What A Wonderful European Beef: Raising awareness on unique quality of European cattle

With Hong Kong returning to some semblance of normalcy after a challenging start to 2020, some in the city have turned their attention – quite literally – to matters more meaty. In fact, the Provacuno (the Agrofood Interprofessional Organisation of the Spanish Beef Industry) kickstarted its first promotional activity of the year here in order to raise awareness of its fine cattle and the delicious beef they produce.

Held as a series of online events, the What A Wonderful European Beef campaign launched with a webinar where Jose Ramon, Director of the International Department of Provacuno, introduced unique characteristics of Spanish and other European beefs to the city’s professionals. To follow were two days of B2B meetings hosted online, allowing experts at Provacuno a firsthand opportunity to learn more about Hong Kong’s consumers and trends.

With this online campaign slate as the latest chapter of the three-year What A Wonderful European Beef campaign, we’re sure there’ll be even more meat-related treats in the future.

Mid-Autumn Must-haves: Five mooncakes you have to try

As the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival looms on the horizon, Hong Kong’s gourmands will once again be spoilt for choice with a wide array of sumptuous mooncakes to sample. Be it the more traditional lotus seed paste-and-egg yolk offerings or outré varities featuring everything from gold to caviar, here’s a selection of five mooncake specials to try this October 1st.

Mandarin Oriental
Reputably a brand with rich values for heritage, high-end hotel Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong has opted for the classic with a range of traditional mooncakes available in their luxurious hampers and delectable Mini Assorted packages.

Ying Jee Club
The two Michelin-starred eatery, Ying Jee Club, stylishly presents its highly-anticipated Mini Egg Custard Mooncakes dressed in a chrysanthemum embellished jewel-toned box to enthral this Mid-Autumn Festival.

Miss Lee
Modern vegetarian concept, Miss Lee, offers a contemporary twist to the long-standing tradition with its vegan mooncakes in a set of four guilt-free and unique flavour combinations: Purple Sweet Potato & Ginger and Hawthorn & Dark Plum.

Lady M (partnered with Netflix and Pearl Studio)
Inspired by Over the Moon, an upcoming animated adventure that explores the rich cultural traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the dessert mavens at Lady M have whipped up the gold- and jade-accented Over the Moon Mooncake Lantern, creatively decorated with characters from the movie that inspired it.

Royal Caviar Club (in collaboration with Nicholas Chew)
Introducing the world’s first Caviar & Australian Black Truffle Mooncake by Sai Ying Pun-set Royal Caviar Club. As its name suggests, this limited-edition savoury mooncake oozes luxury in every sense, encompassing caviar and gold leaves to heighten its flavours.

Indian street food-inspired Chaat opens its doors at the Rosewood Hong Kong

Pav Bhaji, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Seekh Kebab… These are just a few of the mouth-watering, quintessentially Indian fare that can be had at the latest eatery to open in Rosewood Hong Kong – Chaat.

Ably helmed by Chef de Cuisine Manav Tuli – an 18-year industry veteran whose career spans from India to London, and who latterly reopened Tamarind, one of London’s first Michelin-starred Indian restaurants – Chaat promises to bring the vibrant spices and heady flavours of much-loved Indian street foods directly to the table, albeit with an upscale twist and a dramatic flair.

The menu here features a variety of small plates such as Raj Kachori to whet guests’ appetites, before delving into hearty mains such as Palak Paneer (slow-cooked buttery spinach with paneer) and Lamb Dum Biryani. A key draw at Chaat is its amalgam of Tandoor-inspired dishes. For the uninitiated, a Tandoor is a traditional Indian oven utilised in the cooking of various kebabs and tikkas without the need for any oil. It’s a method that imparts a unique smoky flavour to every morsel, and that’s exactly what you get in dishes such as Lobster Tikka and Black Pepper Chicken Tikka.

If that weren’t enough Chaat’s bag of tricks also includes an extensive beverage programme that encompasses not only Indian spirits and refreshing cocktails but also a vast selection of Portuguese and Indian wines. Add to that a dramatically upholstered interior and sweeping views across Victoria Harbour, and this may just be your next favourite eatery.

CHAAT
Address: Level Five, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Contact Number: +852-5239-9220
Email: Hongkong.chaat@rosewoodhotels.com
Website: www.chaat.hk

Old-timey dimsum experience unveiled at 1 Michelin-starred Duddell’s

For six years now, Central-set Duddell’s has set the benchmark for fine-dining Cantonese cuisine. In particular, its dimsum menu has found favour with discerning diners across the city, lauded as being equal parts innovative and an homage to the culinary tradition’s established flavours.

