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Header image courtesy of Ushidoki
Our summer holidays may be coming to a close, but the local dining scene is heating up with new experiences. Here’s where to eat and drink in Hong Kong this September.
Acclaimed Michelin-starred chef Paulo Airaudo returns to Hong Kong for a new opening! Following on the success of Amelia, Noi is set to become his flagship dining concept in Asia, armed with an enviable address within the luxurious Four Seasons Hong Kong. Italian traditions will be at the heart of the seasonal menu, enhanced through experimental cooking techniques and globally sourced ingredients, and complemented with a discerning wine list.
Noi, Podium Level 5, Four Seasons Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central | (+852) 3196 8768
Chef Ken Lau of Pano fame brings his signature brand of sophisticated Italian and French dining to Sha Tin with the opening of Woofy, a new destination for dog lovers and their fur babies. Matched with a Japanese-inspired minimalist interior, the café highlights a pet-friendly menu that is both healthful and delicious. Furthermore, well-known Hong Kong dog trainer Eric Ko serves as a consultant to elevate the human-pet experience at Woofy.
From the menu, the pork liver terrine with wild greens ($68) and baked US SRF Black Wagyu beef ribs ($148) are standouts for our four-legged friends, while humans can indulge in spaghetti with grilled Vietnamese giant river prawn in lobster cream sauce ($188) and the umami pan-fried egg and brie cheese beef burger in teriyaki sauce ($168).
Woofy, Shop 165, Level 1, Phase 1, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin
Epicurean Group—the minds behind Pica Pica, Kakure, and more—have reinvented the former Rubia space on Hollywood Road into Schnitzel & Schnaps. A new Central European concept, the two-storey restaurant and bar offers all-day dining with a regional menu. Under panelled ceilings and hanging pendant lights, the timbered interiors and leather banquette seating echo turn-of-the-century sensibilities with eclectic Art Deco influences.
Led by experienced Polish chef Krzysztof Bandel, Schnitzel & Schnaps focuses on its namesakes, offering a wide selection of both. Among them, the Austrian Wienerschnitzel ($350) and German Jägerschnitzel ($220) with chanterelle mushroom gravy are must-haves, while the humble potato rösti ($75) ushers taste buds to Switzerland.
For dessert, the apple strudel ($120) with its green apple and brown sugar filling is the perfect finisher. Schnaps aside—of which there are semi-dry and sweet varieties—beers and wines feature heavily on the beverage programme, as do schnaps-inspired cocktails, such as the Kirschblüte ($80) with fruity notes of cherry, passionfruit, cranberry, and citrus.
Schnitzel & Schnaps, G/F, C Wisdom Centre, 35 Hollywood Road, Central
Renaissance art meets Japanese cocktails at a new Mona Lisa-inspired speakeasy concept within the Pazzi Isshokenmei restaurant in H Queen’s. Aptly named Mona, the petite bar continues the Italian-Japanese theme of Pazzi Isshokenmei, with cocktails such as the tea-based Bee’s Kochi ($140), made with chamomile, honey, and Roku gin, amongst its highlights. Mona Tomball ($120) is a playful take on the whisky highball, while the Lisa Sour ($130) reinvents the whisky sour with egg-washed whisky and a splash of red wine.
Mona, 2/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central | (+852) 2555 0666
Black Sheep Restaurants is capping off its tenth-anniversary celebrations with the exciting revitalisation of The Magistracy, Hong Kong’s former Supreme Court. Dormant for over 40 years, the heritage building will now be transformed into several distinct concepts, including two restaurants, three bars, four private dining rooms, a sports room, and a wine cellar, among which the Magistracy Dining Room and Botanical Garden will be the first to open.
Due to launch in mid-September, Michelin-starred executive chef Matthew Kirkley will lead the effort to present a gastronomic experience inspired by “timeless London restaurants” along with an extensive list of Old World wines. On the menu, oysters, caviar, and delights from land and sea are featured prominently. Renowned designer Joyce Wang lends her exceptional skills to the interiors of the Magistracy Dining Room for a richly decorated space with intricate accents and textures, underscored by tapestries and rugs, while the Botanical Garden presents a lush terrace that parallels the style of British heritage gardens.
The Magistracy, 2 Arbuthnot Road, Central | (+852) 2252 3188
Experience a tongue-to-tail multi-course dining experience featuring premium Japanese beef at Ushidoki, a new Wagyu kaiseki concept in Central. Hailing from Oda Chikusan farm in Kagoshima Prefecture, the umami-laden Odagyu cattle are reared in luxurious conditions and fed a specially designed and nutritious diet to ensure excellent marbling and texture.
Having already impressed discerning diners in Singapore, Japanese dining group AP Place Hong Kong now brings the Ushidoki brand to our shores. Veteran chefs Yoshiyuki Kikuchi and Michinori Hasegawa present the prized meat to local gourmands in an omakase format through a myriad of cooking styles for both lunch ($1,300) or dinner ($2,000). Seating just 13 guests, the action is centred around the wooden counter table, complemented by a curation of sake labels from Japanese breweries as well as Miyazaki Prefecture-grown wines.
Ushidoki, Shop 2B, 1/F, Manning House, 38–48 Queen’s Road Central, Central
The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel Hong Kong made splashes when it opened over the summer, and its Cantonese restaurant Jade promises an equally exciting experience. Led by Michelin-starred executive chef Lai Ching-shing—a veteran of the local dining scene—the new destination promises stunning views and an elevated take on tantalising Chinese classics.
Inspired by the nearby Aberdeen Fishing Village, Jade’s menu spotlights sustainable seafood sourced from local and regional waters, melding effortlessly with its sister concept, Jade at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, to create dishes such as the bak kut teh xiaolongbao ($88). Not to be missed are the lovingly prepared double-boiled fish soup with fish maw and spotted garoupa fillet ($238) and novel steamed Hong Kong heritage minced pork with foie gras and scallop in hot stone ($168), made using local Tai Chi pigs. Skip the wine and enjoy your meal with the Chinese tea menu, selected by Jade’s in-house tea sommelier.
Jade, The Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, 3 Ocean Drive, Aberdeen | (+852) 2166 7488
A new rooftop view awaits at Kaboom, an urban escape in Tsim Sha Tsui. Located on a high floor with uninterrupted skyline views of the Victoria Harbour, the restaurant-slash-bar boasts both terrace seating and an indoor dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Replete with furnishings reminiscent of beachside cabanas, Kaboom is the perfect destination for sundowners, offering a selection of 12 special cocktails and bites to match. Order a round of No More OT Please! ($128) with a side of five spices crispy roasted cauliflower ($88) and the inventive corn on cob three ways ($88), presented in a local typhoon shelter style, with herb butter, as well as spicy nacho seasoning.
Kaboom, 20/F, Prince Tower, 12A Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 3708 8114
Born in Hong Kong, raised in Germany, and educated in the US, Jen is an award-winning creative with a background in illustration, communication design, art direction, and content creation. When she’s not getting lost in a good book, you’ll find her doing crosswords, eating dim sum, covering all sides of a “Hamilton” number, and taking naps.
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