Header image: Red Lobster Hong Kong’s typhoon shelter lobster
AMARE Bistro & Wine
Italy comes to Tsueng Kwan O with the opening of al-fresco AMARE. Cooking up a storm is Italian chef Giovanni “Johnny” Tucci, who previously ran the kitchen at Hotel Sporting in Rimini and has 40 years of experience at Italian restaurants around the world. The menu is an ode to the Italian classics of pizza and pasta, with black truffle spaghetti carbonara and black truffle mushroom risotto two highlights.
Shop G2, G/F, Monterey, 23 Tong Chun Street, Tseung Kwan O, 2576 2398
Amelia
Michelin-starred restaurant Amelia from San Sebastián, Spain, makes its debut here on 15 December. Italian-Argentinian chef/owner Paulo Airaudo has worked alongside Head Chef Son Pham (who boasts stints at both Noma in Copenhagen and Tenku RyuGin in Tokyo and Hong Kong) to craft a monthly-changing contemporary European menu with Asian influences, where the ingredients shine. Two of Amelia San Sebastián’s creative signature dishes also arrive in Hong Kong: Bread/Butter/Bone Marrow (pictured) and Caviar/Banana/Rum Ice Cream. Open daily for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.
Shop OTG63, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, TST, 3705 1983, booking@amelia.hk
The Araki
We’ve been waiting with bated breath for this one, and the Hong Kong outpost of famed chef Mitsuhiro Araki’s three-Michelin-starred London sushi palace The Araki will open in the 852 on 19 December – with Chef Araki himself serving diners at the exclusive 12-seat Edomae-style sushi omakase restaurant. The chef uses not only premium ingredients from Japan but also fresh local seafood (visiting the fishermen each morning to select the best daily catches) and popular prized Chinese ingredients like fish maw, abalone and bird’s nest. Will The Araki nab three stars in its first year in Hong Kong?
G/F, Stable Block, House 1881, 2A Canton Road, TST, 3988 0168, rsvn@house1881.com (full payment required at time of booking)
Blue Bottle Coffee
A little birdie told us that Cali-cool coffee roaster Blue Bottle is opening in a two-storey, 3,000-square-foot-space in Central this month. We’ll keep you posted!
Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
CHOP CHOP (Sha Tin)
Modern Chinese roast meat (siu mei) house CHOP CHOP has expanded it retro Cantonese diner concept to Sha Tin. CHOP CHOP has been opened in consultation with Hong Kong’s “God of Cookery”, Chef Dai Lung, famous for his unique rice, a combination of white and American wild rice. CHOP CHOP is all about Cantonese-style roast meat delicacies like char siu – but with all-natural, organic ingredients and no artificial additives, MSG or artificial colouring.
Shop A325, 3/F, Phase III, New Town Plaza, 18 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin, 3580 8951
Dim Sum Bar (Tsuen Wan)
Affordable all-day dim sum eatery Dim Sum Bar has now landed at Nina Mall in Tsuen Wan, launching a few new specialities including a selection of hotpots, daily-changing claypot rice dishes, a new category of Chinese BBQ dishes and takeaway lunch sets – something for everyone!
Shop G01A, G/F, Nina Mall 1, 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, 2633 5099
Dough Bros
From the folk behind Foodie fave Three Blind Mice in Wanchai comes chilled spot Dough Bros, with the dough in question being used to make both sourdough pizza and filled doughnuts. Pizza + doughnuts = ‘nuff said, carb lovers!
38–42 Yik Yam Street, Happy Valley, 2625 4900
Five Guys (Central)
It‘s been over a year since Five Guys first opened up in Wanchai, and now they’re bringing their peanut- covered floors and toothsome burgers to Central. From the sign above the door, it looks like 11 December is the date to hotfoot it over and sink your teeth in.
LG/F, Manning House, 38–48 Queen’s Road Central, Central
FRITES (Kwun Tong)
The first FRITES location Kowloon side, Hong Kongers know to come here for a traditional Belgian beer hall vibe complete with authentic pots of mussels and frites and one of HK’s largest selections of draught and bottled Belgian beer. This Kwun Tong branch also a fab outdoor terrace, perfect for the littles at the weekend.
Shop 3, 1/F, The Quayside, 77 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong, 2781 0262
Hong Kong International Airport
Bari-Uma
The largest ramen chain in Hiroshima, Bari-Uma brings to the airport its super-rich tonkotsu broth and signature thick-cut, flame-grilled BBQ pork.
East Hall Food Court (South), Departures (7/F)
SinsaEat Korean Kitchen
Fill your belly with authentic Korean eats like Korean-style rice rolls and bibimbap from SinsaEat before you jet off.
East Hall Food Court (South), Departures (7/F)
Sushi and Sake Bar Taka
An offshoot of legendary three-Michelin-starred Sushi Saito in Tokyo (and now Hong Kong), Sushi and Sake Bar Taka opens in mid-December, offering premium sushi and sake using seasonal ingredients flown in daily from Japan.
