bc magazine

Knickerbocker Glory & Coke Floats

It’s a little hot this summer, to help you cool down Pizza Express’s Lee Tung Avenue branch and Haagen Daz are offering some old-style summer flavours.

Originating in the UK in the 1920s the Knickerbocker Glory ($88) features layers of fruit (banana, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), crumbed biscuits, raspberry sauce and Haagen Daz ice cream topped with whipped cream and Nutella.

The iconic coke float, created in 1874 by Robert McCay Green, is simply coca-cola and a scoop of ice-cream. Pizza Express have given the float a twenty nineteen twist by blending smooth the ingredients and called the original The Little Kid ($68), to allow for an ‘adult’ version, The Big Kid ($78), which adds Baileys and whiskey…

These summer specials are only available at Pizza Express’s Lee Tung Avenue branch from 19 July to 31 August.

If you’re in the area there are some free Little Kid tasters available on 20, 27, 28 July, 2-6pm; and on 21 July, noon-3pm – while stocks last.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Haagan-Daz-Summer-Promotion-18-July-2019/i-vKNprVP/A

Calabrese pizza ($188)

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Haagan-Daz-Summer-Promotion-18-July-2019/i-kVgTJ8g/A

Pizza Express Lee Tung Avenue
G31, G/F, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai

Edited: 23 July, to clarify drink details.

Pizza Express Launches Summer Menu

Ahead of summer’s official start Pizza Express have launched a new Summer Menu featuring a wide range of new pizzas and pastas. bc sampled several of the new dishes at the Lee Tung Street branch which – with it’s chilled layout, fresh juice bar, coffee machine and free WiFi – also makes a nice change from your local coffee outlet when looking for a place to hunker down and work or chat.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Summer-Menu-2019/i-sb9jPCb

Burrata & Eggplant ($88)

Among the new items on the Summer Menu are three new starters: Burrata & Eggplant ($88), Prawn & Tomato ($58) and Mango Crab Flatbread ($88). The Burrata is rich and creamy complimented nicely by the marinated eggplant.

There are two new salads Watermelon & Feta ($68/$128) and Mango Salsa Salad ($63/$108) available in small and large portions. The mango salsa is nice but like several of the other dishes on the menu it lacks that little extra freshness/ bite that has your tastebuds going… I want more!

The range of new pastas includes, as our waitress informed us, the already popular Baby Scallop Linguine ($143); Omnipork Penne Aglio Olio ($108) made with a plant based ‘pork’ and flavoured with fennel, water chestnut, garlic and mushroom; A Prawn Risotto ($148) cooked in a pomodoro sauce with garlic oil, onion and white wine tossed prawns and clams; Penne alla Norma ($118) a classic Italian pasta with eggplant, cherry tomatoes, basil, ricotta, pomodoro sauce and drizzled with garlic oil.

The new selection makes for a difficult choice when dining solo or in duo as there are several that sound tempting. bc opted for the Penne alla Norma which was filling and tasty.

Pizza Express has a bit of summer fun with it’s customers via the Burger Formaggi ($138) – one of four new pizzas on the menu – which tastes like a burger and is already proving popular. The other new pizzas are the Pancetta Garden ($138) and two vegetarian / vegan options Omnipork Bianco ($128) and Flori ($138).

The one new desert is the light Pineapple Cake with Ice Cream ($73) which is not too sweet and makes a pleasant finale to your meal.

The Pizza Express Vegan Menu has been revamped and offers a wide range of vegan dishes featuring vegan cheese and vegan pork. With an increasing awareness of healthy eating and vegan diners it’s good to see a big chain restaurant offering these options on a regular basis.

bc also likes the Lee Tung Street Pizza Express branch because it has a juice bar offering fresh juice ($68), smoothies ($68) and the new Watermelon Lemonade ($38) and Mrs Peroni ($68).

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Summer-Menu-2019/i-g9k7CdG

Penne alla Norma ($118)

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Summer-Menu-2019/i-DSg9cxq

Pineapple Cake ($73)

Taste of Hong Kong @ Central Harbourfront – 21 March, 2019

Taste of Hong Kong returns to the Central Harbourfront and what a pleasant surprise this year’s event is. Finally the Taste organisers seem to have looked beyond their own profit and provided an experience that visitors can savour.

The vibe is very relaxed, there were even chef’s smiling during the media preview rather than looking stressed and haggard as in past years as they raced to get their booths ready. There are more chairs!! And in a welcome nod to the environment drinking water stations mean you can refill your own bottle or glass.

