Blind Tiger Gin & Fever Tree Tonic at Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour ($175)
Shop B31A, First Basement Floor, Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central
If you have yet to find your favourite Gin and Tonic, try this one. Dr. Fern’s Gin Parlour is a newly opened speakeasy that occupies a discreet location at the Landmark. As its name suggests, it is gin-focused, housing a whooping 250 types of gin to entertain bar-goers. Their Gin and Tonics are made with heart – the tall Collin glass and the gin are both cooled and ice is added to the drink only at the very end, promising a drink that has a concentrated aroma and flavours not quickly thinned down by the melting ice. The pictured Gin and Tonic is garnished with lime zest and rosemary, making the drink even more refreshing.
Deep-fried Boneless Chicken, Stuffed with Glutinous Rice and Dried Shrimps at Man Hing of Greater China Club ($488 for members; $528 for non-members)
Unit A, 10/F, D2 Place One, 9 Cheung Yee Street, Lai Chi Kok
Celebrating the nostalgic Cantonese dishes, the restaurant with art-deco design has recently launched a dedicated menu to bring attention to these disappearing gems. Among the classic dim sums and seafood dishes, our favourite is the Deep Fried Boneless Chicken where the chef stuffs the glutinous rice in the chicken’s stomach, air-dries it and bastes it with hot oil to achieve crispy skin. It is sumptuous as it is delicious.
French Toast at Bread, Espresso & ($68)
G/F, Tak Sing Alliance Building, 115 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui
The beloved bakery from Tokyo’s Omotesando has recently landed in Hong Kong, bringing with it its signature French Toast. Made with its homemade bread, and smothered with egg sauce prepared with their secret recipe, the toast is pan fried on sizzling pan to order. The texture is delicate, moist and fluffy, and the experience is topped up by the complementing Italian honey. The French Toast is limited to 30 portions per day and available only from 3pm, explaining the long queue outside the shop every 3pm almost everyday.
Kagoshima Chicken Dobin-mushi Soup with Morel Tsukune at Zuma ($120)
Level 5 & 6, 15 Queen's Road Central
Zuma’s new spring menu attracts eye-balls with this very Instagram-worthy soup, where the chicken mushroom soup at the bottom vask of the syphon is heated up and forced up to the upper vask to mix with the katsuobushi (dried fish) and herbs. When the soup returns to the lower vask, which the whole process takes around 15 seconds, it is ready to serve. The result of this theatrical operation is a bowl of umami-packed, oil-free goodness.
Marian Beke's Concoctions at Lobster Bar ($120)
6/F Island Shangri-la Hong Kong, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central
The bar scene in Hong Kong is heating up with guest mixologists visiting the city from around the world from time to time. This round, we are thrilled to have Marian Beke of The Gibson, London, make a guest appearance here. The Gibson is considered one of the best bars by many and Beke’s concoctions are loved for its all round experience that takes ingredients, garnishes, the vessels and the way the drinks are served into consideration. During his stay from 11 to 14 May, he will conjure up five creations. Beyond the Pines is a combination of Chivas Regal 12 with fir resin infusion, wasabi and matcha paste. Tea Time with Alice plays with Absolut Elyx Vodka with rhubarb and milk oolong. All promise to amuse with creative combinations.
Risotto with Veal Bone Marrow and Saffron at Si Simply Italian ($178)
Shop G03, G/F, D2 Place TWO, 15 Cheung Shun Street, Lai Chi Kok
Lai Chi Kok is an unlikely destination for foodies, but now with the opening of Si Simply, there is more reason to visit this industrial district. The cooking here is hearty and honest. This risotto uses Vialone nano rice from Verona, cooked in veal stock and saffron to achieve an al dente texture and substantial flavour. Combined with the bone marrow, it is very comforting. Like the restaurant name suggests, there’s nothing fancy here. Everything is simple but delicious.
Spring Bamboo Shoot Dishes at Kyoku ($60 - $480)
Shop 2, G/F, 38 Haven Street, Causeway Bay
One of the recommended restaurants in MICHELIN guide Hong Kong Macau 2017, Kyoku specialises in sushi and teppanyaki. Paying tribute to the season, the 3,000 sq ft restaurant will present dishes prepared with the spring delicacy – bamboo shoot. Hailing from Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, the wild vegetable has a tempting milky white colour, with a crisp texture and delightfully sweet taste. Guests can enjoy it in pickled spring bamboo shoots with mackerel sushi, grilled Saga A5 wagyu with spring bamboo shoots and mushroom rice, abalone with grilled spring bamboo shoots, among other dishes. All available until June.
Tsukemen with Rich Fish Powder and Pork Bone Soup at Fu-Unmaru ($93)
Shop B, G/F, W Square, 314 - 324 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
Tsukemen is definitely having its moment in Hong Kong, and adding to the already dazzling range of tsukemen joints is Fu-Unmaru. The joint, which has six branches in Japan, ventures into Hong Kong for the first time. The signature fish powder pork bone soup base features fish powder made with Katakuch iwashi sadine only (instead of a mixture of fishes) and air-dried for up to a week. Served in a piping hot stone pot and eaten with the springy noodles that have a pleasant wheat flavour, the richness and the intense umami flavour will leave you wanting more.
Wagyu Beef at Takumi by Daisuke Mori (Part of the $2,080 8-course Tasting Menu)
Shop 1, G/F, The Oakhill, 16 Wood Road, Wanchai
After 4 weeks of makeover, the one-Michelin-starred Wagyu Takumi recently reopens its door with a new name – Takumi by Daisuke Mori, putting Executive Chef Daisuke Mori in the spotlight. The interior of the 11-seater hideaway is now more mature and sophisticated in mood, compared to the former bright tone. The tasting menus boast new items such as French Chicken Leg with Spring Onion and Coconut and Slow Cooked Blue Lobster with Caramel Spices. Their signature Wagyu Beef dish, however, is still the one that steals the show. Sourced from Japan’s Saga, Hida and Sendai, the tenderloin is slowly cooked at a consistent heat of 70-75 degrees over binchotan coals and then placed on a hot grill to sear to perfection. The result is beef that almost melt in the mouth with a depth of flavour.
Whisky Ice-cream at Tiffany’s New York Bar ($58 per scoop)
Lobby Level, InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, 70 Mody Road, Tsimshatsui East, Kowloon
As the temperature is gradually rising, the craving for ice-cream returns, and the idea is made even more irresistible when the iced dessert is spiked with whisky. This bar houses over 200 labels of whisky and has always been a venue to enjoy quality drams. It has recently crafted three types of whisky ice cream. For those who appreciate Japanese culture, Green Fairy combines Japan’s Akashi Whisky and green tea. The sweet notes of the distilled liquid and the adding of honey help balance off the bitterness of the tea, delivering sweet spices and herbal aromas. The Glen features Glenlivet Nadurra from Scotland. A bottle famed for its high alcohol concentration, which is 60% alcohol-by-volume, carries notes of oak, spice and toasted almond, and the flavour complements the pistachio ice cream perfectly. Helmsman stars Bunnahabhain Toiteach whisky, which is reputedly one of the best flavoured peaty single malts from Islay Island. The smoky flavour, the dark chocolate ice cream and the hot chilli powder create a strong combination that will definitely leave an impression.
