Burgers, barbecue, beer, and beyond — we're certainly not short of amazing bites around Hong Kong this month. Whether you want to kick back in the heart of the city, relax by a gorgeous hotel pool, or retreat to a hidden omakase joint, there's plenty to sink your teeth into, whatever your budget. So without further ado, let's get munching!
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Barbecue Bites ...
Beer and Barbecue at Big Sur
There's nothing quite like soaking in the ambiance of Soho over a cold beer and a plate of barbecue treats, and that's exactly what new Californian style eatery Big Sur has in mind with its new menu created by Chef Conor Beach. Located in the heart of the bustling drinking hub on Staunton Street, this chilled, modern venue is the perfect spot to kick back any time of the day (or night) and enjoy al fresco treats with your nearest and dearest. With a food menu serving up smoked and charcoal grilled barbecue dishes like tacos, Santa Maria tri tip, ceviche, and whole barbecue fish, you know you're in for a good time. The ‘Baja’ Grilled Prawn Tacos ($50 each) and Whole BBQ Barramundi Fish ($290) are to die for, and the Apple Crisp with cinnamon and oatmeal topping ($85) makes for one delicious dessert. And then there's the drinks!
From 8am until late, thirsty Hong Kongers can slurp on a selection of 14 freshly poured craft beers, G&T on tap
(yes, you read that right), and a heavenly range of fresh-pressed "boozy juices" that are low in sugar and bursting with flavour. We recommend the zesty Gin & Juice Gin, with pineapple, carrot, ginger, and lemon ($90) and the chest-warming Rye & Apple with Rye whiskey, absinthe, and apple ($110). Make sure to pose for a selfie alongside the full-sized grizzly bear statue by the entrance while you're there — definitely one for the gram!
Big Sur, 22 Staunton Street, Central, Soho, (+852) 2529 3001
Open Monday to Sunday, (8am until late)
Argentinian Style Barbecue at Grand Hyatt
The Grill at the Grand Hyatt is well known for its legendary
weekend brunch, but now there's another reason to head to this popular poolside venue. Chef Fernando of the Grand Hyatt Steakhouse is adding some Argentinian specialities to the epic barbecue dinner, which can be enjoyed alongside the lavish selection of fresh salad, seafood, and chargrilled treats. Diners can now tuck into traditional dishes such as Argentinean chorizo, pink prawns, provoleta crostini, and asado, which is slow-roasted for six hours on an iron spit over open flames —
amazing!
All this can be enjoyed with a carefully selected range of Argentinian wines and a Fernet Con Coca aperitif cocktail that almost every Argentinian will drink before they start a meal. This is the perfect al fresco spot for those lovely mild evenings in Hong Kong, but get in there quick at it this Argentinian affair expires at the
end of June.
The Grill at the Grand Hyatt, 11/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, (+852) 2584 7722
Priced at $548 per person (available from 6.30pm to 10pm)
Burger Madness ...
Shake Shack Opens at ifc Mall
The Shake Shack team have brought the legendary New York burger to our shores with the launch of their first Hong Kong outlet located on
the fourth floor of the ifc mall, overlooking Victoria Harbour. Previously occupied by Red bar, the trendy venue invites hungry Hong Kongers to chow down on the the famous ‘roadside’ style burgers, griddled flat-top dogs, and crispy crinkle-cut fries the brand is known and loved for — all the while snapping away at the funky graffiti wall created by local artist Zoie Lam.
Shake Shack offers the original menu from its New York franchise, and reflects the vibrant yet relaxing atmosphere of its Big Apple outlets. And while there are no plans yet for Hong Kong specials, they do offer a range of tasty wines and craft beers. Mouths have been drooling for a while now in anticipation of this new opening, but is it worth the hype? Well, yes. We chowed down a few and can vouch for that. Guess there's a good reason this bad boy was crowned the 'Best Burger' in 2014 at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival’s Burger Bash, and ranks number seven in TIME Magazine’s '17 Most Influential Burgers of All Time'.
