Restaurants
Hong Kong is quite simply one of the best places on earth to
dine out and experience dishes from across the spectrum of
cuisines. Some writers have dubbed this the 'World's Fair of Food'
and a 'Gourmet Paradise'. One thing is certain: with over 7 million
residents, Hong Kong is the third most densely populated place in
the world and that means cut-throat competition and very
competitive pricing. There are over 9,000 licensed restaurants and
countless more traders, stalls and mobile eateries.
Hong Kong is best known for its outstanding Cantonese cuisine
and the freshest ingredients and finest chefs can be found here.
The city's cosmopolitan mix also ensures that there is a dynamic
mix of other cuisines. Sushi joints abound, as do pasta houses,
bakeries, sandwich shops and just about every other style of eating
you can imagine.
One experience you should not miss is trying the local dim sum.
These are delicious, mouth-watering snacks prepared in steaming
bamboo baskets and eaten as breakfast or lunch along with copious
amounts of Chinese tea. Typical dim sum include steamed pork buns,
shrimp dumplings, beef balls and pan-fried squid with spicy salt
are just some of the local favourites.
Hong Kong residents generally eat five times per and most meals
our eaten outside the home. Meals are typically small, and always
accompanied by a generous portion of carbohydrates such as rice or
mein (noodles). For the visitor this means plenty
of places to snack and experience a diversity of dishes in one
day.
In a Chinese restaurant waiters will commonly bring tea,
condiments and snacks to your table, which will be added to the
bill. Most restaurants will automatically add 10 per cent to your
bill as gratuity. During Chinese New Year, this charge may be a bit
higher. Make reservations whenever possible, especially over
lunchtimes.
| The Bostonian Restaurant |
$$$$$ | American |
The Bostonian has been included in the influential dining
handbook
The Hong Kong Best Restaurant Guide and has been
a Hong Kong favourite for more than a decade. The restaurant has a
lively, sometimes humurous atmosphere (each table is equipped with
crayons and paper tablecloths so diners can be creative while they
wait) and its menu offers a wide choice of American fare, from the
signature US prime rib to Boston lobster - all in huge portions!
Creole dishes are also popular here, as is the award winning
collection of Californian wines. The Bostonian is tucked away in
the basement of the Langham Hotel, with a bar upstairs serving
lunchtime sandwiches, and tapas in the evening. Bookings
recommended for dinner.
Address: Langham Hotel, 8 Peking Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon
Telephone: (852) 2375 1133
| Café Deco |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
Apart from its vast and excellent international menu, featuring
everything from American beef steaks to Hainan chicken, homemade
pepperoncini pizzas and Indian tandoori specialities, the appeal of
the Café Deco is its locatio - it's set in two high,
glassed-in levels of the Peak Galleria Mall, overlooking the vista
of Hong Kong. The Art Deco décor and stunning views make
visiting this vibey restaurant, with its international chefs at
work in show kitchens, a memorable experience. Café Deco is
open for lunch and dinner daily.
Address: Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road (ride up in the Peak Tram)
Telephone: (852) 2849 5111
| Hunan Garden |
$$$$$ | Chinese |
This friendly restaurant, where live Chinese music accompanies a
range of mostly spicy dishes from the Hunan province, is
conveniently situated in central Exchange Square, next to Hong Kong
Station, making it a good spot for a business lunch. The dining
room is spacious and brightly decorated in pink and green, with the
Hunanese lotus motif much in evidence. The food, liberally spiced
with ginger, chilli and garlic, ranges from the delectable soups to
fish, chicken, meat and bean main courses. Reservations are
recommended. Open Monday to Sunday.
Address: 3rd Floor, The Forum, Exchange Square
Telephone: (852) 2868 2880
Dim Sum is a Chinese tradition: an array of steaming baskets of
dumplings and other delicacies from which diners make a selection,
usually for late breakfast or a light lunch. Dim Sum is one of the
specialities for which the multi-award winning Yung Kee is famed,
along with the restaurant's renowned Cantonese roast goose served
up with sweet, tasty stewed beans, nick-named the 'flying goose'
because so many visitors have insisted on taking a sample of this
delicious dish home with them. Enjoy the clean Asian décor
of this restaurant while being served by their well-mannered staff.
