieves greatness. But step into the old sedan-chair shed, with its stone walls, working fireplace and nostalgic decor—or out onto the patio, with its sizzling barbecue and Southside views—and all is forgiven.

Yellow Door Kitchen

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone2 TST and westward.

Al Molo

Tsim Sha Tsui Above and Beyond

New Revi

Chinese. Above & Beyond, 28/F, Hotel Icon, 17 Science Museum Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3400-1318. Daily 11am-2:30pm, 6-11pm. $$$ With so many solid options already out there, people need a darn good reason to check out yet another Chinese restaurant—and Above & Beyond offers plenty. First is the interior: it’s long and narrow but still manages to feel spacious and inviting (the floor to ceiling windows probably helped). There are lots of brown and gray hues in the furniture and walls, and one doesn’t really get that Chinese banquet hall vibe here—but calling it western would be a mistake, too. Then there’s the spectacular harbor view from the 28th floor. Then, of course, there’s the food. The menu encompasses a variety of innovative dim sum and expertly tweaked Chinese mains. Going for a weekend dim sum lunch, we ordered har gow, spring rolls with crabmeat, scallop and pumpkin cheung fun, steamed beef balls and a bowl of sliced beef

Restaurant Guide 2012

congee mixed with raw egg. Everything was served in a neat and simple format, and there was nothing spectacular about the presentation, but the flavors of each dish were refined and sharp. We especially enjoyed the thick, bubbly congee with swirls of creamy yolk in each spoonful, and the minimally greasy yet very crispy spring rolls. We weren’t too crazy about the pumpkin and scallop combo, although the cheung fun roll itself was smooth and delectable—had we picked a more traditional filling, it would’ve worked wonders. Above & Beyond is also known for hearty dishes like steamed coral crab with glutinous rice, and smoked Bresse pigeon with oolong tea leaves, but we’d recommend coming for dim sum any day of the week.

Al Molo

New Revi

Italian. Shop G63, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Rd.,Tsim Sha Tsui, 2730-7900. Daily noon-10:30pm. $$-$$$ Celebrity chef Michael White, who’s earned obsequious accolades, awards, stars, etc., etc. for New York restaurant Marea, partnered up with F&B conglomerate Dining Concepts to open this casual

Italian joint back in May. On a recent weekend a group of us decided to get a bunch of pizzas—okay, and one salad—and wash ‘em down with a couple rounds of Stellas and Leffes. The pizzas, cooked in a special walk-in oven much touted by the restaurant PRs, were excellent, from the eggplant one, the parma ham and rocket one, down to the mushroom one and the simple margherita. Though they were thin-crust, there was none of that soggy middle portion that seems to plague other pizzerias in the city. Now for the downside: these babies were expensive. (They came to about $140 a piece—and they’re definitely not Paisano’s-sized). And while they must be paying through the nose for their location—Al Molo is right next to BLT Steak along cruise ship pier in front of Harbour City (and in fact, Al Molo means “on the pier” in Italian)—it’s still a little rich for our blood. It’s too bad, because the vibe was great, the décor was homey and the buffet brunch that we eyed as we chomped on our slices looked top-notch. The array of pastas and meat and seafood mains is mouth-watering, but the prices are pretty hefty for those dishes, too. It’s four-star food, that’s for sure, but the dent in our wallets is bringing the final verdict down a notch.

Zone2 with shrimp and scallop—an absolute must-try. The house-made pasta—there are also imported pastas available—is simply prepared, but perfectly combines the freshness of the seafood and richness of the saffron cream, and yet remains light and smooth. Though the lights were a bit too dim and therefore killed part of the vibrant ambience, and let’s just say the famous Italian hospitality doesn’t fully transfer into the service here, An-Tico, with its decent food and price, is worth your consideration if you’re looking for low-key, affordable Italian cuisine.

Aqua Italian, Japanese. 29-30/F, 1 Peking Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3427-2288. Daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight. $$$$ Perched on the top floor of One Peking Road, Aqua boasts an unbeatable view of the harbor. The newly renovated interior is modern-chic, with plenty of plush seating and beautiful private rooms. The restaurant itself is still split into two sections: Aqua Tokyo serves Japanese food, Aqua Roma serves Italian. Expect excellent food, attentive service and innovative dishes—just like the old days.

BLT Steak Angelini Italian Restaurant

Angelini Italian Restaurant Italian. M/F, Kowloon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2733-8750. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$-$$$$ Angelini serves up unpretentious food with an emphasis on seafood and ingredients air-freighted from Italy three times a week. Also has a great harbor view.

An-Tico

New Revi

Western. Shop OTG62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2730-3508. Mon-Fri 11:30am-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-midnight. $$$ The décor at this New York-via-Paris steakhouse is unpretentious, with bare brickwork and homely wooden furnishings complementing the

spectacular harbor view. The mains of grilled spicy tuna steak and NYC striploin are both first-rate, with their unimposing sauces allowing the quality and flavor of the meat to shine through. The staff are highly knowledgeable and can explain where exactly on the cow each cut of meat comes from. Come with a group of friends for a rowdy round of drinks and steaks, and you’ll find yourself very well catered to indeed.

Busy Suzie Robatayaki. Shop 209, 1881 Heritage, 2A Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2369-0077. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$ Lazy it ain’t. Dragon-i founder Gilbert Yeung delivers a bustling and modern robatayaki restaurant. Located under the big tree at 1881 Heritage, the interior is ultra chic and modern, and the food’s pretty good too. For a local venture, it’s definitely authentic, with Miyazaki beef and chicken from Yamaguchi.

Carpaccio Italian. Shop 307, iSquare, 63 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2328-520. Daily 10am-midnight. $$ From the folks behind DiVino, Goccia and Spasso comes this trattoria, which brings simple and fresh Italian food to TST’s iSQUARE mall. It offers simple, back-to-basics fare brimming with authentic Italian flavors. The pasta dishes are delish—go for the pappardelle tossed in a rich seafood sauce and the simple carbonara made in true, traditional fashion with guanciale ham and eggs.

Cucina

Italian. 5/F, Shop 504, The One, 100 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2760-0988. Daily noon-11pm. $$ From the same group that owns Dan Ryan’s, An-Tico, a new enoteca/pizzeria-inspired Italian restaurant located at The One, is obviously aimed at a younger demographic. The impressively spacious venue—with a rare high ceiling—is decorated with black-and-white marble floor and wooden furniture, completed with a big bar area. The menu, though not particularly long, does sport a good variety of quintessential Italian dishes. We started with the resto’s signature dish, An-Tico Wing Bites (available in regular and grande sizes), which was aromatic and tender. Moving on to the muchhighlighted Neapolitan pizzas, of which there were lots of quintessential varieties. We were slightly disappointed—the Seafood Mediterraneo pizza tasted plain and bready, and we could barely tell what “seafood” was on it. The Eggplant Parmigiana from the vegetarian section, with grilled eggplant covered with tomato, basil and mozzarella, is worth trying. But the ultimate salvation was the tagliatelle

Restaurant Guide 2012

Felix

Dim Sum Bar

Guo Fu Lou

Celestial Court

Chung Gye Chon

Cantonese. 2/F, Sheraton Hong Kong, 29 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2369-1111. Mon-Sat 11:30am-3pm, 6-10:30pm; Sun 10:30am-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $$

Korean. G/F, Shop A&B, 1J Kimberley St., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2367-8895. Daily 6pm-12:30am. $$

Changwon Korean Restaurant

Various mini plates of panchan welcome the diner at the beginning of each meal, including glistening cubes of glutinous potato flour topped with a tangy chili sauce and some of the zestiest kimchi in town. Bibimbap sizzles in a hot stone pot as crackling rice, copious julienned veggies and egg get tossed with Gochujang chili paste. Spring onion and seafood pajeon form a golden pillow of criss-crossing spring onions and tender morsels of squid, clam and surimi. It’s a pain to get through the gates of Chung Gye Chon, but once in, you’re guaranteed K-classics prepared to perfection. And they also have marbled monster steaks for grilling on the barbie, if you’re so inclined.

Korean. 1G Kimberley St., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2368-4606. Daily noon-5am. $$

Cucina

This restaurant is famous for its dim sum, but definitely go during dinnertime to relish their creative takes on Cantonese cuisine. The seasonal clay pot of braised Asian mushrooms, black chicken and frog is a hit, succulent and sharp with ginger, perfect with a bowl of white rice. Their culinary highlight is a whole suckling pig stuffed with pearl barley, mushrooms and black truffle, which you undeniably must order (in advance of course).

This is the restaurant that started it all. Opened in 1976, Changwon is the first Korean restaurant on Kimberley Street, where Korean Street slowly developed into what it is now. Changwon is not cheap but it has the best dishes of the most authentic style. We love their grilled monkfish, spicy hotpot with ox offal and braised short ribs.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Brunch, Café. 6/F, Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel, Harbour City, 5-25 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2113-0808. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$ Cucina is officially Italian-Chinese but, mind you, it’s not a fusion restaurant. Rather, it serves authentic dishes from the two cuisines alongside one another. Take, for example, the deliciously juicy and tender suckling pig and al dente pasta dishes and western sides, such as the creamy truffle mash potato.

New Revi

Dim Sum. Shop G103, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 5-25 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2175-3100. Daily 11am–11pm. $$ Owned by Café Deco Group, Dim Sum Bar is a chic, modern and brightly lit restaurant that serves its namesake in scrumptious, creative varieties. We highly recommend the oozing chocolate, custard and barbecue pork buns.

Dong Lai Shun Taiwanese. B/F, The Royal Garden Hotel, 69 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2733-2020. Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ Established in Beijing since 1903, this restaurant serves high-end Beijing and Huaiyang cuisine. Anything made with lamb is a highlight, especially the Inner Mongolian mutton hotpot during winter months.

Felix Modern European. 28/F, The Peninsula, Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-3188. Daily 6pm-2am. $$$$ Felix is still one of the swankiest restaurants in town, with Philippe Starck décor and its famous bathrooms. The small, space-age bar is great for pre- or post-dinner cocktails while the kitchen does some amazing fusion dishes that have made Felix more than just a tourist destination.

Harlan's

FINDS

Hugo’s New Revi

Northern European. 1/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberly Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2522-9318. Mon-Fri 6:30am-midnight; Sat 6:30-2am; Sun 6:30am-11pm. $$$ Admittedly the interior isn’t our fave, and we believe that the former, white-on-white Nordic north design in their previous LKF digs is preferred over the new “Scandinavian summer” look. But in terms of the food, it certainly didn’t disappoint. We tried their spanking new spring menu, boasting items that are farm-fresh and in season. Starters range from a standard (albeit super fresh) green salad to a so-so mackerel mousse. Mains prove far better—the seared cod is quite simply one of the best we’ve had, especially with a side of pea puree. However, it was the succulent spring lamb with accompanying edamame and spring root veggies that was the showstopper of the evening. Grilled hunks of juicy, melt-in-your-mouth lamb were seared and spiced to perfection. The minimalism of the dishes really made us appreciate the natural flavors of the ingredients and it’s clear that extra care was put into the complementing sides. By the time we got around to our boozy banana cream dessert, even the décor was growing on us—from the playful projection of a wood burning fireplace on the wall to the chic floral patterned chairs and undulating wood panels on the ceiling.

g.e

New Revi

Gaylord Indian. 1/F, 23-25 Ashley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2376-1001. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-11pm. $$ This long-standing Indian restaurant and their cheerful staff have been serving classy Indian cuisine to TST for years. The creamy daal and the butter chicken is to die for. The other highlight is their Indian band with the tabla beats and the droning sitar, performing live every night.

Guo Fu Lou Cantonese. 31/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2487-3788. Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $$ Guo Fu Lou showcases a refined contemporary Chinese ambience with wooden screens, low-lit lamps and a touch of art deco glamour. In addition to an extensive a la carte menu, ten set menu selections are offered for business or personal dinner parties. Cantonese banquet signatures include baked chicken in rock salt and Yoshihama abalone with goose web, executed under the watchful eye of Executive Chef Chan Yau-leung, formerly a key chef from Fook Lam Moon.

Contemporary. 2/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3763-8803. Tue-Sun 7pm-10:30pm. $$$ The tantalizingly quirky gastronomie extraordinaire (a.k.a. g.e) is an exclusive fine dine with a dining room that seats a modest 12 (not counting private

function rooms that come with a minimum charge). Headed by chef Gianluigi Bonelli, g.e is the city’s first “progressive dining” establishment, and each dish is created with spontaneity as the key element.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Harlan's International. 19/F, The One, 100 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2972-222. Daily 11:30am-10:30pm. $$$$ Harlan’s has been wowing the well-heeled crowd since it opened, and it’s still packing ‘em in on a

nightly basis. The view alone makes this destination dining, but the food is equally stellar: innovative, light, fresh and utterly contemporary. Go for the simple six-oyster set or one of the signature dishes. We recommend the slow-cooked wagyu beef cheek with mashed potatoes and cipolle gravy, and the spaghetti with half lobster, basil, tomatoes, fennel and shellfish sauce.

Hoi King Keen Chinese. B2/F, InterContinental Grand Stanford Hotel, 70 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2731-2883. Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6:30-11pm. $$-$$$ Located in the hotel basement, the restaurant is neither too kitsch nor too Chinese—a good thing. The Peking duck comes with the whole presentation; the “lotus leaf pancakes” are nicely steamed on top of the stove and there are individual sets of sauce and spring onions for each person. The signature beef dish with asparagus, raisin and beans, apparently an award-winner, is also nice.

Hugo's Western. Lobby, Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha Tsui, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2311-1234. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-11pm. $$$$ Everyone’s delighted that this old TST restaurant has been revived in the new Hyatt Regency on Hanoi Road. It’s all about old-fashioned elegance and classic western dishes here—from steaks to lobster and everything in between—and the discreet, almost clairvoyant service is the kind that’s hard to come across these days.

flair. Seafood takes center stage here and the restaurant offers a wide array of freshly caught fish. Choose your catch and then tell the kitchen team how you’d like it prepared. Otherwise, put your trust in the restaurant’s recommendations and go for their signature juicy baked oysters in spicy Sichuan sauce or geoduck simmered in consommé.

Nobu Japanese. InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2313-2323. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-11pm. $$$$

Nanhai No. 1

This place is mind-blowingly artistic in presentation, design and execution. The quality standards of every dish are so stringent and precise we wouldn’t have noticed if Nobuyuki Matsuhisa was serving us personally. Awash in ambient amber and rose lighting, Nobu has a stunning floor-to-ceiling view of the harbor, bathed in sunshine by day and glowing with the city lights by night. The blindingly fast chefs create some of the freshest, purest and most innovative Japanese food we’ve ever eaten.

Nomads Kaika Japanese. 19/F, The One, 100 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2972-2888. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$$$ Kaika is the first of the popular Japanese teppanyaki chain to open here in Hong Kong. Nestled high up in The One, this 60-seat restaurant is designed with exclusivity in mind—browns and golds, with two VIP rooms accommodating six to eight guests each. You can’t go wrong with their wide range of fancy delicacies, including the foie gras, abalone, spiny lobster, scallops and organic Japanese vegetables imported fresh from Japan.

Loong Toh Yuen Cantonese. 3/F, 1881 Heritage, Hullett House, 2A Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3988-0000. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Daily 6-11pm; Sat 11:30am-3:30pm; Sun 11am-3pm. $$$ Loong Toh Yuen has an unbeatable ambience. The paper lantern-lined corridor that leads to the stone courtyard of the Hullett House really gives this Cantonese restaurant an elegant Chinese feel. The restaurant serves dim sum in the afternoons, and you can expect dishes like the deep fried shrimp rolls made with thousand year egg and mayonnaise sauce and deep fried mashed potato dumplings. Staple mains are seafood-focused, like the stewed mini abalone with quail egg in spiced pu-erh tea leaves.

Main St. Deli American. G/F, Langham Hotel, 8 Peking Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2375-1133. Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-11pm. $$$ This place is based on New York’s famous Second Avenue Deli and the interior tries hard to mimic the

Restaurant Guide 2012

ambiance and attitude. Indeed, there are few places in the city that feature stacked Reuben sandwiches, monster burgers, or even an authentic Greek salad with feta cheese, Kalamata olives, romaine lettuce, cucumber, red onions and sweet bell pepper.

Mochi Café Japanese. G/F, 19-23 Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3598-6282. Daily noon-3pm. $ Symphonic slurping with intermittent “mmm…” sounds resonate in this tiny noodle noshery. Social niceties seem to fly out the window, as everyone is utterly hypnotized by Mochi Café’s soupy noodle goodness. Soft pork bone udon noodles ($62) bubble in a steaming stone pot. Luscious locks of handcut udon are thick and delightfully springy, while marinated pork knuckles are remarkably tender.

Morton's Of Chicago American. 4/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Tower, 20 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui 2732-2343. Mon-Sat 5:30-11pm; Sun 5:30-10pm. $$$$ One of the best steak restaurants in Hong Kong, with prices to match. Expect huge slabs of prime, aged beef and what looks like the winning entries in a vegetable show. The trolley covered with various cuts and veggies is also helpful, if a little stagey, and the service is impeccable.

Nanhai No. 1 Chinese. 30/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2487-3688. Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $$$ Elite Concepts brings high-end Chinese dining to iSQUARE mall’s coveted top floors. Nanhai No. 1 does classic Chinese fare with a slightly modern

New Revi

Mongolian BBQ. Shop A, G/F, 53-59 Kimberley Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2722-0733. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $ Nomads has been kicking around on Kimberley Road for years—and the Mongolian BBQ establishment looks like it’s still going strong. We rolled in late-ish one Saturday evening for their dinner buffet and were greeted by a buzzing crowd and plenty of (faux?) sheepskin. Nomads’ theme seemed to be “furry stuff”—the backs of chairs were draped in wool, skins decorated the walls, even the lampshades were fuzzy. We immediately made a beeline for the BBQ. You take a bowl and a cup for sauce, then heap up your bowl with food from the different stations. Then hand your food to one of the chefs behind the counter, go back to your seat and wait for one of the servers to bring your meal once it’s cooked. We were a little disappointed with the paltry attempts at starters and desserts that comprised the rest of the buffet. The staff was also somewhat harried due to the influx of guests, but we suppose that can’t be helped. Nomads may not be the finest dining for $195 per person, but it can be a source of endless entertainment for groups of friends. Nomads

Okapi Belgian. 8 Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2368-7299. Mon-Sat noon-11:30pm; Sun noon-11pm. $$ The high ceiling and rich brown tones give this place an elegant grandeur. Hanging lights are tinted with gold without being gaudy, and the brown leather seats are set around white-clothed tables for a simple but classic touch. Okapi serves modern European fare, with a special focus on Belgian cuisine. The pan-fried New Zealand flounder is prepared whole, which retains the fishâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s maximum freshness and beautiful natural flavors. Okapiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature Belgian style mussel pot is also a must-try.

Osteria Italian. M/F, Holiday Inn Golden Mile, 50 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-1010. Daily noon-2am. $$$

Osteria

Restaurant Guide 2012

This classy eatery has become the canteen for Italian expats looking for a dose of authentic Italian food. The place is perpetually packed with regulars enjoying great homestyle cooking. The pastas are cooked to al dente

perfection. The sumptuous risottos are also a must-try. Osteria’s lunch buffet spreads are amazing, with a selection of homemade sausages and breads on top of salads, cold cuts and other delicious starters.

Regal Court Cantonese. 2/F, Regal Kowloon Hotel, 71 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2813-8681. Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ Find old-Guangzhou and Sichuan-style delicacies at this traditional Chinese restaurant.

Shang Palace Cantonese. L/G1, Kowloon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2733-8754. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-11pm, Sun 10:30am-3pm; 6-11:30pm. $$$ The royal red interior is decked out like an ancient Chinese kingdom, complete with beautiful paintings and hanging golden lanterns. The authentic yet ever-innovative Cantonese cuisine doesn’t lose out to the beautiful décor though—carefully crafted

dishes have garnered Shang Palace a well deserved two Michelin star rating.

Spoon

Spoon by Alain Ducasse French. InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2313-2256. Daily 6-11pm; Sun noon-2:30pm. $$$$ This restaurant by celebrity chef Alain Ducasse is gorgeous, with a spectacular view. The menu has recently undergone a revamp, now with even more innovative takes on classic French cuisine. The food is skillfully prepared, the appetizers particularly transcendent.

Spring Deer Restaurant Chinese. 2/F, 42 Mody Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2366-4012. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $-$$ Spring Deer’s modesty and authenticity is endearing. The restaurant hasn’t changed at all for decades, and neither has the friendly, uncle-like staff. As the most celebrated dish, their Peking duck has never failed. The skin is crispy and the meat is juicy with just the right thickness. A pleasant back-

Restaurant Guide 2012

to-basics experience if you’re tired of fusion food and over-trendy, over-welcoming staff.

Steik World Meats Steakhouse. 3/F, 14, K11, 18 Hanoi Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2530-0011. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $$-$$$ Steik World is a friendly yet plush and intimate place for a quiet, lingering dinner. Far and away the most popular choice is the seven-ounce sharing platter of Australian wagyu, Scottish grass-fed sirloin and American grain-fed rib-eye. The meal comes—as in all great steak restaurants—with no small amount of fanfare, from choosing your own steak knife to sampling the many mustards, sauces and condiments on offer.

Steik World Meats

Restaurant Guide 2012

Stone Steak House

New Revi

Sushi Hiro

French steakhouse. 18/F, H8 Building, 8 Hau Fook St., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2366-5600. Daily noon-3am. $$

japanese. 7/F, The Toy House, 100 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2377-9877. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-11:30pm. $$$$

There’s a problem when the food mentioned in the restaurant’s name is the one thing holding the place back, while the most memorable entree was nowhere to be found on the menu. This dimly lit and relaxed French-style steakhouse looks both trendy and spacious. The resto was all out of their signature Australian master wagyu rib at 8pm on a Saturday night. The under-seasoned and overly trimmed Salers beef rib-eye had no visible marbling of fat, and was boring and chewy. The American black Angus prime beef striploin—cooked in the kitchen—was almost as bad as the rib-eye; it was well done when we asked for it to be medium rare. If it wasn’t for the massive lobster bisque-based hotpot one of us tried instead of the steak (and which we had to ask about when we saw someone else doing it), there would’ve been more grudge for this “Steak House.” Stone also redeemed itself with the mashed potatoes, onion soup, oysters and an addictive cocktail shrimp served with homemade mayo, plus a chilled strawberry soup dessert served with a warm madeleine.

The place is well-lit, has a raw bar right at the door and partitions for privacy. The presence of Japanese salarymen is always a good sign. With Japanese cuisine, sometimes there are so many items to choose from that you become lost. And that’s where Hiro comes in with a good range of set menus. It’s not cheap, but we’re not complaining. We couldn’t get enough of that raw fish so we also ordered a fancy platter featuring eight types of sashimi, each with three pieces. A highlight is the ligament-free, melt-in-your-mouth toro, while the yellowtail and salmon are thick, fresh and very filling.

Steik World Meats

Restaurant Guide 2012

The Steak House Wine Bar & Grill

Restaurant Guide 2012

of ways and one of the best creamed spinach this reviewer’s ever had.

The Steak House Wine Bar & Grill New Review

Tonikaku

Steak. LG/F, InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2313-2323. Mon-Sat 6-11pm; Sun noon2:30pm. $$$$-$$$$$

Japanese. Shop 108-109, Intercontinental Plaza, 94 Granville Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3422-8885. Daily noon2:30pm, 6-11:30pm. $$

With a name like “The Steak House” comes a challenge: is it really the steakhouse above all steakhouses? Without leading our readers on, we’re just going to tell you right off the bat that meat lovers will fall head over heels in love with this restaurant. From the extensive wine list to the knowledgeable staff to the wonderful selection of knives to the fit-for-every-occasion atmosphere (a romantic rendezvous, a gentleman’s birthday dinner and so on) to each delicious dish, this is the steak we’ve been looking for. We ordered (from our light-up dinner menus) New Orleans-style crab cakes, lobster bisque and onion soup for appetizers, then every cut of steak under the sun, burgers, salmon and pork for our main dishes, as well as two types of steamed vegetables (the best being the brussels sprouts with bacon), potato sides cooked all kinds

This is some of the best Japanese food you’re likely to get at this affordable price. The place is regularly jammed with Japanese expats. We tried some standout sashimi but the tempura is impeccable too. The best dish by far is the raw mackerel—not on the menu but it’s worth asking for. The butter-like texture is simply exquisite.

New Revi

Ningbo. Shop 2501, iSquare, 63 Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3153-2188. Daily 11am-2:30; 6-11pm. $$$ W1 Restaurant, headed by executive chef and general manager David Bai Yongcuan, is exclusively dedicated to Ningbo cuisine from Zhejiang province on the eastern coast of China. The restaurant specializes in a variety of seafood dishes that are native to the turf, and savoriness is the main

element in many of their signatures. When we walked in for dinner one night, we saw the faux gems on the booth seats, the mirrors on the ceiling and smiled. Yup, this is an authentic Chinese restaurant alright, one that is proud of its tawdry décor and the half-hearted translations on its menu. We decided to settle for one of W1’s tasting menus, served in nine courses including appetizer, soup and dessert. The salted mackerel starter was a tough and concentrated slab of bone-lined meat that paired nicely with pickled vegetables and braised chicken wings on the side. The mild and soothing crabmeat and wintermelon “gung” (thick soup) and incredibly tender braised pork and radish also made it onto our praise list. We felt that the crispy and generous fried king prawn could afford to be more mildly seasoned, although after a sip of chrysanthemum tea our palates were ready for more. The succulent steamed silver skin fish in Chinese huadiao wine was our favorite of the night. The huadiao was a subtly floral element in the mostly savory sauce, which kept the dish true to the philosophy of Ningbo cuisine.

Wa-En Japanese. 4/F, The Toy House, 100 Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 3428-3345. Daily noon-3pm, 6:30-11pm. $$ Wa-En’s clientele consists mostly of Japanese expats and those in search for five-star-worthy food. The Super Mecha Godzilla Wagyu beef platter is marbled with fat and arrives unseasoned, allowing diners to enjoy the full natural flavors of the meat. Not cheap, but worth it as an occasional indulgence.