Shake Shack, Shop 4012-4018, 4/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central
Beef & Liberty Opens at Hong Kong Airport
Finally, some decent food to fill our stomachs before we jet off on vacation! That's right, the creators of
the best burger in Hong Kong, Beef & Liberty, have opened a brand new brand in Terminal 1 at Hong Kong International Airport, offering globe-trotting hamburger lovers a menu of treats exclusive to the branch. Comfortably seating up to 120 travelers, the venue pays homage to the "glamorous years" of early aviation, featuring materials and memorabilia from the 60s and 70s when air travel was at the height of luxury. But let's talk about the food!
The new outlet offers all the usual signature dishes we've come to love, including favourites like the Bacon Cheeseburger ($135) and Notorious P.I.G ($99), as well as new dishes inspired by Hong Kong's vibrant culinary culture. These include the deliciously creamy Hong Kong Milk Tea Crème Brulée and Macaroni Cheese Breakfast Sandwich, inspired by the traditional local breakfast staples. For those who want to kick into holiday mood straight away, the outlet features a full craft beer and cocktail bar – one of the only bars at the airport — which is great if you have a case of the pre-flight jitters! Diners also have the opportunity to pour their own beer at the self-service bar using an interactive touch screen linked to major international and local payment gateways —
cheers to that!
Beef & Liberty, Unit 7E138, Departures East Hall, Terminal 1, Hong Kong International Airport
Impossible Burger Launches in Hong Kong
Calling all herbivores! We’ve seen an array of plant-based meats hit the Hong Kong restaurant scene lately, and now the revolutionary Impossible Burger is making its Hong Kong debut at
Little Bao, Happy Paradise, and
Beef & Liberty.
Made from simple ingredients, including water, wheat protein, potato protein, and coconut oil, this bad boy cooks, smells, and tastes just like ground beef and certainly doesn’t lack in flavour. This eco-friendly delight is served in more than 1,400 outlets in the US, usually on a bun with traditional condiments and sides, and now Hong Kongers get to sink their teeth into it and enjoy guilt-free snacking.
Little Bao is serving the ‘
Impossible Bao’, a traditional sandwich made with
Impossible meat, black pepper teriyaki sauce, salted lemon kombu salad, and fermented tofu sauce, between two house-made steamed buns ($118). Meanwhile, Happy Paradise is turning up the heat with pickled daikon and XinJiang spices to create the ‘
Impossible XinJiang Hot Pocket’ ($88). Finally, Beef & Liberty is dishing up the ‘
Impossible Thai Burger’, with chilli, coriander, mint, basil, spring onion, soya mayonnaise, crispy shallots, and garlic ($135). They will also feature the ‘
Impossible Chili Cheese Fries’, with chili, cheddar cheese, spring onion, and sour cream ($62).
Yum!
So what’s the verdict? Well, the clever
Impossible scientists have discovered a special ingredient called heme, which contributes to the characteristic taste of meat when cooked — so it tastes just like the real thing! Definitely worth a try if you’re vegetarian, looking to cut back on your meat intake, or your impact on the environment.
Impossible Burger, available in Little Bao, Happy Paradise, and Beef & Liberty
More Beef ...
New À La Carte Menu at Scarlett Café & Wine Bar
Calling all carnivores! If you need a steak fix, then head to French-style bistro
Scarlett Café & Wine Bar and tuck into multiple cuts of juicy beef including Striploin, Rib-Eye, T-Bone, and Prime Rib. These heavenly bites are part of the brand new à la carte menu which also features delights such as Truffle Stuffed Cannelloni ($168), Icelandic Cod Loin ($288), and Noir de Bigorre Pork Belly ($198). Aside from the foodgasmic Scarlett Cookie with Hazelnut Ice Cream ($88)
, the star of the show is the Dry-Aged Beef ($138), which has been placed on a rack to dry for up to 60 days, giving it a remarkable depth of flavor and tenderness that is beyond delectable. Wash this down with a glass or two of red from Scarlett's extensive wine list, and you're in for one unforgettable night.
Spread over two floors, and tucked away on Austin Avenue in
Tsim Sha Tsui, Scarlett is the ideal spot for date night or a casual catch up with friends — and if you time it right, you may even catch a live music performance. Don't miss their amazing happy hour deal either, where you receive a whopping 50 percent off your total bill between 3pm and 6pm every day. Winner!
