Oh, the weather outside is frightful — ok, so it's not
that bad, but with the temperature falling below
20°C, we reckon that's reason enough to scoff some hearty grub while we count down to Christmas in the 852. Just as well, as this month's roundup is all about enjoying comfort food in cosy settings — so without further ado, let's get stuck in!
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New Places ...
MEATS
As the name suggests, MEATS is a carnivorous field day for meat lovers in Hong Kong. Newly opened on Staunton Street, the causal eatery offers tender, juicy, and satisfying no-frills meat dishes that match the quality and price point of Pirate Group's other popular restaurants. The venue features eclectic mismatched seating, warm lighting, and vintage touches that create a welcoming setting in which to enjoy the straightforward one-page menu of sharing-style dishes. Divided into Small, Meats, Sides, Veggies, and Sweets, this includes the must order Chicken Liver Pate ($140), signature slow-cooked Rotisserie Chicken ($180), and rustic Iberian Porchetta ($180) with crispy crackling and aromatic herbs.
These meaty dishes team beautifully with simple yet satisfying sides, such as the brilliantly named
Ugly Potatoes ($55) and the
Heritage Carrots ($80) topped with za’atar, honey, and yogurt. If you still have room after all that, the
Coconut Lime Pie ($80) with crunchy meringue is delightfully refreshing. Indecisive diners who want to try a bit of everything can also opt for the ‘
Chef Give Me Meats!’ menu ($420 per person) which includes exclusive secret dishes not available on the menu. Wash it all down with a bourbon, bourbon-based cocktail, or craft beer and you've got a winner.
MEATS, 28-30 Staunton Street, Central, (+852) 2711 1812
Open Monday to Sunday for dinner
New Menus ...
New Gamey Dishes at Olé Spanish Restaurant
Venison, wild boar, red deer, and pheasant are popular ingredients found in Spanish kitchens during hunting season, and Olé Spanish Restaurant has introduced them to its winter menu in the form of six rare dishes including
Red Deer Hunters Stew ($280),
Wild Boar "Civet" Ravioli ($260),
Wild Pheasant with Truffle & Oloroso Sauce ($390), and
Cannellini Beans & Quail Legs Stew with Pickle Green Chili ($180).
The deliciously rich dishes make for a hearty winter feast, with the slow-cooked Red Deer Hunters Stew (pictured above) standing out with its depth of flavour and gorgeous hints of red wine, brandy, garlic, and onion. These are perfectly paired with Olé's selection of heavenly red wines which the warm and friendly waiters are only too happy to recommend. This is definitely worth checking out if you're "game" for a meaty feast.
Ole Spanish Restaurant and Wine Bar, 1/F, Shun Ho Tower, 24 Ice House Street, Central, (+852) 2537 8856
New A La Carte Menu at The Pawn
Celebrity chef Tom Aikens has outdone himself once again with the launch of his new lunch and dinner a la carte menu at The Pawn. Staying close to his British roots, he's whipping up hearty home cooked classics that are all geared towards sharing and are perfect for the chilly weather.
Among the gorgeous new dishes are the seemingly bottomless Steamed Mussels with Malt Beer, Shallots, Bacon and Big Chips ($215/500g or $385/1Kg), Braised Ox Cheek, Red Wine, Crushed Peas, Linguine ($215), and the utterly divine Chuck Steak, Shallots, Cheddar & Parsley Suet Scones ($195/small portion or $295/large portion). Now if there is one dish you order here, let it be this - but we warn you, when you savour the fall-apart-in-your-mouth chunks of juicy steak, soaked in thick wine sauce and blended with fluffy sweet scones, you will not want to share it.
If you're after a lighter meal, however, the Spelt & Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sprouts and Avocado ($130) is a winner, and the Shaved Charred Celeriac with Duck Liver Parfait ($148) is delightfully moreish. Of course, it wouldn't be a true British feast without an adorable Eton Mess ($70) or Sherry Trifle ($130) to round it off. We're seriously impressed.