West Kowloon Grand Central Bar & Grill Western. Shop R001, 3/F, Civic Square, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 27364888. Sun-Thu 10am-midnight; Fri-Sat 10am-late. $$ Serving East Coast fare, this stylish 2-level restaurant encompasses the all-American sports bar concept, with its exposed iron beams, steel columns and base-builded concrete walls. They’ll show all major sporting events live across multiple TV screens, and you can even find a chilled raw bar complete with live oysters, crab, shrimp, and many other fresh crustaceans built into the bar area. And what American restaurant comes without a signature BBQ baby back ribs dish or a juicy burger made from wagyu beef over a charcoal grill.

Inakaya

New Revi

Japanese. Shop A, 101/F, International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2972-2666. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-11pm. $$$ Readers, you ready for the highest robatayaki joint in the world? Inakaya currently boasts this title, but it’s really an unneeded gimmick. Their robata counter is one of the prettiest in the city; plates and plates of colorful vegetables, meats and seafood are spread out flat in front of the patrons, and at the wave of a finger, kneeling chefs will pass the ingredient of your

Whisk European. The Mira Hong Kong, Nathan Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2315-5999. Daily 11:30am-10pm. $$$ Whisk is sophistication with a hip edge. The restaurant is decked out in space-chic monochromes and designer furnishings. It’s connected to a beautiful outdoor garden roof terrace, where guest DJs spin tunes amid comfy, canopied tables and lush greenery. It’s all about contempoFrench cuisine made with the freshest seasonal ingredients here, and the menu changes regularly. This is continental fine dining at its best.

Whisk

Restaurant Guide 2012

Inakaya

choice onto their cute little (OK, maybe not so little) wooden paddles and grill them to perfection, for your unrestrained consumption. Inakaya’s got some crazy good corn—naturally sweet, with that oh-so-irresistible aroma that’s not unlike a bag of freshly popped kernels. We also recommend their buttery pumpkin slices, mushrooms, scallops and gargantuan king crab legs. You should know that Inakaya’s not only about the robata— they’ve got teppanyaki stations and a sushi/sashimi bar too—but DEFINITELY do the robata while you’re there.

Kowloon Tang

New Revi

Chinese. Shop R002-003, 3/F, Roof Deck, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2811-9398. Daily noon-7pm. $$$$ Backed by Media Asia chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok and sister restaurant of the David Tangdesigned Island Tang, Kowloon Tang is a posh Chinese fine-dine with the dishes to back it up. The restaurant has a bit of a personality disorder, it’s true—the signboard with the cutesy bubble letters depicting its name is very misleading, and the al fresco tables at the front make the restaurant blend right in with the other western bar-slash-restos lining the block. But once you walk in, it’s

Restaurant Guide 2012

a whole different universe: ceiling fans, dark carpets, leather and white tablecloths transport you back to an era of Old World opulence. The menu emphasizes meat-heavy and strongly flavored Dongguanstyle dishes, but for some reason also offers traditional Peking duck roasted by a chef straight from Beijing. Prices hover between the low hundreds to $598 for the duck— but you can get into the thousands with the market price seafood if you really wanted to. We fully relished our mains of savory garlic prawns with vermicelli, stewed pork belly with preserved vegetables wrapped in feather-light crispy rice paper, KT’s signature crispy chicken, and seasonal mustard greens with bean curd sheets and shallots. And while the two-course Peking duck didn’t exactly steal the show—given the excellent quality of the other dishes—it stood out with its golden, dissolvable skin and its second course of tasty pink meat wrapped up in the tiniest lettuce leaves (which the resto was also quite stingy with—we had to ask for a re-stock of the greens to finish our heaping pile of meat). We recommend saving room for the western-style desserts: the dainty soufflé and chocolate cake with sorbet are an unorthodox end, but hey, it’s a bang-on end.

Papi

New Revi

Italian. Shop R011, Elements Mall, 1 Austin Rd., West Kowloon, 2811-2681. Sun-Thu 11:30am-midnight; Fri-Sat 11:30-1am. $$$ For those of you who think finger food goes only with your cocktails and has no place at the dinner table, think again. Italian establishment Papi (derived from the words pasta and pizza, natch) is wholeheartedly embracing “small-plate dining” with its many finger foods and “fork foods” that are meant to be shared amongst the table in traditional Italian family style, encouraging close conversation over a meal. This resto is warm and welcoming, with simple wooden flooring and furniture and a brightly-lit, open interior. Jars and bottles of Italian spices crowd the walls, and their kitchen is open, so perhaps you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of one of the chefs preparing your plates. All of Papi’s fare have traditional Italian roots—from small-plate options to pastas, pizzas and roasts. Papi serves a wide range of dishes, including Papi’s meatballs, Parmigiano cheese with balsamic vinegar and fresh grape and dry cured pork rind with Mascarpone cheese. If you prefer dishes that you can really sink your teeth into, Papi has daily pastas and roasts to choose from. Papi also has a bar with plenty of signature cocktails and wines.

Sing Yin Cantonese. 1/F, W Hotel, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 3717-222. Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ This stylishly furnished Cantonese restaurant serves dim sum and classic Chinese specialties at the equally stylish W Hotel. Chef Bryan Lee takes dumplings and other delicacies to whole new levels, putting heart and effort into each of his creations.

Tin Lung Heen Chinese. 102/F, ICC, 1 Austin Rd. West, West Kowloon, 2263-2270, Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm. $$$$ Have a memorable dining experience at the glitzy Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong. Soaring high above the city on the 102nd floor, Tin Lung Heen serves a refined Cantonese feast fit for a king.

Wooloomooloo Australian. 2/F, Shop 2100, Elements, 1 Austin Rd. West, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2736-9771. Mon-Thu 10am-10pm, Fri-Sun 10:30am-10:30pm. $$$$ This Aussie steakhouse is chic but still laid-back and casual. Food is a little on the pricey side but the steaks are well worth it. The tender cuts of meat are seared to a smoky perfection on the outside but remain deliciously juicy on the inside.

Tin Lung Heen

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone3 Wan Chai and Admiralty. Admiralty Café Gray Deluxe European. 49/F, The Upper House, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 3968-1106. Daily 6am-10:30pm. $$$$ Helmed by Michelin-star chef Gray Kunz, who made his name internationally in the 1980s when he ran the kitchen at Plume in the former Regent Hotel (now the InterContinental), this new “grand café” is located on the 49th floor and serves up modern interpretations of classic European cuisine, made from fresh, organic ingredients. The food (like the braised short ribs) is definitely the star of the show here, but also competing for your attention is a spectacular 14-meter bar, a symmetrical theater kitchen and spectacular harbor views.

Domani Italian. 4/F, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2111-1197. Daily noon-10:30pm. $$$$$ Domani is big, bold and beautifully Italian. Located on top of the bustling Pacific Place in a secluded paradise of its own, the restaurant serves appetizers and signature dishes including beef carpaccios, lobster spaghetti primi piatti, pan-fried scampi and beef tenderloin. The prices are on the higher end but when one considers the quality of the food, the math does work out.

Estudio Ibérico Spanish. LG, Great Food Hall, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2537-2038. Daily 11am-10pm. $$ An authentic tapas bar experience in the middle of a supermarket? You betcha. GREAT Food Hall’s Estudio Ibérico has been getting promising reviews since it opened. The small island bar (which can seat 12-14 diners) offers a menu of traditional Spanish snacks and nibbles. As the name suggests, the main selling point is the top-notch Ibérico ham, and Estudio happens to stock the finest pata negra from the famed Spanish 5J brand. Whole legs of ham are displayed behind the counter, and those who dine at the bar can watch as the staff hand-carve paper-thin slices to order (pre-sliced packages are sold from the deli counter). They also do a menu of traditional tapas, including pan con tomate (bread topped with a garlicky diced tomato mixture), tortilla Española (Spanish egg and potato omelet), calamares (squid) in squid ink, and croquetas de jamon (croquettes stuffed with 5J ham and creamy béchamel sauce). And of course, since no tapas experience is complete without alcohol, Estudio offers an impressive repertoire of Spanish wines, sherries and beers. Especially noteworthy is the Estrella Damm Inedit beer, which was co-created by El Bulli’s master chef Ferran Adrià. Café Gray Deluxe

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone3 Ruth's Chris Steak House Steakhouse. Lippo Centre, 89 Queensway, Admiralty, 2522-9090. Daily noon-11pm. $$$$ Craving steaks? Book a table at Ruth’s Chris. This is the perfect place to tuck into prime Australian Angus or US beef. A steak meal for two can easily cost more than $1,000, but if you’ve got the cash, it’s worth every cent.

Ye Shanghai Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Grappa's Italian. Shop 132, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2868-0086. Daily 9:30pm-midnight. $$$ Since it opened in 1990, this stalwart has been popular with those seeking casual Italian dining, a fun happy hour or a refuge from the weekend shopping hordes. The bright, cheerful bar smells of bread and fragrant Italian herbs. The sauces, pastas, sausages and desserts are all produced in Grappa’s own kitchen, using imported Italian semolina flour and cheeses. The seafood dishes do well—calamari, scampi and salmon are all good as appetizers or mains. The pizza is a solid choice, but not cheap (nothing is, really). And we love the tiramisu.

Shanghainese. 3/F, 332, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2918-9833. Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $$$ This local stalwart is all about old-school Shanghai refinery and excellent, traditional cuisine. Diners also flock here for the xiaolongbao dumplings, which are not to be missed. Chef’s specials include the sauteed bean jelly with river shrimps and fresh water crab meat as well as the hairy crab.

Zelo Mediterranean. LG, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2918-1028. Daily noon-11pm. $$$ Zelo has a stylish, eco-chic atmosphere that is playfully imaginative, from the charming dollhouse furniture to the towering walls of wooden wine boxes. Zelo offers a safe and predictable menu of Mediterranean classics: lasagne, wagyu beef burger, steak, lamb shank and pan-roasted salmon.

Wan Chai Amuse Bouche French. 22/F, The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai, 2891-3666. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Daily 6:30-10:30pm. $$$ With jaw-dropping views of Wan Chai from its 22nd floor vantage point, Amuse Bouche offers modern French-fusion cuisine in cool but classy surroundings. Their regularly rotating lunch menu is definitely worth a try.

Assaggio

New Revi

Italian. Assaggio, 6/F, Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2877-3999. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $$$ This resto is divided into different areas, the most impressive being the dimly lit dining room with big windows that face Central and the harbor. Menu offerings range from antipasti to pizzas to hearty secondi. All the dishes were well-presented and tasted excellent; the meat was done to our specifications—a relief for anyone who often tries but fails to order medium rare in this town. Though other Italian restaurants might offer similar fare at slightly lower prices, Assaggio is nonetheless reasonably priced. Plus, its atmosphere and views make it a great spot for a date or an intimate meal with friends, ideally before a theater performance.

Metropol Dim Sum. 3/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Admiralty, 2865-1988. Daily 8am-midnight. $ The cooking stations at the center of the restaurant will entice you with their live demonstrations, along with their standard dim sum offerings. The colorful desserts behind the glass counter are also a good bet. Steamed beef balls, hargow and shiumai, cheung fun and pork dumplings are wheeled around in traditional trolleys for an authentic yum cha experience. Metropol is as good an option as any for a casual Sunday dim sum.

Restaurant Petrus French. 56/F, Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2820-8590. Daily 6:30-10:30am, noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$$$ This Michelin two-star eatery can best be equated with a fine wine: expensive but so pleasing to the palate that it’s worth the money. The décor is opulent and the ambience luxurious, hushed and formal. The food is French haute cuisine, with no fusion flourishes or contemporary re-imaginings, and the ingredients are flown in from France. There are more than 1,000 choices on the wine list, said to be the longest and perhaps the best in Asia, with some rare vintages at stratospheric prices. Jacket required. Assaggio

Restaurant Guide 2012

Chez Patrick Deli

New Revi

French. 3 Star St., Wan Chai, 2527-1408. Mon-Sat 11am-11pm. $$-$$$ Chez Patrick has opened a new, more casual outlet near its old shuttered haunts on Sun Street, in that ever-more-gentrifyed area of Wan Chai near Pacific Place Three. The vibe is spot-on: a bright and airy space with chilled wooden tables and benches, and a counter with cushy high stools perfect for catching up over a glass of wine. French staples such as tartlets, sea bass and beef tenderloin are all on the menu. A word of warning: if you’re new to the nuances of French cuisine, inquire before you order.

Duetto Fusion. 2/F, Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2598-1222. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$

Bo Innovation

Ba Sushi

ew New Revi

Bo Innovation

Japanese. Shop 1-3, 14 Burrows St., Wan Chai, 2893-2282. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $

Asian Molecular. 2/F, 60 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 2850-8371. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Mon-Sat 7pm-midnight. $$$-$$$$

Sushi restaurants in Hong Kong are a dime a dozen, but how often do you find a place that has solid food, a homey atmosphere and low prices? Ba Sushi is that rare beast, located mid-way between Wan Chai and Causeway Bay on a quiet street off Johnston Road. It’s got an extensive menu that ranges from sushi and sashimi to ramen and udon, but we always go straight for the special rolls. Favorites include the shrimp tempura roll with avocado and cucumber and the deep fried soft-shell crab roll with avocado and crab roe. Another roll, made up of fried tuna and lettuce, contains a touch of mayonnaise, so it’s like eating a deliciously deconstructed tuna fish sandwich. These will run you anywhere from $25-$50 (but they’re huge); hand rolls and sushi cost less on average. The restaurant is usually comfortably full, but on a recent weekend afternoon it was the prefect place to kick back with a book and some raw fish. The décor is nothing to speak of, but that’s part of Ba Sushi’s charm—it’s all about the food. Plus, after you pay the (thankfully reasonable) bill, they give you a little packet with a cold ice cream mochi inside. A sweet end to a suh-weet meal.

Bo Innovation by “devil chef” Alvin Leung is known for its innovative takes on Asian cuisine. Xiaolongbao get transformed into different shapes, textures and sizes, things don’t look like they’re supposed to—we’re sure you get the idea. The restaurant offers different lunch, dinner, chef’s and tasting menus to suit all appetities and moods.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Cépage European. 23 Wing Fung St., Wan Chai, 2861-3130. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 7-11pm. $$$$ Cépage is Singaporean fine dining restaurant Les Amis’s Hong Kong outpost. There are just 56 seats for maximum privacy—and exclusivity of course. Dishes are intricately prepared, including their caviar on petals of potato salad with herbs, and their grilled amadai with vin-jaune and black truffle. And with a cellar of more than 8,000 bottles, this is a wine-lover’s dream restaurant. Be warned: Cepage is toe-curlingly expensive, but hey, you might spot a tycoon or two.

You’ve probably already heard about the bizarre concept behind Duetto. The restaurant aims to bring the best of Italian and Indian dining together under one roof. The atmosphere is nice enough; the interior is split into two spacious rooms with stylish oak wood décor, joined by a large terrace that overlooks the harbor. But once we sat down and opened the menu, the identity crisis at the heart of the place became all too jarring. Lists of dishes from the two different traditions sit side by side, with the occasional crossover dish such as the half-chicken-tikka-half-seafood pizza. We ordered the seabass roll and the chicken tikka, along with some missi roti. To judge from the two main courses, their Indian dishes are stronger.

Dumpling Pro

New Revi

Northern Chinese. G/F Fu Yue Building, 243 Jaffe Rd., Wan Chai, 2877-2827. Daily 11am-midnight. $ As you’d hope from the name, Dumpling Pro really gets their dumplings right. Our pork and chive dumplings—wrapped to order—were well-stuffed and had plenty of vegetables: an excellent thing in a dumpling, where all too often an MSG-stuffed meat takes over. The vegetarian dumplings were very good also, stuffed with cabbage, carrot and water chestnut for an excellent crunch. The dumpling skins had a sublime al dente bite—something which our fivespiced beef noodles sadly lacked. The soup was good, the beef was excellent, but the noodles looked and tasted like limp udon—best avoided. A special mention to the Northern Chinese cold dishes, which made us very happy indeed. The garlic cucumber was piled high, and boasted a surprisingly subtle intermingling of flavors and textures. The “Drunk and Dreamy Chicken”—drunken chicken to us normal folk—came in a tureen full of Shaoxing wine, although steer clear if you don’t like dealing with fiddly wing bones. Best of all were the pig ears. Whereas they usually come in boring old slices, at Dumpling Pro they were pressed together before being thinly sliced, so that they looked like shavings of piggy Indonesian layer cake. Less eerie, more ear-y—and delicious.

gas stove was placed on our table, on top of which sat a round clay pot. A server started adding miso paste to the lightly colored, leek-filled concoction and within minutes we were each served a bowl of simmering, tasty broth full of cushy blocks of chicken meat paste. This type of stuff can cure a cold any day of the week. Add a bowl of rice or udon to the soup at the end—like we did—and you get yourself a second delicious round. The chicken thigh yakitori was also a winner—juicy, sweetish meat grilled to perfection—although the generic chicken skewers were dry and tough in contrast. There were a couple of glitches with the service—the waitstaff forgot our Ebisu beer and misheard an order of kelp salad for regular salad—but we were feeling magnanimous that night and harbored no hard feelings. Overall, not bad for a newcomer, and we expect Ippou to get even better over time.

Jardin de Jade Shanghainese. G/F, G3, Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 3528-0228. Daily 11am-3pm, 6-11pm. $$

Grand Hyatt Steakhouse

New Revi

Steakhouse. 2/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2584-7722. Mon-Sat 6pm-10:30pm. $$$$ This classic American steakhouse features prime cuts of beef from the US (USDA Prime Nebraska beef), Canada (Canadian Heritage Angus beef) and Japan (Japanese Kumamoto wagyu beef), along with a seafood and oyster bar, salad bar, wine room and cigar tasting room.

Greco Pi

New Revi

Greek. Shop 13, 1/F, Block C, Causeway Centre, 28 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 3101-0782. Mon-Sat 11-11pm. $ Considering Hong Kong’s reputation as an international dining hub, it’s somewhat curious that good Mediterranean fare is so difficult to come by—Greek food in particular. So when we caught wind of Greco Pi (pi as in π), the new Greek place on the block, we had high hopes. We stopped in for a late dinner one evening, readying our palates for heaps of feta, olives, pitas and tzatziki—and we weren’t disappointed. Greco Pi is essentially a souvlaki (Greek skewer) place, with plates of skewers, pita wraps, salads and mezedes (dips) on the menu. With simple dishes like these, the key really lies in the ingredients—and Greco Pi does use quality ingredients. Most of their produce, spices and sauces are flown in directly from Greece, and many of their ingredients are free-range or organic. We tried a chicken souvlaki in a pita wrap, a

Restaurant Guide 2012

Greek salad and some melitzanosalata (a dip made of eggplants, olive oil, red peppers, garlic, parsley and walnuts). The veggies were all crisp and fresh, the meat was tender and the tzatziki was smooth and cold. Typically when we think “kebab-style wraps,” we think “grease,” but there wasn’t a hint of grease in Greco Pi’s pita wrap, thank goodness. Greco Pi definitely isn’t a sit-down-and-linger-over-dinner kind of place—with its service counter and colorful alfresco plastic chairs and tables, it’d make a good place to go for lunch during the workday, or on the way home after downing a few beers at one of the nearby bars. We admit that we were a little confused by the scifi-like, mathematical motif this resto had going on in terms of décor. But in return for good Greek food, we can let that slide.

Ippou

New Revi

With over 10 years’ worth of street cred in the mainland’s F&B industry, renowned Shanghainese restaurant Jardin de Jade finally lands in Hong Kong. The exquisite Shanghainese menu also draws inspiration from the Zhenjiang and Suzhou regions. Classics include preserved pork served chilled with Zhenjiang black vinegar and sautéed hairy crab with Shanghainese rice cake. They’re also taking pride in their signature tea-smoked duck, pan-braised Japanese sea cucumber and—of course—their juicy xiaolongbao soup dumplings.

Koh Thai

New Revi

Thai. Shop 9, 1/F, J-Senses, 60 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 3160-8535. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Sun-Thur 6pm-12:30am; Fri-Sat 6pm-3am. $$ The third (and largest) Koh Thai outlet opened recently on the first floor of the swanky J-Senses building, complete with a large (like, 80 percent of the restaurant) alfresco dining area and an open kitchen where patrons get to watch Chef Tiger (former

Japanese. 16/F, Tiffan Tower, 199 Wan Chai Rd., Wan Chai, 2833-2178. Mon-Sat noon-2:30. $ We were super excited to hear about a new Japanese restaurant at the Tiffin Tower, owned by the same folks who run the popular Mirror Restaurant a couple floors below and a sister restaurant called Ippo in Azabu, Tokyo. At Ippou, specialties include yakimono and chicken hotpot as well as a more adventurous raw chicken sashimi. The keyword here is chicken—and not just any chicken; the poultry at Ippou is the highly prized “satsuma miyabi” species from Kagoshima. Having grown up indoctrinated with the dangers of raw chicken meat, we decided to forego the chicken sashimi, and tried the chicken hotpot instead. A

Jardin de Jade

seafood. Our favorite dish is the stir-fried rice noodles with “beef” (gon chau ngau ho). The “beef” is in fact a type of fungus, which is surprisingly similar to meat in both taste and texture. The sesame dressing of the cold noodles with shredded “ham” (made with yellow beans) is tasty.

Madam Sixty Ate

New Revi

European. 1/F, The Podium, J Senses, 60 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 2527-2558. Mon-Sat noon-11pm. $$$

Mirror

personal chef to the Princess of Thailand) cook up a storm. Many items on the menu piqued our interest simply because they offered such a different spin than what one would expect, like the salmon sashimi with green curry sauce (which we found to be absolutely delightful—the curry brought out the freshness of the salmon in a surprising mix of flavors) and the lamb shank massaman curry (a southern dish of Muslim origin typically made with chunks of beef that had meat so tender, it practically fell off the bone). We had a strict vegetarian at the table, but the staff were helpful and told us that they could make us veggie versions of anything we wanted, so we went with a papaya salad (usually fish sauce is involved) and a pad thai. The carnivores at the table were a bit skeptical as to how Chef Tiger would pull this one off, but we were pleasantly surprised to find the dishes retained their strong Thai flavors. We then raised very delicious lychee martinis in a toast to our very full and satisfied tummies.

Le Blanc French. 6/F, 83 Wan Chai Rd., Wan Chai, 3428-5824. Daily 7pm-midnight. $$$ Illuminated by fairy lights and candles, and bursting to the seams with pretty silk flowers and quirky bric-abrac, Le Blanc is one of Wan Chai’s best-kept secrets. Mains are excellent—a generous angus steak cooked to

Restaurant Guide 2012

perfection, and a duck confit which falls off the bone and has the perfect amount of crisp skin and fat are two examples. The star of the menu, however, are the desserts—an apple strudel with cinnamon ice cream, and a fluffy, crisp meringue with fresh berry sauce and ice cream.

Limehouse British. 35 Ship St., Wan Chai, 2528-5818. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30-11:30pm. $$ Located in an adorable shophouse up a quiet street of stairs in Wan Chai, Limehouse is an ideal date destination. The restaurant, which opened earlier last fall, serves upscale reinventions of traditional pub grub. For instance, the fish in the fish and chips is lightly crunchy on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside, while the accompanying fries are perfectly done. The chill ambience is another draw with the restaurant’s navy, wood and white décor and perfect lighting.

Loving Hut Vegan. 256 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai, 2574-3248. Daily 11am-10pm. $ This is the first Hong Kong outlet of the famous Taiwanese vegetarian chain. Here you’ll find delicious Buddhist dishes made with imitation meat and faux

We had heard all the hype about Madam Sixty Ate, and as we got to our seats that sunny afternoon, things seemed to promise to fall in line with expectations. Facing the diners was an open kitchen with a handful of chefs scurrying around—we loved the coziness of it all. The menu was a bit eclectic, with sketches of animals morphed into plants and vice versa dotting the pages. We ordered a side of vegetables, kipfler potatoes, a cassoulet of duck confit, white beans and Toulouse sausage, and a fish and chips (which we thought was a weird choice for a restaurant of this type). Then we waited. And waited. It took about 45 minutes for our first dish to get to the table. That aside, we gotta hand it to the Madam on the presentation of the dishes. Everything was exquisitely prepared. The veggie portions were a bit miserly, but we forgave and quickly moved on to the parmesan-topped kipflers, savoring each buttery bite. The fish (bonito) was well-balanced with a refreshing taste of the salty sea permeating through the flesh— which we loved. Our partner equally enjoyed their cassoulet. Our dessert of honey parfait was a bit of an overdose—this coming from a sweet tooth, mind you—but gets points for the creative pairing of textures (honeycomb, chocolate sticks and popcorn to balance out the gooey parfait). We’ll be back, Madam, if even just to ogle the dishes.

Mirror

New Revi

French. 6/F, Tiffan Tower, 199 Wan Chai Rd., Wan Chai, 2573-7288. Mon-Sat 6:30-10:30pm. $$$$ Packed in the middle of a 26-story office building, Mirror is a contemporary French establishment with a posh private kitchen vibe. The venue seats about 40 diners, with large and small wooden tables flanked by plush cadet blue seats and warm rays of light flitting off the walls. Chef Jeremy Biasiol, a former apprentice of Paul Bocuse and an Alain Ducasse protégé, helms the open kitchen—where one can see him working hard with his army of chefs on any given night. Service is impeccable here, with an incredibly accommodating and knowledgeable staff. The wine list is short but does its job. The bread and butter is dangerously addictive, not helped in the least by generous refills as soon as the platter gets empty. The pacing is perfect and even better than some of the finest hotel restaurants in Hong Kong. And, of course, the food is spectacular. From juicy frog legs served on a garlic cream watercress puree, to a creamy porcini and matsutake mushroom cappuccino, to a flavorful

get a huge bowl of rich broth full of tender chunks of beef and a mountain of chewy noodles. (Yeah, it is pricey. But hey, imagine the rent they’re paying for premium Star Street real estate!) There’s also an array of tasty, cheaper snacks. The friendly proprietor recommends a little plate of thinly sliced pork, poached and drizzled in tangy garlic sauce ($35) and a bowl of fresh, seasonal stir-fried veggies ($20). The restaurant’s signature mango dessert, which has fluffy layers of white cake and tons of sweet, thick cream, is delicious. Your surroundings definitely don’t match what you’re eating—framed photographs of western landmarks and posters of cheeses and wines line the walls while you’re brandishing chopsticks and slurping down noodles. Once you can get over that incongruity (and it’s not that hard!) it’s easy to enjoy this rare gem, one that offers an alternative to Star Street’s casual local restaurants and its higher-end western establishments.