Open Monday to Sunday; Dim-Sum dining from 2pm to 5.30pm on Monday
through Saturday, and from 11am to 5:30pm on Sundays.
Address: 32-40 Wellington Street, Central District (near Lan Kwai Fong)
E-mail: info@yungkee.com.hk
Telephone: (852) 2522 1624
| Indochine 1929 |
$$$$$ | Oriental |
For a special gastronomic treat, take a trip back in time to the
age of colonial elegance at the Indochine 1929, where the setting
evokes the breezy veranda of a Franco-Viet plantation house from
that genteel era. Fringed lamps and gramophone music add to the
ambience while diners tuck into the restaurant's signature dishes
such as salt and pepper soft-shelled crabs or fish fried
Hanoi-style, as well as any number of other Asian delights.
Reservations are recommended. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to
Saturday, and only for dinner on Sunday.
Address: 2nd Floor, California Tower, 30-32 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central District
Telephone: (852) 2869 7399
| The Ashoka |
$$$$$ | Indian |
The Wyndham Street area, close to central Hong Kong, abounds in
Indian restaurants. The one that claims to be the oldest Indian
restaurant on Hong Kong Island is the Ashoka, which has been
serving up mouth-watering northern Indian meals since 1973. The
Ashoka is popular not only for its tasty, extensive menu but also
because of its very low-priced set menus, available at lunch or
dinner - their fish and mutton dishes come highly recommended.
À la carte specialities are also on offer. The restaurant is
very small but the atmosphere is relaxed and casual. Open for lunch
and dinner daily.
Address: 57-59 Wyndham Street, Central District
Telephone: (852) 2524 9623
| Jumbo Floating Restaurant |
$$$$$ | Chinese |
Hong Kong's famous floating restaurant, gently riding the swells
in Aberdeen Harbour, consists of three sections which are all
brightly lit by a myriad of dazzling lights making a fairy-tale
night-time spectacle for the thousands who come to dine here every
week.
Jumbo in Chinese means 'gem' or 'treasure', but the
western meaning fits it just as well with its massive capacity for
seating 2,300 diners simultaneously. The cuisine on offer is
varied, but mainly seafood, which diners can pick out themselves
from a selection swimming in a tank - the Flamed Drunken Shrimp is
extraorinary. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. (Shuttle ferries depart from Shum Wan Pier and Aberdeen Pier)
E-mail: sales-hk@jumbokingdom.com
Telephone: (852) 2553 9111
| Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill |
$$$$$ | American |
Homesick Americans visiting Hong Kong will find solace in the
carnivorous cuisine served up at Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill. The menu
tempts with sumptuous feasts such as rack of lamb roasted with
rosemary, or char-grilled porterhouse steaks. Not-so-meaty
specialities on the menu include homemade pasta dishes, as well as
thick satisfying soups served in bread bowls. The bar is also
popular for its informal beer-swilling atmosphere. Reservations are
essential for this taste of gratifying down-home cookin'. Open
daily for lunch and dinner.
Address: 114 Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
Telephone: (852) 2845 4600
This elegant and trendy restaurant's sleek interior boasts a
long table occasionally used as a catwalk, suggesting Felix's
fashion-venue ambitions match its culinary aspirations. The
Dungeness crab cake, with an avocado and jalapeño remoulade,
and the lobster risotto top the haute cuisine list but there's no
telling what the haute couture has to offer... Reservations are
recommended, open every night for dinner.
Address: Peninsula Hotel, Salibury Rd
Telephone: (852) 2315 3188
| SPOON |
$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic |
At SPOON, diners are offered the opportunity to create their own
meal from a selection of contemporary Asian, French and vegetarian
ingredients. The steamed duck foie gras is a favourite, as are the
Wagyu beef tenderloin and the pan-seared red tuna. Be sure to
browse the six-course
Sexy SPOON Menu. The sleek
décor is made up of eel-skin upholstery and mink cushions,
while hundreds of Venetian glass spoons adorn the ceiling.
Reservations are recommended. Open daily for dinner, and on Sunday
for lunch.
Address: InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd
Telephone: (852) 2721 1211 ext. 2323
