The year 2020, by any standard, is a year filled with unexpected twists and challenges, giving us all the more desire to look for a reason to celebrate and bring some encouraging and joyous moments into our life. As we step into December, the reason to celebrate, naturally, is Christmas and New Year.
Here is a round-up of the festive menus offered by MICHELIN-recommended restaurants across Hong Kong.
RELATED: Cameras, Cookbooks And Carols: Chefs' Favourite Christmas Gifts
Caprice
Three MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Helmed by chef Guillaume Galliot, French restaurant Caprice will be offering celebratory menus that continue to uphold the chef's philosophy of cooking with the best ingredients and superb techniques. Expect dishes such as a bouillabaisse crafted from fishes sourced from Japan’s Toyosu Market, Abalone Carbonara Style with Black Truffle, and Capon à la Royale with Yellow Wine Sauce. The menus will end on a high note with fine cheese from the Caprice cheese cellar.
Christmas Eve 8-course Dinner: HKD$3,988/person
Christmas Day 8-course Dinner: HKD$2,988/person
New Year’s Eve 8-course Dinner: HKD$5,398/person
EXTENDED READING: Guillaume Galliot: Betting On Happiness
Lung King Heen
Three MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Lung King Heen, the first Cantonese restaurant to be recognised with three MICHELIN stars in the world, will offer three festive menus this December. Dishes carefully designed by chef Chan Yan Tak include Braised Whole South African Abalone with Goose Web, a classic Cantonese dish, and Fried Puntalette with Diced Shrimp in X.O Sauce that features an ingredient not commonly used in the cuisine.
Christmas Eve 8-course Dinner: HKD$1,988/person
Christmas Day 8-course Dinner: HKD$1,988/person
New Year’s Eve 8-course Dinner: HKD$3,288/person
RECOMMENDED READING: Cantonese Cuisine: A Decade in Review
8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Three MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
In light of the incident where two of the staff members have tested positive for COVID, Italian restaurant Otto e Mezzo Bombana, led by renowned Italian chef Umberto Bombana, is currently closed to allow the space to undergo thorough disinfection and all staff to go for a mandatory COVID test. Although the restaurant is still unsure if they will be able to re-open in time for Christmas, chef Bombana is not taking a break but has just rolled out a Christmas Eve menu, in hopes that he can celebrate the occasion with his diners at the restaurant. The menu begins with Culatello Spigaroli, and continues with Classic Italian Christmas Broth prepared with veal and black truffle, Porcini Risotto with Alba White Truffle, Bresse Poularde, among other dishes, and ends with Panettone, a classic Italian sweet bread eaten during Christmas which is also one of chef Bombana’s favourite snacks.
Christmas Eve 9-course Dinner: HKD$3,688/person
Arbor
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Combining seasonal Japanese ingredients and refined Nordic sensibilities as usual, chef Eric Räty's dishes featured in the festive menus include Abalone, a dish comprising abalone from Japan’s Saga steamed for 16 hours, and serves it with akazu shari and abalone liver-matcha emulsion (pictured left). Another highlight dish is Tuna, which showcases the fish from Japan’s Ehime prefecture marinated with soy sauce from Fukuoka, and served with horseradish, radish and whipped cream with akazu vinegar. Arbor houses more than 1,700 bottles of wine, so don’t forget to take advantage of their expansive collection where you are there.
5-course Lunch and 9-course Dinner on December 24-27: HKD$988/person and HKD$2,688/person respectively
New Year’s Eve 9-course Dinner: HKD$2,888/person
New Year's Day 5-course Lunch: HKD$988/person
Écriture
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
This Christmas, chef Maxime Gilbert will present three festive menus that are created with his long-time culinary philosophy of combining premium ingredients with French techniques. Dishes include Steamed Kegani Crab with Citrus Cream, Grilled Wild Turbot with Vin Jaune and Ikura, Roasted Bresse Poularde, and concludes with Amaou Strawberries that are widely loved for their sweet and fruity taste.
