121BC
Beloved wine bar and restaurant 121BC is finally back after its relocation. Australian-born chef Fabio Nicotra leads the team, serving seasonal, simple but refined Italian food alongside an award-winning all-Italian wine list. The long, shared table accentuates the eatery’s communal concept, and the menu features a range of fresh tapas dishes, daily house-made pastas, main courses and desserts from which to choose, with as much made in-house as possible, including cheeses, breads, ice creams, pastas, cured meats and more. The new space with its exposed brick walls is fittingly reminiscent of an underground Tuscan wine cellar.
LG/F, Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road (entrance on Graham Street), Central, 2395 0200/2672 8255
CAMPSITE
Now, this is a unique concept! CAMPSITE is for those who love the great outdoors and the luxuries of modern living. This glamping-themed restaurant aims to give HK diners a break from their busy city lives as well as reconnecting them with nature. The menu makes use of fresh, natural ingredients to create modern versions of camping classics. Expect dishes such as flame-burnt Dungeness crabmeat, campfire sweetcorn soup and, of course, classic s’mores. The interior boasts plenty of natural light and rustic features combined with elegant fixtures to really enhance the glamping experience. They’ve even got their very own own spin on snakebite (a camping combo of lager and cider) – the CAMPSITE Diesel.
Shop 5, G/F, K11 ATELIER, 728 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, 3705 8248, book online
Cinnabon
Ah, Cinnabon, how we do love thee? Let us count the ways. This American chain founded in 1985 in Seattle is making its way to the 852 this month – just in time for V-Day (or should we say D-Day) – and we can’t wait to get our hot little hands on the bakery’s ooey, gooey Classic Cinnamon Rolls, Chocobons and Caramel Pecanbons. Authentic American-style cinnamon rolls are sadly a rarity in Hong Kong, but all that’s changed now with Cinnabon coming to town, pulling out the big buns. Open from 7 February.
Shop G06, G/F, Olympian City 2 ,18 Hoi Ting Road, West Kowloon
Double D at Stockton
Good news for those lamenting the loss of Maximal Concepts’ reto-cool (yet unfortunately named) burger joint Double D – it’s back, with DD’s full food menu available both at speakeasy Stockton (Tuesday–Saturday from 6pm) and for delivery via foodpanda. This means you can once again get your greedy little paws on Double D’s classic beefy burgers (or those made with alternative proteins like buttermilk fried chicken and beer-battered fish), loaded fries and onion rings and spiked milkshakes, and the even better news is that all the ingredients used are sustainable and organic.
32 Wyndham Street, Central, 2898 3788
FRITES (Kwun Tong and North Point)
Two more branches of popular Belgian beerhouse and restaurant FRITES have opened. Get your fill of moules frites and Stella Artois, along with great happy-hour promotions, outdoor spaces and kids’ play areas to keep mum and dad and the littles happy.
Kwun Tong: Shop 3, 1/F, The Quayside, 77 Hoi Bun Road, 2781 0262, book online
North Point: Shop 4–5, G/F, Harbour East, 218 Electric Road, 2333 5538, book online
The Green Room
WeWork has launched its first-ever classic modern bistro in Asia, The Green Room. As the name suggests, the restaurant places a strong emphasis on sustainability, responsibly sourced ingredients and no meat (only seafood). The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Ferran Tadeo, a protégé of world-renowned Spanish chefs Ferran Adrià and José Andrés, who also helms one of Hong Kong’s finest Spanish restaurants, La Rambla by Catalunya. For The Green Room, Chef Tadeo offers a flavourful, Mediterranean-inspired take on classics like salads, handmade pastas and pizzas, working creatively with seafood and plant-based ingredients to ensure diners don’t miss the taste of meat. Award-winning mixologist John Nugent (who opened The Diplomat cocktail bar in Central last month) has designed the bar menu, offering unique green-inspired cocktails and a selection of biodynamic and natural wines. Modern and minimalist with spectacular views of VIctoria Harbour, the venue also doubles up as what we expect will be a very sought-after event space.
