words emily cheng

Food-lovers are always on the look out for by-the-way eateries where one can be surprised by a hitherto unknown culinary delight. But not many of us can afford the time to dally in search of orgasmic taste-bud sensations and we often end up visiting the familiar. bc spent some time in the four-storey Food Forum that is the top of Times Square to find out what’s on offer in one of Hong Kong’s busiest malls.

Level 10
Modern China Restaurant (Shop 1002, 2506 2525)
As the name suggests, this restaurant is a fusion of modern and Chinese. Patrons are greeted by two terracotta warriors and a wooden boat hanging from the ceiling as they enter a room filled with wooden furniture to give a homely, aged feel whilst the glossy floors and chic tables provide the modern touch. This place is suitable for a casual dining experience. The restaurant specializes in Beijing and Sichuan cuisines, highlights including sizzling shredded beef or mutton with Beijing leek ($78) and their many choices of handmade Lanzhou noodles ($24-$52). Open daily 11:45am-3pm, 5:45pm-10:30pm.

Heichinrou (Shop 1003, 2506 2333)
The first Heichinrou Restaurant opened its doors in Yokohama’s Chinatown in 1887. Now, the Chinese restaurant has branched out to Hong Kong – in Tsim Sha Tsui and Times Square. This busy dining establishment, seating 430 people, with five private rooms and a range of banquet halls, has a modern touch to its authentic Chinese ambience. The chandeliers and floral-patterned porcelain plates give the place class, but the atmosphere is more casual than formal. The restaurant prides itself on its steamed fish (market price), braised superior shark’s fin with Chinese ham ($450), drunken shrimps ($90), roast ‘lung kong’ chicken ($240/$120), and barbecued Peking duck ($380). Open 11:30am-12midnight Monday to Saturday, and 10am-12midnight on Sunday and public holidays.

Super Star Seafood Restaurant (Shop 1005, 2868 0886)
Established in 1989, the Super Star Group now consists of a family of 13 restaurants scattered around the HKSAR, including this one in Times Square. A corridor in bright red fabric leads into this popular Chinese restaurant, which has won many hospitality awards. Although it has 62 tables, reservations are highly advised. Recommended dishes include the lobster with mango salad or as a soup with tomato ($188), stone fish hot pot ($22/head), braised whole sea cucumber ($268/$498) or the fried pork with preserved vegetables and dried shrimp ($88). The restaurant is open Monday-Saturday 10:30am-10:30pm, Sunday 10am-10:30pm.

Also on the same floor is Chung’s Choice (Shop 1001, 2506 9128), which in Chinese is a twist on the words ‘Chinese food’. The restaurant mainly serves cuisines from southern China, although some specialties are from the north. Open daily 10am-11pm.

Level 11
Shark’s Fin City Restaurant (Shop 1102, 3102 9838)
Shark’s fin, fish maw, abalone, bird’s nest and biche-de-mer have been valued by Chinese diners since time began as fit for royalty. Perhaps that is why the award-winning restaurant has a royal purple theme. Although serving prized delicacies, the restaurant is brightly lit and is suitable for casual dining. In addition to serving shark’s fin and abalone, it also offers a range of dishes such as pan-fried prawns with soy sauce ($138) and deep-fried crispy chicken ($238/$120) – both of which won the 2001 Best of the Best Culinary’s Gold Award – sautéed sliced garoupa and mixed mushrooms with shrimp cells ($288) which won the 2003 award, and stewed fish head with ginger casserole ($98) which won the 2004 award. Open 11am-3:30pm and 6-11pm Monday to Friday, and 10:30am-3:30pm and 6-11pm on weekends and public holidays.

Simply Thai (Shop 1104, 2506 1212)
Great for a relaxing and intimate dinner, this dimly lit restaurant has an authentic Thai look and ambience. However, being in Times Square, the eatery is also quite modern and has different forms of seating to choose from – in booths, in the main dining area with standard tables, or in the elevated, open verandah-like area at the entrance. Serving a range of traditional Thai dishes and modern creations, the chef recommends stir-fried seasonal crab with fresh pepper and garlic ($155), baked fish with prawn mousse in banana leaf ($92), tom yum kung ($48), betel leaves with minced chicken savoury topping ($48) and pomelo and crispy shallot salad with lime juice ($44). Open Monday-Friday 11:30am-3pm and 5-11pm, Saturday and Sunday 11:30am-11pm.

Arirang Korean Restaurant (Shop 1105, 2506 3298)
Originally established in 1964 in Tsim Sha Tsui, Arirang was the first eatery to introduce smokeless barbecue tables to the Harbour City in 1983. Since then, the restaurant has branched out to Times Square and has been operating since the shopping mall’s opening in 1994. The oldest of the Korean restaurants in Hong Kong offers authentic Korean food in a traditional Korean dining area. For larger parties, you can book one or more of the four private rooms partitioned from each other. The manager recommends the marinated double size special rib ($220), seafood and vegetable pancake ($150), prawns in batter ($160), vermicelli with beef and vegetables ($90), or the spicy soft tofu with minced pork ($90). The restaurant is open daily 12-3pm and 6-11pm, phone 2506 3298.