Christmas Eve 7-course Dinner: HKD$3,488/person
Christmas Day 5-course Lunch: HKD$1,288/person
Christmas Day 7-course Dinner: HKD$3,488/person
New Year’s Eve 8-course Dinner: HKD$3,688/person
Tin Lung Heen
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Revel in chef Paul Lau’s 6-course dinner this Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, when diners can enjoy the chef’s signature dishes such as Barbecued Iberian Pork with Honey (pictured right), as well as classic Cantonese dishes, such as Deep-fried Crab Shell Filled with Crab Meat and Onion and Steamed Garoupa Fillet with Conpoy, as well as innovative creations such as the Braised Fresh 6-head Abalone with Foie Gras. Each diner will also be offered a glass of Dom Pérignon Champagne perfect for a joyous toast.
Christmas Eve 6-course Dinner: HKD$1,888/person (minimum 2 persons)
New Year’s Eve 6-course Dinner: HKD$2,188/person (minimum 2 persons)
Duddell’s
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Christmas brunch at Duddell's, available from December 25 to 27, features a selection of dim sum, mains, rice and noodles and dessert. Must-order items include the Steamed Wrinkle Rice Roll with Sakura Shrimp, Crispy Suckling Pig and Noodles with Shrimp Wonton. A Christmas Set Menu is available from December 24 to 27. It stars dishes such as Baked Whole Lobster with Cheese, Double Boiled Soup with Sea Cucumber and Peruvian Ginseng and comes with a glass of complimentary cocktail or Rosé.
To keep to its pledge of maintaining the highest hygiene standards, the restaurant has carefully reopened in early December after undergoing deep disinfection and receiving negative test results from its frontline and kitchen staff.
Christmas Brunch: HKD$650/person with free-flow soft drinks, from HKD$888/person for free-flow alcohol
Christmas 8-course Set Menu: HKD$1,388/person
Épure
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Indulge in a refined dinner curated by chef Nicolas Boutin this festive season, with dishes crafted with premium ingredients such as sea urchin, blue lobster, wagyu beef and artisanal cheeses. One not-to-be-overlooked dish is the 150-day-old Poularde, a personal favourite of chef Boutin in which the flavour-rich bird is oven-roasted and garnished with chestnut mousseline and winter black truffle jus. A vintage wine pairing service is available at an additional charge.
5-course Lunch and 9-course Dinner on December 24-27: HKD$988/person and HKD$2,288/person respectively
New Year’s Eve 9-course Dinner: HKD$2,388/person
New Year's Day 5-course Lunch: HKD$888/person
RECOMMENDED READING: Chef Spotlight: Nicolas Boutin of Épure
Gaddi’s
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Gaddi’s festive offerings come with an extra thoughtful touch: most of its menus are available in two versions, for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Vegetarian dishes include Roasted Brittany Cauliflower, Butternut Squash with Aged Acquerello Risotto and Celeriac and Black Truffle Pie. The non-vegetarian menus feature creations such as Périgord Duck Foie Gras with Wild Mushroom Consommé and Kagoshima Beef Fillet with Burgundy Snails. Conclude the meal with the hotel's house blended tea for the complete Peninsula experience.
Christmas Eve 7-course Non-vegetarian Menu, 6-course Vegetarian Menu: both HKD$3,388/person
Christmas Day and Boxing Day 5-course Lunch: HKD$1,388/person
Christmas Day and Boxing Day 5-course Dinner (vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus available): HKD$2,188/person
New Year’s Eve 8-course Dinner (vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus available): HKD$4,888/person
New Year's Day 4-course Lunch: HKD$1,388/person
RELATED: The First Day We Got Our Stars: Albin Gobil
Octavium
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Spend your Christmas Day at Octavium with the 4-course dinner co-created by chef Roland Schuller and chef Bjoern Alexander. The experience will start with Foie Gras Terrine, and continue with Tuna and Langoustine Spaghetti and Turbot with Topinambur and Black Truffle, and end on a high note with Torta Della Nonna, an Italian custard-filled cake that comes with a portion of hazelnut gelato and pine oil.
