5 More New Restaurants To Try in Hong Kong!

Red lanterns in Dragon-i in time for Chinese New Year! Ushering the Year of the Sheep with my friends from the Phiilippines Eths and Marbee Go, Michelle del Rosario and Hong Kong-based Joerg Zobel
Red lanterns in Dragon-i in time for Chinese New Year! Ushering the Year of the Sheep (we all wore a touch of red on purpose!!!) with my friends from the Philippines Eths and Marbee Go, Michelle del Rosario and Hong Kong-based Joerg Zobel

Happy Year of the Goat/ Sheep/ Ram! 🙂 Why the multi-hyphenate? Well, a little trivia for you, the Chinese character  羊 (yang) translates to all three, hence, sometimes a little debate here and there. Well, regardless, I think it’s going to be fabulous!

This year, I missed out on our annual Tiu clan CNY Eve get together, where we normally enjoy a home-cooked feast of Cantonese and Taiwanese dishes like la wei fan (steamed rice casserole), jiao zi (dumplings with pork chives and chicken– MY FAVE!), among a heaping of other deliciousness… as I ushered in CNY in Hong Kong!

 

While alot of my expat friends traveled out during this period, the city was completely populated by locals and I was really happy to have been able to partake in CNY traditions like visiting the flower market, saying prayers at the temple and wishing upon an orange tree, courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board. I extended over the weekend– just to EAT— and was so happy to have been able to check ALL the restaurants on my list this trip– mission (s) accomplished!

I want to share them with you and hope you enjoy them during your next visit in Hong Kong! 🙂 (And just in case you missed it, here’s my roundup of my Top 10 Restaurants to Visit in Hong Kong from 2014, all, which I likewise think merit a visit :))

1) Carbone

The general consensus from foodie friends was that Carbone, which opened last August 2014, was really good– but also really hard to get a table! Luckily, on a night out on my last trip, I happened to meet Chef Eric Kleinman— who had moved to the city for a few months to train the staff (the original outpost in New York had a string of accolades, including three stars from New York Times)– and he helped me secure a table! I felt like I was on the set of The Grand Budapest Hotel— with a dining room decked in leather and brass, evoking the feel of mid-20th century. (The staff’s uniforms of neatly pressed tuxedos are designed by Zac Posen.) The classic New York-Italian dishes are phenomenal and definitely good for sharing– from paper-thin melt-in-your-mouth wagyu beef carpaccio (with black truffle and hazelnuts!) to their most popular pasta, the indulgent and (pretty) spicy vodka rigatoni to the lemon cheesecake with the best crust ever. Come hungry– and as a group, so you can share!

9/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2593 2593; carbone.com.hk 

Walking into Carbone felt like I was transported to the set of "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Walking into Carbone felt like I was transported to the set of “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Wagyu carpaccio perfection <3 And no carbs, too! ;)
Wagyu carpaccio perfection
The best lemon cheesecake + limoncello are the perfect way to end a meal at Carbone! Warning, you won't be able to breathe after! So good!
The best lemon cheesecake + limoncello are the perfect way to end a meal at Carbone! Warning, you won’t be able to breathe after! So good!

2) Ho Lee Fook

Ho Lee Fook.. Ho Lee Fook.. say it again but as you would in English (don’t mind the Chinese spelling, haha!) That’s the reaction you’re meant to elicit at this new, super popular restaurant (also by the Black Sheep Group, same folks behind Carbone)– so popular that I was only able to get a table at 11 PM, and by then it was still full! They serve great modern Chinese fare like cauliflower and brussels sprouts with maple bacon chili jam (boring vegetables made exciting!), Mom’s cabbage and pork dumplings, and Wagyu beef ribs with jalapeno puree and green shallots kimchi. Definitely check this place out! (I hear if you come early around 6PM, it’s alot easier to get a table). And by the way, Ho Lee Fook translates to “good fortune in your mouth”– you naughty naughty, what were you thinking?! 😉

1 Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2810 0860; holeefookhk.tumblr.com/

