Header photo: three-cut pork barbecue silog by Toyo Eatery, Manila
With Chinese New Year feasting done and dusted and Easter brunching still a few months away, we need some good wining-and-dining options to lift our spirits. So here are our picks of the upcoming happenings that will feed your body and nourish your soul during these often dreary in-between months:
FEBRUARY
Win a trip to Naples courtesy of Motorino
If you fancy a trip to the birthplace of pizza – Naples – here’s what you’ve gotta do: from now until 25 February, order an authentic Neapolitan pizza while dining in at Motorino, then another pie via Black Sheep Restaurants GO, and be entered to win the chance for you and a guest to embark on a three-day pizza-eating tour in Naples from 4–6 March 2019 (economy flights included), led by Motorino’s own pizzaiolos. The winner will be notified by email within 24 hours of the draw on 26 February.
Motorino SoHo: 14 Shelley Street, Central, 2801 6881
Motorino Wanchai: 15 Ship Street, 2520 0690
Test Kitchen x Cure in Singapore
Test Kitchen’s latest pop-up showcases Irish chef Andrew Walsh of Singapore’s acclaimed restaurants Cure and Butcher Boy, where elegant yet playful East-meets-West dishes are the name of the game. The chef’s signatures include beet-cured salmon with Irish potato flatbread, foie gras custard and Singapore laksa made with squid “noodles”.
Dates: 13–16 February 2019
Time: 7pm and 8:15pm (2 seatings)
Location: Test Kitchen, Shop 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun
Price: $1,080/person (6-course tasting menu); +$480 (wine pairings); +$180 (corkage)
To book: click here
Troisgros pop-up at ÉPURE
Chefs Michel and Léo Troisgros from legendary three-Michelin-starred Maison Troisgros in France, along with pastry chef Michele Abbatemarco from Troisgros in Tokyo, will make a three-day appearance at Hong Kong’s own French fine-dining wonder ÉPURE, thrilling guests with a tasting menu featuring the likes of Beluga caviar, black truffles from France, crayfish and scallops.
Dates: 21–23 February 2019
Time: dinner service (6:30–10:30pm)
Location: ÉPURE, Shop 403, 4/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST
Price: $4,888/person
To book: phone 3185 8338 or book online
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Bothy at Test Kitchen
Whisky lovers shouldn’t miss this unique experience, with Test Kitchen in Sai Ying Pun transformed into a Scottish mountain hideaway for an extraordinary food and whisky pairing experience. A five-course menu prepared by Chef Noël Berard of two-Michelin-starred ÉCRITURE and Chef Nicholas Chew of BIBO will be paired with four rare whiskies that make up Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Dishes include smoked Scottish langoustine with onion dashi jelly and beetroot feuillantine, paired with a complex, smoky 25-year-old Talisker from the Isle of Skye, and a gorgoeus chocolate trio dessert, paired with a 1975-distilled Cambus from the Scottish Lowlands that shows off luscious, chewy flavours of chocolate and caramel.
Foodie was lucky to have an exclusive preview of the Bothy, and we were mighty impressed by the creativity of the chefs, the knowledge imparted and the exquisite attention to detail all round. Highly recommended.
Dates: 23–24 February 2019 (public sessions)
Time: Saturday the 23rd, 12:30pm/7pm; Sunday the 24th, 12:30pm
Location: Test Kitchen, Shop 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun
Price: $1,820/person (to include a commemorative engraved bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label 75cl)
To book: click here
HaiSous pop-up at Le Garçon Saigon
Diners at Vietnamese grill Le Garçon Saigon will be treated to a special menu cooked up by Chef Thai Dang of Chicago’s Vietnamese restaurant HaiSous – a James Beard semi-finalist for Best New Year Restaurant 2018 and recipient of a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Forget pho and rice paper rolls – be prepared to have your taste buds awakened by such creative dishes as octopus salad with confit aubergine, coconut cream and roasted peanuts, fried prawns with perilla and tamarind emulsion and grilled rib-eye with lime leaves and chilli salt.