Scarlett Café & Wine Bar, 2 Austin Ave Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon,
(+852) 3565 6513
Japanese Treats ...
Michelin Star Japanese at Takumi by Daisuke Mori
Love Japanese food? Love fine dining? Then we've found the dream lunch spot for you. Michelin-starred Japanese Chef Daisuke Mori is whipping up a storm of culinary delights at top French/Japanese restaurant, Takumi by Daisuke Mori. Tucked away on Wood Road in Wan Chai, hidden behind a subtle limestone façade, this unique venue takes the private dining experience to a whole new level, catering to only twelve guests at a time to create the intimacy of traditional omakase. Here, guests can pull up a stool and watch the master himself prepare – with painstaking precision – an array of beautiful dishes which fuse timeless French technique with seasonal quality ingredients that are inherent in Japanese gastronomy.
Amuse Bouche, Black Abalone with Homemade Pasta and Kimo Sauce, and Japanese Snapper with Ichiban Sashi Soup are some of the luxurious bites that grace the menu. The Japanese Wagu is truly
to die for — not surprising really, seeing as it's sourced from Japan’s finest beef cattle-rearing destinations. If you're looking to indulge in a
very special lunch, and appreciate Japanese cuisine at its finest, then a trip to Takumi is definitely in order.
Takumi by Daisuke Mori, French x Japanese Restaurant, Shop 1, The Oakhill, 16 Wood Road, Wan Chai, (+852) 2574 1299
The set lunch menu costs $480 (3 courses), and $880 (four courses)
The set dinner menu costs $1,680 (six courses), or $2,080 (nine courses)
Sushi Evolution at FUMI
Mad about sushi? The you may want to head to new Japanese restaurant FUMI in California Tower
between April 19 and 21, because Japanese celebrity chef Aoki Toshikatsu (of the acclaimed Ginza SUSHI AOKI in Tokyo) is inviting diners to try his lunch and dinner menus, featuring top-notch Edomae-style sushi. Dishes from both menus will be prepared table-side by Chef Aoki, allowing guests to learn about the evolution of sushi and observe the craft that goes into every single piece — we love a dollop of education with our meal!
The lunch menu features 12 pieces of modern nigiri sushi, including Marinated Tuna wrapped in Seaweed, Toro, Kohada, Kinmedai Yushimo, Prawn with Vinegared Egg Yolk, and Mackerel wrapped in Seaweed, to name a few. If you have a larger appetite, however, the expansive dinner menu features 16 courses with delights such as Kinmedai and Kiwi, Marinated Chūtoro, and Smoked Firefly Squid “Sakura” Scent. Mouth watering yet? Then get in there quick and book your table.
FUMI, 6/F, California Tower, Lan Kwai Fong, 30 - 36 D'Aguilar St, Central, (+852) 2328 3302
The lunch menu costs $1,380, and dinner is $2,550
A Sweet Ending ...
*Sorry, no longer available*
New 'Bling It On' Afternoon Tea at WOOBAR
We can't get enough of WOOBAR's trendy afternoon teas in collaboration with top designers, which feature gorgeous mini bites that look as amazing as they taste. Well, this one is no exception.
Michelin-starred Chef Olivier Elzer has paired up with French luxury jewellery designer
FRED to bring us the 'Bling It On' glittering tea set. Get ready to hit the gram hard as you tuck into teeny tiny desserts which
channel the glitz and glamour of every girl's best friend — diamonds! These include eye-catching mousse Pyramids (which take the shape of the brand's gemstone), Lychee and Raspberry Pearls, and Lemon Macarons, to name a few.
The set also includes a selection of savoury bites such as Crispy Truffle Chicken with Beetroot and Red Onion Confit, Shrimp Salad Skagen on Pumpernickel, and Green Asparagus Quiche with Caviar. Each teas set also comes with a free home fragrance gift from FRED, which can be redeemed at the brand's store in Elements.
Get in there quick though as this tea set is only available until April 30.
WOOBAR, 6/F, W Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, (+852) 3717 2889
The afternoon tea costs $438 for two (served Monday to Friday from 2.30pm to 6pm)
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