Category: megabites

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 21st March 2019: 6-10pm
Friday 22nd March 2019: 12.30-4.30pm and 6-10pm
Saturday 23rd March 2019: 12.30-4.30pm and 6-10pm
Sunday 24th March 2019: 12.30-5.30pm

Click on any photo for the full gallery of images.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Taste-of-Hong-Kong-21-March-2019/i-gvdphkK

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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

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.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/American-Artisan-Cheese-US-Consuls-Residence-8-November-2018/i-K6L3sqm

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https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/American-Artisan-Cheese-US-Consuls-Residence-8-November-2018/i-spj3mqz

Explore the World of Wine & Spirits

This year’s Wine & Spirits Fair at the HKCEC runs from the 8-10 November and features pavilions from wine-producing regions, trade organisations and governmental organisations. There are new pavilions from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Sichuan Council, the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, Ningxia’s General Office of Administrative Committee of Grape Industry Zong of Helan Mountain’s East Foothill Wine Region, the Czech Grape and Wine Producer Association, Gifu Prefecture and the Niigata Sake Brewers’ Association from Japan, and Peru.

If you’re not a wine lover or fancy something different there is Liquor & Beverage Products Zone, a Whisky and Spirits Zone and a Beer Zone. As well as an Organic Wine and Spirits corner and for those wanting something to pair with all this alcohol there’s a food area and also intriguingly a “World of Olive Oil” where you can learn about and taste premium olive oils.

The first two days are for trade only, the public day on the 10 November runs from 10:30am and entry costs $200.

Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair
Date: 8-10 November, 2018
Venues: HKCEC
Tickets: $200

Wine & Dine Festival 2018 – Opening Night, 25 October, 2018

The 10th Wine & Dine Festival opened under a full moon at Central Harbourfront with a dramatic drone dance over the waters of Victoria Harbour. The novel performance was but a momentary distraction to the festival visitors who danced among the booths sampling tasty bites from across the globe paired to a plethora of wines, coffee, spirits and craft beer.
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Wine-Dine-Festival-2018-Opening-Night-25-October-2018/n-Jb3Bw3/i-RzQGrLT

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PizzaExpress x JUST Egg Vegan Pizza

The assorted healthy / diet fads that are sweeping the web and restaurants both locally and internationally often obscures the fact that some people really cannot eat gluten, dairy, eggs etc. And it can be really difficult for those with dietary restrictions to safely enjoy a meal out with friends.

PizzaExpress has teamed up with JUST Egg to expand it’s vegan and vegetarian menu offerings with new pizza and pasta dishes. JUST Egg is a new mung bean based plant alternative to egg that is high in protein and cholesterol free. Like real eggs Just Egg scrambles nicely to create a light fluffy texture and it also works well in cooking as both a binding and emulsifying agent.

The two new vegan dishes are currently only available at the recently opened Pizza Express Lee Tung in Wanchai. The JUST Pizza ($138) is dressed with tomato sauce and topped with scrambled JUST Egg, crumbled vegan sausage, button mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, vegan mozzarella and fresh rosemary.

The JUST Spaghetti ($128) is made with a JUST Egg, mushroom, liquid smoke puree and tossed with chopped peppadew and parsley.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/Pizza-Express-Just-Egg-Vegan-Pizza-Launch-14-August-2018/i-SFPLcCQ

Pizza Express Lee Tung

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

Note: JUST Egg was previously known as JUST Scramble

 

Chip In, Wanchai

Sai Kung’s Chip In has opened a second branch on Queen’s Road East, bc went along to check out the fish and chips.

Fish and chips a simple yet iconic meal and sadly it’s impossible to find a good ‘English style’ option in Hong Kong. The best iteration recently was a pop-up called The Chippy three years ago in Chater Garden. There were rumours they were going to open a restaurant here, but as yet it hasn’t materialised.

bc hasn’t visited the Sai Kung outlet, so our comments are limited to the Wanchai branch. Service is polite and efficient, at the moment it’s cash only, with all meals being cooked to order.

The European and Atlantic cod shoals were decimated in the 1980s through over fishing, careful management in the decades since has seen stocks rise and this lovely tasty fish is back on the menu. Chip In serves it’s cod in two sizes small ($48) and large ($75) with a fair sized portion of chips and a side of either ketchup or tartar sauce.

The Atlantic cod comes pre-battered and frozen. The photo below is of the large portion, inside the batter the fish was perhaps 8mm thick – not exactly a ‘large’ piece of fish. The cod was hard, didn’t flake well and lacked flavour. The batter was thin, crisp and evenly cooked.

The chips are also cooked from frozen, some of ours were a little cold in the centre but the real problem was they were so bland and tasteless.

The menu also features calamari, chicken nuggets, bacon or sausage butty all $48 and served with chips.

While Chip In is a take-away / delivery outlet only, there are numerous small seating areas nearby to sit down and eat.

If you’re wanting fish and chips Chip In offers it, and while there’s nothing particularly wrong or bad about what they offer. Sadly it’s bland and not a meal you’re going to shout about to your friends or say I’ll be back for another portion tomorrow – which is more than a little disappointing as good fish chips are delicious.

Chip In Fish and Chip

164 Queens Road East, Wanchai
www.chipin.com.hk
Open: Weekdays 9am-9pm
Weekends 11am-9pm