Dates: 25–27 February 2019
Time: dinner service (6pm–late)
Location: Le Garçon Saigon, 12–18 Wing Fung Street, Wanchai
Price: $498/person (9-course tasting menu)
To book: phone 2455 2499 or book online
Are You Plasticized? live radio discussion and drinks at Eaton Hong Kong
With the launch of the Plasticity Podcast series, Eaton Radio at Eaton Hong Kong is spearheading interviews with sustainability pioneers like Doug Woodring, the founder of Ocean Recovery Alliance, followed by a discussion targeted at eradicating plastic waste in Asia. Don’t forget to bring your earbuds!
Date: Thursday, 28 February 2019
Time: 6–8pm
Location: Eaton Hong Kong, 380 Nathan Road, Jordan
Price: free! (+ buy-1-get-1-free drinks at the bar)
Crab Shack at Catch
Catch Concepts’ crab shack returns on Friday, March 29th. The crustacean feast debuted last year with four-courses menu featuring all things crab. This year’s menu starts with crab salad, moving onto crispy crab cake tacos, then fried soft shell crab with garlic and Thai basil, and finally the grand finale of crab boil with steamed mussels, clams, crabs, corn, chorizo and new potatoes. Sinfully good ice cream sandwiches cap off the seafood fest.
Date: March 29th
Time: 6:15 – 8:15pm, or 8:30 onwards
Location: Catch, 95 Catchick Street, Kennedy Town
Price: $300 for first seating at 6:15pm, $350 for second seating at 8:30pm, free-flow packages available at $500 and $650 respectively
To book: camilla@catch-concepts.com
HAKU x Toyo Eatery four-hands dinner
Chef Agustin Balbi of French-Japanese HAKU will join forces with Chef Jordy Navarra of Toyo Eatery in Manila – winner of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants One to Watch award in 2018 – to create a diverse menu featuring a global melting pot of flavours, from white asparagus with bagna cauda and caviar by Chef Balbi to Chef Navarra’s signature pork belly with buro, a type of Filipino pickle.
Dates: 28 February–1 March 2019
Time: dinner service (6–10pm)
Location: HAKU, Shop OTG04B, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST
Price: $1,980/person (10-course tasting menu)
To book: phone 2115 9965 or book online
HK Restaurant Week
The city’s biannual HK Restaurant Week, with top restaurants offering specially priced set lunch and dinner menus, is set to start soon. Organised by online reservation platform DiningCity, HK Restaurant Week showcases more than 145 of Hong Kong’s most popular and highly acclaimed restaurants, with the chefs offering their signature dishes at reduced prices for 11 gut-busting days. Click here for the full list of participating restaurants.
Dates: 28 February–10 March 2019
Time: lunch and dinner (time varies)
Location: location varies
Price: from $148/person for lunch and $298/person for dinner (3-course set menu)
To book: click here
MARCH
Magnolia Private Kitchen pop-up
Magnolia Private Kitchen is back for a limited time, ready to fill our tummies with its signature New Orleans cuisine, from Cajun BBQ ribs to pecan pie. Private parties only.
Dates: March–June 2019
Time: varies
Location: 23 New Street, Sheung Wan
Price: $625/person (10-person minimum), to include free-flow soft drinks, coffee and tea; +$200/person for 3 hours unlimited beer, wine and Prosecco
To book: email info@go-gourmet.com
Ralph’s Coffee pop-up at New Town Plaza
This pop-up at New Town Plaza joins the permanent Ralph’s Coffee shop at Harbour City, giving Hong Kongers a taste of Ralph Lauren’s special organic coffee blends and yummy cakes (we love Ralph’s five-layer chocolate cake, and there’s a new five-layer carrot cake at this location that’s got us drooling).
Dates: 1 March–30 April 2019
Time: daily, 10am–10pm
Location: Kiosk 3B, 3/F, Phase I, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin Centre Street, Shatin
BRAZA Churrascaria Shall We Dance Samba Party
Brazilian steakhouse BRAZA is putting on its party hat in tribute to the annual Rio Carnival this month with a raucous samba party – get your dancing shoes ready to be worn out by the professional samba instructor strutting his stuff. Come for the dinner buffet first (where various cuts of charcoal-grilled meat are hand-carved tableside) and behold the special movable caipirinha station and DIY caipirinhas and batidas.