This year’s selection of restaurants might not have ‘star’ status of previous editions but there’s a good variety plates to enjoy from: John Anthony; Jiangnan cuisine from Old Bailey; Nordic contemporary dining with Flying Elk; unfussy Greek at Artemis and Apollo; Hoi King Heen modern twists to Cantonese classics; Bia Hoi inspires Chôm Chôm; Middle Eastern plates at Francis; Sausage Commitment by Okra offers regional meats; modern Japanese at Haku; Italian pasta at Pici; Izakaya-styled Zuma and from Australia Gelato Messina.

Dishes start from $50 and each restaurant will offer four dishes including at least one Taste Exclusive and one limited edition ‘Icon Dish’.

There’s also The Singleton of Glen Ord experience ($598) with British chef Andrew Wong (A Wongs/ Khyms) which offers an hour long introduction to Singleton of Glen Ord single malt whisky and tastings of their 12, 14, 15, 18 year old offerings. These are paired with two dishes from Wong’s Michelin starred London restaurants. It’s an informative and tasty experience, although the whisky pours were not very generous, barely enough for one taste.

The middle of Taste features exhibitors and shops. Among the tastiest offerings were Japanese oysters ($40), sweet potatoes, craft beer, cider, champagne and for those who prefer tea with their food some nice hot and iced teas.

Taste runs from the 21-24 March and you can buy tickets at the door from $120.
Thursday 21^st March 2019: 6-10pm
Friday 22^nd March 2019: 12.30-4.30pm and 6-10pm
Saturday 23^rd March 2019: 12.30-4.30pm and 6-10pm
Sunday 24^th March 2019: 12.30-5.30pm

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French-speaking Francophonie Festival

French-speaking communities across the world celebrate the richness and vibrancy of their cultures on the 20 March. International Francophonie Day, as it’s known, commemorates the grouping of French-speaking states by the Niamey Convention in 1970.

In recent years the Alliance Francais de Hong Kong has organised the Festival de la Francophonie which this year runs from 12 March to 3 April and features an eclectic selection of music, film, theatre, comedy and an opening lecture from Dany Laferrière.

A mini French-speaking Film Festival at the Fringe Club’s Upstairs Studio feature four films, entry is free with registration
19 March: Toujours Aventurier (Switzerland) – Screening with the alpinist J. Troillet
22 March: Petit Paysan (France) – Screening with the director
26 March: Les Rois Mongols (Canada)
29 March: Une Part d’Ombre (Belgium).

The free Mars en Folie concert at MOM Livehouse features the rock of Cherry Chérie (Canada), the electro-pop melodies of Suzane (France) and Stevans (Switzerland) and the ethnic rap of Témé Tan (Belgium).

The fourth Hong Kong French Theatre Festival features a play a day from 26-30 March at the Sheung Wan Civic Centre. Tickets are $300.

8pm, 26 March: Est-ce que j’ai une Gueule d’Arletty? (Do I have an Arletty Face?) by Eric Bu & Elodie Menant.

8pm, 27 March: Le Porteur d’Histoir (The Story Teller) by Alexis Michalik

8pm, 28 March: Signé Dumas (Signed Dumas) by Cyril Gély & Eric Rouquette

8pm, 29 March: La Cantatrice Chauve (The Bald Soprano) by Eugene Ionesco

5pm, 30 March: Tu Seras un Homme Papa by Gael Leiblang (at Bulle d’Art)

There’s also a workshop, lecture and more amidst this celebration of the French speaking world.

NB: All events are in French, some will have subtitles in English.

Classic Christmas Eats

The temperature has finally fallen, the shops are packed high with everything Christmas related from decorations to gifts to food. New food production and flavouring techniques have allowed companies to be ever more creative with their seasonal offerings.

As usual Marks and Spencer’s has a massive range of Christmas themed food products and biscuits all nicely packaged to make nice gifts. There are new flavours of crisps: Gluten Free Pigs In Blankets; Glazed Gammon & Whisky; Gluten Free Winter Berries & Sparkling Prosecco Crisps and Port & Stilton which are novel and flavourful, but at $35/150g insanely expensive.

Where Marks & Spencer does shine is with the traditional English favourites, which we found hard to find anywhere else. There’s a range of proper Christmas puddings and a real fruit Christmas cake ($279) topped with marzipan and icing (sadly not royal icing). The fruit cake is heavy moist and delicious. While the cake is a little stingy on the marzipan, short of making your own it’s the best we found.

And last but by no means least Marks has several packages of premixed herbs and spices to create your own mulled wine. They also work very well with spirits to create some tasty homemade cocktails.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Marks-Spencer-Christmas-2018/i-mZ9pcr2

Great American Texas BBQ @ Kowloon Cricket Club – 27 November, 2018

An evening of heavy cold rain added a unique local flavour to the Great American Texas BBQ 2018 but did little to dampen the enjoyment of prime US meat.

