DINING

Whet your appetite in Aberdeen

Jumbo Floating Restaurant As one of Hong Kong’s most iconic restaurants, the Jumbo Floating Restaurant has attracted some of the most high profile celebrities and figures including, Queen Elizabeth II, David Bowie, and Tom Cruise. Located in Aberdeen’s South Typhoon Shelter, the floating restaurant overlooks Aberdeen Harbour and has three dining concepts on board including Chinese CHINESE

chicken korma and vindaloo, there is something for everyone. 227 Aberdeen Main Road. Facebook: Sarangi-Nepali-and-IndianRestaurantHk

Red Curry with Duck Brest from Myanmar Thai Palace

fine dining at Dragon Court, Sampan Dining and a traditional tea garden. Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen. jumbo.com.hk

WESTERN Oystime Oh Shucks! Oyster fans will love the selection of fresh seafood on offer here which includes their famous oyster platters. Diners will also enjoy a range of juicy steaks and pastas in a modern, laid-back atmosphere . Shop 2, 1/F, Aberdeen Centre Site 1, 13-23 Nam Ning Street. Facebook: OYSTIMEHK

Aberdeen Marina Club

* be aware, you must be a member or befriend a member to eat here!

The Deck With yacht inspired interiors and views overlooking the tropical swimming pool, members and their guests can soak in the relaxing holiday vibes. The restaurant offers a buffet and à la carte selection of western and asian dishes, complete with live stations and a dessert kitchen.

Marina Grill Marina Grill offers a range of luxurious dishes including their signature dry-age and wet-age meat cuts. With indoor, outdoor and private areas, this restaurant is perfect for every occasion.

The Balcony Overlooking Aberdeen’s vibrant harbour, this authentic Thai restaurant serves up freshly prepared Thai cuisine by Chef Pachuen. The conservatory is great for cold or rainy days when you still want great views.

Myanmar Thai Palace With a traditional Burmese chef, diners can expect authentic Thai dishes with a Burmese twist. Enjoying a selection of heart-warming curries, fried rice dishes and spicy soups. Cool down with a young coconut and soak in the friendly atmosphere. 108 Aberdeen Old Main Street. bkt.com.hk THAI

Sarangi Nepali & Indian restaurant Located on the corner of Aberdeen Main Road, this cozy restaurant has made quite a name for itself with homemade tandoori specials and friendly service. Offering a choice of 17 vegetarian dishes along with classic favourites including INDIAN

Sushi Masa Popular sushi chain, Sushi Masa is well-known amongst locals and expats for creating an authentic Japanese atmosphere. Chefs serve up a range of fresh sushi and sashimi, along with a section of rice bowls. The restaurant offers a reasonably priced lunch-set, while the à la carte dinner menu is a little pricier. 142 Aberdeen Main Road, Aberdeen. Facebook: Sushi Masa JAPANESE Sarangi Nepali & Indian Restaurant

Cafe Whale Rumor has it you’ll find some of the best burgers in town at Cafe Whale. Offering a range of made-to-order Wagyu beef burgers, along with some more unique conceptions including soft shell crab and beef tongue burgers, you’ll be sure to find something to satisfy that burger craving! For an afternoon pick-me-up the cafe is also known for their freshly brewed coffees. Shop 28B, G/F, ABBA Shopping Mall, 223 Aberdeen Main Road. Facebook: CAFEWHALEHK WESTERN

Burger from Cafe Whale

Cinnabon rolls into town If you haven’t already heard, Cinnabon rolled into town last month. The world-famous US bakery chain (with presence in over 40 countries) is bringing its warm, gooey and totally amazing treats to West Kowloon. Head over to Olympian City 2 to pick up a Classic Cinnamon Roll, Chocobun or Caramel Pecanbon. Shop G06, G/F, Olympian City 2, 18 Hoi Ting Road, West Kowloon. cinnabon.com

Hong Kong’s female icons cook for charity Vicky Lau of one Michelin-starred TATE Dining Room is celebrating International Women’s Day with a charity collaboration dinner featuring seven female guest chefs. The chef owner has invited seven inspiring women in Hong Kong to cook alongside her, each presenting a dish that is nostalgic to them. Participating guest chefs include Margaret Chung (ex-TV personality and celebrity yoga teacher), Yenn Wong (founder of JIA Group) and Sarah Heller MW (Asia’s youngest Master of Wine) among others. This will be a night dedicated to the works of women and all the proceeds will be donated to Margaret Chung’s BEYOND Foundation. Starting from $1,780. 210 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan. tate.com.hk

The Boathouse is back The three-storey restaurant overlooking Stanley Bay has been one of the seafront’s most iconic dining hotspots since opening in 2010. After a short period of closure, the restaurant reopened Mid-February launching a brand new menu by Executive Chef Sai Hsu. Renowned for its delectable seafood dishes, appetisers include a chilled seafood platter and smoked salmon carpaccio. For mains, choose from hearty classics such as 10oz Black Angus ribeye, roast African chicken and Hokkaido scallop and prawns with fried rice. And round off with delectable desserts. 88 Stanley Main Street, Stanley. cafedecogroup.com

