The new restaurant scene in Hong Kong is highly competitive and changes rapidly, with both internationally famous chefs and homegrown talent vying for custom. People in this highly food-literate city have even been known to tailor their schedules around the hottest new openings, which range from pop-up eateries to massive celebrity flagships. The following suggestions provide just a taster of the fresh and exciting culinary offerings in Hong Kong today.
A sophisticated Chinese fine dining restaurant, with a farm-to-table menu showcasing top-quality ingredients and an eclectic mix of Cantonese, Sichuan and Beijing cooking styles. The dramatic, award-winning décor is a blend of New York’s industrial aesthetics and classic Chinese elements. This celebration of the ‘East meets West’ culture that defines Hong Kong can be seen in both the interior and the menu.
The Chinese-inspired cocktails at Mott 32 are progressive and imaginative, with ingredients such as ginseng, osmanthus honey, jasmine tea, Szechuan pepper, tangerine and goji berry all making an appearance.
Specialities include their Sunday dim sum lunch and Peking duck – the latter prepared in their custom duck oven and air-drying fridge.
Internet: mott32.com Location: 4 Des Voeux Road, Central Email: reservations@mott32.com Phone: +852 2885 8688
This colonial-era heritage building has recently undergone a complete renovation, reopening as a modern, British gastro-pub with a menu overseen by multi Michelin-awarded chef, Tom Aiken. The three small open kitchens in the venue are each headed by a chef who has worked directly under this English celebrity chef.
The beautifully presented food strikes a balance between fine dining and good, honest, British cooking, showcasing the best of fresh, local produce and botanicals.
Specialities include their beef burger ‘extraordinaire’, the housemade ricotta and a more locally inspired razor clam dish with mitsuba herbs, black garlic and pickled white radish.
Internet: thepawn.com.hk Location: 62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai Email: info@thepawn.com.hk Phone: +852 2866 3444
This playfully named restaurant offers quirky Chinese dishes with a modern, Asian-European twist. Chic and stylish with an open kitchen so you can watch the chefs in action, the clientele is young, international and lively.
Specialities include the roast Waygu short ribs with jalapeño purée and green shallot kimchi, and the roast platter with roast goose, soy sauce chicken and kurobuta pork char sui.
Internet: holeefookhk.tumblr.com Location: 1-5 Elgin Street, Central Email: info@holeefook.com.hk Phone: +852 2810 0860
This small, colourful, hipster noodle bar, named after two of the oldest grains used in noodle-making, features a contemporary, MSG-free menu that takes you on a tour of Asia’s varied tastes and aromas. The noodles are handmade, the broths are rich and deeply flavoured and the focus is on healthy, low-oil preparation. Vegan/vegetarian and low-carb options are available.
Specialities include ‘Gurney’ – hokkien noodles with pulled pork in prawn broth and ‘Tokyo’ – ramen noodles with onsen egg and harissa beef ribs in chicken broth.
Internet: foxtailandbroomcorn.com Location: 84 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan Email: hello@fnbnoodles.com Phone: +852 2415 2555
This new restaurant from Michelin-starred chef, Philippe Orrico, offers southern European and Mediterranean delicacies, fine boutique wines and delicate patisserie. Set across the 28th and 29th floors, with correspondingly gorgeous views over the city, this much-anticipated opening keeps diners entertained with an interactive open kitchen, theatrical tableside dish preparation, champagne bar and one of the best cheese cellars in town.
Specialities include seasonal roast chicken with potatoes, mushrooms and truffle, and Angus beef cheek with parsnip purée and red cabbage.
Internet: ontop.hk Location: 18 On Lan Street, Central Email: info@ontop.hk Phone: +852 2174 8100
This small, intimate venue serves as an elegant backdrop to Chef Patron David Lai’s short, French- and Italian-inspired menu, which reflects his nose-to-tail ethos and creative use of regional ingredients. The wine list is similarly concise, featuring natural wines and boutique labels, all of which are available by the glass.
The menu changes weekly, but pick- and shave-your-own truffles are a seasonal speciality. When available, the ‘chocolate palette’ tart is not to be missed.
Read more about the exciting foodie scene in Hong Kong.
Internet: facebook.com/neighborhoodhk Location: Pak Tse Lane Park, Central Phone: +852 2617 0891
Cathay Pacific flies non-stop to Hong Kong from £529*, with five flights a day from London Heathrow and four flights a week from Manchester.
For further information, visit www.cathaypacific.co.uk or call 0208 834 8888.
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