Now, Duddell’s is introducing a special iteration of its much-loved all-you-can-eat dimsum buffet every Monday to Thursday starting in July. This new take sees the restaurant take guests back to Hong Kong’s ’80s-era heyday, serving up not only classics like steamed shrimp dumplings (har gau) and chicken’s feet (feng zao), but also revives long-forgotten favourites from that time.

As such, the new all-you-can-eat ‘80’s dim sum menu include additions such as Duddell’s signature pork and shrimp dumpling, juicy beef dumpling with lard, minced beef ball with bean curd skin, steamed bean curd sheet roll filled with collagen-rich duck feet and taro, and shrimp spring roll with garlic. New desserts include the Chinese traditional sweet soup of green mung bean with fried seaweed, and the beloved coconut milk pudding with red bean.

In all, over 30 varieties of dimsums, dishes and desserts will be on offer. What’s more, there’s even a free-flow drink package (HK$148 + 10% service charge per head) inclusive of two hours of house wines, spirits, soft drinks and beers. With the unlimited buffet priced at just HK$268 + 10% service charge per head, there’s really nothing stopping you from diving in, chopsticks brandished, to your heart’s content.

Smashing seasonal summer cocktails now being served at Zuma

For cocktail aficionados looking to beat the heat, perhaps the latest round of limited-editions summer cocktails to launch at fine-dining establishment Zuma is just the ticket you’re looking for. To greet the season, the innovative izakaya-style eatery has kicked off festivities with its first-ever bottled Highball, created in partnership with local craft mixer Carbonation and Japanese whisky distillery Nikka. Dubbed the Zuma Yuzu Highball, this limited-edition tipple features a pronounced, bubbly yuzu flavour, rounded out with a kick of Nikka Coffey Grain Whisky and green apple. Sweet yet sour, it’s reported to be “the best cure for hot and humid summer nights”.

Elsewhere on the seasonal menu, Zuma has teamed up with yet another international alcohol brand – this time, Casamigos tequila, the tequila brand famously co-founded by George Clooney – to serve up two more thirst-quenching cocktails. The first is Bajiru Smash, a crisp concoction blending Casamigos Reposado with cucumber, lemongrass, lime, yuzu and fresh basil. The second is Shāpu, which sees Casamigos Blanco mixed with longan sake and citrusy notes, given a dash of sweetness with some watermelon juice and a lingering spicy bite courtesy of some shichimi umeshu. To celebrate this synergistic union between Mexican and Japanese flavours, Zuma will also be serving a special selection of tempura to match these drinks.

If that weren’t enough, Zuma is also inviting bartender extraordinaire Jay Khan of COA fame and most recently the winner of the Bartender’s Bartender 2020 award to host a special one-night-only Casamigos-featured affair at Zuma on 16 July from 6pm-9pm. Whether you’re in search of a post-work pick-me-up or just a smooth seasonal cocktail, Zuma seems like its’ pretty much the place to be this summer.

Go Honjo: Exploring this hip, contemporary new Japanese eatery

With few in the Fragrant Harbour having much of an appetite for Hubei cuisine at the present, hungry Hongkongers have been casting about for a tempting alternative. One that has come very much to the fore is Japanese food. Indeed, unless you’ve spent the last month forcibly con ned just off the coast of Yokohoma, chances are you can easily nd this an enigmatic and oft underexplored cooking style. Thankfully, for those looking to address any such shortcoming on their personal, diet-based, mission of discovery, there is a local destination sure to remedy just that – Sheung Wan-set Honjo.

One of a number of dineries debuted last year by the Wong Chuk Hang-headquartered Pirata Group – the company behind such celebrated scofferies as The Optimist and Tokyolima – Honjo prides itself on reinventing quintessential Japanese dishes in a wholly contemporary manner. The result is an expansive, well thought- out menu that’s eclectic yet familiar, comprising everything from raw staples and cold appetisers to sushi, tempura and a positive panoply of larger platters.

