The term “flavour of the month” doesn’t ring more true than when talking about Hong Kong’s dog-eat-dog world of restaurants, bars and clubs. One day, you’re on top of the world, and everyone is your friend and chow fan. The next minute, you’re old news as there are ten new kids on the block, and, yes, the flavours of the month.
So, who’s In and who’s Out? And who’s been given the boot, or has been another victim of Hong Kong’s crippling rents?
We asked a number of restaurateurs and foodies for their lists. and below is a condensed Big In and Out List- and not in any order of importance.
IN
Mott32
Basement, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central
Fabulous decor and serving, amongst many other brilliant dishes, an outstanding char siu fan- Barbecued Pork and Rice.
Stocktons
G/F., 32 Wyndham St., Central
On the expensive side and the service borders on the wobbly, but the ambience and clientele makes it all worthwhile.
Warning: Don’t order their cocktails, and always ask the prices of the champagnes recommended before blindly ordering and fainting when seeing the bill.
Manchu China
G/F, 33 Elgin Street, SOHO, Central
Unpretentious restaurant serving deliciously spicy Manchurian cuisine at affordable prices. A restaurant totally lacking in bullsh*t and the air kissing crowd.
Da Domenico
G/F., 25 Tung Lo Wan Road, Causeway Bay
Almost impossible to find if not a regular- but there are plenty of loyalists who want the restaurant’s basic Italian cuisine without any unnecessary frills. The service is helpful without being intrusive, and the presence of larger-than-life owner, chef and passionate Hong Kong racing fan Alessandro adds to the homely atmosphere.
AJ’s Sri Lankan
G/F, 14 Sai Kung Hoi Pong Street, Sai Kung
The only restaurant in Hong Kong serving authentic Sri Lankan cuisine- string hoppers, the brilliant lampris- a meal in itself comprising two different curries, sambals, a hard boiled egg and rice baked and served in a banana leaf. Enough said.
Ho Lee Fook
G/F, 1-5 Elgin Street, Central
One of the very few restaurants able to pull of Chinese fusion cuisine, thanks to the creativity of Chef Jowett Wu. Always full so patience becomes a virtue.
Jimmy’s Kitchen
Basement, South China Building, 1- 3 Wyndham Street, Central
A Hong Kong institution and known for its superb Madras Chicken Curry that no one has been able to copy.
Cha Cha Wan
206 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
Fusion Thai cuisine at its very best.
22 Ship
G/F, 22 Ship Street, Wan Chai
Dim Sum 1968
Shop No.A, 14D Elgin Street, Soho, Central
Sumac
G/F, 8 Glenealy, Central
The best restaurant for Lebanese cuisine.
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OUT
Harlan Goldstein
Said to be a man without a country- and any restaurants? Really? Will he make another comeback, or has these run their course by now?
The Pawn
2/F, 62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
Absolute rip-off with its prices for ordinary dishes and housed in a heritage building with an ongoing controversy as to whether it owns the rooftop area that it claims to be theirs. Get journalist Michael Chugani, below, the voice of Hong Kong’s under trodden, to bang on about it.
New Joe Bananas
G/F, The Phoenix Building, 23 Luard Road, Wan Chai
Not new. Simply old and withered, and a nursing home for cheap “gweilos” after a cheap beer (one) and even cheaper women. A sad testament and crispy bacon to those days when taking a walk on the wild side of Wanchai with Lou Reed led to somewhere dark and mysterious.
The Champagne Bar
Grand Hyatt Hotel, 1 Harbour Road, Hong Kong, China,
A shadow of what it once was and could be. The current management of the Grand Hyatt seems lost and confused.
The Lobster Bar
Lobby Level, Island Shangri La, Level 6 , Pacific Place, Supreme Court, Central. Hong Kong
See above. And even more lost.
The Beijing Club
M88, 2-8 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong
From being the meeting place for local trendies to closing down from lack of business- always a good reason to call it quits.
Anything with the name Gordon Ramsay
Rayne
When it pours, it rains, and in this case, this club was just washed away in a tsunami of politics between its partners.
Goodfellas (and The Cage)
Ground Floor, No 24-30 Ice House Street, Central
The secret gentlemen’s clubs that were such an open secret that we hear they’ve both closed to regroup, and reopen bigger, brasher and with more Western ladies paid to laugh at cornball jokes while continually ordering expensive water coloured “Martinis”.
OVERRATED
Limewood
Spices At Repulse Bay
Sepa
Peak Lookout
Cafe Deco
Any restaurant on the Peak.
Fernando’s in Macau
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