December 2017
Wo Long Sichuan Hotpot
Hype meter: 9/10
As temperatures drop, it’s time to keep warm with a spicy hotpot, and this Causeway Bay spot offers an excellent vibe. The pots have dragon heads as handles, while the furnishings have a redwood finish, giving the place a stylishly traditional feel. But the star is the spicy soup-stock cubes shaped like mahjong tiles: they melt into a thick broth that goes perfectly with the hand-sliced beef.
Paper Moon
Hype meter: 8/10
This Milan-based restaurant chain has opened its first Greater China outpost, in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Harbour City mall. Just like in Italy, it specialises in pizzas, which are baked in an Ambrogi pizza oven shipped in from Milan to offer an authentic taste. In the evenings, customers enjoy 270-degree sunset views over Victoria Harbour.
Golden Monkey
Hype meter: 8/10
Golden Monkey is the newest cool kid in town, opening in the trendy Wong Chuk Hang district. It offers a modern take on Southeast Asian cuisine, including dishes created in collaboration with noodle specialist Pho Bar. The cool interior combines Hong Kong and Southeast Asian elements, with wood panels upcycled from sampan boats.
NOVEMBER 2017
New Punjab Club
Hype meter: 9/10
Located in Central, this spot specialises in the cuisine of Punjab, the northern Indian state bordering Pakistan. Try the signature keema pau (spiced mutton on milk buns). The stylish decor, inspired by the liberated era of post-colonial Punjab, makes a visit extra worthwhile.
Tsukada Nojo
Hype meter: 8/10
Hotpot is always a treat in winter. For the beauty conscious, this izakaya (gastropub) in Harbour City mall features its signature beauty hotpot, which has a collagen-rich soup base made with chicken bones boiled for over eight hours. The casual, wood-panelled interior mimics the restaurant’s original shop in Miyazaki, with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour as a bonus.
Queen’s Dining
Hype meter: 7/10
Can’t decide between Thai, Vietnamese and Cantonese? Have them all at this restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui’s new Soravit on Granville boutique hotel. Dishes incorporate influences from all three food traditions, with signatures like conpoy chicken and sakura shrimp fried rice. The funky space with giant portraits of women in headdresses elevates a fun meal.
OCTOBER 2017
Haku
Hype meter: 9/10
Just opened in Tsim Sha Tsui’s Harbour City mall, Haku features kappo cuisine –traditional Japanese fine dining – in a pared-down, small space. The decadence here can be gleaned from its signature dish: a cake of toro tartare mixed with raw Polmard beef, loaded with Kristal caviar and served with an airy rice cracker.
Du Hsiao Yueh Restaurant
Hype meter: 7/10
If you’ve been to Taiwan, you probably know this restaurant chain, famous for its danzai noodles. It’s finally arrived in Hong Kong at Harbour City, serving the noodle dish of minced pork sauce, shrimp soup base, pork balls and Jin Xuan green tea, all flown in from Taiwan. The restaurant seats 100, so you’ll get a lively atmosphere, too.
The Old Man
Hype meter: 7/10
This speakeasy, hidden on Soho’s Aberdeen Street, pays homage to Ernest Hemingway, with an art deco interior and an abstract portrait of the author, who was serious about his drinks. Celebrated mixologist Agung Prabowo interprets Hemingway’s life with cocktails like Green Hills of Africa, which combines Pisco, a turmeric and tamarind cordial, and citrus.
SEPTEMBER 2017
Sushi Tsuboni
Hype meter: 9/10
The omakase (‘chef’s choice’ sets) trend continues at Sushi Tsubomi, which brings the umami of fatty tuna from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market to Causeway Bay. For the finest dining experience, go for the Sakura set; its highlight is toro with caviar. Two striking circular sushi bars also help to make this harbour-side restaurant one of the hottest spots in town.
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
Hype meter: 8/10
The Hong Kong outpost of this venerable New York steakhouse chain specialises in US prime beef that’s been dry-aged for an average of 28 days, and lobsters that weigh in at three pounds (1.4 kilograms). Located in Central, the restaurant has that lively yet formal steakhouse ambience – white tablecloths, dark wood – that’s great for work meetings.
Gough’s on Gough
Hype meter: 7/10
British design meets sophisticated cuisine at the first restaurant run by furniture brand Timothy Oulton. The menu is impressively inventive, with dishes like dashi custard topped with sea urchin and steak tartar with piccalilli. But it’s the interior that really stands out: a graphically patterned floor, a dramatic winding staircase, shiny details everywhere – a magnificent showcase of the designer’s aesthetic.
AUGUST 2017
Employees Only
Hype meter: 9/10
Award-winning speakeasy Employees Only has long sat at the pinnacle of New York’s bar scene. Hong Kong hipsters can now enjoy its intimate atmosphere and speciality cocktails right here, thanks to the opening of its fourth branch, in Lan Kwai Fong. Get comfy at the curved bar and try the EO Gimlet and the Daily Daisy.