Those expecting any hallmark of greatness from without, however, might be a little disappointed – access to its apparently unassuming premises is via an equally unassuming little door. Once you have crossed the threshold, though, you are immediately transported through time and space, but not to any destination you might anticipate… Rather than finding yourself catapulted to the court of the Chrysanthemum Throne sometime 1700 AD-ish, instead it’s the singular stylings of ’50s Britain, all dim lighting, safari prints and ruddy furnishings, that greet you. Despite being something of a surprise, it is undoubtedly welcoming and cosy in its own way…

It would also take more than an outré ambience to dissuade us from our tasting mission and we were more than eager to dive into the first course – Tuna Cracker, a modern interpretation of the traditional nigiri. Each piece proved a mighty mouthful, with shredded raw tuna, ikura (salmon roe), an avocado mousse and a deep-fried rice-cracker all vying for mouthroom. It was an intriguing combination, with the crunchy rice, juicy roe and slight wasabi sting in the mousse all acting to enhance the creaminess of the tuna.

Next up was Iberico – seared pork tenderloin, seasoned with a spicy Sichuan oil and a refreshing ginger scallion salsa. With further refinement coming in the form of both the bubu arare (deep- fried rice grains) and the lingering notes of Sichuan pepper, every bite lingered long, light and tangy.

The final cold dish to be served up was a Medium Sushi Platter, laden with four types of nigiri – salmon, hamachi belly, chutoro and tuna – and two rolls, salmon / avocado and hamachi / cucumber. A feast for the eyes as much as the palate, the melt-in-your-mouth chutoro was an instant hit, while the hamachi cucumber roll – accented with purple yukari shiso salt – offered the most interesting in-mouth sensation. Next up was the first hot dish of the tasting – the Honjo Tempura Selection. Lightly battered, but perfectly crisp, the black tiger prawns surprised as the undoubted stars of this delicious dish. Once again, though, the restaurant had an ace up its sleeve, this time in the form of its Broccolini. While it’s an unusual tempura inclusion, its subtle crunch and juicy texture won us over completely.

Perhaps the most outstanding dish, though, was the Whole Chicken & Rice, which, true to its name, featured a whole baby chicken, one stuffed with mushrooms, pancetta and sticky rice, then served with hazelnuts, salt and a delectable, buttery ginger roast sauce. While there’s no denying the East-meets- West credentials of this particular dish, it’s a combination that, while complex, is far greater than its constituent parts. Not only does the dish shine in its own right, the addition of each condiment transforms the overall flavour palate, essentially delivering four courses on one plate.

All in all, it’s an apt display of just how Honjo has raised the bar for modern Japanese cuisine, experimenting with new ingredients and enhancing classic favours with a wholly dynamic flourish. Add to that its stunningly lush interiors and what you get is a true culinary gem.

Honjo. 1/Fl, 77-91 Queen’s Rd West, Sheung Wan. (852) 2663 3772. honjo.hk

Text: Tenzing Thondup
Photos: Honjo

Father’s Day Feasts: Delicious meals to fete daddy dearest this weekend

Choosing the perfect fine-dining venue to show your appreciation for daddy dearest this Father’s Day can be quite a challenge, but the bustling lifestyle hub of Lan Kwai Fong offers a plethora of options to suit even the most discerning of diners.

As any local gourmand knows, there are dinner options aplenty, several of whom are offering special deals on that special day – take for instance LKF stalwart Japanese fine-dining venues, Tokio Joe and Kyoto Joe, who are offering a hefty 20 percent off on all dinner or a la carte menu items.

Meat-minded diners, meanwhile, need look no further than Porterhouse, the upscale California Tower-set steakhouse. For Father’s Day, the meat specialists here are offering a special “Beef It Up” dinner on Sundays, both offering unlimited servings of three separate cuts of Australian Black Angus and Brisket. Priced at HK$528 + 10% service charge per person, the lucky folks who make the first 20pax bookings here will be able to take advantage of a ‘Buy 3 Get 1 Free’ special. If that weren’t enough, you can even enjoy a further 30% off on wines over HK$700. What’s not to love…

If fresh seafood is more to your father’s liking, check out the equally sumptuous Father’s Day brunch at Fumi, also located within California Tower. Here the luxurious buffet experience includes a wide array of Japanese delicacies like the Hokkaido Red King Crab Leg, Kuroge Wagyu Tartar with Yuzu Sauce and sashimi freshly flown from Japan. Turning to the mains, expect Miso Cod; Sautéed Angus Beef Cubes with Garlic, A4 Miyazaki Beef Himi Udon in Soup, Mini Rice Bowl with Chopped Toro & Japanese Leek and more. Like Porterhouse, Fumi is offering a special ‘Buy 3 Get 1 Free’ deal for the first 20 bookings, while gifting dads with a free glass of beer as well. Cheers!