The Pawn, 62 Johnston Road Wan Chai, (+852) 2866 3444
Available for lunch from 12pm to 2.30pm (Monday to Friday), and dinner every night from 6pm
Hearty Winter Dishes at Lily & Bloom
Whipping up rustic and hearty dishes for the colder Hong Kong months, classic American restaurant Lily & Bloom has launched a dozen new dishes to keep us happy this winter. Among the favourites are the
Kale and Crispy Pork Belly ($90) appetizer, the must order
Pumpkin Ricotta Tortellini ($135), and the mammoth
45-Days Dry-Aged Cowboy Steak (35oz) ($1,400) served on the bone. Caring is sharing, but if you prefer to have one all to yourself then you can opt for a juicy
Sirloin Steak ($550). The excellent range of hearty dishes makes it hard to settle for just one, so we recommend sharing a few to avoid getting food envy - just make sure you leave enough room for the devilishly delicious
S’mores Campfire.
While you're there, it's impossible to miss the epic festive makeover the bar and restaurant have undergone - all in an attempt to create our very own winter wonderland right here in the 852. Aside from the countless Christmas decorations, lights, and life-size man candy donning puntastic Christmas t-shirts, the
MIRACLE Christmas Pop-Up features special festive cocktails created by Head Mixologist, John Nugent, including the
Jingle Ball Nog (eggnog) and
Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r! - both $120 each and served in cheeky Santa mugs. Prepare to fill your Instagram feed!
Lily & Bloom, 5/F, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, (+852) 2810 6166
New Cheese Fondue Tempura at Ten Yoshi
Is there anything better than tasty tempura? How about covering it in melted cheese? To celebrate its 13th anniversary, Ten Yoshi is serving up
Hokkaido cheese fondue with eight Japanese seafood and fruit tempura dishes for $280 per person. Prepared on demand and served at the 13 seater tempura bar by tempura maestro Mr. Katagiri Sadao, the battered selection includes
five seafood bites including crab pincer, shrimp, Yesso scallop, squid, and mantis shrimp as well as
three fruity ones.
The bubbling premium Hokkaido cheese dip is beautifully creamy and extremely satisfying to dunk your steaming hot tempura in. The smooth, aromatic cheese complements the crispy texture of the tempura crust in such a manner that you might never be want to revert to eating it the old fashioned way. This is definitely worth checking out if seafood and cheese are your greatest foodie pleasures.
Ten Yoshi, 9/F, Henry House, 42 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, (+852) 2805 7848
Festive Afternoon Tea at Grand Hyatt
There's nothing quite like a hot cup of tea and a tower of sweet and savoury treats to warm you up on a chilly winter day, and Tiffin at the Grand Hyatt is serving up quite the treat with its new festive afternoon tea set. Guests are invited to tuck into freshly-baked scones with homemade jams, a poached pear vanilla panna cotta, gingerbread chocolate cupcake, coconut snowball, and a selection of finger sandwiches and tarts, all the while sipping on an intensely flavoursome tea selected from a box of twelve.
Served in the newly refurbished Tiffin Lounge, with the heavenly string quartet playing softly in the background, this is one of the most luxurious afternoon teas we've enjoyed in the city. And did we mention you also get unlimited access to the ice cream counter and dessert station?
Jackpot!
Tiffin, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, (+852) 2584 7722
Served between 3.30pm and 5.30pm: Monday to Friday $298 per person / Saturday, Sunday, and Public Holidays $328 per person
Seasonal Menus and Treats at HABITŪ
Caffeine gives you wings — well, it does at
HABITŪ anyway. Among the cafe's menu of seasonal food and drink items this year is the adorable and super Instagrammable White Truffle Chestnut Caffé Latte ($58) and White Truffle Chestnut Chocolate ($58) both served with a truffle wing-shaped cookie (pictured left). Available until January 14, these gorgeous sips taste as sweet as they look and are well worth checking out.