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Chic by The Oyster House
Hype meter: 8/10
Following its successful opening in Wan Chai, The Oyster House spreads its reach to Tsim Sha Tsui with Chic, featuring Italian sous vide (super slow cooked) dishes, with signatures including the pork chop melt with truffle cheese. Of course, an extensive selection of jet fresh oysters is also on the menu, sure to satisfy your seafood cravings.
Fang Fang
Hype meter: 7/10
At this modern Chinese restaurant in Lan Kwai Fong, Peking duck with caviar and jasmine tea-smoked ribs are some of the signatures created by chef Kent Lee, who once headed foodie favourite Hakkasan in Mumbai and Miami. Mixologist Gagan Gurung was previously at Zuma, and he shows off his skills with liberal use of Asian ingredients.
JULY 2017
Black Rock at Foxglove
Hype meter: 9/10
Whisky and trees collide, literally, for two weeks (July 22 to August 5) at this short-lived pop-up of one of London’s best bars. The seven-tonne slab of oak you see above was harvested in northern England (sustainably, of course) and transported to Hong Kong to create the two-rivers tasting system at the bar. On one side, French Limousin oak holds an infused cocktail of Bulleit bourbon, Morello cherries and spices, and on the other side in American oak rests a blend of various malts to showcase the impact of oak on a whisky. Snacks such as haggis balls and soda bread with peat butter give the experience a proper Scottish finish.
LE PAN
Hype meter: 9/10
There’s a dream-like, futuristic fairy-tale quality to this modern French restaurant, a heavy emphasis on the colour white creating a slightly bleak ambience. But then the food comes, and with it, the flair. If you can stop yourself from devouring too much of the delicious homemade bread and butter, chef Edward Voon’s imaginative creations will have you planning a return visit before the main course. Seafood is his specialty, and clever desserts make for a memorable finale.
Tsuta
Hype meter: 10/10
It’s typical of Hongkongers to queue for ramen, but Tsuta certainly has the cred to make the wait seem worthwhile: its Tokyo shop is the world’s first ramen restaurant to earn a Michelin star. Choose between the soy-based and salt-based soups, which are made with homemade truffle oil. The restaurant, located in Causeway Bay, serves only 400 bowls each day. Get ready to queue.
Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant
Hype meter: 9/10
A must-hit restaurant for royal Thai cuisine in Bangkok, Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant is now at The Gateway in Tsim Sha Tsui, its 12th branch worldwide. The signature tom yum soup alone makes a visit worthwhile: it’s a richly flavourful dish made with spices imported from Thailand and served beautifully in a ceramic pot with a king prawn on top.
Rech by Alain Ducasse
Hype meter: 8/10
Rech, a celebrated seafood restaurant in Paris dating back to 1925, got a reboot from star chef Alain Ducasse when he took over in 2007. Its first outpost outside France has arrived at the InterContinental Hong Kong, bringing with it the fresh seafood platters and French oysters the restaurant is known for. Good food calls for good wine, and the drinks menu doesn’t disappoint.
JUNE 2017
Happy Paradise
Hype meter: 9/10
Following the success of Little Bao and Second Draft, May Chow continues to reimagine Cantonese cuisine with fresh local ingredients in her new neon-drenched restaurant in Soho. Be sure to try her signature braised pomelo pith: the spongy part of the fruit’s rind is soaked for 24 hours, braised in Shaoxing chicken broth and topped with black sesame foam, dried shrimp roe and prawn oil.
TokyoLima
Hype meter: 8/10
Located in Central, TokyoLima is the latest spot to serve Nikkei cuisine, the fusion of Japanese and Peruvian food that has become one of the hottest trends around the world. Its izakaya-style interiors, incorporating retro furniture and cosy fabric screens, create an intimate setting to enjoy signature dishes like the seabass-based ceviche clasico.
Suppa
Hype meter: 7/10
This hotpot restaurant in Causeway Bay inspires nostalgia for 1980s Hong Kong life, with everything from furnishings to decor details designed to recreate a stereotypical old-style public housing estate. Try the fish maw chicken soup base, cook up the freshest meats and seafood, and feel transported back to simpler times.
MAY 2017
Carnival
Hype meter: 9/10
A dartboard can be enough for bars to draw customers, but Carnival in Tsim Sha Tsui district takes pub games to the next level, filling its space with stations for beer pong, video casino tables and more. Big-top stripes and addictive bites complete the theme, while cocktails like My Little Pony – sake, strawberry liqueur and grapefruit juice – are a delicious bonus.
Moi Moi by Luke Nguyen
Hype meter: 8/10
You probably won’t be ordering pho at this Vietnamese restaurant in Central district. Australia-born Vietnamese TV chef Luke Nguyen had something else in mind: upscale, creative Vietnamese dining, with signatures like green-tea-smoked duck breast in rice paper rolls and caramelised Kurobuta pork belly topped with a soft-boiled egg.