Ovologue Shanghainese. 66 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 2527-6088. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$$

Ovologue

Ovologue is situated in a historical building that’s perhaps best-known for also housing The Pawn. And it’s certainly had a successful facelift. The décor is simply splendid. The restaurant serves Shanghaistyle cuisine with a modern twist. We especially recommend the Sichuan-style dan dan noodles. All ingredients are fresh and seasoned cleverly so as not to corrupt their natural flavor.

Maine lobster paired with corn risotto and black truffle, to one of the best pigeon dishes we’ve had in a French restaurant in Hong Kong (roasted with beetroots, potatoes and chestnut confit with red/port wine sauce), the offerings didn’t cease to impress the entire night. We were slightly apprehensive ahead of the molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream (the only option on the signature menu apart from a plate of French cheeses), but when it came, our fears vanished. Half of the plate was ice-cold, to accommodate the buttery ice cream, and the other half was kept hot to make sure the moist, gooey and sinfully delicious cake stayed that way. The deal was sealed when Chef Jeremy personally greeted us and escorted us out the door at the end of the meal.

Olala Yat Wun Mein

New Revi

Noodles And Rice. 2 Star St., Wan Chai, 2866-3381. Daily 11am-10:30pm. $-$$ Even long-time residents of Star Street are baffled by this restaurant, since until very recently Olala was a French restaurant. It’s still true—Olala serves French fare and charcuterie and is a mainstay of the neighborhood, having occupied a few locations over the years. But recently, the group’s St. Francis Street noodle shop shut its doors and moved a couple doors down to this quaint, cozy ground floor space, relegating the purveyors of western cuisine to the first floor. Its name translates to Olala “Bowl of Noodles,” which is exactly what it serves. For $150 a pop, you

Restaurant Guide 2012

Ovologue

Plaza Mayor

New Revi

Tapas/Spanish. 9 Moon St., Wan Chai, 2866-6644. Daily 11am-midnight. $$-$$$ The competition for tapas in this town was already pretty fierce, but a new contender just joined the throng. This cozy, slender restaurant is located on Moon Street, a narrow alley parallel to hipster haven Star Street. It opened its doors at the end of November and is an inviting place to dine, with a Mediterranean color palette, black-and-white checked floors, an outdoor space at the back and a well-stocked bar. The staff is attentive and the vibe is laid-back; there’s also a little shop next door selling imported Spanish wine, cheese, ham, olives, gherkins and more. The small plates average $60120, while doubling those prices gets you paella or a large jamon/cold-cut platter. After sampling the chorizo, the garlic prawns and the patatas bravas, we determined that the food is decent but not exceptional; somehow, it lacks authentic Spanish (or any) flair. The paella ($250), cooked up fresh, was an improvement in size even if it wasn’t zesty, and it proved to be a good antidote to a chilly winter’s evening. For dessert, $60 got us two measly-sized pieces of manchego and a glass of delicious sweet red dessert wine. We wish we could say the food lived up to the atmosphere, but in this case it might be safe to chalk it up to growing pains. We recommend giving Plaza Mayor a shot anyway, even if that means that you go heavy on the wine and light on the tapas.

Causeway Bay, Sham Shui Po and Mong Kok, it’s easy to find a Tack Hsin close at hand.

Tanyoto Hot Pot. 1-3/F, 129 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 2893-9268. Sun-Thu 7am-midnight; Fri-Sat 7-1am. $

Scala

Spuntini

Italian. 11/F, Renaissance Harbour View Hong Kong Hotel, 1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2802-8888. Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Mon-Sat 6:30-11pm. $$$

Italian. Shop A, 4-6 St. Francis St., Wan Chai, 2528-1060. Daily noon-10pm. $-$$

It’s old-fashioned Italian glamour at Scala. Plush seating and a spectacular harbor view make for relaxed but luxurious contemporary Italian dining. Classic Italian dishes such as the tomato and buffalo mozzarella salad come well executed and reasonably priced, while the fish and pasta dishes are simple, but with the freshest ingredients.

Sijie Sichuan Dishes Sichuan. 2/F, Room 289, Ko Wah Building, 285-291 Lockhart Rd., Wan Chai, 2802-2250. Call to book. $$ Attention spicy food lovers: this inconspicuous joint is for you. Sijie, a private kitchen, is unassuming, located in an apartment building smack-dab in the middle of a row of home-supply stores on Lockhart Road. Favorites include the cold noodles drenched in chili oil and covered in spicy chili paste, the sliced chicken in chili oil and the fish in hot chili pepper soup. Yes, there are a lot of chilis. In fact, these dishes are fire-engine red, people! Wash it down with plenty of Tsingtao, tea and Coca-Cola. The private kitchen also accommodates those who prefer less spicy food, serving up a vinegary cucumber dish, noodles with vegetables and sweetand-sour pork. The atmosphere is endearingly basic: mismatched chairs; a tacky panda mural on the wall; and a television with footage from the security camera crackling in the corner. If asked, Si Jie herself—stout and hearty, sporting a stained apron—will come out of the kitchen for a chugging contest. But beware, frat boys: she always wins. Call for opening times and to book a table.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Located in the hip triangle of St. Francis’ Yard in Wan Chai, this half-shop, half-restaurant sells all the ingredients used in the cuisine: the idea being that anyone can recreate the meal at home. The protein part of most dishes comes out of a tin—seems lazy, but it’s a tin that’s been created by double Michelin-starred Italian Moreno Cedroni. Here’s how it works: when you order the tuna belly with pasta, the pasta is cooked in store but the tuna is heated in the can and served next to the pasta on the plate. Other tinned options include stewed monkfish tripe, Atlantic bonito and cuttlefish with green peas. Cheap wine, good food and a relaxed atmosphere: sounds simple, but it’s such a rarity in this town that Spuntini feels like a real find.

Tack Hsin Restaurant Hotpot. 1/F, Kin Lee Building, 9-13 O’Brien Rd., Wan Chai, 2511-3456. Sun-Thu 7am-midnight; Fri-Sat 7am-1am. $ Tack Hsin is a great option for those craving yummy things cooked in bubbling broth on a chilly winter night. Tack Hsin’s Wan Chai outpost is a long, rectangular room on the first floor of a nondescript building, tucked under the overpass that stretches between Central Plaza and the Wan Chai MTR station. It’s a hidden gem, pleasantly buzzing with families and groups of friends (who do tend to get rowdy as the night goes on and the beer cans pile up) clustered around tables with hot plates in the middle. Steam rises to the ceiling in ubiquitous jets while mounted flatscreen TVs quietly blare talk shows and dramas. The make-your-own-dipping-sauce platter is extensive, with garlic, scallions, cilantro, chopped peanuts, chilis, tons of vinegar-types and more. Tack Hsin offers multiple broth choices as well as half-and-half options. And with branches in TST, Kowloon Bay, Jordan,

What on earth were we thinking? In the middle of one of the hottest months of the year, we chose to indulge in a steamy hotpot dinner. Turns out, it was a good choice. Some backstory: Tanyoto is one of our neighborhood go-tos, a place that serves Sichuan hotpot and other fare by night and cheap and decent dim sum by day (especially after 2pm, when prices are slashed). Our restaurant-reviewing juggernauts visited Tanyoto about five years ago, so we figured it was time for a reassessment. And reassess we did, upping its rating from three stars to four. Compared with most hotpot joints, Tanyoto’s décor and cleanliness are a cut above. There are private rooms, and six of us had a cozy communal dinner. Tanyoto serves up different kinds of broth, among them spicy, tomato and cilantro. There’s an all-you-can-eat offer for dipping ingredients, but we usually choose to go a la carte, ordering round after round of sweet potato noodles, tofu skin balls, fried fish skins, lamb, beef, mushrooms and greens. We were pleased with our decision to try dunking some xiaolongbao of sorts into the pot—the broth-soaked exterior coupled with a juicy, porky interior led to some contented sighs at our table. Though we opted to go without the cheese-stuffed balls and sausage (they tend to squirt), rest assured that they have those aplenty, too. Maybe consuming mass quantities of hotpot during the summer will up our ability to withstand the heat outside. Here’s hoping!

The Quarterdeck Club Western. G/F, 1 Lung King St., The Fleet Arcade, Fenwick Pier, Wan Chai, 2827-8882. Daily 10am-midnight. $$ The Quarterdeck is located at the historic Fenwick Pier, giving customers the choice between indoor or outdoor al fresco dining. Enjoy the restaurant’s close proximity to the sea as well as its stunning view of the Victoria Harbour while you tuck into varieties of superfresh Australian seafood. Order its signature dish, the Captain’s Platter, for two stacked dishes heaped with 11 kinds of seafood, with a side of fries and a salad, if you’re dining in a group. If seafood isn’t your thing, order a pasta or red meat dish, or make a weekend brunch reservation.

The Vietnam Woods

New Revi

Vietnamese. Shop 1, York Place, 22 Johnston Rd., Wan Chai, 2866-001. Daily noon-11pm. $$$ Those in search of a slightly more upscale alternative to Pho 26 or Pho Tai need look no further. Though it faces the ding-ding-y tramline on Johnston Road, The Vietnam Woods is an oasis of sleek décor and soothing music. Its menu is enormous—so much so that just by holding it up to examine the range of options, you can

Wing Wah Noodle Shop

New Revi

Chinese. 89 Hennessy Rd., Wan Chai, 2527-7476. Daily noon-4am. $ We alway seeks out Wing Wah when we’re sick. The soup and the wontons are all well and good, but what’s special about this place is their noodles. Made of egg and beaten by hand, they are springy, light and full of texture. They know that’s what they’re good at, given the newspaper clippings and photos of the noodle-making process that abound in the dated, barebones interior. The menu is basic, with a refreshingly limited selection of options that fit on one laminated page. Do you want your noodle soup with wontons or dumplings? With beef tendons, fish balls or barbecued pork? Some prefer their noodles soupless; others want a side of veggies. Save room for dessert, because their red bean puree with sweet dumplings and their various coconut milk concoctions are worth a try. And with virtually everything on the menu under $50, Wing Wah won’t break the bank. Next time you’re out on Lockhart Road, try heading here for a midnight snack instead of Ebeneezer’s. Viva Ana

completely obscure your dining partner and your view of the restaurant. The beef crystal rice rolls, chicken curry noodles and salad we tried were delicious; the service was prompt and professional. Even the free prawn chips and fish sauce doled out to each table to kick off the meal were excellent. Given the size of the menu, we plan to return in order to taste one of the soups, more of the mains and the green ‘n’ fluffy pandan cake. The Vietnam Woods also has an icy white private room with a round table that looks ideal for a birthday party or group dinner. The restaurant has been open since Christmastime and those of us who live nearby have observed that it is chock-full of happy patrons most nights—a testament to its success as a Wan Chai newcomer that’s earning a good rep. We hope it sticks around.

Viva Ana Tapas. Shop 1, G/F, The Garden East, 222 Queen’s Rd. East, Wan Chai, 2832-6672. Sun-Thu 11am-midnight; Fri-Sat 11-1am. $$ This Sicilian restaurant on Wyndham Street is the creation of Andrea Assenza, who inherited his passion for cooking from his three-generation family of chefs. Vivi uses ingredients mostly imported direct from Assenza’s farm in Sicily to create an authentic experience. The food here can be described as contemporary, with creative plays on special Sicilian ingredients. Eight intimate tables and a bar area near the front of the restaurant give the place a warm and cozy vibe.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Wah Lam Noodle Restaurant

ew New Revi

Chinese. G/F, 5-11 Thomson Rd., Wan Chai, 2527-2478. Daily 6-3am. $ Though it’s just a heartbeat away from The Pawn, chances are you’ve never heard of, let alone walked into, this restaurant. Tucked away on tiny Thomson Road, Wah Lam is a local beef noodle joint that locals rave about and cabbies swear by. Its fluorescent lighting, plastic stools and servers donning staincovered smocks may not be the most inviting, but once inside you’ll be sold on some of the best beef brisket noodles in town. We ordered two piping hot bowlfuls of their soupy “hang laam” beef brisket with flat rice noodles. The gorgeous hunks of beef were oh-so tender and flavorful. Spice fiends will love their quality chili oil, which has a slight burnt taste from the chili being fried before they’re seeped in oil. But what’s best about this place is the intense broth that’s boldly beefy and heightened with fragrant dried citrus peel. A side of toong choy—our favorite summer veggie—came generously slathered with fermented tofu paste and a splash of sweetened soy sauce. Sure, the dive isn’t much to look at and the straightforward service leaves much to be desired, but for food this good and plenty of bang for your buck, we just keep on coming back for more.

Xi Yan Private Dining Restaurant Cantonese. 3/F, 83 Wan Chai Rd., Wan Chai, 2575-6966. Daily noon-3pm, 7-11pm. $$$ Xi Yan is a private kitchen that blends traditional Chinese cuisine with pan-Asian flavors. Presented in a traditional banquet style, the menu here changes according to seasonality to ensure only the freshest ingredients. After the wild success of this restaurant, proprietor celebrity chef Jacky Yu replicated his winning formula around town, including Xi Yan Sweets.

Yin Yang Cantonese. 18 Ship St., Wan Chai, 2866-0868. Daily noon-2:30pm, 7-11pm. $$$$ Housed in a revitalized tong lau, Yin Yang serves traditional Chinese dishes recreated with organic ingredients. There’re different set menus that usually feature a starter platter, a soup, two mains, a vegetable dish and dessert. For mains, Yin Yang’s two signature dishes, yellow earth chicken, which is crispy and aromatic (hand-shredded by the waitress), is a staple. Sometimes the menu will also feature a fish in curry leaf rice. By the time you finish, you’ll feel like you’ve been on a learning adventure that was worth every minute.

Yu Chuan Sichuan. 1/F, Shop B, Hundred City Centre, 7-17 Amoy St., Wan Chai, 2838-523. Daily 11am-11pm. $$ A no-frills but friendly and inviting private kitchen, Yu Chuan serves astonishingly good food, and you certainly get your money’s worth. Our favorites: spicy cold noodles and chili prawns—the former fresh,

chewy and richly seasoned, the latter fried with heaps of chilies and very wonderfully spicy and flavorful. Oily, stodgy Sichuan food is a little heavy when the temperature’s high, but just right when you need a supremely satisfying, warming meal.

Yummy Sushi Ya

New Revi

Japanese. G/F, 193 Wan Chai Rd., Wan Chai, 2574-926. Daily noon-11pm. $ Imagine a counter with five stools, behind which two apron-clad dudes make sushi. Yup, that just about sums up Yummy Sushi Ya, a quirky hole-in-the-wall that’s hidden on a quiet residential street near a public swimming pool. Though the official address says this little joint is on Wan Chai Road, it’s actually located just off of it, on the perpendicular Tak Yan Street. Sushi and sashimi dominate the menu, with affordable sets in the $100 range offering a variety of rolls. The fish is of decent quality and the rolls are all made on the spot, so you know they’re fresh. There’re also hot dishes, like grilled eel on rice that we devoured in five minutes flat. A California hand roll was passable, not outstanding—but what can you expect for these prices? It’s clear that this is a restaurant for neighborhood regulars; we were elbowto-elbow at the counter with a middle-aged couple chowing down on octopus. Owner John Yeung told us that when more folks come by, they can grab some of the folding chairs and stools stacked at the front of the restaurant and take their meal street-side, setting up impromptu seating along the sidewalk outside a green-and-white façade. We left Yummy Sushi Ya with full bellies, some bills left in our wallets and a warm ‘n’ fuzzy feeling from patronizing an off-the-beatenpath local restaurant that’s been around for 15 years. And doesn’t the name just make you want to smile?

Xi Yan Private Dining Restaurant

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone4 CWB.

798 Unit & Co. Gastropub

Causeway Bay 798 Unit & Co. Gastropub Brunch, Café. 12/F, 1203, Times Square, 1 Matheson St., Causeway Bay, 2506-0611. Daily noon-midnight. $ 798 has the distinct feel of a classic New York eatery. Comfy sofas and an extensive drink selection, which includes yin yeung (the classic Hong Kong combo of coffee and milk tea), are all up for grabs. The food offerings include mixed mushrooms that are creatively seasoned, eggplant with Parmesan cheese, and pumpkin and scallop risotto. Staff are friendly without being irritatingly enthusiastic.

Bridges

New Revi

Japanese. 6/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 3428-2131. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ The first thing you see when you walk into this Okinawan restaurant is a small boutique off to the left, stacked with bottles of colorful awamori (an Okinawan sake), with some of them housing viciously wide-eyed snakes, their deadly fangs intact and their curled-up bodies forever preserved in alcohol. Thankfully, the rest of the restaurant is a different story. There’s a massive sushi bar on one end, and proper wooden tables lined up along the windows on the other; high ceilings make this generous space seem even bigger. The waitstaff is polite and attentive, answering our every whim and query. We decided to be greedy and ordered a kaiseki tasting menu on top of an tofu starter and a plate of noodles. The tofu came first, a big creamy white blob with a chewy, slightly sticky texture drenched in a soy sauce base. It was heavenly and we gobbled the whole thing up as if it were a dripping ice cream

Restaurant Guide 2012

cone on a hot summer’s day. Then the kaiseki dishes came, one after the other; the seafood salad was a cool combination of sashimi and greens, garnished with a string of sea grapes that tasted delectably like caviar. The deep-fried crunchy-noodle-coated prawns with delicate Okinawan shallots engulfed in a light and fluffy tempura batter were an expert play on textures—and the shallots with their subtly spicy mouthfeel outshone even the succulent prawns. We also loved the wagyu beef noodles, cooked in a sticky mess of sauce, dried bonito flakes and vivid green spring onions. We’ll definitely be back for more.

Edo & Bibo

New Revi

Steakhouse. 28/F, Macau Yat Yuen Centre, 525 Hennessy Rd., Causeway Bay, 34210472. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $$$ Fans of Sai Kung’s beautiful One Thirty-one will be glad to know that the chef behind it all, Gary Cheuk, has moved to a more accessible location in the heart of Causeway Bay. He now rules the kitchen at Edo & Bibo, an ambitious little project by the CWB-focused ET Troop group. This dark and moody venue hosts a generous oyster bar with catches from Australia, France, South Africa and more; we highly recommend the sweet Saldanha Bay creatures that leave a refreshingly savory aftertaste. Edo’s other specialty is their steak, so on this night we ordered a 12 ounce USDA Prime striploin cooked medium rare. Even though we knew the grill marks were mainly for show, we loved the perfect diamond patterns imprinted on the shiny piece of meat, laid out on a square stone platter with grilled veggies and large powdery fries on the side. The meat was juicy and flavorful, served with zingy mustards. We also ordered a plate of clam linguine that came with fruity tomatoes, dried red mullet roe and a truckload of the bivalves awash in garlicky flavors. Our appetizer of Caesar salad was one of the

more creative we’ve seen to date: a whole lettuce head is tastefully displayed with applewood-smoked bacon and anchovies as sidekicks. We finished off our tasty meal with an order of a soy panna cotta with vanilla-scented mascarpone—creative, original, and lipsmackingly good.

Fishermen One

New Revi

Cantonese. 3/F, Bartlock Centre, 3 Yiu Wa St., Causeway Bay, 2882-8782. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6pm-midnight. $$ Fishermen One is hidden away in a commercial building on Yiu Wa Street, alongside a bunch of upperfloor restaurants behind Times Square. Don’t let the name fool you, as this quaint and neat little private kitchen serves authentic Cantonese food in a cozy space with three rooms that can seat about six to eight persons in each. You can also book these private rooms to host dinner parties for special occasions with a minimum charge of $2,500 per room. Popular dishes at this friendly and casual venue include double-boiled pig’s lung soup with almond juice and deep-fried crispy chicken. The chicken would be a bit on the salty side for diners who prefer lighter and more subtle flavors, but perfect for those who enjoy stronger dishes. For bargain-hunters, we recommend the threecourse lunch set menu (which includes an appetizer, main course, a double-stewed soup, a bowl of rice and dessert for $88). We paid Fishermen One a visit just after lunch hour and only a few tables were occupied, but it was obvious that their occupants were regulars. Our only suggestion is that the insulation could be improved, as the sounds of the people playing mahjong next door could be heard clearly. If you prefer to come for dinner, try Fishermen One’s specialty hot pot offerings. The menu is so varied and vast that we reckon we need to go back for a comprehensive second round.

Zone4 Flame European. G/F, Fashion Walk, 59-65 Paterson St., Causeway Bay, 2367-2710. Daily 11am-10pm. $ Owned by Towngas (see the connection in the name), this venue offers some impressive food. Go for their five-course tasting menu, which every other diner does here, and when you add an extra dollar you get a plate of foie gras. Flavorful armagnac-scented lobster bisque with prawn and lobster on capellini pomodoro (warm, al dente angel hair with tomato pesto) are also available here. For dessert, try their fluffy, most ethereal soufflé.

Fleur de Sel

New Revi

Crepes. Shop 2J, Po Foo Building, Foo Ming St., Causeway Bay, 2805-6678. Tue-Sun noon-11pm. $$ Fleur de Sel is one of those restaurants that you can rarely discover on your own, hidden as it is on the upper level of a nondescript building in an undistinguishable side street. This French-style crepe house is a failsafe go-to for a quick break from shopping or catch-up, but do us a favor and keep this tip to yourselves, as the place is tiny! There are only a couple of tables in the main dining area and a couple more in the outdoor balcony, and a couple of people to take orders. The menu is astoundingly simple; you get to choose from a list of savory or dessert crepes, and another list of ciders, wines and drinks. The savory crepes are served skin-thin, delicately brittle and crisp; they’re unwrapped and topped with anything you please. We say go for “la francaise”, which is a heavenly combination of camembert, goat cheese, Bayonne ham and walnut salad. “La fermiere” is equally delectable, with a gooey mishmash of tomatoes, greens, bacon, emmental and goat cheese—it feels almost like we’re eating a fancy pizza. The dessert crepes are chewier than their savory counterparts, and cooked to a warm golden hue. You can choose chocolate, ice cream, and even macarons as toppings. The banana with caramel and salted butter sauce is a sweet tooth’s dream—each mouthful is full of rich, mushy, calorie-filled goodness. Fleur de Sel is a true gem we’d rather have less people know about.

Gokayama

New Revi

Japanese, sushi/sashimi. 15/F, Continental Diamond Building, 525 Hennessy Rd., Causeway Bay, 2891-2556. Daily noon-10:30pm. $$$ We (almost literally) pulled the name “Gokayama” out of a hat one weeknight when we couldn’t make up our minds where to get dinner. Located on a main street in Causeway Bay (which has a Japanese joint on practically every block) and in a high-rise with countless other sushi places listed in the directory, we decided that Gokayama would have to bring quite a bit to the table to distinguish itself from the surrounding competition. Once the elevator opened onto our floor, we were greeted by traditional, wooden Japanese

décor that was both simple and sophisticated, with an open counter where you can watch the sushi chefs do their thing. (We didn’t know what was up with the walls, though, which looked like they were made of unpolished concrete.) The place was oddly quiet and empty for dinnertime. After being seated and presented with complimentary tea and hand-towels, we paged through the menu. And then we raised our eyebrows. A single grilled skewer cost from around $60-90, while the featured one-person Hida beef dinner set would have set us back $500-700. We ordered the deluxe sushi platter and some skewers to share, which was excellent. The ex-sushi chef among us commented that the grilled eel still had bones in it, which is apparently a big no-no for sushi, but also praised the fatty tuna for its pinkness and the raw fish pieces for being devoid of tendons and chewy bits. The service was impeccable, as well—the waitstaff promptly refilled our cups whenever we finished our tea, and at one point presented us with a fork when one of us was having chopstick trouble without us even having to ask. The verdict: Gokayama comes with a hefty pricetag, but is definitely worth it.

Hainan Shaoye Singaporean. Shop P311, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2111-3166. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 3-5pm, 6-11pm. $-$$ After conquering fine dining with their Michelinstarred Italian restaurant, the team behind The Drawing Room is revved-up and ready to tackle the humble chicken rice. The restaurant’s setting is dotted with cute Asian touches here and there. A hand-painted Chinese mural lines the wall on one end, while kanji fish painted in the blue hues of fine Chinaware adorn the other. The kitchen is another attraction, wrapped in a long window for chef-showing-off purposes. The focus is on authentic Southeast Asian flavors, with veteran chefs Han Seng Fong and Arron Lai from Singapore’s iconic Chatterbox restaurant overlooking the menus. The signature Hainan chicken rice is expectedly superb, with homemade chili and ginger sauces that add character, and a nice twist in the form of a small vat of deliciously rich and velvety century egg “mousse.” Other Malaysian and Singaporean dishes are also on offer.

Hana

New Revi

they’re after. Hana offers shabu shabu, sukiyaki, amiyaki (mesh grilling) and seiromushi (steaming) set dinners. We chose the seiromushi wagyu beef set, which was preceded by an exquisite selection of starters. The wagyu sashimi was perfectly marbled, pleasantly firm and almost buttery in flavor. The mildly grilled fresh snow crab claw was another winner, with slightly salted, succulent flesh. Our main was the epitome of Japanese simplicity: a square wooden steamer filled with mushrooms and shredded greens was placed on top of a boiling pot of water, and all we had to do was put a thin piece of black wagyu on top of the veggies, close the lid and wait. The result was an unpretentious, tender beef roll that tasted fine on its own, but exploded with uninhibited flavor once dipped in sauce (there were three choices: ponzu, sesame and the excellent house sauce). Warning: this type of cuisine is definitely not for the carnivores who prefer their dripping, savory steaks.

