New Tastes Amid Frustration at HK Food Expo 2018

The Food Expo is a frenetic, crazy mix of tastings, shopping and promotions – among those promoting are companies and products looking for exposure and distribution in Hong Kong.

Sadly what was noticeable among many of the new and existing products was the excess of packing materials and the use of single serve packs/portions in very non-recyclable materials. It’s sad to see this continuing push for convenience over conservation.

What is the point of looking to reduce the usage of plastic bottles and bags only to fill the sea and landfills will metallic plastic ones instead. Without wanting to get preachy, the only way that things will change is if you vote with your wallet.

There were no real standout new products/ideas that shouted wow! Here are some of the more interesting ones that you might see on your supermarket shelves and in online stores soon:

Durian drink/soup (top image) – Rich and creamy and a tasty way to have your durian fix anytime.

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A rich creamy textured spread perfect for pancakes, waffles, ice-cream.

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Savoury oats/porridge in a range of flavours – it’s different…

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Air-dried fruit rather than freeze dried, there’s lots of existing dried fruits out there but these were rich and full of flavour.

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Flavoured noodles – waiting to test the texture and flavour.

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Not really a dessert more a spreadable cheese…

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Rich tasty honey cake!

And to finish off on the Expo’s first floor some of our favourite popping candy 🙂

Confusion Plant Based Kitchen

After a few hiccups during construction Confusion Plant Based Kitchen is open in Sheung Wan and hopes to show that “Plant based cuisine is more than just salads and raw fruit. It can be an adventure in variety, a dance upon your taste buds.”

Confusion Plant Based Kitchen
103, Jervois Street, Sheung Wan
Hong Kong
Tel: 2563 3699
Open: 9am-9pm

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

Vinexpo Explorer Sonoma County Cocktail Reception – 29 May, 2018

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At a Vinexpo cocktail party, Sonoma County announced the details of their Vinexpo Explorer event on 23–25 September, 2018. Located just north of San Francisco, Sonoma County is known world wide for it’s wines and several showcasing the area’s wide range were available to taste.
Click on any photo for the full gallery of images.

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New Zealand Food and Wine Connection @ Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel – 16 May, 2017

The second New Zealand Food and Wine Connections promotion organised by New Zealand Trade & Enterprise saw a range of new Kiwi products showcased at the Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel on the 16 May. Among the tasty and predominantly organic products on show were meat, seafood, wines, beer, fruit juices, herbs and tea.

Some are already available locally and you’ll find them in supermarkets and used by restaurants. Others to look out for soon are Zealong teas and Kare honey.
Click on any photo for the full gallery.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2018/New-Zealand-Product-Showcase-Marco-Polo-Hong-Kong-Hotel-16/i-9VmmPZz

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Björn Frantzén’s The Flying Elk to Open in June

Chef Björn Frantzén, the man behind the three Michelin star Frantzén in Stockholm and Frantzén’s Kitchen in Sheung Wan, is soft opening his second outlet in Hong Kong in June.

The Flying Elk is a ‘casual eatery’ offering dishes with a Nordic influence. Located at 32 Wyndham Street – the restaurant’s name derives from one of Sweden’s oldest folklore, which tells the tale of a gigantic elk adorning an ornate crown, flying over the forests of Jämtland.

The Flying Elk
1 & 2/F, 32 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
Reservations: [email protected], 2565 6788

New Spring Dishes at Pizza Express

PizzaExpress has added some new dishes to it’s Spring/Summer menu that feature ‘superfoods’ such as kale, quinoa and plant-based meat alternatives such as Beyond Chicken.

The new dishes include: Quinoa & Kale salad, Bresaola e Asparagi, Kale Pesto Beyond Rigatoni, Pollo Verde (Pizza dressed with béchamel sauce, basil pesto and topped with chicken, wild mushroom, rocket and parmesan), Spaghetti alle Vongole and Bresaola di Lombardia.