26/F, Tower 535, 535 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, 3689 2569, book online
K11 MUSEA
We can’t keep up with the F&B openings at K11 MUSEA, Hong Kong’s newest art mall – we could literally spend all day there grazing and not scratch the surface of what’s on offer food and drink wise. Last month, we
highlighted both Mr Ming’s Chinese Dining and the Sichuan delights and imaginative cocktails of SHU K and K BAR, and now we’d like to introduce you to a bunch more exciting newcomers:
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GINZA
First opened in 1981 at New World Centre where K11 MUSEA now stands, GINZA makes a comeback with 80s-style Japanese glamour and signatures of turtle soup, grilled silver cod and eel with rice.
Shop 125, 1/F, MUSE EDITION, 3102 2220
IE Sushi and Teppanyaki
The sea-view balcony is a draw at stylish IE Sushi and Teppanyaki, as are the teppanyaki and kaiseki dishes by well-versed Japanese chef Ryuji Tameshima. The sushi sounds top notch, but we’re most looking forward to trying innovative creations the likes of torched spiny lobster with Nyoho strawberry and black truffle and A5 Hida Wagyu chateaubriand with herb-infused sea salt.
Shop 510, 5/F, 2633 0111
Lilium by Gitone
An offshoot of Gitone, a private kitchen open for 25 years in Sai Wan Ho offering art and dining experiences, Lilium is once again all about the marriage of food and art. Local artist Terence Lee and his wife, Clara Chong, present an artful globally inspired set menu along with weekend ceramic workshops.
Shop 509, 5/F, 3596 3415
TIRPSE
TIRPSE is “esprit” spelled backwards – the French word for “spirit”. The contemporary French-Japanese restaurant’s original Tokyo branch was the fastest restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star within two months of opening in 2015. One to watch for its carefully curated sake list and signature dishes like guinea fowl with carrot and girolle, red tilefish with clam and yuzu and Guinness ice cream with buckwheat seed caramel.
Shop 219, 2/F, 2333 0031
Tominokoji Yamagishi
Another Japanese import, Tominokoji Yamagishi is an intimate extension of the Michelin-starred omakase restaurant from Kyoto, where seasonal, sensory dishes are the name of the game. Diners here have the opportunity to try cha-kaiseki, a special menu that’s served during Japanese tea ceremonies.
Shop 506, 5/F, 2686 1866, book online
YumMee
If you’re a fan of the nood, check out the spacious, funky YumMee. Dig into a wide selection of authentic
noodle dishes from Asia’s most famous cities, from Bangkok’s boat noodles to Penang’s Hokkien mee bursting with lobster and prawns.
Shop 136, 1/F, MUSE EDITION, 2344 2366
Yung’s Bistro
A modern sibling of Central’s beloved Yung Kee, which has been serving diners since 1942, Yung’s Bistro offers modern takes on Canto classics like its signature roast goose. We’re most looking forward to trying the eatery’s White Rabbit candy custard – it seems the White Rabbit craze has not died down yet!
Shop 701, 7/F, 2321 3800, book online
Lobster Shack
Down-home eatery Lobster Shack by the folk behind Flying Pig Bistro in Sai Ying Pun is where to chow down on all things seafood related, such as a three-tiered seafood tower filled with Canadian lobster, oysters, mussels, salmon, shrimp and potted crab, grilled lobster tail with garlic lemon butter, miso black cod and scallop ceviche.
6–8 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2381 8138
Closures
Bibo
After five years, this innovative art-meets-dining concept is shutting up shop. Sheung Wan restaurant Bibo was a pioneering idea that was akin to dining in an art gallery, with collections from big names like Jeff Koons, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Takashi Murakami gracing the walls while customers dined on high-end European dishes. It’s a shame to lose another restaurant that brought such a unique offering to Hong Kong’s dining scene.
RELATED: New Restaurants: January 2020
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