Harakan-S

New Revi

Japanese. Shop 311, 3/F, Lee Gardens Two, 28 Yun Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 2882-8616. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$-$$$ After revamping and rebranding itself, Hong Kong’s long-standing Japanese restaurant Harakan has reopened with a hip “S,” which apparently stands for “soulful, stylish and sublime.” The new impressively spacious venue, which has donned contemporary, simplistic décor, was rather empty when we walked in at dinnertime. The meal started promisingly with a big-portioned soft shell crab salad, followed by the deluxe nine-piece sushi assortment of standards such as salmon, sweet shrimps, tuna and amberjack. Both dishes were made of ingredients that were incredibly fresh with well-kept original flavors, but compared to what dozens of other cheaper Japanese restaurants of good quality have to offer, they weren’t really notches better. The tasty ladies’ night complimentary appetizer was a pleasant surprise, although we couldn’t quite figure out what it was—and it curiously came halfway

Edo & Bibo

Japanese. Shop C, G/F, Towning Mansion, 50-56 Paterson St., Causeway Bay, 2895-5677. Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm; Sat-Sun noon-11:30pm. $$$ Hana is restaurant group Mr. Steak Concept’s latest project, and also their boldest in terms of portfolio diversification. Nestled snugly among Cleveland Street’s intimate SoHo-esque food strip, this boutique eatery comes with kimono-clad waitresses, minimalist decor and a palpable Japanese zen-type vibe that sets it apart from your local sushi joint. The restaurant menu is in Japanese and Chinese (tough luck for the rest of you!), so you can sorta guess the market

Restaurant Guide 2012

Hooray Bar & Restaurant

than from the spices themselves. To sum it up: He Jiang is a place with perfect portions and moderate flavors.

Hooray Bar & Restaurant

New Revi

Italian. P502, World Trade Centre, 280 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2895-0885. Daily noon-2:30pm, 3-5pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$

through our meal. The innovative Hiroshima oysters, perfectly glazed with sake and honey that gave it a chocolate color and a richly layered taste, was the winning dish of the night. And the ox tongue, grilled in thick chunks, was also a crowd-pleaser. Finishing off, we ordered assorted skewers and more sushi, neither of which was more memorable than the looping playlist of Japanese pop songs. Overall, the place is “stylish” and the food is passably “soulful,” but we wouldn’t go as far as to call our Harakan-S meal a “sublime” experience.

He Jiang

New Revi

Shanghainese, Sichuan. 1/F, Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong, 287-297 Queen's Rd. East, Causeway Bay, 3167-7833. Daily 6:30am-11pm. $$ We like it here. It’s a calm and soothing contrast to the hustle and bustle of Causeway Bay, with a bright and cheerful interior thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows all along one side. We settle for He Jiang’s lunch menu, which comes with a soup, a starter and a main plus a bowl of rice. And because we’re craving starch today, we also order an extra bowl of dan dan noodles. We’re happy about the pork terrine and the snow vegetables with squid and soybean for starters; both are served chilled in dainty blue porcelain bowls. The soybean pork bone soup that comes next is quite average; we think they could’ve taken more care to strain out the extraneous bits of meat floating around in the broth. The mains are delectable by contrast. The sautéed eggplant with spicy garlic and chili sauce is sharp and feisty—every juicy cell of the gooey slices is bursting with the flavors of the thick, dark sauce. The sautéed diced chicken with chili peppers in dark soy sauce is similarly impressive. The “heat” of the dish, however, comes more from its high wok-handled temperature

Restaurant Guide 2012

With a sprawling outdoor terrace and a semi-decent view (if you ignore the buildings pressing up on both sides), it’s hard to believe Hooray’s actually smack in the middle of shopping and tourist central, Causeway Bay. The restaurant plays host to different groups during the night—those who come for a fine dining experience (like us), and those who come for drinks (which seemed to be the rest of the crowd, on this occasion). We opted for the outdoors, and went straight for the mains. We ordered a pan-seared chicken roulade with truffle, parsnip and parsley coulis; and a salami, pepperoni and bacon pizza. The thick, round chunks of chicken roulade were succulent, with the skin seared to a warm brown and lightly soaked in sauce. The grass-green parsley coulis added a lovely hint of spice and fragrance to the dish, even though its color didn’t blend very well with the other components. The thin-crusted pizza, mildly charred on the edges, was a flavorful combination of savory meats and zesty tomato sauce; the mozzarella was sparsely spread and not overly heavy. We weren’t expecting too much from Hooray in terms of food, since this venue seems more popular for their drinks, but we were won over nonetheless. Next time, we’ll save room for desserts too.

Ippudo

New Revi

Ramen and Japanese. 2/F, 8/F, Russell St., Causeway Bay, 2892-2387. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $ When Japan’s famous ramen chain Ippudo launched its first outpost in Hong Kong this summer, we were buzzing with excitement and eager to give it a go. Long queues for the Tsim Sha Tsui location deterred us, though, until a second location opened its doors in Causeway Bay across from Times Square. Angling to beat the crowds, we showed up at noon on a Sunday and were seated right away. The staff is friendly, shouting out greetings and farewells in a chorus as is the Japanese custom. We knew what to ask for first: Ippudo’s signature mini BBQ pork bun, which is a little two-bite sandwich of porcine heaven. An airy white bun is sliced open and stuffed with a slice of pork, lettuce, BBQ sauce and Japanese mayo and mustard. The juicy gyoza were also delicious, though not as exceptional as the pork buns for a starter. We could have devoured 10 of those little buggers, but we knew we had to save room for the ramen. And save room we did: the ramen is served in bowls so enormous they should be called cauldrons, with a meaty, savory broth, tender pork pieces, springy noodles and tangy spring onions topped with fungus and bean sprouts. The 25-year-old secret, apparently, is that both the meat and the tonkotsu broth are slow-cooked for

ages in some sort of elaborate process that is really beside the point, since all you need to do is enjoy the flavorful result. The downside is likely that it’s a pretty oily bowl of ramen for those who are squeamish about that stuff, but in our minds it’s just a sign the pork’s been all boiled out. No need to look further, shoppers, because we just found the perfect pre- or postshopping lunch joint in Causeway Bay.

Jade Garden Chinese. 1/F, Causeway Bay Plaza 2, 463-483 Lockhart Rd., Causeway Bay, 2577-9332. Daily 11am-midnight. $$$ Jade Garden is a recently relocated local institution, serving up Chinese specialty dishes such as Peking duck, beggar’s chicken and bird’s nest soup with crabmeat. It focuses on celebration dishes such as a chicken split down the middle and stuffed with premium dried scallops, abalone and mushrooms. Start with the traditional claypot soup made with longstemmed mushrooms, pork and fish stock—it’s very light, and the flavor subtle.

Mango Tree

New Revi

Thai. 5/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 2577-0828. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$-$$$ Thai restaurant group Coca is on a quest for global domination—its Mango Tree chain of restaurants started in Bangkok and now has outposts as far afield as Tokyo, London and Dubai. Hong Kong’s first Mango Tree opened up last month—but in contrast to all the hoopla and fanfare that usually characterizes an international brand, the restaurant feels peaceful, refined and intimate. Step out of the elevator and walk down a dim hallway lined with fake candles (they’re still romantic, believe it or not) and a Buddha replica. The main dining room is cozy, with slate gray walls and subtle lighting from curved glass fixtures. There are fresh cuts of lovely pink blossoms on every table, and ornamented gates adorn the walls, acting as sliding doors for the two private dining rooms at the back of the restaurant. The lovely aesthetics extend to the food, too. Presentation matters, as is evident in the prawn pad Thai, which arrived at the table draped in a delicately thin layer of scrambled egg. We did, alas, have to ruin the pretty sight by mixing it together with peanuts and bamboo shoots in order to eat it. The quality of the food at Mango Tree—we tried the tom yum gha soup, lamb shank massaman curry and stirfried morning glory with chili—is consistently flavorful and yummy, but to us the real standout is simply the overall vibe of the place. Somehow, in the middle of bustling Causeway Bay, in a high-rise chock-full of other restaurants and bars, Mango Tree manages to be an oasis. Whether it’s on a date or with a group of friends, just try a lemongrass mojito, revel in the “kop khun kas” and let the calm win out.

Love HK ? Now you can wear

Cool!

HK Lollipop Tee HK$290

Permanent Resident or Almost Tee HK$290

Available in G.O.D and HK online store NOW Tsim Sha Tsui shop: Shop B02, Basement, Silvercord, 30 Canton Road (2784-5555) Central shop: 48 Hollywood Road (2805-1876) Causeway Bay shop: Leighton Road, Sharp Street, East (2890-5555) Peak shop: shop 32-41, Level 2, 118 Peak Road (2778-3331) Sai Kung shop: G/F., 2 Yi Chun Street, Sai Kung Town (2791-7122)

http://hk.asia-city.com/store

No Signboard Seafood

Manzo Italian Steak House

New Revi

Steak house. Shop 1104, 11/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson St., Causeway Bay, 2735-3980. Daily noon-3pm, 6-10:30pm. $$-$$$ A new Italian steakhouse located in Times Square, Manzo is the brainchild of Dining Concepts, so it feels like the younger brother of the group’s other Italian joints Bistecca and Al Molo. The venue features a woodsy décor and an open kitchen; its subtle and warm ambience is good for both friendly and romantic meals. An eye-catching glass-walled showroom of (and storage for) a variety of raw meat cuts tells you that the restaurant takes its name—which means “beef” in Italian—seriously. We started dinner with a chopped salad, which was incredibly fresh and tasty. The calamari that followed, on the other hand, was totally forgettable. For main courses, we chose a nineounce tenderloin and a 14-ounce rib-eye off the beef menu (Heritage Angus steaks and pure wagyu from Australia are also on offer). However, while all the meats came competently cooked and in impressive portions (not all of us could even finish our steaks), they were too well done for our medium-rare requests and hence not as tender as we expected. Sides need to be ordered separately, and our choices, zucchini fries and Tuscan fries, were both crispy and light. Don’t forget to try the restaurant’s nice wine selection, most of which is (naturally) Italian bottles. Overall, Manzo neither wowed nor failed us, and carnivores around town will likely find it a satisfactory place to feast.

Meet Lobo French. 4/F, Unit B, Tak Fat Building, 50-52 Russell St., Causeway Bay, 6438-3363. Mon-Sat 7-11pm. $$ Meet Lobo is a great find. This tiny private kitchen, tucked away in a building opposite Times Square, is unpretentious, homely and serves a really good French dinner at a wallet-friendly price. The two menus change frequently. The first courses—scallops with fennel and Pernod sauce and tiger prawns with warm tomato and herb butter—are both very fresh and juicy with aromatic sauces, as is the mushroom soup to follow. Next comes the foie gras, perfectly prepared and succulent. For mains, go for the seabass on crabmeat and garlic mayo puree and duck confit on red onion jam.

Mist Ramen. 4 Sun Wui Rd., Causeway Bay, 2881-5006. Mon-Sat noon-11:30pm; Sun noon-10:30pm. $$ One of the most stylish ramen shops in town, Mist is furnished with bright red Victorian-style chairs and a modern open kitchen-slash-noodle bar takes center stage. The noodles themselves are made fresh each day with a unique blend of Japanese flours, none of which use any additives or artificial flavors.

No Signboard Seafood New Review Singaporean. Shop C&D, 66-72 Paterson St., Causeway Bay, 2398-9959. Daily 11am-11pm. $$$ No Signboard Seafood started out in its native Singapore as a hawker stall. We’re talking crustacean

Restaurant Guide 2012

shells spat all over the tables and cheap beers grasped by greasy fingers—casual Asian dining at its best. Its finest invention was the white pepper crab, a Singastaple that foodies make a point to gobble down on their visits to the city. No Signboard’s new Hong Kong outlet seems to have an identity crisis, with its brushed chrome, glass and blasting aircon. But take a seat outside on the pleasant alfresco eating street in Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk, squint a bit at the sterile, all-too-slick (though not unpleasant) surroundings, and you could be in the Lion City itself. The crabs here are serious—and you’ll be paying serious prices. Our sucker cost $800 and was the size of a labradoodle. It came expertly cooked, and pre-cracked so that we could easily extract the huge hunks of meat inside. The white pepper was a perfect accompanying sauce, offering spice and heat but still complementing the sweet meat. However, it was too rich and salty for us to sop up with our accompanying mantou buns. Our fried butter chicken came in a crisp batter with a sweet and sour sauce and was topped with crunchy cereal—tasty, but the chicken itself was rather puny and we ate more skin and batter than meat. Overall, the crab was fab, but more modest prices for their sides (veggies are 80 bucks!) would encourage us to return for a crustaceanfest. Y’know, the Lamma Island seafood restaurants do a mean crab, too.

Saboten

New Revi

Japanese/Tonkatsu. LG/F, Henry House, 42 Yun Pink Rd., Causeway Bay, 2895-4111. Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sat-Sun noon-3:30pm, 6-11:30pm. $$ Japan’s largest tonkatsu chain has finally arrived in Hong Kong and we were pumped to see what the hype was all about. We’ll cut straight to the chase—it was probably the best tonkatsu we’ve had to date. Each tonkatsu main you order comes in a set, which means you also get an appetizer, miso soup, rice and of course a copious amount of shredded cabbage—all of which is refillable to your hearts desire. We ordered the pork loin and egg in a clay pot (think of it as your usual pork chop with omelet over rice bowl, but this time with the rice served separately), and pork loin with shrimp combo. The meat was tender and succulent and just plain out tasty—they only use pork of selected breeds that are 180 days or older and fed with barley to get the meat sweet and soft. Their dipping sauce was also just the perfect blend of sweet and sour, and of course you get your own miniature mortar and pestle to grind the sesame in before you pour the sauce over. Remember to grind first, then pour. All in all, a great meal and we’ll definitely be back to try out the gazillion other items on the menu that piqued our interest, such as the pork tenderloin roll (filled with either ham and cheese or asparagus and bacon), and the pork loin tonkatsu in miso soup/ sauce clay pot.

SML European. 11/F, Shop 1105, Times Square, Matheson St., Causeway Bay, 2577-3444. Daily 11:30am-11:30pm. $$ It’s all about democratic dining at the Press Room Group’s new restaurant, where you get to choose your own serving sizes and seating arrangement. Minimalist and modern, the décor is all about unfussy elegance. True to the restaurant’s name and concept, the food comes in small, medium, or large sizes. SML serves pan-European cuisine, but the dishes are sprinkled with culinary influences from other parts of the world. The tender lamb kebab is made with New Zealand lamb but is slightly spiced, and served with a yogurt and mint sauce that gives the whole thing a Mediterranean flair.

Sushi Ta-Ke

New Revi

Japanese. 12/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Rd., Causeway Bay, 2577-0611. Daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight. $$$$-$$$$$ A joint project with 1957 & Co. Group, Sushi Ta-Ke was one of the earliest occupants of the gastro-centric Cubus building. It specializes in a variety of Edo-style sushi and sashimi dishes, with a dash of yakimono (grilled foods) to round things off. Sushi Ta-Ke goes by a quirky credo of 4Ds: “Dedication, Delicious, Design and Details”—and it pretty much lives up to each D, although we think it merits a fifth (for “Damn” expensive). The look here is sleek, with dark furniture, dim lighting and just the right amount of ambient noise to call it buzzing. Sushi Ta-Ke’s specialties are fresh fatty tuna sashimi, boiled golden-eye snapper head and Kagoshima wagyu beef, and with their $1,500 ta-ke (which means “bamboo” in Japanese)

Tott’s

Restaurant Guide 2012

omakase menu, we had a chance to try two of the items: the tuna and the beef, both exquisite. The tuna was rich and smooth, with a vibrant red hue, while the grilled A5 wagyu was melt-in-your-mouth and finished with just the right amount of seasoning. Other notables included the baby scallop and daikon appetizer and the simmered hamachi platter. And you can’t go wrong with the sashimi selection—fresh catches, top cuts and beautiful presentation are part and parcel here. We enjoy the food here, we really do, but at the end of the day Sushi Ta-Ke is really giving us what we’ve come to expect from a quality Japanese restaurant—at double the prices. We’ll come back for sure though, if only for lunch.

here. The menu is designed by a French chef, which explains the fresh mushroom soup as a choice of stock. But there’s plenty here for the traditionalist, from coriander/preserved egg to Sichuan chili. The meats are where it gets fancy: fresh fish, prawn, lobster and crab. The beef section includes US rib eye and pricey Japanese wagyu, gently boiled in its own consommé and as succulent as it should be. Even the dumplings and meat balls are handmade and unusually meaty and textured.

Tott's

There used to be just one of these places, now there are four, all within walking distance of each other. You will be shown live and kicking crabs and seafood to choose from, and expect friendly and easy haggling over the price. You can also pick the level of spice for the crab dishes, where “mild” means a mountain of fried chili, garlic and scallions that complement the crab’s briny, mineral freshness. A sweet yau mak choi and garlic stir-fry is a good side, and even “small” steamed scallops are humongous.

International. 34/F, The Excelsior Hong Kong, 281 Gloucester Rd., Causeway Bay, 2837-6786. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; Mon-Sat 6:30-11pm; Sun 6:30-10pm. $$$$-$$$$$ What blows us away at Tott’s (besides the sophisticated décor and harborview seats, that is) are the main courses. Modest portions put a focus on good cooking over conceited presentation, and we are left feeling sated without any sense of gluttony. Tott’s deserves an extra star on the strength of its service alone.

Tycoon, aka Jui Ho Heen) Hot Pot. G/F, 20-22 Tang Lung St., Causeway Bay, 2893-1884. Daily 5pm-3am. $$$-$$$$ You’d think the practice of dunking meat into boiling soup couldn’t get too elegant and high-falutin’, but this stylish place takes hot pot to the next level and it’s really working for the trendy types you see

Under Bridge Spicy Crab Chinese. 421-429 Lockhart Rd., Causeway Bay, 2834-6818. Daily 24 hours. $$

W's Entrecôte

New Revi

Steak. 6/F, Express by Holiday Inn Causeway Bay, 2506-0133. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$ Having a good steak for dinner doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll end up having to hitchhike home because you can no longer afford a taxi ride, especially not at W’s Entrecôte—a cute, cozy little restaurant located in the Express by Holiday Inn, right behind Times Square. Think red checkered table cloths, dim lighting and a sound system churning out operatic classics, with waiters and waitresses dressed in uniforms reminiscent of old-time French butlers and maids. The menu is sweet but simple: you get a starter of either salad or mushroom soup (we went for the soup, and while it tasted suspiciously like what you get from a good ol’ can of Campbell’s, we weren’t complaining because at the end of the day, it was still tasty); and a choice for the main of either ribeye steak (6-, 8- or 10-ounce) or lamb cutlets (in the same sizes). They have non-meat options too, like the grilled salmon or the gratinated scallops, but why you would go to a place that calls itself “le steak house français” and not order, well, a steak, is beyond us—though that said, a deviant member of our group did order the lamb chops, and they were delicious. The rest of us ordered the ribeye and were taken aback when it arrived on our table already cut up into strips, like a mother would slice for her three-year-old child. But the meat was tender and flavorful so we overlooked that, and for the reasonable price of $308 for a 10-ounce steak, there was really nothing to moan about. Fries come on the side— unlimited fries, might we add—so being the gluttons that we are, we ordered a second round and it came served on a platter lit by two candles underneath. Definitely somewhere we’d return to for a casual, nonbank-breaking steak dinner.

New Revi

Sichuan. 4 Yiu Wa St., Causeway Bay, 2838-8198. Daily noon-10:30pm. $ We keep coming back even though we know that by the end of the meal we’ll be glistening with sweat, our mouths damaged beyond repair. Yu is an itsy bitsy sichuan specialty shop selling all sorts of variations of the same thing: spicy hot chili-oil-drenched everything. And we love it—although we suspect liberal MSG usage might be partially responsible for this. On this visit, we ordered a vegetable starter platter, a chili half chicken, a bowl of spicy dan dan noodles and another bowl of their classic mala mouth-numbing noodles. The verdict is that they all taste suspiciously similar, with the savory sharp bite of chili oil taking over the original flavors of the component ingredients. The eggplant, cucumber and black fungi in the veggie platter might as well have been grown from the same tree—or eaten by the same yellow-skinned chicken drowning in red soup on the next plate. Our two bowls of noodles were, again, variations of the same theme, with the mala version giving off an extra anesthetic buzz from the ubiquitous peppercorns. Not that we’re complaining. There is just something about these sassy Sichuan spices that keep you wanting more (some people call it sadism). A word of advice: order a glass of cold soymilk on the side to put out the inevitable fires.

Yunnan Rainbow Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant

Waffle Yo

New Revi

Belgin waffles. G/F, 112 Leighton Rd., Causeway Bay, 2504-1998. Sun-Thu noon10pm, Fri-Sat noon-10:30. $$ Pink exposed ceilings, minimalist brown Ikea-esque shelves, candy in glass cookie jars and a little cow covered in decorated plates and cups give Waffle Yo an inviting and comfortable vibe. The drinks menu consisted of homemade lemonades and iced shaken fruit teas, both made with French sparkling water. The non-waffle or froyo menu has Belgian fries, onion rings and a $9 hot dog. But we didn’t come for the sideshow; we went straight for the goods. About half of the other customers ordered the very tempting waffle dog—and if we hadn’t filled up on the peaches and cream waffle stick and the frozen yogurt waffle cup, we would have joined them. From the first bite, the waffles were fantastic. The waffle with peaches and cream was warm, sweet and soft on the inside. The waffle cone is so thin and buttery it melts as soon as it touches your tongue and goes perfectly with the original-flavor froyo. Unfortunately, the toppings were one drawback to this otherwise perfect dessert. We chose to add a few pieces of pineapple mochi and a sprinkling of a classic American cereal from the DIY toppings area. Let’s just say that both toppings had obviously been sitting out for too long, leaving them stale and chewy. Nevertheless, we would definitely go back to this tiny treat shop to try their waffle dog and everything else we missed.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant Shanghainese. 13/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson St., Causeway Bay, 2506-1018. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$-$$$ A good mall restaurant has a way of taking you out of the shopping center and into another space, atmosphere and even mindset. But never mind that at Wu Kong, because you are here for the food. And it’s great. The velvety-textured boiled chicken and ravioli in casserole soup seems bottomless. Two more not to miss: shredded chicken with beancurd sheets and sesame sauce, and the Lion’s Head meatball served in a sizzling casserole.

Xi Zhan Wonton noodles. G/F, Shop F, Po Wing Building, 67 Lee Garden Rd., Causeway Bay 2504-3123. Daily 11am-11pm. $ The newly opened Xi Zhan chain specializes in shrimp wonton soup noodles and congees. The wontons and noodles come in a golden clear broth that is very soothing for the throat and served at just the right temperature, and the unpretentiously sized thin-skinned wontons are chewy and smooth to the palate. The congees are sprinkled with dried dates and chopped green onions on top. Enjoy with a dish of Chinese lettuce and a cup of extra fragrant chrysanthemum-based tea.

New Revi

Yunnanese. G/F, Yah Ying Building, 18 Shelter St., Causeway Bay, 2811-8992. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$$ It’s not easy to pithily summarize Yunnanese food. Located in the southern part of China and bordering Vietnam, Thailand and Laos, Yunnan is home to the highest number of ethnic minorities of any province. As a result, the food is diverse in style—and delicious. If you’re ready to explore this new cuisine—or try excellent renditions of old favorites—make a beeline for Yunnan Rainbow. Located around the corner from the Central Library in Causeway Bay, it’s a quiet spot amid a frenetic neighborhood. It’s especially fun to go with a group of friends; order a dozen dishes and keep the bottles of beer coming. On a recent Tuesday night the homey restaurant echoed with laughter and the clinking of glasses as steaming dishes emerged from the kitchen: fried taro cakes and a heaping plate of shredded chicken for starters; rich fish soup (in chili-ful and chili-less varietals to accommodate all tastes) and green beans with pork for mains. The three standouts, though, were spicy eggplant, claypot rice with pumpkin and a massive bowl of traditionally made noodles. Anything with mushrooms is also a winner— the province is known for growing tons of species of wild mushrooms; they are tender and flavorful, served stir-fried with meat or other vegetables. The restaurant was sold out of our first-choice dessert option— pumpkin and peanut dumplings—so if you try them, do us a favor and let us know.

Zone5 Western District.

208 Duecento Otto

Kennedy Town Bistronomique

New Revi

Harbour Restaurant ew

French. Shop B, G/F, 1 Davis St., Kennedy Town, 2818-8266. Tue-Fri noon-2:15pm; 6:30-10pm. $$$ Bistronomique is supposed to be a casual cousin of the much-praised On Lot 10 on Gough Street, with a slightly different vibe. We walked into this narrow, high-ceilinged diner, nestled in between the bars of Davis Street, and settled right in front of the chef’s workstation (a cute and functional setup considering the modest size of the place). We started with a plate of steamed whole Breton artichoke, which, apart from being quite bland on its own, disappointingly had a strange and bitter aftertaste that actually needed to be masked by its complementary sauce as opposed to being, well, complemented by it. We then sampled an Australian wagyu bavette (a.k.a a flank), mediumcooked, which was a bit “beefy,” although it went well with the mild brown sauce. The sides of lettuce were—again—strangely bitter; perhaps the chefs like their veggies that way? The best-faring dish was the macaroni gratin, which came in a melting cacophony of cheese and bacon bits.

Restaurant Guide 2012

New Revi

Chinese seafood. G/F, Grand Fortune Mansion, 1 Davis St., Kennedy Town, 2818-0101. Daily noon-2am. $$ This two-year old restaurant owned by local celebrity Cecilia Cheung’s mother is just as popular now as it was when it first opened. Crowds flock to this scenic harborside resto on a nightly basis, so reservations are highly recommended. Harbour Restaurant flaunts its catch in outdoor tanks and an easy-breezy environment that goes great with beer. The highlights are obviously marine-based, but you’ll find a host of other classic Chinese dishes here, too. The fried sea bream came with golden crispy skin and firm, briny meat that paired especially well with a thickened sweet soy sauce on the side. The steamed version proved again that this simple Chinese method of treating fish has no comparable equivalent. With a mild oil-tinged soy sauce and lots of fragrant greens accompanying the thin-skinned fish, we got to taste each succulent morsel for what it was. We were also adamant fans of the chili chicken, which was crispy on contact but melted in a fiercely tender symphony in the mouth. Go with a big group to take advantage of all the goodies they have on offer.