Date: Saturday, 2 March 2019
Time: from 10pm (book for dinner from 6pm beforehand)
Location: BRAZA Churrascaria, 3/F, Grand Progress Building, 15 Lan Kwai Fong, LKF, Central
Price: $398/person (dinner buffet); +$128–268/person (2-hour free-flow package)
To book: phone 2890 9268 or click here to book now
Carnaval Brunch + 100 free caipirinhas at Uma Nota
Another Brazilian hotspot – this time with a Japanese influence – Uma Nota is celebrating its second birthday in typical raucous style with a three-course Carnaval Brunch followed by a street party from 3:30pm where the first 100 cachaça lovers to join the fiesta will be gifted with a limited-edition watermelon caipirinha from Uma Nota’s caipirinha shack. Live samba performances and interactive drumming sessions will get you in the party spirit.
Date: Saturday, 2 March 2019
Time: brunch, 12–3pm; caipirinha giveaway, 4–5pm
Location: Uma Nota, 38 Peel Street, SoHo, Central
Price: $850/person (3-course brunch + free-flow drinks; pre-payment required)
To book: phone 2889 7576 or click here to book now
Rooftop Republic Academy Urban Farming Experience Open Day
Urban farming social enterprise Rooftop Republic has recently launched Rooftop Republic Academy, with the aim of educating a new generation of urban farmers, and this is your chance to get a look at their newest rooftop farm project in Kowloon Tong. There will be two-hour sessions scheduled throughout the day where participants can learn about urban farming, composting and beekeeping, as well as making canapés and mocktails and tasting kombucha. Kids welcome!
Date: Saturday, 2 March 2019
Time: 10am–5:30pm (3 time slots: 10am–12pm, 1–3pm, 3:30–5:30pm)
Location: Rooftop Republic Academy at BEC (Business Environment Council), Jockey Club Environmental Building, 77 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong
Price: $200 for 1 adult + 1 child (under 15); $150 for single ticket
To book: click here
A Taste of Singapore weekday lunch buffet at Harbourside, InterContinental Hong Kong
Longing for a taste of the culinary wonders of the Lion City? The InterContinental’s all-day buffet restaurant Harbourside has got you covered for the next several weeks, offering a Taste of Singapore weekday lunch buffet bursting with Singaporean delicacies. Popiah, bak kut teh, chilli lobster, char kway teow and Hainanese chicken salad are just a few of the dishes we look forward to sampling.
Dates: 4 March–30 April 2019
Time: 12–2:30pm (Monday–Friday only)
Location: Harbourside, Lower Level, InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, TST
Price: $488/adult; $338/child (ages 3–11)
To book: phone 2313 2323 or click here to book now
Vive Cake Boutique pop-up at Harbour City
Kowloon dwellers and visitors will be able to easily access Vivien Lau’s exquisite confections at this Vive Cake Boutique pop-up, which will see the debut of three mini cakes, including the Magicorn, which features a marzipan unicorn and rainbow atop a slice of fluffy cheesecake. Follow Vive’s Instagram for details of special pop-up offers, with complimentary limited-edition meringue pops, Uni-Cone portable phone chargers and cookie boxes up for grabs.
Dates: 5 March–5 June 2019
Time: daily, 10am–10pm
Location: Kiosk 3D, 3/F, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST
Franco Pepe returns to Kytaly + cocktail-pairing collaboration menu with Giancarlo Mancini
Arguably the world’s best pizzaiolo, Franco Pepe will be back in town at his beloved pizzeria Kytaly in partnership with celebrated mixologist Giancarlo Mancini, who will launch a cocktail-pairing menu that proves that beer is not the only drink of choice when it comes to eating pizza. To go with Mancini’s vermouth-based tipples, Chef Pepe will debut a delectable new pie – the AnaNascosta – a unique take on the Hawaiian pizza featuring Grana cheese fondue, pineapple, prosciutto and liquorice liqueur.
Dates: 6–10 March 2019
Time: lunch (12–2:30pm) and dinner (7–10:30pm), with drinks available 12pm–2am
Location: Kytaly, 5/F, 77 Wyndham Street, Central
Price: $TBC (AnaNascosta pizza); $108 (each Mancini cocktail)
To book: phone 2808 1961 (bookings only for 6+ guests)
Test Kitchen x Sonoma’s Backyard
Husband-and-wife team Daniel Kedan and Marianna Gardenhire from Michelin-recommended Backyard in Sonoma County are bringing their Cali vibes to Test Kitchen this month. Backyard is the pinnacle of slow-food, farm-to-table cuisine, with both Kedan and Gardenhire having previously worked for Thomas Keller at his eateries Ad Hoc and Bouchon. The buttermilk fried chicken sliders, homemade charcuterie and ceviche are highlights of the tasting menu.