On the same floor, you also can find Lanna Thai (Shop 1101, 2506 3303), an eatery whose edgy decoration distinguishes it from garden variety Thai restaurants. Its signature dishes include the all-time favourite tom yum kung with prawns ($48/person), grilled chicken in Thai style ($115/half) and king prawns with red curry chili oil ($148). Alternatively, consider checking out Golden Bull Vietnamese Cuisine (Shop 1103, 2506 1028), which serves reasonably priced Vietnamese food.

Level 12
Xiao Nan Guo Shanghai Cuisine (Shop 1201, 2874 8899)
Although this Shanghainese restaurant has only been operating in Times Square for around two years, its parent opened in 1987 in an old Shanghai district with just six tables. The interior of the restaurant fuses a variety of styles with its sparkly, colourful and shiny mixture of design patterns. Have a taste of the cold dishes such as the shepherd’s purse in dry bean sheet roll ($32) and four happiness kou fu (Shanghai-style bean curd) ($32) and their main dishes such as the stir-fried river shrimp ($148), deep-fried mandarin fish with pine nut ($188), or stir-fried crab yolk ($380). Open daily from 11:30am-3pm and 6-11pm.

798 Unit & Co. Gastropub (Shop 1203, 2506 0611)
A gastropub refers to a pub which serves high-quality food so this trendy casual restaurant in Times Square is appropriately named. It offers Chicago Italian cuisine and casual dining on some fine food or you can grab a beer and take a seat along the bar or on the high pub-style tables at the front of the room. Signature dishes include chargrilled organic pork ($160), rosemary roast whole chicken with root vegetables ($240), classic banoffi pie ($55), chargrilled thick-cut pork chop with roasted pineapple and balsamic vinaigrette ($92), and the risotto with seared sea scallops and butternut squash ($128). Open daily from 12nn-12am.

Oceanna (Shop 1204, 2506 3282)
As the name implies, Oceanna is most known for its fresh seafood, a bountiful harvest of which is displayed on a bed of ice at the entrance. This sophisticated and modern restaurant, suitable for an elegant and romantic night out, serves a mixture of traditional and experimental Italian dishes by executive chef Eric Chan. Try their set dinner menu which includes an antipasto mistro or pumpkin and crab meat cream soup for appetizers, grilled rib eye steak with garlic and rosemary sauce or baked fillet of salmon in herb for mains, and semi-freddo for desserts, all for the price of $175 for two courses or $205 for three. Open daily 12-3pm and 6pm-12am.

The red-lantern-festooned Water Margin (Shop 1205, 3102 0088) serves contemporary northern Chinese cuisine, where a must-try dish is diced chicken in a sea of Sichuan red pepper. Open daily 12-3pm and 6pm-12am. Needing no introduction is Tony Roma’s (Shop 1207, 3421 2135) which serves a meat lover’s favourite, original baby back ribs. Meanwhile, The Graces Garden (Shop 1202, 2506 3366) is where traditional Chiu Chow cuisine can be had in Times Square.

Level 13
Wasabisabi (Shop 1301, 2506 0009)
As soon as you step into this Japanese restaurant you will feel transported to an extremely chic area in New York or London. You are greeted by a collection of sparkling bead structures before you enter the restaurant which is lit by candles along the glossy black communal table – this place screams ‘modern’. The dining booths are popular for intimacy or for a group of friends. A signature item is the Wasabisabi sushi, for which the seafood is delivered daily directly from Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji market. Open 12-3pm and 6pm-12am (Mon-Thur and Sun), 12-3pm and 6-11:30pm (Fri-Sat).

Hunan Garden (1302, 2506 9288)
The reception area is like a five-star hotel lobby, so you can only guess what Hunan Garden’s main dining area will look like. This classy restaurant, opened in November 2007, has an 18th century European design, a contrast to its traditional Hunan cuisine. The modern and elegant décor is complemented with tailor-made attractively designed tableware. Choose from a range of authentic Hunan dishes such as chicken in hot spicy sauce ($68), sautéed prawns with fermented bean and chili ($148), fish fillets with fried minced bean ($40), and steamed duck with beer in casserole ($88). Open 11:30am-3pm and 6-11:30pm (Mon-Fri), 5:30-11:30pm (Weekend and Public Holiday).

Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant (Shop 1303, 2506 1018)
Wu Kong Shanghai Restaurant may look indifferent to many food-lovers, but this traditional Shanghai restaurant has already been part of Times Square for more than 10 years. Master Wu, a Shanghainese himself and a veteran cook of the cuisine, say his double-boiled superior shark’s fin with ham and chicken ($860/four persons) is a must. The famous Jin Hua ham comes directly from Hang Zhou and the soup is boiled for at least eight hours to make sure all the essences are extracted from the ingredients. Another highlight is the stuffed bean curd with minced vegetables, an original from the chef. Basically it is like a dumpling – just with tofu as the wrapping. Open 11:45am-3pm, 5:45-11:30pm.

Also on the same floor are branches of Japanese Dining Sun (Shop 1304, 2506 1838) and California Pizza Kitchen (Shop 1306, 3102 9132).