As I had mentioned in my earlier post on Hong Kong eats, I ate so much this trip that I felt my beary stomach was going to burst and I felt so ‘preggers’. I think it’s also attributed to being with Auntie LY, she always makes Y and I eat until there’s no tomorrow, plus I am also a little greedy which doesn’t help things. This post is going to feature all the dinners that I had in Hong Kong that I highly recommend for anyone to visit.
Looking at YW having a lovely Milo made by LY, but I was so full I just couldn’t have any more liquids in my tummy.
EATS – MUST GOS FOR DINNERS
1. Duddell’s
3-4/F, Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell St, Central
Tel: +852 2525 9191
www.duddells.co
This latest hot spot in the heart of Central, is located in the new Shanghai Tang building up on Duddell Street across from the Mandarin Landmark Hotel. Why I love this place is:
1. It’s a social destination where arts and culture meets fine Cantonese dining. All the art has been specially curated and these pieces are on loan from various galleries or private collectors and is regularly updated. Duddell’s has a monthly arts programme newsletter, which showcases the various arts exchanges and events that takes place and it’s really quite interesting. And the food here is serious fine dining Cantonese food, helmed by Chef Siu Hin-chi, who’s worked at the Michelin-starred T’ang Court in the past.
2. And of course, I love anything that’s open by my good friend YW and her hubby AL. They always have a great eye for developing new concepts, and in my opinion, has influenced the F&B landscape in Hong Kong.
Duddell’s Arts Programme Newsletter for July 2013
The restaurant is designed by Isle Crawford, and I love especially the dramatic entrance and stairways to the upper floor lounge where floor to wall is tiled in Travertine, giving it a modern and luxurious look.
Reception area of Duddell’s
This is one area in the lounge area that can be sealed off to be a private dining or event area, and also serves as a ‘library’. I didn’t want to use flash to take the pictures given it was rather crowed, so unfortunately my picture above doesn’t do justice to what the interiors really look like. The shelves show many art books that’s been donated by the members, which I think is a really nice idea, again highlighting the whole art exchange idea. Auntie LY loved this place so much she said she could live here! Yes, she can get quite dramatic, but yeah that’s how much she loved this whole space in terms of its ambience, vibe, interiors.
A row of B&W images line the back of one of the lounge seating areas in the upper floor.
Cocktails with deep fried dish skin, what a perfect combination. Love especially the cute coasters with the various Duddell’s character icons.
After we had drinks in the lounge area, we adjourned downstairs to the restaurant area for dinner. It had a very modern yet soft interiors. I loved especially the table presentation of cutlery, plates. The teapots especially were really beautiful and exquisite.
Duddell’s main dining area.
Tea pots – Duddell’s has a list of very lovely Chinese teas.
YW was really sweet to buy us dinner here, and we ate through a medley of goodness knows how many dishes, probably enough for 8 people although only 4 of us ate. And by the way this was after my food tasting with them at Chachawan. The highlights for me were the peking duck, double boiled fish maw soup, crispy chicken and goose web. This was really good fine Cantonese cuisine at its best, and having been living with Y all these years has also made me really appreciate Cantonese food, since her family is Cantonese.
I wanted to come back in the daytime again to try the dim sum, and also see the space in the day. Unfortunately, it was summer, but the verandah I could imagine would be so lovely to sit out in the winter period. Just can’t wait to check out it in the winter season then. We had dim sum in the lounge area, which had a really nice casual laidback feel to it, and similarly the dim sum was not typically the type you could find anywhere else, such as the baked abalone puff with chicken was yummylicious, and oh i really loved especially their X.O. Rice Roll, probably one of the best I have tried.
The lush terrace area of Duddell’s, located on the upper floor of the 2 floor restaurants, makes a perfect place to hang out in a cooler weather.
Dim sum lunch at Duddell’s
Duddell’s is a restaurant i highly recommend to go to whether it’s for pre dinner drinks, lunch, or dinner, not to be missed out.
2. Ronin
8 On Wo Lane, Sheung Wan
Tel: +852 2547 5263
www.roninhk.com
All counter top seating only, we were seated in front of the main bar.
Opened by Yardbird’s Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang, who in my opinion has taken yakitori to a new level with the funky Yardbird, has recently opened Ronin, a Japanese restaurant focusing on fresh fish and seafood. The menu changes regularly, and is divided into 3 sections – raw, smaller and bigger. The service staff was good at upselling and asked us to try the omakase menu which comprised of 11 raw and cooked food, followed by 1 dessert which was more an alcoholic shooter prepared by the bartender. Our meal was fantastic, every dish was beautifully prepared and the flavours were very well balanced. It wasn’t too bad in price also, for 2 of us we spent around HK3300 for 2 persons omakase menu plus a bottle of sake, and we were so full, we were almost rolling out of the restaurant. I would highly recommend the omakase menu if you want to try the chef’s recommendations.