Piccolo Pizzeria

New Revi

Italian. Shop 1E, Davis St., Kennedy Town, 2824-3000. Fri-Sat noon-2am. $$-$$$ Piccolo is Les Amis Group’s latest Hong Kong project, and is the first of its two branches to conquer the bubbling pizza market. The façade here is all “neighborhood eatery,” with laid-back furniture, high tables near the front and a wine bar in the middle, all finished off with warm lights and tiled floors. There’s a massive two-ton gas pizza oven in the kitchen at the back of the restaurant, which diners can view through a glass wall. The menu is very simple: it’s pretty much Lazio-style thin crust pizza, pasta and a handful of starters to go along. One of the restaurant’s signature pizzas is the Bianca, or the “white pizza,” topped with slowcooked onions, crème fraiche and pancetta—but as we were dining with a carnivore that night, we went with a prosciutto di parma instead. The pizza came out just as we’d hoped: the crust was light, crispy and thin, with a hint of wood-smoked flavor ‘round the edges. A healthy dose of arugula, parmesan shavings and thin but generous slices of parma over a refreshing tomato-sauce base made for an explosion of opposing characters—with the strong, savory cheese and ham brought back to earth by the zesty sauce and pungent arugula

Zone5 udon and the lamb chops from the lunch menu, along with some tofu, mushroom and chicken skewers on the side. The lunch set always starts with a glass of sweet plum juice, miso soup, and a teensy crabmeat salad to whet the appetite. Meanwhile, the udon is prepared a little differently each time we visit; sometimes we’ll find three pieces of mussels on top, sometimes one, and other times they’ll throw in a scallop or two just to mix things up. On review day, we found the broth sweet and light, although the udon was a bit soggy and lacked the requisite bounce. At the end of the day though, we will still keep coming back, since Fuku is great value for money and the ambience is kickass.

Taco Chaca

The Chicken Man

ew New Revi

Mexican. Shop F, G/F, Tung Cheung Building, 1-11 Second St., Sai Ying Pun 2525-2066. Daily 11am-11pm. $ 208 Duecento Otto

leaves. We were also head over heels for the pasta aglio e olio—really, there’s no simpler or better concoction than this unpretentious spaghetti with roasted garlic, chili pepper and olive oil. We daresay Piccolo’s the best restaurant of its kind in K-Town.

Taco Chaca is one of the few places in Hong Kong that does a taco well, and at a price that won’t break the bank. Fish, steak, chicken tacos and burritos and all sorts of Mexican sides are available at this unpretentious, metallically themed eatery.

Thai Chun Mei

New Revi

Thai. G/F, 309 Queen’s Rd. West, Sai Ying Pun, 3691-8165. Daily 11:30am-10pm. $ Thai Chun Mei’s one of those hybrid Asian places where you can go in a group or alone and feel equally comfortable. The waiters are no-nonsense, and the sturdy bright green chairs and tables

Sai Ying Pun

encourage an eat-and-go attitude—which suits us just fine. We ordered a dinner set of yellow curry chicken with rice, which came with a bowl of clear chicken soup with carrots and winter melon that’s slightly spicy and incredibly addictive. We knew the veggies had spent enough time in the broth, what with their mushy consistency and their identical flavors. The watery, orange-tinged curry with large strips of chicken, green peppers and tender chunks of potatoes was hearty and rich. We dumped the sauce liberally onto our pretty little mound of white rice and there was still more than enough to go around. New Revi

Chicken. G/F, Hang Sing Mansion, 72 High St., Sai Ying Pun, 2559-2190. Mon-Sat 11:30am-10:30pm; Sun 11:30am-9:30pm. $ This cozy little venue (which also does delivery) prides itself on its rotisserie, but we think it could do well to advertise all its other goods. For one, we were very impressed with the saucy, tender, chickeny chicken in their chicken baguettes. We were also digging the big bowl of mash, which was creamy like vanilla ice cream, and with the perfect amount of salt and the requisite little lumps that gave it a hearty homemade feel. The chicken noodle soup, which was a mild brown broth with melt-in-mouth veggies and generous chunks of meat, could cure a cold any day of the week. As for the roast chicken itself—available in Australian and Brazilian varieties, and paired with a sauce of choice—we think it’s a good effort, but that in itself wouldn’t have lured us back.

BBQ BBQ. 129-133 Third St., Sai Ying Pun, 2548-9880. Daily 6pm-midnight. $ As the name indicates, it’s BBQ, Asian-style. There are a lot of Japanese-inspired dishes: endless varieties of yakitori-type skewers, deep-fried Tosastyle tofu and enoki mushrooms wrapped with beef; and the dipping sauces on the tables are spicy, Thaistyle. Once you fill in our checkboxes on the menu sheets, the dishes arrive one by one. Little deep-fried balls of squid cheeks go perfectly with Asahi, the chicken wings are bbq’d to perfection, charcoal crispy on the outside, tender and thoroughly cooked inside; the corn is sweet, buttered and caramelized; and succulent scallops come in two forms, skewered and grilled on the shell. The rising volume of laughter and rowdiness at neighboring tables assure us that everyone is having a good time. Hey, it’s good old barbecue, and at least you don’t have to wait by the blistering, smoky firepit cooking stuff yourself.

Fuku Robatayaki

New Revi

Robatayaki. Shop 10, Hang Sing Mansion, 48-78 High St., Sai Ying Pun, 2548-9961. Daily 11:45am-2:45pm. $ Fuku Robatayaki is a cozy and cutesy little shop we like to drop by on the weekends, and it’s one of those places where we always end up ordering the same dishes. This time was no different. We went with the seafood soup

Fusion Gourmet

Restaurant Guide 2012

Doppio Zero

Yun Fat Chinese. G/F, 76-78 High St., Sai Ying Pun, 2517-2028. Daily 11am-11pm. $ This truly local gem (It doesn’t even have an English name!) is tucked away in a quiet section of High Street and serves fresh poultry roasts on top of your standard local fare. The menu is all in Chinese unless you ask for a second-rate English version, so if you’re not a Cantonese speaker, you’d better bring a native-tongued buddy along. Befriending the down-to-earth staff there also helps—they’ll be quick to recommend their signature dishes. Go for their ginormous bowl of corn and seafood gung (a thick clear broth). The gung is just the right texture, and the ingredients balance out each other flawlessly. Also not-tomiss is their staple soy chicken (served in halves), as the skin and meat are exceptionally well marinated, each piece full of flavor.

Shek Tong Tsui Comilonas

New Revi

Spanish private kitchen. Flat 22, 1/F, Yip Cheong Building, 4-16 Hill Rd., Shek Tong Tsui, 9863-2270 (Call for reservations). $$ Spanish, or perhaps more appropriately tapas, restaurants are a dime a dozen these days, but this one’s not like the others. First of all, Comilonas is in a massive nondescript residential building with multiple elevator banks, making the trek to find the restaurant

Restaurant Guide 2012

a bit daunting. But upon arrival in the one-room flat, furnished simply with a long table, soft lighting and a small seating area, you instantly feel at home— like you’re in chef Carrie Fung’s living room. Fung’s boyfriend is from Barcelona, and during her visits to Spain she picked up recipes and tips that fueled her desire to open Comilonas. The name means something to the effect of “friends’ gathering,” and that’s what dinner here feels like. The multi-course menu is the same every night: It starts with simple breadsticks and a roasted red pepper dip, journeys through tender scallops marinated in olive oil, garlic shrimp and piquillo peppers stuffed with cheese and ends with an enormous (and impressive) saucepan of black-ink rice paella.

Neptune's Hotpot

ew New Revi

Hotpot. 1/F, Dragonfair Gardens, 455-485 Queen’s Rd. West, Shek Tong Tsui, 2819-8199. Daily 5pm-2am. $$ Utterly unable to secure a booking for hotpot anywhere on a recent chilly Friday night, we decided to search farther afield than the hotpot hotspots of Wan Chai, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay. Remembering an enjoyable time at Neptune’s a couple of years ago, we decided to head back to see if this cavernous joint has stood the test of time. After being guided into a booth, we joked around with the friendly waiter, who guided us around the menu. We ended up with a selection of balls (fish, beef, shrimp, pork), sliced beef, emperor vegetables and tofu, all cooking merrily in a yin-yang bowl, with an acceptably spicy Sichuan “mala” broth in the yin, and a rather insipid carrot and tomato soup in the yang. What we love about

Neptune’s is that it’s friendly, the handmade balls are fresh and bouncy, it’s spacious and quiet (minus the TVs), and you can always get a table.

Sheung Wan 208 Duecento Otto Italian. 208 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2549-0208. Mon-Thu noon-3pm, 7-10:30pm; Fri-Sat noon-3pm, 7-11pm; Sun 10am-3pm. $$ A table at the upstairs restaurant of this neighborhood hangout on the weekend is hot property, so we suggest booking well in advance. Alternatively, fight your way through the heaving crowds at the buzzing downstairs bar where you can perch and nibble on their delicious pizza and sip one of the 20 wines they serve by the glass. Low dark wooden ceilings, steel pillars and marble table tops give it a trendy New York bistro air while distinctive blue and white Chinese tiles give it a cool Asian edge. The menu has its roots in rustic Italian, but there are plenty of contemporary global twists.

ABC Kitchen International. Shop 7, Queen Street Cooked Food Centre, 1 Queen St., Sheung Wan, 9278-8227. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 7pm-10pm; Sun 7pm-10pm. $$ Is it fair to write a review of a restaurant when you only tried one dish? Possibly not, but we reckon it’s

tagliatelle in classic Bolognese sauce. The six pieces of ravioli, and their soft, sweet mushy centers, were truly delizioso—but with no meat to sustain the filling, we quickly learned that they could never be a standalone course. The tagliatelle’s texture was thick and sturdy, reflecting a handmade quality that we loved.

Fusion 5th Floor International. 5/F, The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2854-1801. Daily noon-3pm, 6-11pm. $$ This is a restaurant where the fusion isn’t confused. The most arresting element of decor here is a spacious and beautiful alfresco balcony with parasols and potted plants. Dining options range from simple two-course meals to a whopping eight-course tasting dinner. The roast rack of lamb is tender and flavorful, but the highlight here is an oyster risotto: al dente rice cooked in a briny seafood broth topped with three fat oysters. The dish is topped with greens that look like spinach, but turn out to be savory Chinese peashoots that go well with the mineral taste of the oysters. A truly enjoyable meal with thoughtful and friendly service. Gong Guan

fair game at ABC Kitchen, where everybody—and we mean everybody—orders the roasted suckling pig. If you haven’t heard of ABC, then get out from under your rock. It set up shop in Queen Street Cooked Food Centre a couple of years ago, serving classy European food as customers sit elbow to elbow with diners jostling for a cheap and filling meal at the neighboring Chiu Chow, cha chaan teng and dumpling stalls. The suckling pig dish owes a lot to the famous suckling pig from M at the Fringe, where the owners used to work. Coming in at just $138 per extremely generous portion, it comes in three different cuts, so you experience a range of textures and flavors in a single dish. Our table was silent, save for a few murmurs of appreciation as we tucked into the tender, succulent pork, the crisped skin and fat, and the accompanying roasted potatoes and cooked plums.

Doppio Zero Italian. The Pemberton, 22 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2851-0682. Daily 11am-11pm. $$$ With a long and cozy half-lit venue, Doppio Zero totally rocks it with the homey, casual Italian vibe. There’s a massive wooden table right at the front of the restaurant to draw in the crowds, and more intimate seating at the back. The establishment’s claim to fame is their handmade pasta, which they produce on a daily basis—and this is exactly what we came for. Our primi piatti, which we basically treated as our mains (and the prices reflected as such), consisted of a wine-braised beetroot ravioli with a touch of gorgonzola and poppy seeds, and a

Fusion Gourmet International. 1/F, The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2545-0068. Daily noon-11pm. $-$$ Part food market, part uber-fresh bistro, Fusion Gourmet offers the freshest meats and seafood, either to be cooked for you on the spot, or for you to take home and prepare yourself. Try the US kurobuta pork, cooked up however you like. Alternatively, try the menu of casual Western dining, from the gloriously simple three-tomato salad, or the wagyu skirt steak. Their Maui coffee is fantastic, especially with a slice of homemade cake for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

Gaia Ristorante

New Revi

Glo

New Revi

Molecular gastronomy. 1/F, Hotel de Edge by Rhombus, 94 Connaught Rd. West, Sheung Wan, 3559-9988. Daily 6:30am-midnight. $$ OK, so the chairs gave us a backache, and the highgloss black walls in the narrow space are hardly welcoming. But with Glo’s impressive, “molecular gastronomy-lite” menu, attentive service and value for money, we’re more than willing to overlook its sartorial shortcomings. The tuna salad appetizer was wonderfully fresh, and when served with creatively prepared tomatoes (we swear one had been infused with extra juice to make it explosively tasty), it was a cool, experimental take on a Niçoise without us having to wonder what the hell we were eating. For mains, the Kobe beef cheek risotto was declared by our companion as the best they’ve ever had.

Gong Guan

New Revi

Shanghainese. 12/F, 279 Des Voeux Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 2577-9789. Call for reservations. $$ For most of us, Shanghainese cuisine is usually limited to the xiaolongbao and dan dan mian at Crystal Jade, so it’s simply wonderful at this private kitchen to sample a slew of unusual, unexpected dishes, each more delicious than the last. Our favorites include a kind of Chinese BLT: an appetizer of soft bread, honey-glazed Yunnan ham and crispy tofu skin that you compile yourself like a sandwich, and a succulently tender braised chicken in black rice vinegar and a bowl of very simple but perfect fish soup with tofu. A word of warning: the minimum seating is for eight people and there are only three tables so it’s not exactly a place you can pop in.

Italian. Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen’s Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 21678200. Daily noon-2:30pm, 6:30-11pm. $$$ Friends and family have been full of glowing reviews about their pizza (which are still on the new menu) over the years, and it was high time we gave it a try. The 18-inch pizza arrived and we went around the table for the verdict: the salami was juicy (unlike many restaurants that serve it dry and crispy) and the mozzarella well-melted. The crust was crispy, perhaps a little too crispy around the edges, but fortunately we prefer it that way to a soggy thin crust. The rest of the orders followed shortly: the fritto misto—a battered seafood platter with soft shell crab, calamari and fish— came a little soggy, but the seafood was fresh. The spring chicken was tender and succulent, as were the lamb chops. The jewel of the meal, however, proved to be the crême brûlée, which came served with thin slices of apple adorned on top, and with a deliciously distinct vanilla flavor and perfect consistency. Gaia Ristorante

Restaurant Guide 2012

K1 Restaurant and Bar New Review Western. 1/F, CNT Commercial Building, 302 Queen’s Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 2815-5380. Daily noon-2am. $

Heirloom

New Revi

La Parole

International. G/F-1/F, 226 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2547-8008. Tue-Sat from noon-10:30pm, Sun from noon-4pm. $$ The newly opened Heirloom is a bit of an exercise in contradictions. Its décor calls to mind quaint little European street-side cafes, but Mexican tacos and Thai curries are on the menu. It serves hearty comfort food like ribs and bread pudding, but with the elegant flair (and prices) of a chic fine-dine. It’s a trendy, SoHo-esque joint that’ll inevitably appeal to the yuppie crowd, but its name is Heirloom. We weren’t sure whether this cocktail of different elements would work, but in some ways it kinda does, since you’ll be sure to find something for everyone if you’re with a group of diners with divergent tastes.

Jiang Shan Hui

With black and blue motifs (like a shady club) and tacky blue Christmas lights hanging by the windows, K1 was written off as a failure before we even set foot inside. But boy, were we pleasantly surprised when we saw the food. For lunch, the restaurant offers a mish-mash set menu that ranges from BLT sandwiches with fries to smoked salmon steak and even roast chicken. Each set comes with either soup or salad and a drink. The prices are reasonable and the staff friendly—but these two considerations alone would not have made up for the tackiness of the venue; thank goodness the dishes delivered, too. We opted for the roast chicken with mash and a smoked duck breast salad, both of which were solidly satisfying.

New Revi

French. La Parole, 3/F, The Pemberton, 22-26 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2436-4099. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6:30-11pm. $$ La Parole has moved from its longstanding Tsing Yi location to the swank Pemberton building. The restaurant serves traditional French cuisine in a contemporary setting. The owners are social entrepreneurs who donate proceeds from the restaurant to Benji’s Centre, a charity providing speech therapy for children.

Magnolia

New Revi

Cajun/Creole. Shop 5, G/F, 17 Po Yan St., Sheung Wan, 2530-9880. Call for reservations. $$$ The evening began with complimentary canapés, a cocktail and conversations between three somewhat distracted groups who were more interested in the activities in the large open kitchen. Soon enough, we were escorted from the living room through the kitchen—whispers of “Wow, what’s that?” and “That smells amazing” drifted past the friendly chef—and up to the private rooms. Our meal began with a warm and soothing bowl of a Na’lean classic: seafood gumbo. The texture was excellent and the subtle spice pleasantly lingered after we inhaled the entire bowl. Next up was a crab cake salad which sadly only consisted of two tiny yet deliciously crispy pieces and a somewhat out-of-place simple vinaigrette salad. This was quickly overlooked when dish after dish began to cover our table. Ribs with the meat falling off the bone, bright orange jambalaya, creamy mash two ways (regular and pitch-perfect sweet potato) and the all-time Southern favorite, homemade cornbread, were the stars of the meal.

Masala Indian. 10 Mercer St., Sheung Wan, 2581-9777. Daily 11am-3pm, 6-11:30pm. $ Usually packed, Masala feels more like a hip bistro than a traditional Indian restaurant. “Don’t worry, eat curry,” says the menu. So you do. Sets include entrées, particularly fragrant basmati rice, tandoori bread and a salad. The chicken Madras with chopped chicken breast simmered in masala curry is one suggestion. Other recommendations include lamb chop masala and the signature dish, salmon fish-head curry.

Chinese. 2, Yat Chow Building, 262 Des Voeux Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 2880-9618. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $ Jiang Shan Hui is the creation of chef Hui Sing-ming, whose previous credits include heading the kitchens in Taipei’s original Din Tai Fung and Hong Kong’ s Shangri-La and Traders hotels. It is a cozy, clean and comfortable second-floor establishment serving mainly Shanghainese and Sichuan-style dishes. Jiang Shan Hui’s a great place to go in a big group, as the dishes are all conducive to sharing and you’d have a hard time settling on just a few items otherwise. We ordered signature dishes from each region and a whole bunch of snacks in between. The Shanghainese xiaolongbao were sturdy-skinned and filled with a warm, flavorful broth that enhanced the tender pork encased within. The “sui jiu” fish in a mala broth, although not intensely spicy like other Sichuan interpretations we’ve had, was a careful and aromatic combination of spice and fresh white chunks of fish.

Restaurant Guide 2012

La Parole

Sam Xing

New Revi

Taiwanese. 1-3 Mercer St., Sheung Wan, 2866-6699. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $ Newly opened on Mercer Street and replacing the short-lived French bistro Chez Nous, Sam Xing is known for Taiwanese specialties such as beef noodles and fried and stir-fried snacks. The premise is a big contrast from its predecessor, with hard furniture and dark tones and a hidden second-story space to accommodate overflowing patrons. Given its novelty, patrons need to queue for a seat during the busy lunch hour. We were a table of three and decided to each order a noodle lunch set (which comes with a drink and two small sides), plus a couple of additional sides to share. The noodles come with beef and other parts of the cow, and soups bases include the Taiwanese “hong xiao” (roasted), spicy mala and a tomato broth. We highly recommend a glass of Taiwanese milk tea to complete the experience.

Sang Kee Cantonese. 10 Hillier St., Sheung Wan, 2541-5099. Daily 11am-8pm. $

The Press Room

with virtually no expectations, we were pleasantly surprised by what we encountered, from the cutesy hard-wood décor to the friendly staff. We ordered a miso-based ramen and a side of soft-boiled eggs (we went during lunch, and yakitori is only served at dinnertime). The noodles were nicely garnished with sheets of nori (seaweed), bright yellow corn kernels, soft Welsh onion shreds and a sprinkling of bean sprouts. Two fatty pieces of pork floated on top of the semi-opaque broth. We are not natural fans of ramen (we’d opt for udon or soba any day), but the elasticity of the noodles—a comparable analogy would be pasta cooked al dente—accompanied by the flavorful miso made for a happy meal indeed.

Oolaa Australian. G/F, CentreStage, 1 Bridges St., Sheung Wan, 2803-2083. Daily 7:30am-11pm. $$ The Press Room

Mutekiya

New Revi

Japanese. 9 Mercer St., Sheung Wan, 2815-5322. Mon-Thu 11:30am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm. $$ Mutekiya is just one of many ramen shops that have opened in recent months (in fact, we’ve lost count)—so we were a bit jaded when we heard the news, and frankly not the least bit excited. Going in

Restaurant Guide 2012

Oolaa by Castelo Concepts looks set to be the group’s magnum opus. Covering 5,000 square feet of CentreStage’s Bridges Street entrance, this sprawling, open-fronted bar/restaurant/coffee shop comes in crisp linens and warm browns—easy on the eye, and an appropriate backdrop for all-day dining—and drinking. The menu boasts highlights of all their other restaurants—badass wagyu steaks, pizza-oven-pizzas, weekend brunch and Asian-influenced starters, such as the ever-popular sesame tuna brought over from Cru (Oolaa’s predecessor in SoHo).

You’re unlikely to fall in love with Sang Kee at first sight, with its cheap fold-down tables and crammed-to-the-brim seating. But this ain’t no ho-hum noodle joint; the full-bodied fish soup base is flecked with real fish meat. We also love Sang Kee’s soft, cottony fish tofu, which will have us coming back time and time again.

Serenade

New Revi

Western. G/F, 238 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2517-8322. Tue-Sun, 5pm-midnight. $$$ Serenade is a modestly sized all-round westernstyle eatery, serving everything from seafood to steaks to pastas. We started off with a wonderfully concentrated and fragrant lobster bisque, each spoonful a smooth and creamy statement. The blue crabmeat spaghetti came next, complemented by simple olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs. The generous, unassuming chunks of flaky crabmeat are testament to the fact that more often than not, the ingredients speak for themselves. The ocean trout on risotto was another simple yet graceful dish. The trout skin was cooked to a delicate crisp while the meat remained tender and semi-translucent, thereby retaining the fish’s essence while enhancing its textures. Here’s to another winner in the neighborhood!

Sheung Hing Chiu Chow Restaurant Teochew. G/F, 37 Queen’s Rd. West, Sheung Wan, 2854-4557. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm. $ Part of a series of restaurants known locally as “Soya Goose Row,” this down-at-the-heel eatery is perhaps the most famous of them all. The clientele ranges

from local celebrities—as the numerous pictures on the wall proudly demonstrate—to shivering firsttimers looking bewildered that this tiny, noisy and bitterly cold room is where you’ll find some of the best Chiu Chow food in town. Highlights are the lemon duck soup, baby oyster omelette and the classic Chiu Chow congee served with fish, pork and parsley, all in a watery yet surprisingly flavor-packed broth.

Taste In

New Revi

Korean. Shop 201, Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen’s Rd. Central, Sheung Wan, 2525-3699. Mon-Sat 11am-9:30pm. $$ It’s a bit sad to see most of Hong Kong’s Korean restaurants generally serving toned down and localized versions of dukbokki, bibimbap and the like (yes, even the ones in TST). In that respect, Taste In is no different. The panchan starters were generous. We ordered our favorite snack next—the dukbokki rice cakes that they sell everywhere on the streets in Korea. While the red gochujang (hot pepper) sauce looked promising, we found the spices rather tame when we actually bit into the tender, chewy sticks. The winner of the day was the BBQ pork, consisting of deliciously soft, well-marinated slices of meat in sweet and zesty sauce, paired with a homemade scoop of mash. We do like you, Taste In, but maybe you could grow more balls and say, “To hell with you wussy spice-shy locals.” Doesn’t hurt to dream big.

The Press Room Western. 108 Hollywood Rd., Sheung Wan, 2525-3444. Mon-Fri noon-11pm; Sat-Sun 10am-midnight. $$-$$$ It’s a New York-style brasserie on Hollywood Road, serving up a croque monsieur ham-and-cheese sandwich and Iranian caviar with equal grace. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows, an open kitchen, a cozy oyster bar, a wine nook at the entrance and oldschool chalkboard menus showing the specials of the

day convey the feeling of a neighborhood hangout. On the menu: lobster risotto, free-range coq au vin or the prime steak frites, grilled, dry-aged, USDA prime sirloin with classic béarnaise and creamed spinach. Very popular for weekend brunches.

Tim's Kitchen

New Revi

Chinese. Shop A, 1/F, 84-90 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2543-5919. Mon-Sat 11:30am-3PM, 6-11PM. $$-$$$ There’s lots of prestige behind the Tim’s brand, which spans three cities across Asia (Macau and Shanghai being the other two). Chef and founder Lai Yau-tim started his chain of private kitchens a little over ten years ago, and since then he’s amassed not only a loyal following but also a bundle of international accolades and recognition as a renowned Chinese chef. Tim’s Kitchen Hong Kong (relocated a block down from its original Jervois Street location) sits on prime real estate—a ground floor unit on a busy street in Sheung Wan. There are some dishes you need to order a day in advance, like the roast suckling pig, roast farm goose and various types of chicken and seafood. We opted for the goose, which turned out to be a dangerous combination of crispy brown skin, arteryclogging fat and golden meat. We went all-heavy and accompanied it with a savory stewed eggplant with minced pork (gooey and glorious) and a dish of massive deep-fried frogs’ legs topped with a dash of sliced red chilies (satisfying—but what isn’t when it’s deep-fried?). A bright and weightless fried rice with conpoy helped close the deal.