Christmas Day 4-course Dinner: HKD$1,488/person
RELATED: Octavium Welcomes Two New Head Chefs
Restaurant Petrus
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Led by chef Uwe Opocensky, Restaurant Petrus will celebrate the season with a multi-course set dinner available on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day that feature exquisite ingredients such as George Bruck foie gras, line-caught turbot and Rossini beef. On New Year’s Eve, there will be a countdown gala dinner with a culinary line-up starring the Salmon and Avocado Gateau with Caviar, and other decadent dishes made with King Crab from Norway, Japanese Abalone and Miyazaki wagyu.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 5- and 8-course dinner: HKD$1,188/person and HKD$2,588/person respectively
New Year’s Eve Countdown 5- to 8-course Gala Dinner: from HKD$2,988/person
RECOMMENDED READING: Petrus Chef Uwe Opocensky On Re-Inventing A Culinary Icon
Roganic
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
MICHELIN inspectors praised Roganic’s dishes for their seemingly simple appearance that belie a burst of flavours and amazing textures. Now, diners will be able to experience namesake chef Simon Rogan's brand of cooking themselves with his Hong Kong outpost's Christmas menu available on the 24th and 25th during lunch and dinnertime. The five dishes include Caramelised Chestnut with Apple and Caviar, Prawn with Pickled Celery, Roast Turkey served with all the trimmings, 70% Chocolate Fondant with Tonka and Milk Ice-cream, and Christmas Mince Pudding.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 4-course Lunch and Dinner: HKD$980/person
Spring Moon
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Celebrate Christmas as well as the winter solstice, an important annual occasion for the Chinese families to reunite, with the festive menus at Cantonese restaurant Spring Moon that are available from December 21 to 27. Diners can look forward to classic dishes prepared with a twist, such as Roasted Foie Gras with Barbecue Pork, Stewed Whole Abalone with Rice Crackers and Roasted Kagoshima Beef Cubes with Lime. On New Year’s Eve, the restaurant will offer two menus — a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian one — to ring in the new year with its diners.
6-course Festive Set Menu from December 21-27: HKD$1,388/person
New Year's Eve 8-course Dinner (vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus available): HKD$2,988/person
TATE
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
TATE’s chef Vicky Lau is presenting a tasting menu from December 23 to 31 with dishes prepared with her unmistakably refined style. Begin the meal with Ode To Mushroom, a dish of mushroom steamed egg with quail egg, and move on with Ode to Chicken, a casserole baked abalone rice with yellow chicken, and Ode to Venison, where the game meat is slow-cooked in peppercorn oil. End on a high note with Ode to Chinoiserie, a course that will surprise diners with festive mignardises.
Festive 8-course Tasting Menu: HKD$2,021/person
RELATED: Tate Chef Vicky Lau On Being 'Girly' In The Kitchen
Tosca di Angelo
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Sicily-born chef Angelo Aglianó has created two menus this Christmas. On Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, diners can choose from a list of featured dishes to build their own 4-course menu. Available dishes include Fassona Beef Carpaccio, Spaghetti with Bottarga, Red Star Grouper in Matalotta Fish Soup and Ricotta Cream Cannoli. Diners can also enjoy a free-flow of champagne for 2.5 hours. On Christmas Day, the Set Dinner Menu will see dishes such as Sicilian Red Shrimps with Kaluga Caviar, Seared Veal Loin with Herbs, and Vanilla Carob Ice Cream with Strawberry and Meringue.
Christmas Day and New Year’s Day 5-course Lunch: HKD$988/person; with 2.5 hours free-flow of champagne: additional HKD$1,188-$5,988/person
Christmas Day 8-course Dinner: from HKD$2,480/person
VEA
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
VEA will be offering special festive menus on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day featuring chef Vicky Cheng’s signature “Chinese x French” cuisine. Although the details of the menus, including the number of courses and the dish names, will only come out closer to the day as chef Cheng wants to work with the freshest and the most seasonal ingredients from the market, many diners have already made their bookings regardless. The restaurant will also present a special menu on New Year’s Eve with details to be announced.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day Dinner: HKD$2,980/person
New Year’s Eve Dinner: HKD$3,480/person
Zest by Konishi
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2020
Chef Mitsuru Konishi’s cuisine delights with a balanced blend of contemporary French techniques and Japanese sensibilities, and there is no exception for the festive menu he designed for this Christmas. The journey will begin with Wild Caught Amberjack with Wasabi Dashi, followed by by creations such as Ezo Abalone and Snow Crab with Lily and Roasted Ping Yuen Chicken with Lotus Foie Gras Rice. A Mont Blanc dessert will lend the evening a perfect closure. Diners can enjoy a wine pairing service at an additional charge.
Christmas Eve 7-course Dinner: HKD$1,488/person
New Year’s Eve 7-course Dinner: HKD$2,380/person
Banner image courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong. In the picture: two persons enjoying a meal at Caprice.