Dates: 7–10 March 2019
Time: 7pm and 8:15pm (2 seatings)
Location: Test Kitchen, Shop 3, 158A Connaught Road West, Sai Ying Pun
Price: $1,000/person (11-course tasting menu); +$580 (wine pairings); +$180 (corkage)
To book: click here
WOMEN’S DAY
We think it’s a bit pathetic that the concept of International Women’s Day is even in existence – why shouldn’t every day be Women’s Day? – but it’s indeed important that women’s rights are recognised and their achievements celebrated around the world. With this is mind, several spots in the 852 have organised events that celebrate the power of women:
• Chef Vicky Lau’s Women’s Day cooking class + Tate x The Old Man cocktail-pairing dinner
In acknowledgement of her own girl power, Vicky Lau of Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room & Bar has organised two events on Women’s Day to benefit The Women’s Foundation, a local non-profit that’s dedicated to improving the lives of girls and women in Hong Kong. The first is a cooking class at V-ZUG Hong Kong, followed by a cocktail-pairing dinner at Tate in partnership with bartender Natalie Lau of award-winning bar The Old Man.
Date: Friday, 8 March 2019
Time: cooking class, 11am–2pm; dinner, from 7pm
Location: cooking class, V-ZUG Hong Kong, 12/F, 8 Russell Street, Causeway Bay; dinner, Tate Dining Room & Bar, 210 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
Price: cooking class, $2,500/person (max 10 students) – includes 3-course lunch + glass of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs; 8-course cocktail-paired dinner menu, $2,160/person ($1,680 without cocktails)
To book: phone Tate at 2555 2172
• Animals Asia Women’s Day lunch at Maison ES
Animal welfare charity Animals Asia is hosting a lunch on Women’s Day at Esther Sham’s pretty-as-a-picture French bistro Maison ES, where animal lovers will have the chance to dine alongside Animals Asia founder and CEO Jill Robinson and a panel of inspiring female speakers (visit this page for details).
Date: Friday, 8 March 2019
Time: 12:30–3pm
Location: Maison ES, 1A Star Street, Wanchai (entrance on Electric Street)
Price: $860/person
To book: click here
• Maximal Concepts’ Women for Women bartending event
Three powerhouse female guest bartenders take centre stage at this Women’s Day event at Stockton: Arlene Wong of The Pontiac and, from Singapore, Yana Kamaruddin of Atlas and Chihuly Lounge’s Michelle Ki. They’ll be shaking up speciality cocktails to benefit local charity Enrich HK, which aims to empower migrant domestic workers.
Date: Friday, 8 March 2019
Time: 7–10pm
Location: Stockton, 32 Wyndham Street, Central
Price: $TBC (all female guests who arrive between 7–8pm will receive a token for 1 free drink)
To RSVP: click here
• DiVino Group’s mimosa giveaways for Women’s Day
Ladies (both little and grown-up) are being treated to mimosa-inspired giveaways by DiVino Group. At DiVino Wine Bar & Restaurant and Spasso, beautiful bouquets of bright yellow mimosa flowers, imported from Italy, will be bestowed on female diners. Over at Carpaccio and Spasso, little girls (under 12) will be given mimosa-hued smoothies on the house.
Dates: Friday, 8 March 2019 (DiVino Wine Bar & Restaurant and Spasso); 8–10 March 2019 (Carpaccio and DiVino Patio)
Time: lunch and dinner services (click here for more information)
Locations: Carpaccio, DiVino Patio, DiVino Wine Bar & Restaurant, Spasso
To book: click here
Tequila Ocho pairing dinner at CHINO
Join Tequila Ocho brand ambassador Jesse Estes and dig into ceviche, pulled pork tostadas, fish tacos, roasted duck negro mole and more at CHINO, all paired with different offerings from this single-estate tequila brand.