Yardbird

New Revi

Japanese. 33-35 Bridges St., Sheung Wan, 2547-9273. Mon-Sat 6pm-late. $$$ Yardbird is a no-frills yet achingly modern two-story yakitori joint in the happenin’ Sheung Wan district. (On one of the walls, there’s a small alcove with

Tim’s Kitchen

an iPod charger.) Waitstaff of various nationalities weave effortlessly through the standing and sit-in crowd—yes, plenty of people were standing around the bar waiting for their seats on the night we went. A couple of doors down is Oolaa, the insanely popular Aussie resto that has patrons spilling out onto the streets come weekends—but Yardbird is already proving it can hold its own. Helmed by chef Matt Abergel of Zuma fame, Yardbird offers a simple menu of starters, skewers and sides—easy is the keysy here. The skewers are all chickenbased, and taken from every part of the chicken’s body from the heart to the skin. We started with a round of KFC (Korean Fried Cauliflower), sweet corn tempura and maitake mushrooms, and the table immediately fell in love. The zesty yuzu sauce with mild chili notes gave the coated cauliflowers an otherworldly vibe. The tempura corn balls, made of delightfully crispy kernels, also more than met our expectations. For the actual yakitori, we decided to go for nearly everything on the menu—namely, the thighs, breast, wings, neck, heart, oyster (a piece of dark meat near the thigh), tail, skin and knee. Each skewer was expertly and uniquely seasoned (garlic, shichimi, Welsh onion and yuzukosho were examples), and we took turns oohing and aahing at each successive plate that landed on our table. There were definitely favorites; the juicy thighs, oysters, wings and knees won over the drier, firmer breasts. But all in all, we were collectively bowled over by the artful and meticulous grilling that gave way to char-tinted skins and succulent flesh. For sides, the chicken and egg rice is highly recommended. (It’s a good way of filling up, because the skewers aren’t gonna do it.) Finish up with a bowl of their highly prized peanut butter ice cream.

Yardbird

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone6 Hong Kong East.

The News Room

North Point Café Eos 1

New Revi

Western-style café. Shop 8, G/F, 42 Electric Rd., North Point, 2571-7968. Daily 7:30am-10pm. $ Hong Kong needs more homey, cheery spaces like Café Eos I. You know, places where you don’t get stared at or kicked out if you spend a minute too long on your meal, and where you aren’t forced to share tables with strangers. Inside, pastel green and yellow stripes line the walls and ceilings, and a tiny raised platform at the back gives way to an open kitchen. CE offers an impressive selection of desserts and drinks, and (regrettably) a variety of mains and appetizers. But we did enjoy our pumpkin cake with almond shavings, which was served warm and crumbled at the touch of a fork. A dollop of whipped cream gave the cake an added layer of moisture, and cocoa powder and a drizzle of honey acted as subtle sweeteners. In short, the owners of Café Eos I should make their own lives easier by giving up the kitchen for the bakery.

Fung Shing Restaurant

New Revi

Shun Tak. G/F, 1/F, Goldfield Mansion, 62-68 Java Rd., North Point, 2578-4898. Daily 9am-3pm; 6pm-11pm. $ It’s rather difficult to find a good restaurant that serves traditional Shun Tak cuisine—which is known for its meticulousness—but Fung Shing Restaurant doesn’t disappoint. We started our meal with a lettuce wrap of finely diced quail and bamboo shoots. The mixture

Restaurant Guide 2012

of quail meat and bamboo shoots gave the wrap a special flavor, and the lettuce brought some freshness to the dish. We were also pleasantly surprised by the fried young chicken dish that came next. The skin was very crispy, yet the meat remained juicy and tender. Do remember to pre-order the baked sago pudding; ours came in an aromatic bundle full of creamy lotus seed paste. One important note: there are quite a number of Fung Shing Restaurants in the city, but only the ones in North Point and Mong Kok are run by disciples of the original boss, Fung Moon.

Ugly American

New Revi

American (North East). 18 Wang On Rd., North Point, 2887-0832. Mon-Thu noon10pm; Fri-Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-10pm. $ This quiet little North Point venue doesn’t only serve American cuisine from the Northeast region, but also what the average northeasterner enjoys eating. While we did enjoy the crab cakes, we found they had almost a tuna-like texture and verged on a potato pancake. We wished the outside was crispier, the middle was softer and, more importantly, that the pieces of crab were chunky rather than shredded. It was love upon first bite with the mussels, however, as they were meaty and covered in an addictive white sauce. We ordered steaks, one of which was the delicious surf and turf (rib eye steak with grilled prawns)—juicy, cooked to the proper chef standard of medium-rare and paired perfectly with the creamy mash and sweet baby asparagus. The wine list and dinner prices also suit the American standard: go big or go home.

Quarry Bay Noodle Concepts Chinese, Malaysian. Shop 2, G/F, Tai Kut House, 7 Greig Rd., Quarry Bay, 3486-8525. Tue-Sun noon-9pm. $ Everyone at Noodle Concepts was once here for the alcohol marinated goose liver steak—the signature dish of the restaurant’s former incarnation as Old Bazaar kitchen in Tin Hau. It’s succulent but so rich you can’t possibly finish it with only two people. But do go for their noodles with beef brisket in fish stock, which has very tender meat and flavorful stock. For dessert, try the ice cream mango cake—it’s not too sweet and is a perfect ending to a great meal.

The News Room

New Revi

Western. 33 Tong Chong St., Quarry Bay, 2562-3444. Mon-Fri 7:30am-midnight; Sat-Sun 9am-midnight. $$$ The News Room is possibly better known for its happy hour than for its food among the local after-work crowd, but that doesn’t mean the grub’s not up to scratch. It’s just that the journalists working in Taikoo Place (for whom the restaurant is named) really like a drink. Next time you’re there, soak up the cocktails with a few items from their small but appealing menu. We loved the Louisiana chili crab cakes, which are made with fresh, pure crabmeat. They’re a tad small but what they lack in size they make up for in flavor. We’re also a big fan of the rabbit. Less gamey than you’d think, it came wrapped in bacon to preserve its moisture and flavor. Sat atop a bed of truffle mash and

Zone6 stuffed with greens and pine nuts, it was a wonderfully comforting winter dish.

Sai Wan Ho Berliner

New Revi

German. Shop 2B-07, 45 Tai Hong St., Lei King Wan, Sai Wan Ho, 2121-8969. Daily noon-1am. $$ Berliner shares its space with sister restaurant Wildfire— there’s no physical division and you can only tell there are two different restaurants from the different furniture. During our visit, the staff automatically ushered us into Wildfire’s space. And then handed us a menu for Wildfire. Everyone in the restaurant was having Wildfire’s afternoon tea set—we doubt they even knew there was another restaurant on the same premises. We thoroughly enjoyed the modestly sized pretzels with fine grained salt sprinkled on top, and the pork knuckles were excellent—the crispy seasoned skin with its golden brown hue just melted in our mouths. The buttered carrots and mashed potatoes underneath sealed the deal. We were expecting more curry in the currywurst and less tomato sauce, but it was still an enjoyable dish. All in all, we did very much like our food here, but we think the staff should be more proactive in touting Berliner instead of assuming everyone’s here for the other restaurant.

Gitone

New Revi

Chinese private kitchen. Shop GB27-28, 45 Tai Hong St., Lei King Wan, Sai Wan Ho, 2527-3488. Call for reservations. $$$ Gitone is a not-so-private kitchen (given its huge windows and its location on the ground floor of a retail/residential complex) cum art studio, which is a bit of an odd combination, but it kinda sorta works. Diners can take ceramic or painting lessons in a studio space adjacent to the dining room before sitting down to one of four types of set dinners: Shanghainese, Shunde, Asian or vegetarian. We skipped the art and went straight for the food that night, going with the multi-course Shanghainese menu. We were impressed by the appetizers; the pickled cucumbers in spicy sauce, minced tofu, eggplant in vinegar, drunken chicken and smoked fish were all beautifully presented and piqued our appetites. The mains were a bit more average: the hotpot rice with shredded vegetables was overcooked, and one could smell the charred crispy bits of grain sticking to the side of the pot. We kind of understood the Gitone concept by the end of the night—first and foremost, everything is beautiful to look at.

Uncle Moustache

New Revi

International. G/F, GC24-26, 35 Tai Hong St., Lei King Wan, Sai Wan Ho, 2967-6764. Daily 6pm-midnight. $$$ The unusual name of this restaurant comes from its colorful braces-wearing president Stephen Shum— whose tuft of facial hair led his customers to adopt

the moniker “Uncle Moustache.” Modeled on the dining hall of the Merryvale restaurant in the Napa Valley (huge wine barrels line one wall), Shum says his own private kitchen serves Chinese dishes in a European atmosphere. Each night the resident pianist serenades the room with soft piano music while lights are dimmed to allow diners to enjoy dinner by candle-light. One of their most interesting dishes, simply called “Send the lamb to the tiger”, is a barbecued pork chop stuffed inside a ball of minced tiger prawn meat, dunked in batter and fried lightly in oil. Yet Shum’s kitchen is famous for another reason: a painstakingly crafted set-menu ($600 or $350 without wines) pairs each dish in the nine-course meal with a glass of wine.

Shau Kei Wan Indonesian Sate House

New Revi

Indonesian. G/F, 76D Shau Kei Wan Main St. East, Shau Kei Wan, 2886-5796. Daily 4pm-late. $ If you walk out of Shau Kei Wan MTR station any time after 4pm, just follow the irresistible satay aromas to get to a tiny, yet very popular, Indonesian satay shop on the left. Run by an Indonesian Chinese couple, the Indonesian Sate House has been opened for 15 years and is renowned for its signature skewers. The satay sauce contains a perfectly rich combination of spices, sweetness and peanut butter which soaks into the various kinds of grilled skewers, including pork, chicken, lamb and beef. The boss says the dishes at his resto are strictly authentic Indonesian delicacies, and many of them can’t be found in other Indonesian restaurants in Hong Kong.

Kam Tung Tai

New Revi

Seafood. G/F, Shop 5, Tung Wai Building, 59-99 Shau Kei Wan Main St. East, Shau Kei Wan, 2569-4361. Daily 11am-11pm. $-$$ Don’t be fooled by the recent renovation—this Hong Kong-style restaurant actually has been around since 1989. Owner Mr. Po and his family grew up on a boat in Shau Kei Wan, and as such the walls of the restaurants are covered with photos of Shau Kei Wan in the 70s and 80s, bringing you back to the days before the reclamations took place, when Shau Kei Wan was a prominent fishing community. “We want to show customers the old faces of Shau Kei Wan, the culture of boatpeople, as well as to bring out the essence of the seafood cooked by them,” Mr. Po says. He adds that his chefs prefer to spend hours perfecting the seafood in order to fully enhance their natural taste, instead of merely relying on strong sauces to spice up the dishes. Their signature dishes include a shredded chicken with roasted duck, which consists of a mound of tender chicken and duck topped with a generous amount of chopped spring onions. Another must-try is the dried shrimp with watery rice. Slow-steamed crab with

vermicelli and king garoupa toast round off the classic menu of the Shau Kei Wan boatpeople.

Kwun Thai

New Revi

Thai. 39 Shau Kei Wan Mai St. East, Shau Kei Wan, 3178-1333. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $ A frequent traveler to Thailand and owner of Kwun Thai, Mr. Kwok was determined to bring the essence of Thai cuisine back to Hong Kong after he fell in love with Thai food. This modestly sized restaurant is neat, bright and delicately embellished with Thai trinkets like colorful palm tree posters, huge fans with elephant patterns, orchids and bamboo mats. The signature Thai Hainan chicken with rice is renowned for its boneless, smooth and juicy meat paired with a dry, pyramid-shaped pile of rice that contains the essence of the chicken. Kwun Thai is also known for its pad Thai, a dish of fried noodles paired with seafood, pork, beef, chicken or pork neck meat. The refreshing papaya salad in spicy and sour sauce is a pile of freshly cut tomatoes, peppers and bean sprouts topped with papaya slices, making it the perfect complement to other savory dishes. The restaurant’s Thai chefs often enjoy having a little chat with their frequent loyal Thai customers and creating special dishes based on their requests.

Tai Koo Feast

New Revi

Western. 1/F, East Hotel, 29 Taikoo Shing Rd., Tai Koo, 3968-3777. Daily 6:30am-10:30am; noon-2:30pm; 6pm-10:30pm. $$ This spacious venue, with a mile-long hall that seems to stretch forever, is a feast first and foremost for the eyes. We like the floor-to-ceiling windows, the comfortable chairs and the family-friendly-yet-intimate vibe here. There are two options: you can either go for a dinner buffet, which includes an all-you-can-eat appetizer and dessert spread, or the a la carte menu. We opted for the buffet, choosing a slow-cooked Sunday roast for our mains. For starters, there was a good and reliable selection of meats, pastas, seafood and veggies to choose from, but it definitely wasn’t one of those overwhelming spreads where your eyes get lost in all the options. We really enjoyed the pot roast, which came with enormous chunks of beef, a baguette on the side and a healthy dose of greens on top.

Berliner

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone7 Beyond CWB.

Daruma

Happy Valley

Tai Hang

Brown

Chao's Hotpotter

Western. 18A Sing Woo Rd., Happy Valley, 2891-8558. Daily 11:30-12:30am. $$

Hot pot. 22 Wun Sha St., Tai Hang, 2890-9308. Tue-Sun 7am-4pm, 6pm-midnight. $$

Brown is welcoming and homey, a reasonably priced Western restaurant in Happy Valley. You can choose to stay in the main dining room or back terrace, where much of the action usually happens. Browse through the menu for your choice of pizza, pasta and gastropub fare. They also serve a jambalaya that is richly flavored, with just a hint of southern spice.

Yakitoritei Japanese. 49-51A Sing Woo Rd., Happy Valley, 2838-5377. Daily 6:30pm-2:30am. $$$ Yakitoritei specializes in yakitori, or traditional Japanese satay grilling. It’s a small joint where tables can feel a bit clustered—you might end up accidentally pouring beer into a neighboring patron’s lap instead of your glass (we’ve seen it happen). You’re best off taking your time ordering and letting the dishes arrive slowly. All the staples are here: beef, lamb and chicken parts, including liver, gizzard, neck and cartilage. The meat dishes go down beautifully with a few bottles of Asahi, as do other notables such as the rice balls wrapped in seaweed and ginkgo nuts.

Restaurant Guide 2012

New Revi

There are Chiu Chow restaurants aplenty all over this town, but this one specializes in hotpot. What sets Chiu Chow hotpot apart, owner Ted Lam explains, is that the cow is the star of the show—not just its meat but also its innards and the bones (which are used for the broth). Any leftover beef goes into beef balls, which are handmade each day and a favorite among regular patrons. Other popular dishes include Japanese oysters, pork belly slices and dumplings—one kind is innovatively filled with cheese and salmon. Chiu Chow hotpot is also known for its plethora of sauces, especially shacha sauce, which is traditionally made out of soybean oil, garlic, shallots, chilis and dried shrimp. Chao’s special recipe mixes in sesame sauce to balance out the strong flavors, so make sure to dunk your beef generously.

Choi's Kitchen

New Revi

Chinese/claypot rice. Shop A1, G/F, 9-11 Shepherd St., Tai Hang, 3485-0501. Daily noon-3pm 6-10:30. $ Come early or definitely have a reservation beforehand, otherwise be prepared to queue. Choi’s

Kitchen—a neat and tidy hole-in-the-wall, if there is such a thing—is pretty much the size of a large room, with an open kitchen facing the front, and it’s crammed with foldable tables and stools along one narrow corridor and. Nestled in trendy Tai Hang, the specialty at Choi’s is claypot rice. You’d be an idiot not to order one, although the menu is filled with many other Chinese dai pai dong-style dishes. As soon as you’re seated, the no-nonsense servers command you to pick your rice—each claypot dish takes 20 minutes to make, on average (and they’re made-to-order), so you can forget dilly-dallying. After studying the menu for a total of two seconds, we decided on a black bean pork spare rib rice, and then pored over the rest of the menu. We chewed through a plate of sautéed squid with seasonal pak choy first—good, but not wow. But then the claypot came—straight off the gas stove, piping hot. The sides were crackling as we mixed the pork-topped rice with soy sauce, meaning there were lots of crispy golden brown rice bits—arguably the best part of any claypot dinner—for us to indulge in. The pork was fatty, perfectly accented by the sharpness of the black beans—it was a great warm-me-up winter dish. The server tried to tell us about their other specialties, including a clear-broth beef brisket (and we really enjoyed our other, riceless claypot ma po tofu too), but at the end of the day the claypot rice is the clear star of the show. You’ll know just by lookin’ round at the other tables.

Zone7 Daruma

New Revi

Ramen. Shop E, G/F, Ming Sun Building, 92 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Tai Hang, 2565-6600. Daily noon-3pm, 6pm-11pm. $$ Proprietor Charlie Chan founded Daruma Ramen House as a hobby to complement his burgeoning fashion business—but it’s now one of the most popular ramen shops in the area. “I’ve eaten ramen in Japan for 10 years,” Charlie explains. “But no ramen in Hong Kong is as good as the ones I’ve tasted there, so I decided to bring real Japanese ramen to Hong Kong.” While Daruma’s other dishes are made with a lighter broth, its signature ramen is served with an incredibly thick, flavorful broth made out of pork bones that have been stewed for 10 hours. It’s so special that they only make 15 bowls of it every day. The broth is poured over noodles imported straight from Nippon and garnished with a runny egg, sweet corn, fish roe, spring onions, seaweed and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. A heaping bowl comes with a plate of marinated garlic, beans and vegetables. Other snacks for sale include chicken wings stuffed with fish roe and yam and chestnut croquettes.

Vietnam Station

New Revi

Vietnamese. G/F, 136 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Tai Hang, 2895-0788. Daily 11am-11pm. $ A joint favored by locals, Vietnam Station has all the trappings of any typical Vietnamese restaurant. Their most popular dish, which is also Chef Ah Shui’s specialty, is a huge bowl of soft rice noodles, beef slices, beef balls, tendons, tripe and turnips, all garnished with a liberal amount of onion, parsley and (of course) some pungent fish sauce. Try their shrimp and pork rice-paper roll, and top it all off with some fresh coconut juice.

Tin Hau Izakaya Misaki

New Revi

we’ve had before because of the black sesame sauce drizzled all over the plate. We also tried two nigiri sushi rolls, one with salmon (Lai said it was fresh) and the other with Hamachi, and finished it all up with a shrimp tempura roll. Stuffed, we longingly eyed the rest of the menu which contains plain tempura, sashimi, rice, noodle and BBQ and skewer options.

Mitsukiya

New Revi

Japanese. 15 Tsing Fung St., Tin Hau, 2806-3389. Mon-Fri 5pm-midnight; Sat-Sun 3pm-1am. $ Tsing Fung Street is home to multiple Chinese dessert joints, which serve up all manner of soups with sweet dumplings, mango puddings and shaved ice. But Mitsukiya, with its enigmatic, curtain-covered entrance, is a horse of a different color. On the left side of this long, narrow Japanese dessert parlor, tables and stools are plastered with funky retro decals and vintage advertisement posters line the walls. To the right, a raised platform is covered by a tatami mat; patrons sit cross-legged or recline on cushions alongside a row of low tables. The setting is comfortable and quaint, but the desserts served are even more awesome. The menu’s offerings change often and are based on seasonal ingredients, but some mainstays include dango (balls of rice flour) with matcha powder for dipping, a three-ramekin-long crème brulee assortment and a delicious variation of apple pie in which a whole apple is covered in crust and baked.

Rouge International. 58 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Tin Hau, 2881-1901. Mon-Sat noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight; Sun 6pm-2am. $$ This small restaurant-bar is an ideal sundowner spot for a streetside drink. Try a multi-course menu, starting with raw oysters and whelks, followed by a thinly sliced Hokkaido scallop and salmon tartare sprinkled

with sea salt and truffle oil that is truly a delight to the palette. Then there’s the exquisitely marinated Thaistyle salad loaded to heaping with prawns, followed by a cute pastry filled with a juicy, aromatic bite of escargot served in a Chinese spoon. The mains are a bit unorthodox: yummy seafood risotto full of caviar and the crunch of flying fish roe, studded with cubes of chunky, meaty tuna. The service is personal and attentive.

Top Grade Hot Pot

New Revi

Hotpot. G/F, 5-7 Tsing Fung St., Tin Hau, 2323-1008. Daily 5:30pm-3am. $ A spicy oasis amid Tin Hau’s durian-smelling dessert shops, Top Grade is a local joint that’s a tiny bit more upscale than your average unhygienic house of bubbling broth. But the meal still came in at about $140 per person, which we found eminently reasonable for the heaping plates of top-quality meat, wontons, tofu, noodles, veggies and fish skins that kept arriving at the crowded table. Of course, we had to order those devilish fish and meat balls that squirt out the scalding cheese hidden inside. (Seriously, they are weirdly delicious.) Our favorite part of the whole night, though, came at the beginning, when the waiters brought out the big trays of condiment jars (soy, vinegar, fried garlic, sesame paste, fish oil, satay sauce, parsley, etc.) for us to make our own dipping sauces. This naturally led to a sauce-making war among the more competitive folks at the table. Watch out, Lee Kum Kee—some of our patented blends were so good that we wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up on supermarket shelves. As the night went on and the dippins’ became irreversibly soaked in fiery chilis, sweat started to roll down fellow diners’ faces. But hey, that’d happen if we were just walking around outside, no? Just keep those Tsingtaos coming.

Japanese. 2 Sun Chun St., Tin Hau, 3488-5543. Daily noon-3pm. $$ We heard about Izakaya Misaki from friends who live in Tin Hau. At first, they were reluctant to share the deets of this little (literally) gem of a Japanese restaurant—given that it seats about 10 people, it wouldn’t be good for regulars if word gets out too widely…whoops. Located on a small side street off of Wun Sha Street, the place was a little hard to find. But once we pulled the sliding door aside, we were welcomed by exuberant owner Lai Yew-wing, who excitedly ushered us into the tiny back room, served us sake and edamame and began rattling off a list of rolls we should try. After calming him down, try them we did. The Misaki roll, made of deep-fried yam and topped with unagi (eel) tempura, was a delicious mix of veggie and seafood flavors, while the Black Wings roll with negitoro (fatty tuna with little green onions) and topped with chopped scallop was unlike any sushi

Chao’s Hotpotter

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone8 New Territories.

Anthony’s Ranch

Sai Kung Anthony's Ranch American. 28 Yi Chun St., Sai Kung, 27916116. Mon-Wed 11:30am-midnight; Thu-Fri 11:30-1:30am; Sat 8:30-2:30am; Sun 8:301:30am. $$ This two-floor joint is decked out like an Alabama slophouse, and serves arguably the best American grub this side of the US. From prime USDA steaks cut as fat as your face to burgers made from choice chuck beef, it’s a veritable cornucopia of heart attack–inducing fare, and the perfect cure for a hangover. Start off with a San Miguel served chilled in an ice-cold mug, and then attempt to make an impossible choice. We recommend the Kid Rib appetizer, the perfect way to sample their famous baby back, and then whatever floats your boat. Divine steaks smothered in sauce, caveman-sized lamb chops or the massive sandwiches: burgers, French dip, beef brisket, pulled pork. Next time you’re feeling like a hick, don those cowboy boots and stuff your mug down at the Ranch.

Jaspas Australian. Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2792-6388. Daily 8am-11pm. $$ A while back the Chinese media discovered the original Jaspas, devoting several newspaper inches and a chunk of airtime to its sublime fajitas—a sizzling plate of beef or chicken, fried onions and peppers, which you wrap in soft tortillas with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. So if you’re planning a

Restaurant Guide 2012

lazy alfresco lunch in Sai Kung’s main square, book ahead. After all these years, it still has that sunny Jaspas vibe. And for that we can thank the excellent staff, surely among the friendliest in Hong Kong, who turn a blind eye to sandy feet and messy children. The food is modern Australian in generous portions, with a few fusion dishes such as baby lamb fillets in harissa sauce, and a sinful banoffee pie.

tuna ravioli and the sangria. Some dishes are platelickingly delicious and although not every dish is perfect, you are sure to have a decent meal.

One-ThirtyOne

One tip: It’s best to get here at the end of the week for fresh seafood. The smoked salmon served with carbonara sauce on the side is rather rich with mayonnaise, but quite delicious. The homemade tomato soup with clams and scallops is also tasty. The seafood noodles in laksa sauce is also wellcooked with a creamy flavorful sauce. The chef’s enthusiasm for his beautiful creations is contageous.

French. 131 Tseung Tau Village, Shap Sze Heung, Sai Kung, 2791-2684. Tue-Fri 3pm-11pm; Sat-Sun noon-11pm. $$$$ We love this place. A tiny restaurant seating a maximum of 20 people, it serves first-class modern French food in a gorgeous setting: a deep red village house with lawns leading down to pretty Three Fathoms Cove. Eat beneath a pergola in the sunshine, or cozy up in the charming, honey-hued dining room. The service is superb but it’s the food that really shines, every beautifully presented dish an exquisite combination of flavors prepared by rhe chef using organic produce from the garden. The set menu (four courses for lunch, seven or eight for dinner) changes daily. Reservations essential; call ahead to discuss your preferences.

Sauce Continental, International. 9 Sha Tsui Path, Sai Kung, 2791-2348. Mon-Fri noon-11pm; Sat-Sun 11am-11pm. $$ This restaurant has what most people come to Sai Kung for: alfresco dining in the main square and good food. Try the fresh pasta with lobster, the

Taste Cafe European, Local. B8, Marina Cove Shopping Centre, 380 Hiram’s Highway, Sai Kung, 2719-2511. Tue-Sun noon-9:30pm. $$

Sha Tin Happiness Cuisine

New Revi

Chinese and Dim Sum. S101-106, 1/F Core Bldg 2, Hong Kong Science Park, Pak Shek Kok, Sha Tin, 2827-8803. Daily 9:30am-11pm. $$ Although the Science Park is a bit out of the way even for Sha Tin folk (unless you have a car), the restaurants in each of the buildings always seem to have some sort of crowd. We ordered roasted goose, sweet and sour pork, broccoli and scallops, and sliced beef satay with vermicelli—in other words, whatever pictures we could point to on the Chinese menu. Having been here for delicious dim sum before, we

Zone8 looked forward to great things. Unfortunately, for dinner the food was boring and seemed to have been sitting out for a while. The skin on the goose had a nice crunch, yet the slightly tough meat lacked the juicy tenderness we expected. The chewy scallops were bad but were unable to ruin the fresh and wellcooked broccoli in the dish. The one dish which stood out was the sliced beef. It could have been that it was just perfect for such a cold night, and the stewlike satay sauce mixed with vermicelli made for a delicious surprise. All in all, dinner here is forever off the menu but the dim sum lunches will bring us back.