Fresh Feasts: New Sunday brunch at Hue is all about fresh ingredients, freshly cooked

Tucked in a corner of the recently reopened Hong Kong Museum of Art in Tsim Sha Tsui, modern Australian restaurant Hue has already wowed discerning diners with its enticing mix of refined culinary dishes and jaw-dropping views across Victoria Harbour. Now, though, it looks to raise the bar even further with the introduction of an all-new Sunday Brunch.

Emphasising freshness and seasonality of ingredients above all else, the new weekend brunch at Hue is unlike most you’d find dotted across the city. Indeed, rather than rely on the typical buffet-style experience, where everything laid out for the diner to choose from inevitably turns stale, the focus here is to prepare dishes on the go, ensuring optimal freshness and taste.

“Real food is not served on a buffet,” explains Chris Woodyard , owner of Hue and an acclaimed Australian ‘one-hat’ chef. “Our brunch menu is about innovative cuisine that uses the freshest ingredients and is cooked when you order it, not in advance.”

The HK$380-per-person brunch menu starts with a whole host of sharing platters to get the mood going, ranging from buffalo milk burrata and charred broccolini to potato croquettes and house-smoked Wagyu pastrami. For the mains, diners can opt for one of several mains, including crispy pork belly, pan-seared market fish or – for vegetarians – ricotta and yam dumplings with shiitake ginger broth.

Rounding out the meal is an array of taste bud-tempting desserts like lemon tart, frangipani and fig cake and even a Basque-style cheesecake served with rhubarb and raspberry. If that weren’t enough, there’s even an add-on free-flow option at HK$250 per person for unlimited Taittinger Brut Reserve champagne, Bloody Mary and a selection of 10 white and red wines to give your meal a little extra oomph.

Home Comforts: Gaia Group introduces fine-dining delivery service

While staying indoors and eating home food is the safest option – especially in times of a virus outbreak like the Coronavirus – our choices can get pretty repetitive. Fortunately, fine-dining fare can still be had in the comforts of your own home thanks to Gaia Group, with the restaurant company having just introduced its delivery service to bring you their tastiest cuisines to your doorstep.

Allowing you to enjoy a great gastronomic experience without the need to venture forth outdoors, you can order from restaurants including the bastion of contemporary Chinese cuisine, Shè, the authentic Italian choice Velo and all the other outlets under the group. Best of all, you can place an order from different restaurants at the same time, just in case your family can’t agree on just one eatery.

Since debuting in 2000, Gaia Group has seen continuous, significant success across the years – not just in Hong Kong but in Shanghai, Beijing, and Bangkok too. Known for strategically planning, keen awareness of consumer tastes and adapting to the market, the launch of this new service shows the way the group successfully keeps up with the changing time and scenario.

Fill in the form to place your order or WhatsApp (852) 9877 2635 or (852) 6056 8505. Moreover, you can get a free delivery when you purchase for HK$1,000 or more.

If you have any further queries please contact Gaia Group via email – contactus@gaiagroup.com.hk

Valentine’s Day Dinners: Romance your loved one with a truly spectacular meal

There’s no better occasion than Valentine’s Day to show that special someone in your life just how much you appreciate them. To help, Hong Kong’s finest eateries have put together a smorgasbord of romantic menus to enhance the day even further. Below, we highlight some of the best Valentine’s Day dinners to be had come February 14th. Best book fast to ensure your evening is one to remember.

Épure

There is no doubt that the right ingredient can immediately transform any romantic Valentine’s dinner. With that in mind, the French fine dining restaurant Épure is offering a special eight-course Valentine’s day dinner menu with the much-coveted Black Truffles as its central motif, created by Executive Chef Nicolas Boutin. Besides, this one Michelin starred restaurant’s view of the Victoria Harbour adds to the intimate dining experience. Call (852) 3185 8338 or email reservations@epure.hk to book your table.

Location: Shop 403, 4/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.

Price: HK$2,088 onwards + 10% per person.

Takumi by Daisuke Mori

On a day to celebrate the love shared by two people, Takumi by Daisuke Mori, a restaurant that brings together two different cuisines – French and Japanese goes well with the theme. Crafted by Michelin-starred Chef Daisuke, the nine-course menu served on Valentine’s Day features dishes like HIDA Tenderloin Sandwich, Hairy Crab Shogoin-turnip and Blue Lobster Rolled Pumpkin and Nori. There’s also a wine-pairing option of four glasses of wine for HK$880 or six glasses for HK$1,180, both of which will be subject to 10% service charges. For more details click here.

