Bars, Karaoke Reopen Today

Glorious leader comrade Lam, she who is in charge and responsible for all things Hong Kong (except as she stated repeatedly the police..) has graciously permitted (after checking with Beijing) HongKongers to visit bars and karaokes again – those that remain open.

So, ignore the rain, and have a good night out!

Be a true HongKonger and wear a mask, stay safe, have fun – and leave a cash tip for the hardworking bar staff who’ve been trapped at home unpaid for weeks

India by the Bay – Postponed

Due to the coronavirus India by the Bay sixth edition (14-19 February, 2020) has been postponed until April.

The Festival offers HongKongers an insight into Indian culture and history through a diverse and eclectic programme including music, dance, film, food, theatre, yoga, literature and art.

India by the Bay 2020
Date: April, 2020
Venue: Asia Society Hong Kong Center
Tickets: tbc

Belgium Beer House Frites Opens in Kwun Tong

Frites recently opened a fifth location at Quayside, Kwun Tong. The interior retains the 1920’s Belgian Beer Halls look found in the chain’s other restaurants.

The European-influenced menu includes  Frites, Mussel Pots and Roasted Pork Knuckle.

At all five restaurants Frites are offering Christmas and New Year’s Eve three-course menus – see their website for full details.

FRITES Kwun Tong: Shop 3, 1/F, The Quayside, 77 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong.
Tel: 2781 0262
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, 12pm – late
Happy Hour: Monday – Friday from 3-8pm

Monoprix Debuts in Hong Kong

French supermarket chain Monoprix joins British counterparts Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s on the shelves of our local stores as it launches it’s eponymous range of products at Marketplace by Jasons.

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Great American Texas BBQ @ Kowloon Cricket Club – 5 December, 2019

The annual Great American Texas BBQ is a feast of beef, where Hong Kong’s US beef importers showcase their favourite cuts cooked in a truly mouthwatering range of styles.

For over twenty years the BBQ has been hosted and sponsored by the Texas Beef Council, USMEF and USDA with Taiwanese band Whisky River returning to soundtrack the evening. Among those attending were the new US Consul General Hanscom Smith and USMEF CEO Dan Halstrom.

World Champion BBQ-master Timothy Broderick of Pit Ventures was back showcasing his smoked brisket and short ribs.

The mutual shared appreciation and enjoyment of good food stimulates conversation and the creation of new friendships and business opportunities.

While good food engenders conversation, strangely great food often silences it. The flavours and textures creating a sensory overload in the brain such that all you can do is luxuriate in the moment, before joyfully taking another bite…

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James Suckling Great Wines of the World @ Grand Hyatt – 31 October, 2019

Over a thousand wine lovers descended on the Grand Hyatt for the James Suckling Great Wines of the World tasting event on the 31 October.

Click here or on any image for the full gallery of images

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/James-Suckling-Great-Wines-of-the-World-Grand-Hyatt-2019/i-Dr5t36b

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Great Food Hall ReOpens to Intoxicate Your Taste Buds

The Cheese room is open again! After an extensive cosmetic makeover, Great Food Hall in the basement of Pacific Place has reopened. The new upmarket concrete with hints of bronze design fits with Pacific Place’s attempt to position itself a premium location, despite the resultant drop in foot traffic.

The renovated store features a lot more ready to eat options, there’s salads, cooked meats, sushi, Korean etc all with portion sizes and prices surprisingly competitive compared to other options. You can also preorder your salad (sadly not any of the other lunch options, maybe that’ll come in the future) on the new Great-to-Go app that hopefully will make getting lunch a quicker and less stressful experience.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Great-Food-hall-ReOpens-15-October-2019/i-dBRMDWK

Thankfully the cheese room remains, stocked full of tasty fromage from across the globe including France’s Mons Comte and Italy’s Artigiana. There’s sustainable Italian caviar from Calvisius at the ‘Luxury’ counter. As well as a range of fresh smoked salmon from H Forman & Son, the UK oldest salmon curlers. Meat lovers will find the beef, lamb and pork from across the globe including  US Brandt Beef from California,  Tasmanian Cape Grim Beef and English Yellow Longhorn from The Ginger Pig. This wide selection offers you the chance to buy the same cut from different producers, cook them together and compare the flavours and textures. All are delicious – but also quite unique.

At a US Beef organised meat tasting in the old Great, an artisan butcher from California offered this advice on buying meat – and it’s worth repeating again. “Decide how you are going to cook your meat first, then ask your butcher which cuts are best suited for that cooking method.” Great also still offers a dry-aging and a cooked to order service.

Also along the back wall next to the meat counters, Cosro Italia offers freshly made pasta, pizza and ready to eat meals. For vegetarians, there’s a wide range of salads and many products on the shelves. While Tai Pan Pies offers sweet and savoury options.

Triple O’s remains and there’s a new coffee counter One Shot offering freshly made coffees. Sadly while there’s lots of tea on the shelves we didn’t find a nice cup to ‘lai cha’ to enjoy with our lunch.

The remodelled store looks a lot ‘fancier’, but also feels as though it’s more expensive to shop there. Take a look, there’s a lot to intoxicate and excite your taste buds.

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Livin’ La Dolce Vita – Italia Mia

The first Italia Mia festival opens on the 20th September with the launch of the Leonardo da Vinci Art and Science Then and Now exhibition at City University of Hong Kong and will run through October and November with a variety of events that showcase Italian creativity, innovation and excellence.

The Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong Mr Clemente Contestabile introduced the new festival in this way… “We are proud to present the first ever Italia Mia Festival in Hong Kong and Macao. Italy is rich in heritage, culture, technology and natural beauty; it is well known for the tastiness of its food and wines; it is the homeland of great personalities of the past and of stylish fashion, design and luxury companies. Italia Mia is here in Hong Kong to bring everyone a taste of Italian flair and character without leaving the city. The Festival may tempt and entice you to travel to Italy as well.”

In October and November, Italia Mia events include “Colours of Asia, Paintings by Francesco Lietti”, “Talk with Beppe Severgnini”, “Bing Bing Wang & Klassic Swing Italian Quartet”, “Waitress on Top – La Serva Padrona”, “Week of Italian Cuisine in the World”, “A Pinch of Salt”, “Nous Quartet”, “Marco Polo and the Sounds of Carnival”, “Salt of the Earth”, “Olivia Steindler Solo Violin Concert”, “White Truffle Extravaganza Dinner”…

Full details of the festival and the many events can be found here www.italiamiafestival