On top of seasonal drinks, the cafe has invited model and pastry chef Amanda Strang to design a collection of cakes and cookies under the theme
White Christmas which are available to enjoy in store or take away until December 31. The decadent selection includes the luxurious
White Christmas Log Cake ($688),
Santa's Chestnut Pound Cake ($25 per slice), which features marrons glacé and Belgium chocolate flakes folded inside the French butter pound cake, and buttery
Rudolph's Biscuits ($98 per box) made with hazelnut, cranberry, and cocoa.
The chefs have also created a variety of festive dishes including
Linguine Pasta with Smoked Turkey in Beetroot Cream Sauce ($128),
Honey Roasted Gammon Ham with Crispy Truffle Mash and Grilled Fresh Pineapple ($168), and
Israel Figs & Rocket Salad in Strawberry Balsamic ($78). And if you're looking for caterers for your own Christmas party, there are
three menus available to order until January 1, including the seven-course HABITŪ Luxury Menu ($2,988) which caters for parties of eight to ten. They can even prepare a
5kg Roasted U.S. Ranch Raised Young Turkey ($980) and send their
Catering Butlers to look after your every need ($500 per butler, per hour). They really have thought of everything.
HABITŪ, (locations vary)
Visit the website to find out more about their menus and catering services
New Brunches ...
Weekend Brunch at Beef & Liberty
The restaurant with the best burger in town (yes we said it) has launched a hearty new brunch to nurse our hangover. Offering a selection of rich, meaty treats, as well as healthier options, the all-day menu includes the must order
Breakfast Hamburger ($98) complete with beef, fried egg, bacon, and caramalised onions (pictured above), the delightfully juicy
Avocado & Ricotta Toast ($68), and the
Sausage and Egg Muffin ($88) which completely won us over in the flavour stakes.
More health-conscious diners can opt for the
Croissant with Jam ($28) and
Yoghurt & Berries ($68), while those who believe in the old "hair of the dog" tactic can enjoy a
free-flow wine, Prosecco, or Bloody Mary package ($108/1 hour or $178 for 2 hours) which is well worth the money. Just make sure you leave enough room to devour the
Bread n' Butter Pudding ($38) because it's out of this world fantastic. These brunch time bites are surprisingly reasonable given the generous portion sizes, and if you're anything like us, you may even end up taking home a doggy bag!
Beef & Liberty, (four locations including Central, Wan Chai, Central, and Stanley)
Available all day every Saturday and Sunday
New Asian Brunch Fiesta at Fang Fang
New favoruite brunch spot alert! Contemporary Asian eatery Fang Fang has launched perhaps the most colourful and photogenic brunch we've ever seen, all laid out on a lavishly long buffet table topped with more surf and turf treats than your Instagram feed can handle. For an extremely reasonable $398 per person, diners can tuck into an
all-you-can-eat selection of Oysters, Prawn Cocktail, Satay Chicken, Salmon Cream Cheese Rolls, Salmon Nigiri, Roasted Chicken, Salad Buckets, and the humungous cheese wheel which invites you to dip away to your stomach's content.
Besides this colourful feast, they can also enjoy the
Platter to Share and select either the
New Zealand Lamb Rack,
Angus Beef Tenderloin,
Mui Choy Pork Belly, or incredible succulent
Aroma Duck with Crepe, which is hands down the best dish on the menu. This super feast doesn't leave much room for dessert, but if you do have space, we recommend trying the
Mango Mascarpone and
Chocolate Passion Fruit Cake. Could this epic brunch get any better? How about throwing free-flow
Moët Champagne into the mix for an added $160? Now that alone is worth going for!
Fang Fang, 8/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, (+852) 2983 9083
Every Saturday from 12pm to 3pm
Read more! Explore the rest of our
Food & Drink section.
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