Even going down to the  basement dining of the restaurant, you can already feel the "good fortune" by the wall of golden cats waving at you
Even going down to the basement dining of the restaurant, you can already feel the “good fortune” by the wall of golden cats waving at you
Mom’s Dumplings, Ho Lee Fook, Elgin Street, Soho, Central, Hong Kong
This Wagyu beef ribs is the dish that everyone who's been here will tell you to order! Incredibly tender meat juxtaposed with jalapeno puree and kimchi shallots.. amazing.
This Wagyu beef ribs is the dish that everyone who’s been here will tell you to order! Incredibly tender meat juxtaposed with jalapeno puree and kimchi shallots.. amazing.
As if you couldn't tell from their cheekily named den, the staff at Ho Lee Fook are just as fun-loving!
As if you couldn’t tell from their cheekily named den, the staff at Ho Lee Fook are just as fun! (Notice the cool mahjong tiles used as decors!)

3) Limewood

Limewood has a lot of lime, wood, margaritas.. and sand, sea and sun. Under the Maximal Concepts group (same as Mott 32, Stockton and Brickhouse), this months-old newbie situated at Repulse Bay stands out because of its location– literally a breath of fresh air offering a legit view, away from the hustle and bustle of the ‘Kong. Some of their dishes are better than others like the jerked coconut corn, 24-hour charred beef ribs, Thai style snapper — and the BEST churros with salted caramel sauce and coconut ice cream. (This is for sure a must!) Reservations on weekends are fully booked one month in advance– although they do have space for walk-ins.

103/104 The Pulse; 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay; Hong Kong; +852 2866 8668

As you can see from this photo, Limewood has a gorgeous beachfront... and also the best churros, served with salted caramel dipping sauce and coconut ice cream! Soooo good!!!
As you can see from this photo, Limewood has a gorgeous beachfront… and also the best churros, served with salted caramel dipping sauce and coconut ice cream! Soooo good!!!

4) Urban Cafe Commune

Urban Cafe Commune (under the Maxims Group) has some of the most incredible, flaky croissants. They sold one million croissants less than a year upon opening in 2012 and today, their Urban Bakery has branches around the city like the basement of Hysan Place in Causeway Bay, and on the 3/F of The Landmark in Central. (You can get the croissants at all these locations.) Their molten egg yolk custard croissant, as well as their crème brulee croissant, are to die for. The one in Mongkok, located at MOKO Mall, is their first full-service restaurant that often invites a queue for their British-inspired fare by chef Rico Cheng. It’s worth the wait for their lobster risotto.

Shop 121 & 181, Level 1, MOKO, 193 Prince Edward Road West, Mong Kong; Hong Kong; +852 2346 5828 

Such a hip space in the middle of Mongkok.. Urban Cafe Commune is Urban Bakery's first full scale restaurant, located in Moko Mall
Such a hip space in the middle of Mongkok.. Urban Cafe Commune is Urban Bakery’s first full scale restaurant, located in Moko Mall
Some of the most amazing croissants I've had, especially stuffed with molton egg yolk custard! Likewise the plain one and the creme brulee one are just as delicious :)
Some of the most amazing croissants I’ve had, especially stuffed with molten egg yolk custard! Likewise the plain one and the creme brulee one are just as delicious 🙂

5) Salon 10

Salon 10 isn’t new; it’s actually been around for several years, however, I only got to visit it this trip and really liked it as a cozy alternative from the craziness of Lan Kwai Fong, and discovered that apparently so do the hip “kids” of Hong Kong. Described as “an old fashioned gentleman’s parlor,” it features leather couches, walls and windows fashioned like a cruise ship, mixed with an eclectic open bar (table) at the center of it all and a live jazz band providing entertainment– a great lounge-y place for an easy nightcap.

10 Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2801 6768

They make the cocktails at Salon 10 in this open bar/ table area
They make the cocktails at Salon 10 in this open bar/ table area
Lovely cocktails at Salon 10.. Capitano, The Narcissist, Bellini and Passion Fruit Margarita
Lovely cocktails at Salon 10.. Capitano, The Narcissist, Bellini and Passion Fruit Margarita
There are so many mirrors in Salon 10, it's kinda fun to do funny face selfies :)
There are so many mirrors in Salon 10, it’s kinda fun to do funny face selfies, like we did with my friends Michelle del Rosario and Marbee Go 🙂