There’s also a couple of new desserts, a Summer Meringue and Torta al Limone. While the Giardiniera (top photo) has a very tasty new recipe that includes asparagus, roasted pumpkin, mushroom, roasted pepper, cherry tomato, olive, garlic, basil pesto.

Pizza Express are looking to reduce waste so plastic straws and individual wet wipes are now only available on request.

From now until 13 May 2018 take a photo of any of the new dishes and post to Instagram with the hashtag #PizzaExpressHK and receive a 15% discount coupon for any vegetarian items on your next visit.

Third Hong Kong Whisky Festival

The third Hong Kong Whisky Festival, organized by InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong and Tiffany’s New York Bar, takes place from 12:30-5pm on the 14 April 2018.

This year’s festival features a wide range of brands and there will be over 500 different whisky expressions to sample including:
Highland Park The Light
Highland Park The Dark
Highland Park Full Volume
Glenmorangie Spios
The Macallan Exceptional Single Cask
Gordon & MacPhail – Longmorn 1967
Gordon & MacPhail – Glen Grand 1954
Gordon & MacPhail – Strathisla 1949

Alongside an array of master classes (from $200-$2,000) hosted by diverse brand ambassadors including:
Mr. Charlie Maclean – Independent Whisky Expert
Dr. Ian Chang – Kavalan
Mr. Jim McEwan – Ardnahoe Distillery
Mr. Brendan McCarron – Glenmorangie
Mr. Martin Markvardsen – Highland Park
Mr. Richard Urquhart – Gordon & MacPhail & Benromach
Ms. Lucie Stroesser – Isle of Arran
Ms. Chloe Wood – Bruichladdich
Mr. Mathieu Jeannin – Hine Cognac
Mr. Justine Ames – Heaven Hill Distillers

Mr. Madhu Kanna – Paul John
Mr. Ewan Henderson – Lost Distillery
Mr. Adam Knox – The Dalmore
Mr. David Ding – The Balvenie & Glenfiddich
Mr. Craig Johnstone – The GlenDronach, The BenRiach & Glenglassaugh
Mr. Michael Hsieh – The Whisky Agency

Hong Kong Whisky Festival
Date: 12:30pm, 14 April, 2018
Venue: InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong
Tickets: $320

Frites Loves February

Belgian Beerhouse Frites has a variety of promotions to warm the heart, stomach and wallet this chilly February: Wagyu Wednesday, Valentines Day and a discount at the refurbished Quarry Bay outlet.

Wagyu Wednesday, after 5pm all four Frites outlets will be serving a wagyu burger with hand cut frites and truffle mayo for $100. The burger features a tasty 100g Australian wagyu beef patty, cheese, bacon, fresh tomato and leafy greens on a soft bun.

February is the month of love, Frites has a three course dinner ($495/person) on Valentines Day which starts with a glass of prosecco. There’s a choice of two entrees: mussels in a rich marinara sauce or Vitello Tonnato, braised veal served with creamy tuna mayonnaise. For your main course choose between grilled red snapper served with prawn bisque risotto, confit tomatoes and seared scallops or bbq 1855 Black Angus rib eye steak with a side of oxtail macaroni cheese. Dessert is a seductive chocolate fondant.

Located at Taikoo Place the chains Quarry Bay outlet has reopened after a month long refurbishment and to thank it’s customers there’s a $50 discount available until the end of February. Simply mention promotion code “FRTIESQB” to get $50 off any bill over $150.

FRITES Central: 1/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central. Bookings: 2217 6671
FRITES Wanchai: Shop 6, 1/F Causeway Centre, 28 Harbor Road, Wanchai. Bookings: 2877 2422
FRITES Causeway Bay: Shop 1, G/F, Park Haven, 38 Haven Street, Causeway Bay. Bookings: 2142 5233
FRITES Quarry Bay: G/F, Oxford House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Island East. Bookings: 2250 5188
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, 12pm – late