Iki Teppanyaki Bento

New Revi

Japanese. Shop 105, New Town Plaza Phase 1, 18 Sha Tin Centre St., Sha Tin, 2890-6660. Daily 11:30am-11pm. $$ The full color menus at Iki look enticing. Bright red lobsters and glorious shellfish taunt you page after page, competing for attention with perfectly rolled sheets of beef and bright green veggies. Meanwhile, the wonderful aromas of grilling grease waft through the open teppanyaki bar, telling us to stop being so indecisive and choose already. We went for an Angus beef roll and wagyu beef roll dinner set, upgrading each with a side of lobster— one cooked in miso broth, one grilled teppanyakistyle. Then we watched the chef get to work on our order. For the wagyu set, two dainty pieces of suspiciously brown-hued meat were lightly grilled before being chopped and rolled around fried garlic chips and greens and served on our plate. The beef was tender and went well with the soy-based sauce. But we couldn’t tell the difference between this meat and the normal (and half-priced, doubleportioned) American Angus that we ordered. The Angus actually looked more attractive raw (with a bright red glean) than the lifeless wagyu. Then came the lobsters—much smaller than advertised, with barely more meat than a typical prawn. The grilled one was a touch overdone, with the meat too firm, dry and losing too much of its ocean freshness for our liking. The miso-brothed lobster was a much better creation, with a bisque-like brew that enhanced the flavor of the lobster meat. We wouldn’t recommend having it after a full beef set like we did, though—it’ll put you over the edge.

Sha Tin 18

New Revi

Chinese. 4/F, Hyatt Regency HK, 18 Chak Cheung St., Sha Tin, 3723-1234. Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 10:30am-4:30pm, 5:30-10:00pm. $$$ The Hyatt Regency in Sha Tin is tucked away in the far-off land of the New Territories and houses one of our favorite spots for Peking duck. Situated on the fourth floor, Sha Tin 18 has large windows, private rooms, open kitchens and a sinfully tempting dessert counter. We visited the usually fully-booked-fordinner resto one quiet Thursday night for a veritable feast. We chose to go with a half Peking duck and had it cooked in two styles: pancakes with the skin,

breast and leg meat, and wok-fried minced duck with iceberg lettuce. Both were bursting with flavor from the condiments and wraps, yet the deliciously juicy duck remained the star of the show. A personal favorite of ours is the braised sweet corn soup with chicken, because not only is the consistency perfectly smooth but the corn is also not too sweet. Amazingly enough, we still had room to try the wok-fried rice noodles with beef, sautéed pak choy with garlic and the lonesome disappointing act of the night: stirfried prawns with pumpkin and egg yolk. The shrimp was fresh and cooked perfectly, yet the pairing with pumpkin was odd and definitely not something we would try again. Aside from the last dish, everything that night—including the friendly wait staff—makes Sha Tin 18 an absolute must-try. Save us a seat on the train over because we’re heading back real soon.

Nam Kee

New Revi

Dai Pai Dong. Shop 5, G/F, Cooked Food Plaza, Sam Shing Estate, Tuen Mun, 2451-1698. Daily 11am-2pm, 5pm-11am. $ Newly renovated and complete with a wine shelf at the back, Nam Kee is one of the mainstays on the Sam Shing Estate circuit. Having been around for 20-plus years, the restaurant has developed a stable following and a bunch of signature dishes that customers just know they need to order once they get here. Nam Kee doesn’t stock any of its own seafood, so you’ll need to go over to the outdoor seafood market and make your picks first—do ask proprietors Chan Chi-ming or Gary Wong for advice if you’re stuck.

Red Seasons

New Revi

Chinese. 1 Lam Tei Main St., Tuen Mun, 2462-7038. Daily 5am-11pm. $$

Tai Wai The Sha Tin Inn has been around since the New Territories was nothing but rice fields. It is known for its formidable Indonesian charcoal-grilled satays, for which people flocked from miles away to sample. Virtually nothing from its interior has changed since its heyday in the 70s. The satays are as delicious as ever, with juicy, marinated chunks of meat, each bookended by a knob of crisping fat. Comes with ample free parking space, a laid-back, garden atmosphere and sheer nostalgic value.

This dim sum-slash-siu mei (roast meats) restaurant was thrown into the spotlight in 2011 when it made the venerable Michelin guide with a “bib gourmand” stamp of approval—meaning that the food’s not just good, it’s also good value for money. The place is well-known for its roast suckling pig ($520), served whole (yes, including the head) with crispy red skin and cut into bite-sized pieces. The pig lies on top of a platter of fried rice with dried prawns, and it really is a group effort to finish the whole thing. The restaurant recommends ordering at least a day in advance, so remember to plan ahead. But if suckling pig isn’t your thing, you can still tuck into the restaurant’s various roasted meats with rice, including char siu, regular roast pork, chicken and goose. Stay in the buzzing, no-frills restaurant to enjoy your meal, or simply order a take-home portion from the counter outside.

Tuen Mun

Yuen Long

Sha Tin Inn Indonesian. Shatin Height Rd., Tai Wai, 2691-1425. Mon-Thu noon-10pm; Fri-Sun noon-11pm. $

Farmer Restaurant

New Revi

Chinese. Block C, Lam Tei Mei Ling Court, Castle Peak Rd., Tuen Mun, 2461-2381. Daily 11:30am-2:30pm; 6-11pm. $ Housed in a neat, architecturally distinct pastel green block in an unltra-low-rise community, the six-yearold restaurant dishes out countryside fare— farmers’ specialties that are particular to Lam Tei. Owner Mr. Mak is a Lam Tei native, and residents here prefer to stick to simple, healthier dishes. There’s generally less salt and less oil, and of course fresh farm vegetables. At Farmer Restaurant, produce such as eggplants and leafy greens all come from the same farm in nearby Fu Tei Village. Resident chef Yau sticks to signatures, such as the lotus leaf steamed tofu, a mild, saucy blend of diced velvety tofu with corn, chopped prawns and green pepper. The five-colored rice is another specialty, consisting of steamed “mut” grains, red grains, vinegar rice, sticky rice and black sticky rice, all mixed with white rice and a touch of salt, sugar and oil.

Red Penny Thai. 148 Kam Sheung Rd., Yuen Long, 2488-3263. Daily noon-midnight. $$ Tucked away deep in the New Territories, Red Penny is by no means easily accessible. But once you arrive, you’ll know right away that it’s worth the trip. With dim, ambient lighting, palm trees, crisp white tablecloths and comfy chairs both inside and alfresco, it’s easy to forget that you’re in the New Territories and not Koh Samui. Ordering a la carte, you can get a satisfying appetizer platter with chicken, pork and beef satay skewers, deep-fried prawn cakes that are juicy and chewy, and spring rolls that are crisped to perfection. There is also a grill at the far end of the restaurant with a selection of fresh seafood and meat, which you can pick yourself and have grilled up right in front of you. We recommend their tiger prawns as well, for the meat is so juicy and tender you can easily down more than a dozen (which is their serving size) at a time. Definitely a great spot for a casual date.

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone9 Outlying Islands. Island Brewery

New Revi

Snacks. 16 Tung Wan Rd., Cheung Chau, 9281-7755. Mon-Thu noon-6:30, Fri-Sun 11am-7pm. $ For a fun and flavorful snack, one must-try is Island Brewery’s swirly crisps-on-a-stick. The crisps are made-to-order from one full potato, freshly cut, then pierced and fried on a stick. Flavor your chips with seaweed bits, garlic chunks, powdered seasonings and other condiments provided right outside the brewery. We especially love the “Cheung Chau”-style mix and the chicken-flavored powder. You can also get a cup of their specialty bubble tea or their “Bingo Punch” fruit juice to go with your snacks. In addition to the regular treats, Island Brewery is serving up a special “Bingo Bun,” an ice cream and Chinese peanut butter candy concoction, to celebrate the upcoming Cheung Chau bun fest.

Sea Dragon King Restaurant

New Revi

Seafood. 16 Praya Rd., Cheung Chau, 2981-5036. Daily 10am-11:30pm. $

Man Ho

Chek Lap Kok Man Ho Chinese. SkyCity Marriott Hotel, 1 Sky City Rd. East, Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, 3969-2888. Mon-Sat noon3pm; Sun 10am-3pm. $$ If you’re not in a rush for your next flight, you might want to think about pampering yourself at SkyCity Marriott’s Man Ho Restaurant and indulge in some fine Cantonese treats first. Try their signature giant lobster dumplings, or indulge in the all-youcan-eat dim sum buffet. You can even book out the private function room for a proper dinner party.

Cheung Chau Ah Shun's Kitchen

New Revi

Seafood. G/f, 47 Tai San St., Cheung Chau, 2981-0569. Daily noon-late. $$ We make our treks to Cheung Chau specifically for the seafood—and specifically for the seafood

Restaurant Guide 2012

made at Ah Shun’s Kitchen. That’s because they do it damn well, and at prices so reasonable that we always walk outta there twice our original size. Ah Shun is no harborside resto with romantic alfresco seating, like the ones that line the tourist-heavy ferry pier. Oh no—Ah Shun is an authentic Cheung Chau hole-in-the-wall that takes a bit of navigating and alley-weaving to get to. It works like this: you either pick out your own seafood at the local wet market and hand the catch to Ah Shun, who’ll take care of the rest—or you leave everything, including the procurement, in Ah Shun’s hands. An advantage to letting them do all the work is that the resto can secure discounted produce on your behalf. You can give general guidance on the types of dishes you want—scallops steamed with fermented black beans? Done. But if you’ve been here frequently enough, you know Ah Shun has a perfect formula for every seafood species and you just leave it to them. Our fellow foodie friends think the soy sauce-based dishes aren’t their strong suit—not as sharp and fragrant as they’ve had at other top-notch restos; but we unanimously agree on the delectability of everything else. From clams braised in a fiery spicy wine broth, stir-fried boneless giant grouper, deep-fried savory mantis prawns, to vermicelli-covered geoducks and steamed mini prawns dipped in soy sauce, good manners are left behind as soon as the dishes arrive.

You can’t miss Cheung Chau’s Sea Dragon King Restaurant, located mere steps away from the major pier. This dai pai dong-style setup offers all types of seafood, from tanks and tanks of fish, crabs, lobsters and squid swimming in clear water tanks to mussels and cockles fresh out of the sea. You can pick and choose your own produce and tell the waiters how you want them cooked, or use the menu for reference and inspiration. We highly recommend the steamed crabs with ginger: aromatic with a burst of spice, it’s seafood at its finest.

Cheung Sha, Lantau The Stoep Western. 32 Lower Cheung Sha Village, Lantau Island, 2980-2699. Tue-Sun 11am-10pm. $$ Pronounced “stoop,” the Stoep is located on one of the few beaches that make you forget you’re in Hong Kong—long stretches of white sand, transparent waters (if you squint) and a blend of South African and Mediterranean cuisines. Start off with a glass of sangria and their homemade bread, served with hummus, pesto, tapenade and tzatziki (a Greek-style cucumber dip). Head there with a craving for meat and be rewarded with their grilled meat platters, barbecued chicken and for the ravenous, a whole rotisserie lamb. Get there early at the weekend to avoid junk trippers and hungry hikers. To get there, take the ferry from Central Pier 6. Jump on bus 1, 2 or 4 from Mui Wo to Cheung Sha and walk down to the lower section.

Zone9 Discovery Bay Hemingway's by the Bay Carribean. Shop G09, G/F, D Deck, Discovery Bay 2987-8855. 10am-midnight Daily. $$ A resort-style atmosphere right on the waterfront, with a large deck, palm trees and umbrellas. The vibe is laid back, with pilots on rest days, moms and toddlers in the sunshine, and returning office workers by night. Few places in Hong Kong can claim to make authentic Key Lime pie and Jamaican jerk chicken and a real Antiguan rum punch, but Hemingway’s can.

Jaspas Western. Shop G30, G/F, DB North Plaza, 96 Siena Avenue, Discovery Bay, 2997-8688. Mon-Thu 10am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 10am11pm; Sun 10am-10:30pm. $$ Jaspas is a fresh addition to the DBay scene. The resto serves surf ’n turf recipes alongside other Jaspas classics, so you can expect king prawn fajitas and grilled salmon as well as pork belly, wagyu

beef and lamb cutlets. Pizzas and pastas are also available. It’s a family-friendly place where you can relax with the kids or on your own while you enjoy the gorgeous shoreline in the distance.

Lamma Bookworm Cafe Vegetarian or Organic. 79 Yung Shue Wan Main St., Lamma, 2982-4838. Mon-Wed 10am-9pm; Fri 10am-9pm; Sat-Sun 9am-9pm. $$ Some people come for the atmosphere, some to skim books on how to reconcile Buddhism and Freud. The menu is practically a novel, with popular dishes including the super-healthy vegan salad bowl, shepherdess pie and delicious mango cheesecake. You can order organic fruit drinks, or teas ranging from South African rooibos (noncaffeinated and believed to prevent cancer) to South American mate tea. Alfresco dining, wireless broadband and internet available.

Mui Wo, Lantau Bahce Turkish Restaurant Indian, Turkish. 19, Mui Wo Centre, Mui Wo, 2984-0221. Mon-Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat-Sun noon-11pm. $$ Bahce looks like a quaint family café in Antalya. It has a scattering of rustic wooden chairs on a makeshift terrace. A collection of musical instruments perched above the bar leads to the occasional jam session. Loyal patrons come for the Middle Eastern flair given to the simplest of dishes such as the lamb kebabs.

Man Ho

Restaurant Guide 2012

Zone10Mong Kok and thereabouts. Spicy Mama

New Revi

Sichuan. G/F, Cyber Plaza, 237-247 Temple St., Jordan, 2377-2882. Daily 5pm-3am. $

Yagura

Ho Man Tin Hot Dog Link Hot dogs. Shop C, 67D Waterloo Rd., Ho Man Tin, 2624-4002. Mon-Fri 8am-8pm; Sat-Sun 9am-6pm. $ On any given weekday, packs of kilt-sporting kids from nearby Pui Ching elementary school queue outside this tiny hole-in-the-wall for a bonafide sausage fest. After 20 years in business, it’s still the only place in the hood to get a damn good dog. Though it claims to serve only imported German sausages, we spot a couple of nonDeutsch dogs such as merguez and chorizo cropping up on its extensive menu. Hot Dog Link is better than your average dog, and will satisfy any bratwurst craving. Best of all, the price is right and it’s a welcome change to see a weenie, albeit pencil-thin, stretch the entire length of the bun. After all, size does matter.

Hung Hom Islamic Food Specialty New Review Halal. G/F 123 Wuhu St., Hung Hom, 6136-7518. Mon-Fri 11am-midnight. $ Far away in Kowloon there’s a trend budding—the fragrant aroma of roasted lamb, simmering beef curries and fresh baked breads wafts in the air at just about every street corner. While other wildly popular halal joints in Kowloon City focus on western Chinese cuisine, Islamic Food Specialty seems to dabble in a bit of everything—from curries and dumplings to beef noodle soups and even a few cha chaan teng-

Restaurant Guide 2012

style dishes. Catering to the halal community with an “absolutely no pork on the premises” promise, this casual restaurant also attracts curious locals who linger in front of the shop watching a duo of white-hatted cooks knead away at dough and envelop a hearty scoop of beef filling before frying the bundles over a flat-top grill. We started off with the beef pockets that got us through the door in the first place—a crunch into the thin skin revealed a burning hot juicy beef filling on the inside. The tender mutton curry was equally tasty, especially when combined with the fresh flatbread to sop up every last drop of the rich, albeit oily, sauce. Our tongues, numbed by the heat of the curry and an order of chili dumplings, were happy to gobble down some nappa cabbage in a white creamy sauce, even though some of the leaves were wilted at the tips. Sure, the interior is a bit dim and the décor is lackluster, but Islamic Food Specialty is worth the trek if you’re looking for some hearty halal food and a change of pace.

Jordan Australia Dairy Company Cafe. 47-49 Parkes St., Jordan, 2730-1356. Daily 7:30am-11pm. $ Expect all the classic cha chaan teng hallmarks: bitchy banter from the kitchen staff, no-frills service, and attitude from the older waiters. Want your iced lemon tea served before your eggs? “No.” The Australia Dairy Company is famed for making the best scrambled eggs on toast in town, with the super-secret ingredient being a bit of canned cream soup mixed into the egg batter. People also queue up for their double-boiled milk pudding, and in our humble opinion, their French toast is the best in all of southern China.

Spicy Mama is located on the quieter end of Temple Street, away from the throngs of tourists, dai pai dongs and flea market stalls that give the street such fame. But its feisty little storefront, with bright yellow panels and glowing red characters, shouts for attention all the same. (The place is pretty hard to miss.) The décor is simple, the shop is cozy and the menu is mostly red— as in, full of chili peppers either in fried, deep-fried or soupy-broth format. The selection is dizzying, so we went for the safe staples: fried chicken with chili, a bowl of “sui ju” fish (cooked in a red chili broth), a mala soup with hand-cut noodles and fish slices, and a deep-fried tofu dish. We asked for medium spicy in all our dishes, which meant a slight burn to the throat and minor breathing difficulties upon inhalation of the fumes. It was doable with a giant glass of coconut lime soda on the side. The portions were enormous—all except for the fried chicken, where eating it was more like going on a treasure hunt: you had to dig through piles of chilis and peppercorns before coming across a precious piece. We unanimously loved the tough, hand-cut noodles drowned in savory, fragrant, mouth-numbing soup (it was the theme of the night, after all). The tender tofu with golden crisp skin was a lovely contrast to our other dishes, and we were happy about the bone-in, fresh white fish broth, too. Spicy Mama’s a solid choice for a Sichuan meal; we recommend going in a big group to take advantage of the generous portions.

Yagura Japanese. LG, Eaton Hotel, 380 Nathan Rd., Jordan, 2710-1010. Daily noon-3pm, 6pm-midnight. $$$$-$$$$$ This nice little Japanese restaurant in the basement of Eaton Hotel is not your ordinary hotel eatery— prices are reasonable and the vibe is welcoming and down-to-earth. The sashimi is of excellent quality, the hot dishes flavorful and not oily. Don’t forget to try their own brand of sake—it’s light, pure and great served cold.

Kowloon City Wong Chun Chun

New Revi

Thai. Bel Shine Centre, 23 Tak Ku Ling Rd., Kowloon City, 2716-6269. Daily 11am-2am. $$ Kowloon City is known for its myriad Thai restaurants, and Wong Chun Chun is known for being the oldest— not to mention biggest—in the region. Orangey walls, tropical fruit decor and basket-weave chairs give WCC an unmistakably Southeast Asian air. The menu is very daunting; patrons should prepare themselves to be drowned in choices. When in doubt, we say go for the ones with their own pictures. Our mixed starters

platter of crispy fish cakes, prawn crackers, banana leaf chicken and spring rolls was mostly a hit—save for the overly greasy spring rolls. The chicken coconut green curry we ordered was exactly as we expected—a sweet and fragrant, slightly runny broth filled with generous chunks of Thai eggplant and tender chicken meat. But we were absolutely bowled over by our dessert of coconut cream sago pudding. Molded in square banana leaf packets, the multi-color, multi-flavor mix was smooth and creamy, but not too overbearing. True, WCC’s not the most authentic Thai we’ve seen, but who cares when the food’s so darn good?

star holder to boot (T’ang Court also has two). The menu is extensive, with specialties such as abalone, lobster and pigeon prepared with a special hightemperature stir-frying technique that seals flavors. It has a good selection of New and Old World wines, and an equally extensive list of Chinese spirits. As for the food, try the stir-fried with shrimp and mushrooms— simple, but very tasty. And the deep-fried lobster with cheese and simmered abalone in vinegar with angel hair pasta is surprisingly crunchy, with the flavors married well.

Our Restaurant Turkish. G/F, Shop 9, Witty Commercial Building, 1A-1J Tung Choi St., Mong Kok, 2781-0583. Daily 11-1am. $

Mong Kok Ming Court Cantonese. 6/F, Langham Place Hotel, 555 Shanghai St., Mong Kok, 3552-3300. Daily 11am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm. $$$$ Ming Court

The sister restaurant of the famed T’ang Court in the Langham Hotel is just as elegant, and a two Michelin

A Turkish restaurant in the middle of Mong Kok? You bet. Opened by a Turkish couple, Our Restaurant serves common Middle Eastern dishes that make for good comfort food. We recommend the lamb kebab—quite nice, if a little similar to the other kebabs widely available around town. Round out the meal with a Turkish red tea, which is quite bitter but nice nonetheless, and a Turkish rice pudding which is like a

What happened at the Pinewood Battery? *

*Learn about this and other fascinating facts in

Historical Hong Kong Hikes A guide to 15 remarkable treks, detailing the rich history of the SAR’s peaks, valleys and urban neighborhoods

In all major bookstores now! Or for free delivery order online: www.historicalhkhikes.com

100

Restaurant Guide 2012

normal rice pudding but with cinnamon on top. This is a nice place to just have a cheap and quick meal if you don’t fancy your usual MK cha chaan teng.

Tim Ho Wan

New Revi

Dimsum. Shop 8, Tsui Yuen Mansion, 8 Kwong Wah St., Mong Kok, 2332-2896. Daily 10am-10pm. $ If you’re looking for Tim Ho Wan dim sum restaurant, just head over to Kwong Wah Street and look for the place with the giant line of people waiting outside. Opened by three-Michelin-starred Lung King Heen’s former dim sum chef, Pui Gor, it’s not hard to see why this relatively new restaurant has been generating so much buzz in the dining circuit (Tim Ho Wan has also a one Michelin-starred restaurant since the 2010 guide). Must-try items include the baked barbecue pork buns and steamed shrimp rice rolls, both of which will leave your stomach and your wallet happy.

To Kwa Wan Café 8 Degrees

New Revi

International. G/F, Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees, 199 Kowloon City Rd., To Kwa Wan, 2126-1960. Daily 6:30pm-11pm. $$$ Whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or high tea, Café 8 Degree's got all dining needs covered. Rotating international-style buffets with cuisines from all over the world are offered on a daily basis. Don't forget to take home a box of their delicious homemade pineapple puff pastries after your meal.

Xiamen Fengwei

New Revi

Fujian. G/F 44 Mei King St., To Kwa Wan, å2954-9788. Daily, 11am-9:30pm. $ We didn’t realize we had been tricked by all the Cantonese diners serving ketchupy Xiamen-style fried rice and noodles until we came to this humble shop and discovered the real deal. Xiamen Fengwei

is owned by a true native, and their menu is a comprehensive list of snacks (many of them fried), soups, soup noodles and rice. None of the dishes are tangy or ketchupy, to say the least, save for some of the dipping sauces that are paired with the snacks. We tried one of Xiamen Fengwei’s most popular dishes, the five spices roll, and although we enjoyed the crispy beancurd wraps paired with a hearty sausage-like meat inside, we fell more in love with the deep fried taro balls—their delicate vanilla flavor offset by sprinkles of pungent leek and bits of pork. The mini wonton dumplings were the most adorable combination of shrimp paste and fried dough skins, perfect alongside a bowl of savory Xiamen broth (a golden white concoction cooked with the same tiny—but broiled instead of fried— dumplings). We also eagerly gobbled up our Xiamen-style fried vermicelli, a soy sauce-based dish with scatterings of veggies and meats that was delicious in its simplicity. If it weren’t a bit out of the way for us (yes, we’re spoiled on the other side), Xiamen Fengwei would def be one of our frequent go-tos.

Restaurant Guide 2012

101

Zone11 Kowloon East. Tai Wing Wah Cantonese. 2/F, Chevalier Commercial Centre, Wang Hoi Rd., Kowloon Bay, 2148-7773. Daily 7:45am-11:30pm. $ Traditional Hong Kong cuisine consists of huge stir-fry dishes made of the freshest ingredients. Enter Tai Wing Wah. Run by local food personality Hugo Leung, it serves ultra-traditional walled village dishes—most of which have disappeared from local menus—for just $52 per dish. Our favorites are the steamed shredded taro with pork, and steamed egg with fish intestines in a clay pot. Portions are big so remember to bring a friend.

Thai Chili Thai. Shop 419-422A, Telford Plaza II, 33 Wai Yip St., Kowloon Bay 2997-2798. Mon-Fri 11:30am-3:30pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-4:30pm. Daily 6-11pm. $

Chi Lin Vegetarian

Diamond Hill Chi Lin Vegetarian Vegetarian. Long Men Lou, Chi Lin Nunnery, 60 Fung Tak Rd., Diamond Hill, 3658-9388. Mon-Fri 11:30am-9pm; Sat-Sun 11am-9pm. $ Step aside, veggie char siu and rubbery “chicken” satay—Long Men Lou takes a holistic approach to vegetarian dishes that don’t try to be meat. Afternoon tea at Long Men Lou is just $55, which includes a trio of bite-sized nibbles from either their pastry (savory) or temptations (sweet) menu and a choice of premium teas, coffee or fresh squeezed orange juice. Classic Mediterranean flavors come across in the vegetable pie—the main attraction of the pastry plate—with roasted bell peppers, sun-dried tomato paste and marinated zucchini bundled up in a light buttery crust. What truly makes Long Men Lou a worthy dining destination are the breathtaking surroundings: the main dining room looks out onto a cascading waterfall, smackdab in the middle of the lush gardens spotted with Tang dynasty-inspired shrines. All proceeds from the restaurant go back to funding the Chi Lin Nunnery.