East Hall Food Court (Central), Departures (7/F)
Kikanbo (TST)
Hot on the heels of its HK launch in Causeway Bay this past summer, Kikanbo has opened a second outpost in the 852 in Tsim Sha Tsui, making it easier for Kowloon dwellers to get a taste of this Tokyo heavyweight’s signature Karashibi miso ramen in various spice levels. The TST branch is also debuting Karashibi maze soba (pictured) – dry noodles with a heady mix of ingredients including peanuts, sesame, fish powder, shrimp-head oil, homemade soy sauce, stir-fried minced pork, black fungus, baby corn, bean sprouts and more. Open 11am–midnight.
20 Cameron Road, TST, 2481 2889
Konjiki Hototogisu
Winning its first Michelin star this year, top Toyko ramen shop Konjiki Hototogisu has hit ifc mall. Konjiki Hototogisu’s signature is shoyu hamaguri soup ramen (pictured), with a “golden broth” made with clam soup, pork broth and a secret-recipe soy sauce. Uniquely, the noodles are topped with black truffle sauce, porcini powder and porcini oil – talk about umami!
Shop 3020, 3/F, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, 6333 8036
Kura
Refined modern Japanese eatery Kura opens its elegant doors this month in bustling Causeway Bay. Featuring fresh seafood flown in daily from Tokyo, Kyushu and Hokkaido, the restaurant offers guests two dining experiences, either in the intimate sushi bar or main dining room. Chef KC, who previously worked at Ta-ke, brings sushi lovers a selection of lunch sets starting at $260 and premium dinner omakase experiences starting at $1,180. Menu highlights include steamed abalone with liver sauce and seared fatty tuna.
1/F, Siu On Plaza , 482 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, 3125 3133
Leah Cafe
James Sharman of British comfort-food restaurant The Leah has just launched this all-day-dining concept at Lee Garden Two, open from breakfast until 7pm, when The Leah opens its doors for dinner service. For lunch, Chef Sharman’s signature British pies the likes of chicken, leek and bacon and beef, ale and black pepper are highlights, but Asian-inspired pies are also unique to the more relaxed café space. We’re particularly loving the sound of the roast Sichuan chicken pie! If you’re in need of an afternoon pick-me-up, check out Leah Cafe’s daily “cake time” offering ($68) from 2–5pm – pair your coffee or tea with a slice of a homemade cake such as chocolate gluten-free cake, rose chiffon cake, mango crumble tart or marshmallow cheesecake. Takeaway is also available for eating al desko.
Shop 308 and 311, 3/F, Lee Garden Two, 28 Yun Ping Road, Causeway Bay, 2337 7651
Miss Lee
The newest member of the Lee family (Lee Lo Mei, Lee Ho Sing), ZS Hospitality has given birth to all-day-dining Miss Lee, presenting modern Chinese vegetarian cuisine that’s suitable for vegan, veggie and dairy- and gluten-free dining, both to eat in and to take away from the street-side grab-and-go counter. Playful plant-based dishes include Smoky Quartz (king mushroom, shiitake mushroom and asparagus skewers), Golden Flowers (cauliflower and braised mushroom glazed in salted egg yolk) and Amazing Maize (pictured), where sweetcorn is the star of this pretty plate.
G/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Sheung Wan, 2881 1811
MONO
With a celebrated stint at The World’s Best Restaurant, Mirazur on the French Riveria, and four years as the executive chef at our own Petrus at Island Shangri-La under his toque, Venezuelan chef Ricardo Chaneton (pictured) is now opening his own contemporary French restaurant in collaboration with JIA Group. Intimate 30-seater MONO in Central will showcase weekday set lunches and a single ingredient-driven seasonal tasting menu come dinnertime.
5/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, book online
Red Lobster
Since opening in Florida back in the late 1960s, Red Lobster has blossomed into one of the largest restaurant chains in the world, serving up good-value, top-notch seafood. At the new two-storey Causeway Bay outpost, surf ’n’ turf, the Ultimate Feast (a platter loaded with lobster tail, snow crab legs, shrimp scampi and fried shrimp; above) and Hong Kong exclusives like typhoon shelter lobster and salted egg shrimp can be yours for the feasting, with plenty of cocktail sauce and hot drawn butter for dipping. Even if under-the-sea eats are not your thing, get yourself to Red Lobster Hong Kong if only for the eatery’s crave-worthy Cheddar Bay Biscuits and Chocolate Tidal Wave dessert.
8 Cleveland Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay, 2261 2996
The Salted Pig (Kwai Fong)
Porcine-focused restaurant The Salted Pig has opened its fifth branch at Metroplaza in Kwai Fong. Like its siblings, the Kwai Fong eatery is decked out in English farmhouse style but with local touches – in this case, nods to the container terminal nearby. To celebrate the opening, plates of slow-roasted pork belly (a dish exclusive to the KF outlet) are priced at just $98 for the first 20 orders daily.