Date: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Time: dinner service (6pm–midnight)
Location: CHINO, 1B–1C New Praya, Kennedy Town
Price: $688/person
To book: phone 2606 0588
VeggieWorld Hong Kong – the world’s largest vegan fair
VeggieWorld makes its Asian debut in Hong Kong, with 50 vendors from around the world showcasing their vegan-friendly, animal-free products in the F&B, fashion and cosmetics spheres. The world’s biggest plant-based trade and consumer fair will also feature workshops, cooking demos and talks by vegan pioneers such as MANA! founder Bobsy Gaia, David Yeung of Green Monday and Annabelle Baker of Lush Asia.
Dates: 16–17 March 2019
Time: Saturday the 16th, 10am–8pm; Sunday the 17th, 10am–6pm
Location: PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central
Price: from $100 for 1-day ticket (if booked online); free entry for kids 14 and under
To book: click here
Potato Head Hong Kong x Perrier-Jouët Art of the Wild festival
Celebrating 1980s NYC club culture in all its glory, Art of the Wild rolls out sunset and late-night music sessions featuring an international line-up of artists – headlined by Tony Humphries, the original resident DJ at Club Zanzibar in the US, where garage house music was born. Click here for the complete musical line-up.
Dates: 21–23 March 2019
Time: 6pm–2am (from 9pm on Thursday the 21st)
Location: Watermark, Shop L, Level P, Central Ferry Pier 7, Central
Price: from $200 for early-bird ticket (to include welcome glass of Perrier- Jouët); additional champagne, cocktails and Indonesian dishes can be purchased at the bar
To book: click here
Taste of Hong Kong 2019
The annual Taste of Hong Kong Presented by HSBC festival is back, enticing foodies with its heavenly smells and festival vibes along Central Harbourfront. Taste gathers up some of our city’s most beloved chefs, restaurants and bars and puts them all in one grassy place for us to feast on the culinary talents that flourish here.
Dates: 21–24 March 2019
Time: Thursday the 21st, 6–10pm; Friday the 22nd, 12:30–4:30pm/6–10pm; Saturday the 23rd, 12:30–4:30pm/6–10pm; Sunday the 24th, 12:30–5:30pm
Location: Central Harbourfront Event Space
Price: from $78/person for early-bird tickets
To book: click here
Roth Bar & Grill pop-up at COBO HOUSE
International art gallery Hauser & Wirth and art-retail group K11 have joined forces to launch this Roth Bar & Grill – which is featured at H&W’s gallery in Somerset, England – pop-up, combining farm-to-table gastronomy with contemporary art installed salon style. Special dishes cooked up by Roth husband-and-wife chef team Steve and Jules Horrell will include homemade merguez with flatbread, yoghurt and pomegranate, pork Milanese with celeriac remoulade and green sauce and apple croustade with Somerset cider brandy crème fraiche and Somerset Pimm’s.
Dates: 25–31 March 2019
Time: lunch service (12–3pm) and dinner service (6–11pm)
Location: COBO HOUSE, G/F and 1/F, 8–12 South Lane, Shek Tong Tsui
Price: $TBC
To book: phone 2656 3088
The Pandosan pop-up
Ivan Pun of PUN + PROJECTS – a company that spearheads innovative lifestyle, dining and cultural concepts in Yangon – will bring a one-month outpost of his new Burmese brasserie The Pandosan to his home town of HK. Guests can expect a laid-back East Asian vibe, botanical cocktails and traditional Burmese fare – like tea leaf salad, green tomato salad with pickled ginger, peanuts and lime, the national dish of mohinga (rice noodles in a herbaceous fish-based broth), curries and biryanis. We look forward to exploring the lesser-known flavours of Myanmar, a cultural melting pot of Chinese, Indian and Thai cuisines.
Dates: late March–late April 2019
Time: dinner service, Tuesday–Sunday, 6–11pm (10pm on Sunday); brunch service, Saturday–Sunday, 12–3pm
Location: The Pandosan Hong Kong, 100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun
Price: $TBC
To book: phone 2361 2966 or email info@thepansodan.hk
Art A-Go-Go after-party at Asia Society
We’ve dedicated an article to this art after-party at Asia Society on the evening of Sunday, 31 March featuring a food night market, free-flow drinks, art exhibition and live music – click here to learn more.
Date: Sunday, 31 March 2019
Time: 6–9pm
Location: Asia Society, 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty
Price: $500/person
To book: click here
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