Kowloon Bay Me.N.U Western. 271, Amoy Gardens Phase 3, 77 Ngau Tau Kok Rd., Kowloon Bay, 2707-9212. Daily 11am-10pm. $ No, it’s not Menu; it’s actually Me’n’You. Cute. But don’t let its bizarre name fool you—the restaurant is actually a no-BS, good bargain place for food to fill your tummy. Specializing in rice and pasta dishes, Me.N.U. serves set

102

Restaurant Guide 2012

meals for around $50, with a pasta, soup and drink. Try a stone pot rice with seafood in squid ink—flavorful and aromatic, it’s a perfect hot, filling dish on a cold winter night. We also recommend baked spaghetti with corn and spinach in white sauce. It is pretty good, with surprisingly al dente pasta (very rare in local restaurants). The restaurant has a fast food setup but is comfortable and the tables are spacious. At the end of the meal, you’ll be satisfied—cheap good meals don’t come very often in this town, after all.

Naruto Japanese Restaurant Japanese. Shop 2, 2/F, Exchange Tower, 33 Wang Chiu Rd., Kowloon Bay, 2796-7788. Daily 11:30am-5pm, 6-11pm. $ Naruto is located in a “glass box” on the second-floor outdoor platform of commercial building Exchange Tower. It serves general, all-round Japanese cuisine— all done expertly and at a decent price. Try the salmon and scallop sashimi with rice in wasabi sauce, which are fresh and succulent. There are also some interesting Japanese snacks for you to nibble on over a sake or beer, such as salmon cartilage in vinaigrette and grilled salmon fin.

Satay Satay Malay, Singaporean. 2/F, Exchange Tower, Podium Garden, Wang Chiu Rd., Kowloon Bay, 2206-4938. Daily 11am-10pm. $ Located on a serene podium garden, Satay Satay is a pleasant, modern venue with glass walls and a nice outdoor dining area. The indoor decor is simple and clean. The traditional bak kut teh and Hainanese chicken rice are smooth and tasty. The skewered pork and belachan water spinach are also competent. The dessert—sago pudding with caramel and coconut syrup—is delicious. With a relaxing and roomy environment (and some decent dishes), Satay is a good place for a family meal.

Nearly all the restaurants at this plaza are usually booked full come dinnertime, and Thai Chili is no exception. This fancier-than-usual mall restaurant has a colorful menu that seems typical at first glance, but if you look harder you are rewarded with some creative variations such as the baked tiger prawn vermicelli hotpot with Thai herbs and the massaman curry beef brisket.

Kwun Tong Hipot Hotpot. 3148-1313. Daily 10-2am. $ It’s hot pot with a twist at Hipot—each diner gets their own little mini-pot to dunk their food in. Go for dinner— when it’s bustling but not crowded—and have the 1,000-year-old egg and Chinese parsley soup base, which is tasty and cheap. In fact, everything is pretty cheap, with every dish you drop into the pot ranging from $8 to $38 (with 40 percent off after 9pm). Be aware that you get what you pay for—which is to say, everything is of adequate quality, pleasant enough for a filling meal. If you happen to be schlepping out to Kwun Tong to see a movie that’s only playing in the Palace APM cinemas, well, Hipot is the perfect spot for that after-movie meal.

Judy's Authentic Yunnan Delicacies Yunnanese. 17 Shung Yan St., Kwun Tong, 2174-7338. Daily 10am-10pm. $ Among the many splendid things about Yunnan province is its great food, amazing people and nights so sordid we can’t even write about them. In Hong Kong you’ll find numerous restaurants claiming to be “Yunnan specialists” but one of the only ones that’s worth its salt is Judy’s. This hole-in-the-wall serves authentic Yunnan cuisine—order up some fried goat cheese slices and salty beef jerky and wash it down with a local Yunnan beer. But try to book ahead as the place is almost always packed.

South Side.

Zone12

Shek O Black Sheep Western. G/F 330 Shek O Village, Shek O, 2809 2021. Mon-Fri 6pm-10:30; Sat-Sun noon-10:30. $$ Tucked away on a small strip in Shek O Village, Black Sheep serves delectable pizzas, pastas and western mains in an intimate, almost-romantic environment. Diners get to dine outdoors or inside the cozy dining room.

Stanley Sei Yik

New Revi

Chinese Fast Food. 2 Stanley Market St., Stanley, 2813-0503. Wed-Mon 6am-5pm. $

The Verandah

Aberdeen

Cyberport

Jumbo Kingdom

Nam Fong

Chinese. 1 Shum Wan Pier Drive, Aberdeen, 2553-9111 / 2873-7111. Mon-Sat 11am-11:30pm; Sun 7am-11:30pm. $$

Cantonese. 100 Cyberport Rd., Cyberport, 2980-7788. Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm; Sun 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm. $$$

Fun, festive and a Hong Kong institution, the Jumbo has been floating in Aberdeen harbor for nearly 25 years. It’s not going to be the most typical Chinese meal you’ve ever had, but the dim sum is worth trying, the seafood dishes are pretty good and the atmosphere is fun.

Ap Lei Chau New Revi

Enjoy Cantonese dishes and quality dim sum at modern Chinese restaurant Nam Fong. The décor fuses 1960s chic with the futuristic, with a high ceiling and stunning view of the South China sea. Its extensive menu boasts plenty of Cantonese classics, as well as weekend all-you-can-eat dim sum, special seasonal or occasional menus, and organic dishes sans MSG. Perfect for big group dinners with family, friends or colleagues.

Restaurant Gold Pineapple Asian Fusion. G/F, 108 Ap

Lei Chau Main St., Ap Lei Chau, 2871-9182. Sat-Thu 12:15-4pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $ RGP specializes in Asian fusion cuisine, and the chef here used to work for the famous East Ocean-Victoria City Restaurant before starting his own place over 10 years ago. Many customers prefer to drive here and grab takeaway instead of eating inside, as the restaurant can only seat 28 diners at any given time. The restaurant is best known for its wasabi/diced beef dish; however, we opted for their other famous menu item: the cod fillet with teriyaki sauce. With this dish, the chef deviates from the popular pan-frying method and deep-fries the cod instead to give the skin of the fish a more crispy texture. The dish was topped off with a teriyaki sauce that is not as thick as the traditional Japanese variant (it’s a bit like the soya sauce used for Guangdong-style steamed fish), which we really enjoyed.

Repulse Bay The Verandah Continental, International. The Repulse Bay Hotel, 109 Repulse Bay Rd., Repulse Bay, 2292-2822. Wed-Sat noon-2:30pm; Wed-Sun 7-10:30pm. $$$ One of the last colonial-style dining rooms left in Hong Kong, The Verandah is suitably grand. It’s a wonderful venue for weekend lunches, with an airy dining room and outdoor terrace. The Sunday brunch buffet is one of the best in town: crunchy Caesar salads and fresh seafood vie for attention with Alaskan lobster, marinated scallops and milk-fed lamb.

Say Yik is one of those tin-roofed slap-togethers that are a cross between a dai pai dong and a cha chaan teng (the seating is DPD-style, but the menu is definitely CCT—think Lan Fong Yuen in LKF). The noodles, egg and spam are all standard stock but the broth is rich and (dare we say it?) umami— possibly a combination of MSG and Mama’s secret recipe. The kaya toast is a heavenly blend of coconut paste and unabashed slabs of rich, salted butter fighting for attention on two golden slices of deep-fried bread. We loved the combination, but couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty when mini-jets of oil squirted out of the bread after each bite. Word of caution: this is no place for dieters or health freaks.

Shu Zhai

New Revi

Chinese Teahouse. 80 Stanley Main St., Stanley, 2813-0123. Mon-Sat noon-10pm; Sun 11am-10pm. $$ We climbed the cavernous stairs of Shu Zhai on an empty stomach, and eagerly marked off multiple orders of all our favorite dim sum dishes. We wouldn’t say our particular section in Shu Zhai gave off the coziest vibe, with its barren walls, narrow halls and hard wooden stools and tables (there are supposedly comfier areas). But the sparse décor gives this place a very distinct old-worldish character and allows us to concentrate instead on what’s most important: the food. We enjoyed some silky smooth cheung fun, mild and mellow fried ginger rice (a local “boat people” delicacy), slimy fatty black pepper short ribs, delightfully tender curry squid and dumplings of all kinds. We gave up trying to be polite before the end of the meal, using our chopsticks to stab and poke at the remnants before someone else got to it. We were ravenously hungry, after all. Shu Zhai is a good place to enjoy a large group meal, and the heftierportioned local dishes are especially impressive.

Restaurant Guide 2012

103

Index 208 Duecento Otto — Sheung Wan.. . ................ 82

Celestial Court — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ...................... 42

Gitone — Sai Wan Ho.. ................................. 91

798 Unit & Co. Gastropub — Causeway Bay... ...... 70

Cenacolo II — Central... ................................ 14

Glo — Sheung Wan... .................................. 83

8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana — Central... ............ 12

Cépage — Wan Chai... ................................. 58

Goccia Ristorante e Bar — Central.. ................... 16

ABC Kitchen — Sheung Wan.. . ........................ 82

Changwon Korean Restaurant — Tsim Sha Tsui.. .... 42

Gokayama — Causeway Bay.......................... 71

Above and Beyond — Tsim Sha Tsui... ............... 40

Chao’s Hotpotter — Tai Hang.......................... 92

Gold by Harlan Goldstein — Central.. ................. 16

Ah Shun's Kitchen — Cheung Chau... ................ 96

Chez Patrick — Central . . .............................. 14

Gong Guan — Sheung Wan.. .......................... 83

Al Molo — Tsim Sha Tsui... ............................ 40

Chez Patrick Deli — Wan Chai... ...................... 58

Grand Central Bar & Grill — West Kowloon.......... 53

Amber — Central.. . ..................................... 12

Chi Lin Vegetarian — Diamond Hill.. ................ 102

Grand Hyatt Steakhouse — Wan Chai.. ............... 60

Amuse Bouche — Wan Chai... ........................ 57

Choi's Kitchen — Tai Hang............................. 92

Grappa's — Admiralty.................... .............. 57

Ana Gura — Central.. . .................................. 12

Chung Gye Chon — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . .................. 42

Greco Pi — Wan Chai................................... 60

Angelini Italian Restaurant — Tsim Sha Tsui... ...... 41

Coast — Central......................................... 14

Greyhound Café — Central............................. 16

Anthony’s Ranch — Sai Kung... ....................... 94

Comilonas — Shek Tong Tsui.......................... 82

Guo Fu Lou — Tsim Sha Tsui........................... 44

An-Tico — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . ............................. 41

Craftsteak — Central... ................................. 14

H One — Central.......................... .............. 16

Aqua — Tsim Sha Tsui... ............................... 41

Cucina — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . .............................. 42

Habibi — Central.......................... .............. 16

Assaggio — Wan Chai... ............................... 57

Cuisine Cuisine — Central.............................. 14

Hainan Shaoye — Causeway Bay..................... 71

Australia Dairy Company — Jordan.. . ................. 98

Daruma — Tai Hang... ................................. 93

Hakka Ye Ye — Central................................. 16

Ba Sushi — Wan Chai.. ................................. 57

Dim Sum Bar — Tsim Sha Tsui ........................ 42

Hana — Causeway Bay.. ............................... 71

Bahce Turkish Restaurant — Mui Wo... .............. 97

Domani — Admiralty... ................................ 56

Happiness Cuisine — Sha Tin.......................... 94

Basement — Central.. . ................................. 12

Dong Lai Shun — Tsim Sha Tsui....................... 42

Harakan-S — Causeway Bay.. ......................... 71

BBQ — Sai Ying Pun... ................................. 81

Donka — Central... ..................................... 14

Harbour Restaurant — Kennedy Town.. . ............. 80

Berliner — Sai Wan Ho...................................... 91

Doppio Zero — Sheung Wan.. ......................... 83

Hard Rock Café — Central.............................. 18

Bistecca — Central... ................................... 12

Duetto — Wan Chai... .................................. 58

Harlan’s — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ............................. 44

Bistronomique — Kennedy Town... .................. 80

Dumpling Pro — Wan Chai.. ........................... 58

Harvey Nichols 4th Floor Restaurant — Central.. .... 18

Black Sheep — Shek O... ............................ 103

Edo & Bibo — Causeway Bay.......................... 70

He Jiang — Causeway Bay............................. 72

Bloom — Central... ..................................... 12

Estudio Ibérico — Admiralty........................... 56

Heirloom — Sheung Wan.............................. 84

BLT Steak — Tsim Sha Tsui... .......................... 41

Farmer Restaurant — Tuen Mun.. ..................... 95

Hemingway’s by the Bay — Discovery Bay.. ........ 96

Blue Smoke Bar-B-Que — Central.. . .................. 13

Feast — Tai Koo......................................... 91

Hide-Chan — Central................................... 18

Bo Innovation — Wan Chai............................ 58

Felix — Tsim Sha Tsui... ................................ 42

Hipot — Kwun Tong.. . ................................ 102

Bombay Dreams — Central... ......................... 13

FINDS — Tsim Sha Tsui... .............................. 44

Hoi King Keen — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ...................... 44

Bookworm Cafe — Lamma... ......................... 97

Fishermen One — Causeway Bay.. . .................. 70

Hometown Dumpling — Mid-levels.................. 34

Brasserie de L'ile — Central... ......................... 13

Flame — Causeway Bay... ............................ 71

Hooray Bar & Restaurant — Causeway Bay.......... 72

Bridges — Causeway Bay... ........................... 70

Fleur de Sel — Causeway Bay... ...................... 71

Hot Dog Link — Ho Man Tin........................... 98

Brown — Happy Valley.. . .............................. 92

Fofo by El Willy — Central.. ............................ 14

Hugo's — Tsim Sha Tsui................................ 44

Busy Suzie — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . ......................... 41

Frites — Central......................................... 14

Iki Teppanyaki Bento — Sha Tin....................... 95

Butao Ramen — Central.. . ............................. 13

Fuku Robatayaki — Sai Ying Pun...................... 81

Inagiku Japanese Restaurant — Central.............. 18

Café 8 Degrees — To Kwa Wan.. . ................... 101

Fung Shing Restaurant — North Point... ............. 90

Inakaya — West Kowloon.............................. 53

Café Eos 1 — North Point... ........................... 90

Fusion 5th Floor — Sheung Wan...................... 83

Indochine — Central...................... .............. 18

Café Gray Deluxe — Admiralty... ..................... 56

Fusion Gourmet — Sheung Wan...................... 83

Indonesian Sate House — Shau Kei Wan............. 91

California Vintage — Central... ........................ 13

g.e — Tsim Sha Tsui.................................... 44

Ippou — Wan Chai... ................................... 60

Caprice — Central... .................................... 13

Gaia Ristorante — Sheung Wan....................... 83

Ippudo — Causeway Bay.. ............................. 72

Carpaccio — Tsim Sha Tsui... .......................... 41

Ganga's — Central... ................................... 16

Islamic Food Specialty — Hung Hom................. 98

Casa Lisboa — Central... ............................... 13

Gaylord — Tsim Sha Tsui... ............................ 44

Island Brewery — Cheung Chau.. ..................... 96

Island Tang — Central... ............................... 18

Mesa 15 — Central... .................................. 24

Isola Bar & Grill — Central.. . ........................... 18

Metropol — Admiralty.. . ............................... 57

Rouge — Tin Hau....................................... 93

Ista — Central... ........................................ 18

Ming Court — Mong Kok... .......................... 100

Ruth’s Chris Steak House — Admiralty.. .............. 57

Izakaya Misaki — Tin Hau... ........................... 93

Mirror — Wan Chai.. . ................................... 62

Saboten — Causeway Bay............................. 74

Jade Garden — Causeway Bay... ..................... 72

Misocool — Central... .................................. 24

Sakesan — SoHo........................................ 36

Jardin de Jade — Wan Chai.. . .......................... 60

Mist — Causeway Bay.. . ............................... 74

Sam Xing — Sheung Wan.. ............................ 86

Jaspas — Sai Kung... ................................... 94

Mitsukiya — Tin Hau... ................................. 93

San Xi Lou — Mid-levels............................... 35

Jaspas — Discovery Bay... ............................. 96

Mochi Café — Tsim Sha Tsui........................... 46

Sang Kee — Sheung Wan.............................. 86

Jiang Shan Hui — Sheung Wan... ..................... 84

Morihachi Yakiniku — Central.. ........................ 24

Satay Satay — Kowloon Bay.. ....................... 102

Judy’s Authentic Yunnan Delicacies — Kwun Tong... . 102

Morton’s Of Chicago — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ............... 46

Sauce — Sai Kung.. ..................................... 94

Jumbo Kingdom — Aberdeen... .................... 103

Mostaccioli Brothers — SoHo.......................... 36

Scala — Wan Chai.. ..................................... 66

Just A Restaurant — Central.. . ......................... 20

Mutekiya — Sheung Wan.............................. 86

Sea Dragon King Restaurant — Cheung Chau.. ...... 96

K1 Restaurant and Bar — Sheung Wan.. . ............ 84

Nam Fong — Cyberport.............................. 103

Sei Yik — Stanley..................................... 103

Kaika — Tsim Sha Tsui... ............................... 46

Nam Kee — Tuen Mun... .............................. 95

Sen-ryo — Central...................................... 26

Kam Tung Tai — Shau Kei Wan... ..................... 91

Nanhai No. 1 — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . ...................... 46

Serenade — Sheung Wan.. ............................ 86

Koh Thai — Wan Chai.. . ................................ 60

Naruto Japanese Restaurant — Kowloon Bay.. .... 102

Sevva — Central.. . ...................................... 28

Kowloon Tang — West Kowloon...................... 53

N.C. Grill — Central... .................................. 24

Sha Tin 18 — Sha Tin................................... 95

Kushiyaki Beco — Central... ........................... 20

Neptune's Hotpot — Shek Tong Tsui.................. 82

Sha Tin Inn — Tai Wai.. ................................. 95

Kwun Thai — Shau Kei Wan.. . ......................... 91

Ngau Kee Food Cafe — Central.. ...................... 24

Shang Palace — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ....................... 49

L’Atelier De Joel Robuchon — Central.. . .............. 20

No Signboard Seafood — Causeway Bay.. ........... 74

Shelley's Yard — SoHo.. ................................ 36

La Loggia Pain Grillé — Central... ..................... 20

Noble Spice — Central.. . ............................... 24

Sheung Hing Chiu Chow Restaurant — Sheung Wan..... 86

La Marmite — SoHo... ................................. 35

Nobu — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . ............................... 46

Shore — Central... ...................................... 28

La Parole — Sheung Wan... ........................... 84

Nomads — Tsim Sha Tsui.............................. 46

Shu Zhai — Stanley... ................................ 103

La Piola — Central.. . .................................... 20

Noodle Concepts — Quarry Bay....................... 90

Sijie Sichuan Dishes — Wan Chai.. .................... 66

Le Blanc — Wan Chai... ................................ 62

Okapi — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . ............................... 48

Sing yin — West Kowloon.. ............................ 54

Le Bouchon — SoHo... ................................. 36

Olala Yat Wun Mein — Wan Chai.. .................... 64

SML — Causeway Bay.................................. 76

Le Souk — SoHo.. . ...................................... 36

On Lot 10 — Central... ................................. 24

So Bali Bali — SoHo.. . .................................. 37

Liberty Exchange Kitchen & Bar — Central... ........ 20

One-ThirtyOne — Sai Kung.. ........................... 94

Sohoway — Central... .................................. 28

Life Cafe — SoHo.. . ..................................... 36

Oolaa — Sheung Wan... ............................... 84

Spicy Mama — Jordan.................................. 98

Limehouse — Wan Chai... ............................. 62

Osteria — Tsim Sha Tsui................................ 48

Spoon by Alain Ducasse — Tsim Sha Tsui............ 49

Lin Heung Lau — Central... ............................ 20

Our Restaurant — Mong Kok.. ....................... 100

Sportful Garden — Central............................. 28

Linguini Fini — Central.. . ............................... 22

Ovologue — Wan Chai.. . ............................... 64

Spring Deer Restaurant — Tsim Sha Tsui............. 50

Loong Toh Yuen — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . ................... 46

Paisano's — Central.. . .................................. 24

Spuntini — Wan Chai................................... 66

Loving Hut — Wan Chai... ............................. 62

Panevino — Mid-levels.. . .............................. 34

Steik World Meats — Tsim Sha Tsui................... 51

Loyal Dining — Central... .............................. 22

Papi — West Kowloon... ............................... 54

Stone Steak House — Tsim Sha Tsui.................. 51

Lung King Heen — Central... .......................... 22

Pastis — Central......................................... 26

Sumac — Central.. ...................................... 28

Madam Sixty Ate — Wan Chai.. . ...................... 62

Peking Garden — Central.............................. 26

Sushi Hiro — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ........................... 51

Magnolia — Sheung Wan... ........................... 84

Piccolo Pizzeria — Kennedy Town.. . .................. 80

Sushi Kuu — Central.................................... 30

Main St. Deli — Tsim Sha Tsui... ...................... 46

Pierre — Central.. ....................................... 26

Sushi Ta-Ke — Causeway Bay......................... 76

Man Ho — Chek Lap Kok... ............................ 96

Pizza Express — Central................................ 26

Tack Hsin Restaurant — Wan Chai.. ................... 66

Man Wah — Central... ................................. 22

Plaza Mayor — Wan Chai.............................. 64

Taco Chaca — Sai Ying Pun............................ 81

Manchurian Candidate — Central... .................. 22

Posto Pubblico — SoHo.. . .............................. 36

Tai Wing Wah — Kowloon Bay...................... 102

Mango Tree — Causeway Bay.. . ...................... 72

Pure Dining — Central... ............................... 26

Taku — Soho.. ........................................... 37

Manzo Italian Steak House — Causeway Bay.. . ..... 74

Red Penny — Yuen Long... ............................ 95

Tandoor — Central... ................................... 30

Masala — Sheung Wan................................ 84

Red Seasons — Tuen Mun............................. 95

Tango — Central.. . ...................................... 30

Maxim’s Palace City Hall — Central... ................ 22

Regal Court — Tsim Sha Tsui.. ......................... 49

Tanyoto — Wan Chai.. .................................. 66

Me.N.U — Kowloon Bay.. . ........................... 102

Restaurant Gold Pineapple — Ap Lei Chau......... 103

Taste Cafe — Sai Kung.. ................................ 94

Meet Lobo — Causeway Bay... ....................... 74

Restaurant Petrus — Admiralty.. ...................... 57

Taste In — Sheung Wan... ............................. 87

Robata Zawa Zawa — Central......................... 26

Thai Chili — Kowloon Bay... ......................... 102

Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin — Central.. . .................... 32

Wong Chun Chun — Kowloon City.................... 98

Thai Chun Mei — Sai Ying Pun.. ...................... 81

Top Grade Hot Pot — Tin Hau.. ........................ 93

Wooloomooloo — West Kowloon... .................. 54

The Brunch Club — SoHo.. . ............................ 38

Tott's — Causeway Bay.. . .............................. 76

Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant — Causeway Bay... .... 78

The Chicken Man — Sai Ying Pun..................... 81

Tycoon (Jui Ho Heen) — Causeway Bay... ........... 76

Xi Yan Private Dining Restaurant — Wan Chai... .... 68

The Chippy — Central.. . ................................ 30

Ugly American — North Point......................... 90

Zhan — Causeway Bay... .............................. 78

The French Window — Central.. ...................... 30

Uncle Moustache — Sai Wan Ho...................... 91

Xiamen Fengwei — To Kwa Wan.. .................. 101

The Globe — SoHo... ................................... 39

Under Bridge Spicy Crab — Causeway Bay.......... 76

Yachiyo — Central.. . .................................... 34

The News Room — Quarry Bay....................... 90

VeggieSF — Central..................................... 32

Yagura — Jordan........................................ 98

The Peak Lookout — The Peak........................ 39

Vietnam Station — Tai Hang... ........................ 93

Yakitoritei — Happy Valley............................. 92

The Press Room — Sheung Wan...................... 87

Viva Ana — Wan Chai... ............................... 68

Yardbird — Sheung Wan............................... 87

The Quarterdeck Club — Wan Chai.. .................. 66

W’s Entrecôte — Causeway Bay.. . .................... 76

Ye Shanghai — Admiralty.............................. 57

The Square — Central.. . ................................ 30

W1 — Tsim Sha Tsui... ................................. 52

Yellow Door Kitchen — SoHo.......................... 39

The Steak House Wine Bar & Grill — Tsim Sha Tsui... .... 51

W52 — Central.......................................... 32

Yin Yang — Wan Chai.. ................................. 68

The Stoep — Lantau Island.. . .... ...................... 97

Wa-En — Tsim Sha Tsui.. . .............................. 53

Yu — Causeway Bay.................................... 78

The Verandah — Repulse Bay... .................... 103

Waffle Yo — Causeway Bay.. .......................... 78

Yu Chuan — Wan Chai.................................. 68

The Vietnam Woods — Wan Chai..................... 66

Wagyu — Central....................................... 32

Yummy Sushi Ya — Wan Chai......................... 68

Tim Ho Wan — Central... .............................. 32

Wah Lam Noodle Restaurant — Wan Chai........... 68

Yun Fat — Sai Ying Pun.. . .............................. 82

Tim Ho Wan — Mong Kok.. . ......................... 101

Wakayama — Central.. ................................. 32

Yunnan Rainbow — Causeway Bay................... 78

Tim's Kitchen — Sheung Wan... ...................... 87

Wang Fu — Central..................................... 32

Zelo — Admiralty....................................... 57

Tin lung heen — West Kowloon....................... 54

Wanya Japanese Restaurant — Central............... 34

Zuma — Central... ...................................... 34

Tokio Joe — Central... .................................. 32

Whisk — Tsim Sha Tsui... .............................. 53

Tonikaku — Tsim Sha Tsui... ........................... 52

Wing Wah Noodle Shop — Wan Chai.. ............... 68

Order Form Get another copy of HK Magazine’s

Restaurant Guide 2012 for only $50 including postage and handling

Please send me

copies of HK's Restaurant Guide 2012 (at $50 each).

Total enclosed $ Name: Daytime Tel: Address:

❑ Check enclosed Card No. :

❑ Amex

❑ Diners

❑ MasterCard

❑ Visa

Expiration:

Signature:

• Please make checks payable to: Asia City Publishing Ltd. and mail to: HK Magazine Restaurant Guide 2012, GPO Box 12618, Hong Kong. • Fax orders to: 2543-1880. Allow three weeks for delivery. (Overseas: please add $30 per copy for postage.) • For a PDF version of our guide, simply scan this QR code from your mobile phone!