Shop 531 and 540, 5/F, Metroplaza, 223 Hing Fong Road, Kwai Fong, 2386 1055
SHAKA Rolls
Available previously solely for delivery from Deliveroo Food Market, SHAKA Rolls by poké specialist Pololi now has its first brick-and mortar location at the Pololi’Ona flagship in Causeway Bay. We love the thought that we can now walk in anytime to get one of SHAKA’s deliciously massive American-style sushi rolls. The shop has also added SHAKA Dons to its protein-packed repertoire.
Shop C, Fashion Walk, 58–64 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay, 2794 1499
Shake Shack (Causeway Bay)
And while Five Guys moves into Central, Shake Shack expands into Causeway Bay – Times Square to be exact. You’ll be able to fuel up for Christmas shopping and run your credit card dry off one of the sugar rushes from SS’s moreish milkshakes, especially the festive Christmas Cookie shake!
Shop B217–B219, B2/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, 2571 6368
SIP·ART
A collaboration with local dessert boutique Sweet Fashion House, SIP·ART is a unique Leonardo da Vinci- themed teahouse that combines organic herbal teas, chocolate and eclectic artwork in one bold space.
Shop 109, 109A and 110, 1/F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside,18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3899 7748
Uncle Desi Food and Sons
Chef Palash Mitra – Foodie Forks 2019 Readers’ Choice Chef of the Year – of Black Sheep Restaurants’ New Punjab Club and Rajasthan Rifles is making our Netflix-and-chill nights a whole lot tastier with the opening of the 852’s first digital restaurant, Uncle Desi Food and Sons, offering delivery of Indian takeaway faves – dishes we all know and love like chicken tikka masala (pictured), prawn vindaloo, lamb rogan josh and samosas. Daily lunch and dinner delivery from Kennedy Town to Tai Hang, all the way up to The Peak. We’ll be on the lookout for the spiffy riders on their bedazzled bikes.
WINGS
A wallet-friendly eatery if we’ve ever heard of one, WINGS is a North American-style kitchen and bar offering a selection of chicken wings in 12 global flavours – from Canadian honey garlic to HK-style Shelter Bay (pictured above) – Japanese-inspired hot dogs, quirky-cum-trashy snacks like “walking tacos” (corn chips with taco topping served in the bag) and bottles of international beer. The best bit? Each food item is priced at just $35, while the brewskies are $45 a pop. Open daily 5pm–2am (from 12pm on weekends and public holidays).
Shop K, G/F, Mainway Court, 126–128 Soy Street, Mongkok, 5381 1183
Closures
CÉ LA VI
One of Central’s most iconic rooftops will be closing. Known for its stunning city views, modern cocktails and constantly evolving cuisine, CÉ LA VI has confirmed that it will sit on its perch atop California Tower no more.
China Cafe
This one is quite a blow. Opened nearly 55 years ago in 1964, bing sutt (traditional HK-style café) China Cafe is
saying goodbye at the end of the month. We’ll mourn the loss of another slice of old Hong Kong, so get there
before the 31st for China Cafe’s old-school pineapple buns and milk tea – along with a bittersweet dose of nostalgia.
Estiatorio Keia
The creative Mediterranean/Greek restaurant from the notorious Bulldozer Group announced on Instagram that it will be closing its doors on 1 December after what it’s now calling a “one year pop-up”. We’re certainly curious to see what will take over this exquisitely and extravagantly designed space at H Queen’s in Central.
Happy Paradise
The quirky, fun and innovative neo-Cantonese hang-out Happy Paradise by May Chow will close for regular business and reposition itself as a private kitchen and event space from 2 January 2020.
Little Birdy
This Sheung Wan eatery specialising in Aussie-style rotisserie chicken has shut, citing “current market conditions”, but their Facebook page promises that they’ll be “rehatching soon in a slightly different form”. Fingers crossed that this “form” includes LB’s Tasty Flocker and Hotbird grilled chicken sarnies!
Ms B’s CAKERY
Gough Street takes another hit hot on the heels of the closure of Timothy Oulton’s super-stylish modern British restaurant Gough’s on Gough at the beginning of autumn. Bonnae Gokson’s opulent bakery has shuttered its doors for good, leaving the street – considered chock-full of foodie gems – sadly lacking in its previous array of choices.
Nectar
Chef/owner Peggy Chan released a statement that her progressive plant-based Nectar will also become a private kitchen and event space as of 27 December until further notice.
Picada
We last covered Picada about 18 months ago for a fun, family-friendly brunch, but its phenomenal weekend
magic shows, chilled vibe and solid Latin American food are now sadly no more.
RELATED: New Restaurants: November 2019
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