The rain did though allow for demonstrations of considerable dexterity, eating tasty US beef ribs, while holding a plate full of burgers, sausage, chilli, artisan US cheese, sushi; a beer; an umbrella and for the really skilled taking a selfie… And the creation of new friendships as umbrellas, plates and recommendations were shared.

Hosted and sponsored by the Texas Beef Council, USMEF and USDA with music from Taiwanese band Whisky River, the evening promotes and showcases Texas beef and artisanal US products. World Champion BBQ-master Timothy Broderick of Pit Ventures was there with his legendary brisket and short ribs.
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images

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Upcoming/Recently Opened Restaurants

A regularly updated page with the details of new restaurant openings (and re-openings) across Hong Kong and Macau.
Updated 27 November, 2018

November

Uoharu

7/F, M88 Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington Street, Central
www.facebook.com/uoharuhk
#uoharuhk #Japanese #sushi #seafood #robatayaki

Tian Tian Plus

Shop 1050A, 1/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon
www.facebook.com/TIANTIANHK

James Suckling Wine Central

2/F Staunton Suites, 22 Staunton Street, Soho
www.jamessucklingwinecentral.com
“Over 200 wines by the glass and over 500 by the bottle/magnum”

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/James-Suckling-Wine-Central-13-November-2018/i-Czfk8rx

Shake Shack

Shop 105A, Level 1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway
www.shakeshack.com.hk

Toripon

26/F, Midtown Soundwill Plaza II, 1 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay
www.facebook.com/toriponhk/

Five Guys Hong Kong

G/F, J Senses, 60 Johnston Road, Wanchai
(opening 19 November)
www.fiveguys.com.hk

Peking Garden (Re-opening)

Owned by Maxim’s this restaurant sells shark’s fin – so we politely suggest you do not visit it!

Baked Cafe Bar

14D Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong
Baked Cafe Bar

October

Maze Grill

4/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/maze-grill

September

Yukinoshita

1-5 Haven Street, Causeway Bay
www.facebook.com/YukinoshitaHK

Kytaly

5/F, 77 Wyndham Street, Central
www.facebook.com/kytalyhk

John Anthony Cantonese Grill & Dim Sum

Shop B01-B10, Basement One, Lee Garden Three, 1 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay
www.facebook.com/johnanthonyhk

August

Papa Joe

8/F, One Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2726 2611
www.facebook.com/papajoetst

Heat

23/F, QRE Plaza building, 202 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
www.heat-hk.com

Chip In Fish and Chip

164 Queens Road East, Wanchai
www.chipin.com.hk

Outback Steakhouse Telford Plaza II

Shop 601, Level 6, Telford Plaza II, 33 Wai Yip Street, Kowloon Bay

Made in HK Restaurant (Langham Place)

Shop 02-03, Level 8, 8 Argyle street, Langham Place, Mongkok
Tel: +852 2918 1655
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 12nn – 10:30pm

Hugger Mugger

Basement, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
http://huggermugger.hk

Pizza Express Lee Tung

Shop G31, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
Tel: 3164 1303
www.pizzaexpress.com.hk

July

La Rambla by Catalunya

Shop 3071-73, 3/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central
Tel: 2661 1161
www.larambla.hk

Papi

G/F, 8 Cleveland Street, Causeway Bay
Tel: 2808 0820
Open: Noon-10pm
www.facebook.com/PAPIHK

Uma Nota

38 Peel Street, Central
Tel: 2889 7576
www.uma-nota.com

Tenkei

3/F, On Hing Building, On Hing Terrace, Central
Tel: 2789 3812
www.facebook.com/TenkeiHK

June

Confusion Plant Based Kitchen

103, Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Tel: 2563 3699
Open: 9am-9pm

www.confusion.hk
www.facebook.com/confusionhk

Trattoria del Pescatore

11 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: 2559 3339
Open:
www.trattoriadelpescatore.hk
www.facebook.com/Trattoria-del-Pescatore-HK

May

Pizza Express Sai Ying Pun

189, 189 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong
Tel: 3164 1301
Open:
www.pizzaexpress.hk
www.facebook.com/PizzaExpressSaiYingPun

American Artisan Cheese @ US Consul’s Residence – 8 November, 2018

‘American cheese’ was for many years synonymous with tasteless slices of plastic cheese… Things though have changed in the last decade as the world’s largest milk producer and a myriad of small and big cheese companies across the fifty states now produce some of the tastiest cheese in the world.

Unconstrained by the tight regulations that define a type of cheese in France / Italy / UK, cheese manufacturers in America have experimented with milks and production processes to create delicious traditional hard and soft cheeses but also many with new flavours and textures. The US Dairy Export Council is working hard to raise awareness of locally and slowly we are beginning to see these American artisan cheeses in Hong Kong shops.
Click on any photo for the full gallery.

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