And an important tip, the entrance is super obscure especially if you head there for dinner, but is located very near the home decor shop – Homeless, as well as the famous Kau Kee beef noodles shop, both along Gough Street.
Reservations is very tricky but they do take reservations 7 days ahead, and better book early, as you would not want to get the standing seats. Thank goodness we had a friend to help us book, it really helps to have friends with connections in F&B for a greedy Bear like me 🙂
Ronin’s a la carte menu
Our amazing omakase menu at Ronin
3. 208 Duecento Otto
208 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
www.208.com.hk
One of my favourite Italian restaurants in Hong Kong, is 208, conveniently named after its unit number along Hollywood Road, not quite a new restaurant but still deserving of a mention. It serves up Italian rustic cuisine with yummylicious Naples style pizza which I get cravings for, good ol’ Italian pasta and main dishes. Designed by one of my favourite design duo from Turkey – Autobahn who has done an amazing job creating a eclectic, iconic design. I was having a flu when I came here with KK but still managed to have some hearty truffle ravioli and truffle pizza. It somehow made me feel better immediately 🙂
Entrance of 208
4. Chachawan
206 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
Tel: +852 2549 0020 (no reservations)
Chachawan Facebook Page
Frontage of Chachawan along Hollywood Road, just next to 208
Located next to 208 conveniently, this is the latest restaurant that Y has opened in Hong Kong with her Singapore restaurant partners with AL and LY. Serving Isaan cuisine, it’s helmed by Adam Cliff who is a protege of David Thompson, and serves authentic Thai food from Isaan – the north-eastern part of Thailand. The food I can say is truly authentic, punchy and has robust intense flavours, including spice for sure! I have eaten so much of this food in their restaurant Kha, which Adam also created the menu for, but I was happy indulging in more of it in Hong Kong.
The wall was done by a really cool street artist in Hong Kong.
Funky interiors of Chachawan.
I was here with Y almost everyday in Hong Kong for food tastings and trials for friends to ensure service and food was tip top. So happy for them that it’s received great reviews and everyone that has come has given thumbs up to the food and chef. On top of the wonderful food, I love the cocktails here such as the Watermelon Cooler which I was drinking so much of when I was having a sore throat. The interiors and music also has a great vibe that makes it a great place to hang out with friends.
Check out this “dinosaur in bath” print the next time, it’s on the wall on the way to the 2nd floor.
Cute vintage push cart bought from Thailand
My must try dishes are the Som Dtums which are must tries of any Isaan food, the Gai Yung (grilled chicken on skewers), Dtom Sup Moo (a hot and sour soup, very appetising) and the Goong Golae (tiger prawns) and of course Pla Phao Glua (the salt crusted sea bass)!
Som Dtum with Candied Pork
Grilled chicken and crab fried rice – yummy…
My favourite Watermelon Cooler – best for the hot Summer now.
A mean hot and sour soup, packs a punch!
Crispy Thai omelette
5. Megan’s Kitchen
5/F Lucky Center, 165-171 Wan Chai Road, Wan Chai
Tel: +852 2866 8305
www.meganskitchen.com
Cantonese address on the wet wipes
I am a big lover of Hot Pot (steamboats) even when it’s a hot hot day in Hong Kong, as Hong Kong has some really amazing ones. I don’t even waste my beary tummy space to eat any of the Hot Pots in Singapore as I have yet to find any that matches up to Hong Kong in terms of standards. For me I look for:
a. Soup stocks – good flavours and hopefully not too much MSG
b. selection of fresh seafood and beef
c. All kinds of meat and fish balls in terms of quality, and variety.
d. Great selection of dipping sauces and condiments to go with the cooked food
YW brought us to a new steamboat restaurant that she just discovered, and I also found out when researching on this place that it was awarded a Bib Gourmand in the 2012 Michelin Guide for Hong Kong and Macau. It is really convenient for order taking as they also have a English menu, but anyhow we left the ordering to YW and just told her what we wanted heh heh. Some interesting dishes they have are the meat balls that comes in very interesting flavours like Japanese curry beef balls. What was fantastic as it was a low season for steamboat now in Hong Kong, Megan’s Kitchen was offering 1-for-1 for the beef. we had so much beef and meat balls, we had to take away some of them. And oh yes their geoduck was very fresh too, another must try, something I always have in Hong Kong during Hot Pot!
This was definitely a wonderful hot pot feast for us!
Great selection of condiments
Lots of meat balls being cooked, and wonderful glorious beef!
Geoduck galore!
And that sums up my trip in Hong Kong, can’t wait to visit it soon. Think Y is planning to visit Chachawan soon in the next few months, so yes lucky me will get to tag along too.
Chit chatting with the girls on a typical night in Hong Kong after our dinner.
Yes, I will see Bob again in my next trip to Hong Kong.