Dodam Chicken
Hype meter: 7/10
The Korean fried chicken trend is still going strong, and now Hongkongers can get their fix at the popular South Korean Dodam chicken brand’s outpost in Causeway Bay’s Lee Theatre Plaza. Go for the classic crunchy deep-fried chicken or try the baked version smothered in spicy sauce and cheese.
APRIL 2017
Bar De Luxe at Attire House
Hype meter: 9/10
Attire House in the heart of Central district encompasses a dapper gent’s lifestyle trinity: bespoke tailoring, a barbershop and a stress-reducing drinking spot, Bar De Luxe. Offering carefully crafted cocktails and a view of the city’s skyline, the bar is the first Hong Kong outpost headed by revered mixologist Ueno Hidetsugu of Tokyo’s Bar High Five.
The Chin’s
Hype meter: 8/10
Chef Ringo Chow uses his 30 years of culinary experience to offer diners classic dishes from all across China but with modern twists. Cases in point: the indulgent char siu dish that uses Kagoshima Chami pork and the pigeon marinated with huadiao wine. It’s an upscale Chinese dining experience in Central district that’s full of surprises.
Uma Nota
Hype meter: 7/10
This modern boteca in Soho offers a taste of São Paulo’s Brazilian-Japanese street food scene. Try the zesty red snapper, prawn and calamari ceviche or the hearty chicken and okra, and you’ll be hooked on this combination of culinary cultures. Brazilian beats add to the atmosphere.
MARCH 2017
Dim Sum Library
Hype meter: 7/10
Serving all-day dim sum, this spot in Pacific Place mall puts a contemporary, decadent twist on the Hong Kong staple cuisine. Amid lush chinoiserie and 1920s art deco, diners feast on black truffle shrimp dumplings and ‘dan dan’ xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). The mahjong parlour in the back is an impressive place to host a few rounds with friends.
12,000 Francs
Hype meter: 8/10
This Soho restaurant has been on foodies’ radars thanks to chef Conor Beach’s reputation for originality. The seasonal menu is modern European, with fire-roasted suckling pig among its signatures. Many of the restaurant’s ingredients come from an organic farm in Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun district, championing local produce.
Cassio
Hype meter: 9/10
Clubbing and dining hotspot Dragon-i has become an institution, so there was much anticipation for Cassio, opened by the same team – and it hasn’t disappointed. Located in Central’s LKF Tower, it serves dishes created in partnership with popular London tapas bar Barrafina. Cocktails are best enjoyed on the roomy, glamorous terrace.
FEBRUARY 2017
Dragon Noodles Academy
Hype meter: 9/10
Keep the Lunar New Year holidays fun by taking your loved ones to a new dining spot, like this kung fu academy-themed restaurant in Central, where customers can watch as chefs in the kitchen make fresh noodles out of stretchy dough. Don’t miss the lobster cooked three ways and served in a broth that’s been simmering for five hours.
Murasaki
Hype meter: 8/10
Japanese omakase, or tasting menus, is on the rise. Murasaki is the latest entrant to Causeway Bay’s omakase scene, incorporating a strong French influence in its dishes such as the signature Hokkaido corn cream soup with French blue lobster. Vegetarians will be gratified to know the restaurant offers an all-veggie omakase set. And to go with all this innovation: a sweeping view of Victoria Habour.
Deng G
Hype meter: 7/10
If winter has you craving hot and spicy foods, head to this new Sichuan restaurant in Wan Chai. You’ll find all your favourite Sichuan fare here, but what makes this spot really stand out is the wide variety of baijiu. The Chinese liquor is incorporated into cocktails like the baijiu colada, which has become an instant hit.
JANUARY 2017
Frantzén’s Kitchen
Hype meter: 9/10
Swedish chef Björn Frantzén, the man behind two-Michelin-starred Restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm, has brought the freshness and creativity of Nordic cuisine to Sheung Wan. The new spot adds an Asian influence, exemplified by dishes like roasted Hokkaido scallops in a Nordic-style dashi soup with ginger oil, spruce and fingerlime.
Bib n Hops
Hype meter: 7/10
Chef Alvin Leung of three-Michelin-starred Bo Innovation, a Hong Kong pioneer in molecular gastronomy, is now offering a subversive take on Korean fare. Located on Ship Street in Wan Chai, this sleek outlet blends cuisines in surprising ways, with signature dishes like Peruvian spiced pork belly and Singaporean spicy chicken bibimbap. A wide variety of soju completes this hip dining experience.
Apinara
Hype meter: 8/10
This household name in Thailand consistently tops the country’s best-restaurants lists. Diners can find a wide variety of Thai classics at its new Hong Kong branch, including a healthier version of pad Thai made with shredded papaya instead of noodles. Another highlight is the list of cocktails, many of which use Thai herbs such as chillies and lemongrass.