Location: Shop 1, G/F, The Oakhill, 16 Wood Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong.

Price: HK$2,080 + 10% service charges.

Madame Fù

If you believe in the popular phrase ‘sharing is caring’, the Valentine’s Day dinner menu served by the contemporary Chinese restaurant Madame Fù definitely looks set to please. The five-course menu features dishes such as Seafood Honey Bean Dumplings, French Blue Lobster with Dan Dan Noodles and Wasabi Angus Beef with Okra and more. With four out of seven rooms specially decorated for Valentine’s Day, there’s no doubt the atmosphere and culinary treats here will help enhance the romance of the evening. Click here to make your reservation.

Location: Madame Fù, 3rd Floor, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, No.10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong.

Price: From HK$1,800.

The Tiffany Blue Box Cafe

Be it gifting your partner a beautiful piece of jewellery or surprising them with a remarkable dinner, with the creation of The Tiffany Blue Box Cafe, the American brand Tiffany and Co. knows how to put exquisiteness in both. Starting with the rich taste of Iberico Ham with Green Asparagus Panna Cotta and ending with the cafe’s homemade Lemon Madeleine and Dark Chocolate Madeleine, the five-course meal is sure to impress your taste buds and your date’s too. Click here to book your table.

Location: 2/F, Shop No. 7-8 One Peking, No.1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

Price: HK$1,688 + Perrier-Jouët Champagne: HK$150/glass.

Mott 32

If you are looking to eat to your heart’s content with your loved one, the long-lauded modern Chinese cuisine Mott 32 could be the perfect destination for Valentine’s Day. The Central-set restaurant’s nine-dish set menu includes mouth watering dishes like Foie Gras with Chinese Hwa Tiao, Egg White, Pumpkin Soup, and Baked Red Date Puff with Red Beancurd. Served exclusively on February 14, this feast is surely a wholesome gastronomic journey. Click here to make your reservation.

Location: Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4a Des Voeux Road, Central, Hong Kong.

Price: HK$1,480 + 10% per person.

The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Everyone likes to have choices and those at the luxury restaurant The Landmark Mandarin Oriental offers that to you. If you choose to go on an afternoon date, the eatery offers a selection of pastries including Green tea matcha cheesecake, Coconut and mango bowl, and more, which you can pair with a bottle of pink Moët & Chandon rosé champagne. If you are looking to dine later in the evening or even midnight (till 1:00am), The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s bar Please Don’t Tell serves Caviar tots and Moët & Chandon champagne or a classic Martini cocktail and a dessert of your liking. Both these dining options will be available from February 11 to February 17. Make your reservations via email – lmhkg-mobar@mohg.com or phone – (852) 2132 0077.

Location: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong.

Prices: From HK$338 to HK$1,998.

Hue

Be it satisfying your visual senses with a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour or treating your taste buds with its mouthwatering menu, the contemporary Australian restaurant Hue has it all. This Valentine’s Day, Hue will be serving a three-course dinner menu in the evening (6:00pm and 6:30pm seatings) and a four-course menu at its 8:30pm seating. With options like Beetroot salad with goat’s milk curd and luxurious truffle for starters and Yam and ricotta dumplings with pickled squash served with truffle and burnt butter sauce for the main course, you can relish in a satiating, soul-satisfying Valentine’s Day dinner menu. Call (852) 3500 5888 or click here to make your reservation.

Location: 1/F Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, HK.

Price: Three-course dinner menu: HK$880+10% per person; Four-course dinner menu: HK$980+10% per person.

Arcane

Located in a quiet corner in Central, the one Michelin-starred hotel Arcane is a great dining option for couples looking for an intimate meal. Indulge in a six-course tasting menu with dishes including Seared Hokkaido scallop with roasted carrot oil, yamaimo, salsa verde and mustard frill; Slow braised wagyu short rib with sweet potato purée, brussels sprouts and maitake mushroom and other delicacies. With contemporary art work by Flowers Gallery filling the room, this restaurant provides the right ambience for a romantic dinner making it to our list of best Valentine’s Day dinners.

Location: Arcane, 3rd Floor, 18 On Lan St, Central.

Price: HK$1,388.