Move over Red Lobster Brought to you by the team behind neighbourhood favourites Flying Pig Bistro and El Macho, Lobster Shack is a newly opened seafood spot that serves all your classic coastal comfort fare in a warm and inviting setup. You can get a whole lobster for under $300 and half a dozen oysters for less than $200. By working directly with a family-owned seafood supplier in Canada, the restaurant is able to offer great bang for your buck. Plus the laid back, easy-going vibe makes this a great place for catch-ups! 6-8 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun. facebook.com/lobstershackhk

A matcha made in heaven Hong Kong’s homegrown matcha brand is taking over The Upper House from now until the end of March. Founded in 2019, Matchali translates matcha culture for a contemporary audience in Hong Kong, highlighting its versatility and broad range of health benefits. Sourcing the green stuff directly from Kyoto’s Uji, guests can have a taste of Matchali’s Instagram-worthy hand-whisked drinks at their limited-time pop-up. 6/F, The Upper House, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. matchali.com

Anxiety during a pandemic

Hong Kong, and the world, is anxious about the possibility of catching the Wuhan Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it was recently named. But this is not the pandemic you need to be most worried about. The bigger problem right now is the contagion of anxiety spreading through our community, especially via social media. It can be easy to get swept up in the panic. If you do, the following anxiety management techniques should help; How does anxiety spread through a community? Anxiety is made worse when it is fed. Searching for more information about what is making you anxious will usually increase your anxiety. Rumour and mistruths exacerbate anxiety. Sharing rumours on social media is the equivalent of sneezing in a crowded MTR carriage. It spreads worry. Psychologist Angela Watkins shares advice to help manage anxiety during the current virus outbreak

What cures anxiety in cases such as this? Challenge all sources of information. The media often include panic inciting headlines and bury calming information. Acknowledge your anxiety – give it a voice, but not a megaphone. Talk to your anxiety as you would a worried child. Accept that it exists, how it might perceive the situation, and offer alternative ways of looking at the issue. Be kind to yourself. Be careful when you share information. Search for facts, not rumours. Do not spread the contagion of panic. Panic buying can add to your experience of panic. Sure if you need toilet paper buy a pack, but don’t buy 10 packs “just in case”. Don’t judge those who leave, or those who stay. People make the choices that they think are best for their family. Adopt a new perspective, try to focus on the positive: • Hong Kong is currently exploring business continuity plans and conducting what is probably the world’s largest “work from home experiment”. This experiment may lead to greater work flexibility for Hong Kong in the future.

• With schools closed, parents get to spend

more time with their children (if they choose).

• You may finally have time to sort out that spare room or messy cupboard.

• When Hong Kong experienced SARS there

were drastic improvements to public hygiene practices, as well as massive benefits for those who bought apartments during that time.

Angela is a qualified psychologist, counsellor, SEN-educator and founder of Red Door based in Central. To contact her, email reception@reddoor.hk. reddoor.hk

Virus-proof your home

Rik Glauert shares his top tips for keeping your living space germ-free

1. Wash your hands Wash your hands the first thing after you get home. The best practice is to spend at least 20 seconds (or about as long as it takes to sing the song ‘Happy Birthday’) using soap and warm water. Make sure you wash your palms, between the fingers, fingertips, backs of hands, thumbs, and wrists. because you’ll be putting your grubby hands all over them whenever you come in. Consider placing a pack of antiviral wipes by the door to make sure you are wiping germs away regularly. Or, hang a bottle of alcohol spray to remind you to regularly disinfect. Light switches and remote controls are other possible harbours for the virus.

2. Clean your phone Did you know, your mobile phone is 10 times dirtier than the toilet seat? You heard that right. With coronavirus on the loose, make it a habit to wipe down your phone using a combination of 60 percent water and 40 percent rubbing alcohol every few hours.

3. Don’t touch your face All those hours queueing for a mask and diligently wearing it in crowded places will have been wasted if you start shoving dirty fingers into the holes on your face. Bad habits to kick now include nose-picking, ear-fiddling, nailbiting and thumb-sucking.

5. Filter your air While modern air conditioning units often include filters to keep out bacteria, pollen, mold and pollution, they may not be catching everything. Consider adding ultraviolet filters to your air conditioning unit or investing in an air purifier.

6. Clean with bleach Disinfect your home by cleaning with a diluted 1:99 bleach solution (one part household bleach and 99 parts of water). Take extra precaution by wiping down frequently touched surfaces more diligently.

7. Clean your toilet There have been signs to show the new coronavirus can be spread by faeces and building pipes. Clean your toilet and all surfaces in the bathroom regularly. Close the lid after you’ve “finished” but before you flush to avoid faecal particles dispersing. Check your extractor fan is in fact extracting bad air rather than blowing in possibly contaminated air. And, get a licensed plumber to check on your pipes if they are getting old or if you’ve modified them previously.

8. Clean your kitchen The kitchen is another possible place where the virus could make the jump from outside your body to inside. Any surface that you touch during food preparation could put the virus on your family’s menu, so be sure to clean all worktops regularly with disinfectant to prevent germs from lingering around.

9. Do laundry regularly When you come home, remove outside jackets and coats and leave them by the door. Wash your clothes regularly – as you normally would– to keep them clean.

10. Leave your shoes at the door Luckily this is embedded in local culture. But, needless to say, your shoes could be carrying all sorts of germs, including the virus. Be sure to take them off before walking around your home. Wash your hands after touching your shoes and consider regularly disinfecting your shoe cabinet.