The sun’s out and so are we – on our latest hunt for the most delicious grub in Hong Kong this summer.
New opening: Room 309
Antonio Lai, the brain behind crowd-favourite watering holes such as Quinary, Origin, the Envoy and VEA Restaurant & Lounge, opened a new cocktail parlour in late July. Named Room 309, the bar is decked out like a discreet hotel room inside The Pottinger Hong Kong with space for only 20 people.
The menu offers a range of cocktails, with personalised options also available. To enter, cocktail connoisseurs need to check-in at “The Reception”, where they will be given a key card to enter the room. Despite similarities (a hidden, elusive entryway being the main point), Room 309 is adamantly keeping a distance from calling itself a speakeasy.
Find it here: 3/F, The Pottinger Hong Kong, 74 Queen’s Road Central, Central
New opening: Hugger Mugger
Pirata Group has certainly kept itself busy this year. Last month it opened Chifa and Madame Ching – and this month it will be opening Hugger Mugger, a British-style salon in the heart of Central.
Located just a stone’s throw from Tai Kwun, the new hip cultural hub in Central, Hugger Mugger offers cocktails inspired by British cultural legends. Think: Ian Fleming-inspired dry martinis (shaken not stirred, of course) and a Charlie Chaplin-inspired cocktail made with apricot brandy and sloe gin. Other legends with a starring role in the cocktail menu include William Shakespeare and Pink Floyd.
Find it here: Basement level, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central. Opens mid-August.
Read also: The best restaurants and bars for date night in Bangkok
Ritz-Carlton Hokkaido horsehair crab
The two-Michelin-starred restaurant Tin Lung Heen’s six-course tasting menu features Hokkaido horsehair crab front and centre this month. Highlights of the menu include steamed crab roe served with rice cracker, as well as simmered fresh abalone and crab claw in supreme stock.
Another not-to-be-missed dish is stewed house-made noodles with clam and garlic in crab sauce. Dinner ends on a sweet note, with a selection of desserts including chilled mango cream with sago and pomelo.
Find it here: Level 102, The Ritz-Carlton, International Commerce Centre, Kowloon. HK$2,180 (US$278) per person, additional HK$1,200 for wine pairing. Throughout August.
Belon x Ode
Daniel Calvert of Belon, in Hong Kong, and Yusuke Namai of Ode, in Tokyo, are joining forces for a two-part collaboration dinner. First Namai will be joining Calvert in Hong Kong on August 7, before Calvert returns the favour and joins Namai in Tokyo on August 29.
The two chefs will be showcasing their savoir faire in classic French cuisine, which they have reimagined for the modern cosmopolitan crowd in Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Find it here: 41 Elgin Street, Central. HK$1,488 per person. August 7.
Read also: How I travel: Chef John Javier
La Rambla x Antonio Romero four-hands collaboration
Antonio Romero joins La Rambla by Catalunya for two nights, where he will be showcasing his approach to Spanish cuisine. Romero honed his skills inside the kitchens of some of the world’s most exclusive restaurants, including el Bulli, Arzak and Maison Pic. He is currently the head chef of Suculent restaurant in Barcelona and is featured on Condé Nast Traveller Spain’s ‘Top 25 Restaurants in Spain’ list.
La Rambla executive chef Ferran Tadeo joins Romero for the collaborative affair. Dishes to look forward to include crispy chicken skin with glace cockscomb by Romero, and pigeon, curry and tapioca by Tadeo.
Find it here: 3071-73, Level 3, IFC Mall, Central. HK$1,400 per person; HK$2,200 per person including wine pairing. August 7 and 8.
Igor Macchia back as guest chef at Cucina
Igor Macchia returns after three years to Cucina this August to showcase his spin on classic Italian dishes. He will be presenting a four-course tasting menu featuring dishes such as warm salmon fillet with smoked mayonnaise, miso and sesame for the starter course, and saffron risotto with burrata, pan-fried langoustine and coffee powder.
For the main course, expect kingfish with salad soup, vegetables, capers and olives which features fresh yellowtail from Japan. For dessert, diners will be treated to Macchia’s own deconstructed version of the humble tiramisu. Dubbed Chef Igor’s Tiramisu, it uses milk mousse instead of mascarpone cheese for a lighter texture and taste.
Find it here: Level 6, Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui. HK$888 per person, additional HK$550 for wine pairing. August 10-12.
Kashiwaya Hong Kong x Kaviari
Kashiwaya Hong Kong is teaming up with caviar house Kaviari for a one-night only collaboration dinner on August 16. Kashiwaya, a kaiseki restaurant, is the brainchild of grandmaster chef Hideaki Matsuo, who founded the first Kashiwaya restaurant in Osaka, Japan.
Kaviari is well known for its house-aged, farm-raised caviar. The 11-course menu includes highlights such as soba with caviar, perilla flower and leek, and Japanese rice with caviar and grilled sea urchin.
Find it here: 8/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central. HK$2,500 per person. August 20–25.
