Where and what to eat in Hong Kong

With new restaurants and new menus popping up all over, David Ho gives you the latest dining recommendations and reviews

Hong Kong Cuisine 1983

This restaurant in Happy Valley isn’t going to be a place you wander into by accident. But seeking it out is well worth the mission as chef Silas Li and team serve up a seriously amazing Cantonese dishes. Li was a personal chef for Hong Kong tycoons for a good twenty years before branching off to join Hong Kong Cuisine 1983 and share his culinary skills with the world.

With a new vegetarian set menu (HK$1080 per person) as well as new à la carte and dim sum offerings, there is no better time than now to check out Hong Kong Cuisine 1983. Some of the highlights for us from the vegetarian set menu are the Trio of Tomatoes starter, with particular mention of the refreshing cold tomato soup made from different tomatoes; the Almond Glazed Asparagus with Butternut Purée, Almond Sauce, Spinach Oil, Shaved Summer Truffle; and the Poached Egg with Runny Morel Sauce makes for a flavourful bite when mixed with the accompanying silky carrot purée. Meanwhile, the Zucchini Flower stuffed with Mozzarella and Glutinous Rice that comes with a spicy Thai curry dipping sauce is a treat for both the eyes and the tastebuds.

The dim sum menu features plenty of new delights, and our top pick is the Steamed Fish Mousse Shrimp Dumpling in Premium Lobster Soup. From the à la carte menu, Steamed Large Yellow Croaker with Fuji Apple and Yellow Bell Pepper Chili Sauce is our savoury and sweet options the Pandan Soufflé with Kaya Ice Cream and Pandan Sauce is deserving of honourable mention. The dessert perfectly pairs Southeast Asian flavours with classic French techniques and mixes it up with different textures and temperatures, tied together by the delicious pandan fragrance.

Where: 1/F, Elegance Court, 2-4 Tsoi Tak St, Happy Valley

The Chinnery

With a freshly refurbished interior, The Chinnery at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is back in action with a special Taste of The Chinnery menu to boot. Available from now until 30 August, this menu for two (priced at HK$1963 as a tribute to the year the hotel opened) features Indian dishes. The new Keema Kulcha or Potato Kulcha served with refreshing cucumber yoghurt set our meal off on a great start. The Tikka Chickencooked with fresh tomatoes, butter, yoghurt, aromatic spices, and basmati rice was absolutely delicious, with the rich sauce best sopped up with the garlic naan served as a side. Another new dish, the Bengali Mixed Fish Curry featuring fresh tomato, onion, ground mustard seeds, and fresh ginger is also worthy of mention. The desserts on offer are a Chocolate Lava Cake with whisky ice cream or the new Phirni, a traditional Indian dessert with badaam and pista crumble and rose petal ice cream.

Whisky lovers will also love The Chinnery for its extensive collection of over 120 rare single-malt whiskies from Scotland, Japan, Taiwan, and India. We recommend having a meal and a drink at The Chinnery and popping up to The Aubrey, which recently rose to No.10 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list. On Friday nights, there is The Aubrey After Dark parties to look forward to as well.

Where: 1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central

Coco

Get the best of both worlds as savoury meets sweet in the Oriental Afternoon Tea Set (HK$568 for two guests/ HK$268 for a guest) at The Mira Hong Kong’s Coco, which is available from now till August 31. Guest Pastry Chef Mandy Siu arrives to curate the sweet bits of the 3-tier afternoon tea set with sublime French pastries that feature Asian flavours. The resulting creations from her are a Tie Guan Yin Buckwheat Cheesecake, Asian Citrus & Jasmine Tea Mousse Cake, Yuzu Osmanthus Summer Mont Blanc, White Lotus Seed Salted Caramel Choux, and a Sesame & Peanut Duo Soft Cookie.

These treats cap the 3-tier afternoon tea set, which comes with premium TWG tea selection. Given the traditionally Asian flavour profile of these item, these treats satiates our sweet tooth without giving us an overt sugar rush.

Where: G/F Lobby, The Mira Hong Kong, Mira Place, 118 – 130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Bamboo Thai

The Southside in Wong Chuk Hang is the latest mall in Hong Kong and with the opening, comes a plethora of new dining options. Bamboo Thai has already proven to be a hit here as we see long lines forming outside the restaurant, even on weekdays. Thai classics like the Refreshing Pomelo Salad with Prawns and Mango as well as the Mango & Avocado Rice Paper Rolls here make for reliably great appetisers, while dishes like the Jumbo Crab Meat Omelette with Sriracha, Chili Oil and Crispy Shallot are served in generous portions. The highlight of the meal for us was the  “Khao Soi” of Curried Chicken Leg with Fresh Egg Noodles. This deliciously rich curry is at turns creamy and spicy in just the right way, and the egg noodles were springy and chewy.

For desserts, one can’t go wrong with the Sticky Rice with Fresh Mango. The Thai Milk Tea Ice Cream with Young Coconut Meat, Toasted Peanuts & Corn also makes for a refreshingly sweet ending to the meal.

Where: Shop 204, 2/F, The Southside, 11 Heung Yip Rd, Wong Chuk Hang

Nana’s Green Tea

Nana’s Green Tea is one of the largest matcha-branded café chains in Japan. Their second outlet in Hong Kong is at The Southside, just a few steps away from the aforementioned Bamboo Thai. For sweet treats, we recommend the Roll Cake with tea-flavoured cream or one of their many soft serve creations. These are likely to win the ultimate Hong Kong praise for desserts of being “sweet but not too sweet.” The hand-ground matcha powder at Nana’s is sourced from Yamamasa Koyamaen, an historic tea manufacturer in Kyoto Prefecture. It is ground in stone mills using a technique perfected over 200 years to give you that traditional matcha flavour, colour and aroma.

Where: Shop 206-207, 2/F, The Southside, 11 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang

Laksa Club

Singaporean chef Edward Voon’s take on Singapore laksa at this lunch spot is an interesting one. It’s not the creamy coconut milk broth one expects of the typical Katong laksa variant. Instead, the broth is heavy on the shrimp flavours as it is simmered for more than six hours noodles and served with yellow noodles and rice vermicelli, reminding me more of Penang Hokkien mee. With generous toppings of ingredients like beancurd puffs, fish balls and fresh shrimp, this hearty serving is certain to satisfy. The pandan cheesecake is also one to try as the light and fluffy slice is very reminiscent of pandan chiffon cake.

Where: 4/F, 88 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai     

Soho House Hong Kong

Soho House Hong Kong is hosting The Rescued Feast – The Second Bite, which is set to take place at 7pm on July 25. This initiative aims to transform potential food waste into an upscale culinary feast. Chef Chris Czerwinski from Soho House Hong Kong will be faced with the exciting challenge of curating an inspiring menu for 250 people to experience, using food surplus and food scraps collected within 24 hours. Tickets are HK$500 per person for this unique dining experience.

Where: 33 Des Voeux Rd W, Sheung Wan

Cantina

Tai Kwun’s Cantina has launched its new all-you-can-eat cicchetti summer brunch, “Exploring Italy, One Bite at a Time.” Available every Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 3:30 PM, this unique dining experience lets you customise your meal with a tick box menu featuring 23 iconic cicchetti dishes. For HK$488 per person, indulge in a variety of small plates, mains, and a sumptuous dessert platter.
Highlights include the Bruschetta Feast with five crispy options, the Affettati Feast with five types of Italian cured meats, and 13 additional classic cicchetti-like sausages in tomato sauce, baby octopus, and arancini. Mains feature homemade ravioli, fusilli with Genovese, and the standout beef cheek slow-cooked in Barolo red wine. End your meal with a dessert platter that includes chocolate pear cake and tableside tiramisu.

Enhance your brunch with free-flowing drinks, including prosecco, wine, beer, and Aperol spritz for an additional fee. Cantina also offers complimentary prosecco for ladies on Saturdays and magic performances for kids on Sundays.

Where: Police Headquarters Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central

Also see: Bar Leone in Hong Kong tops Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 list