The Best Of Hong Kong: Dining, Drinks, Boutique Hotels And Shopping

g.e offers molecular cuisine in an offbeat setting.

By Hana R. Alberts

INSIDE HONG KONG
Five Restaurants For A Blowout Dinner

1   Sushi Yoshitake This tiny restaurant in The Mercer–eight seats along a sushi bar–is as exclusive as it comes. Three-Michelin-star chef Masahiro Yoshitake’s first venture outside of Toyko frequently features the man himself–he is splitting his time between the cities–delicately hand-molding his pricey portions (imported daily from Japan). Open only for dinner. G/F, 29 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan. sushiyoshitake.com

2   Kowloon Tang A much-anticipated eatery backed by David Tang, a Hong Kong businessman known for launching the Shanghai Tang brand. Head here for superb renditions of Cantonese specialities from the nearby Dongguan region, amid a no-frills, old-school setting of ceiling fans and white tablecloths. Shop R002-003, Roof Deck, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, West Kowloon. kowloontang.com

3    The Monogamous Chinese Given the tasseled red lanterns and Chinese art adorning the lime-green walls, your first impression might be that this is more kitschy-cool than authentically awesome. It is definitively both. The place dishes up recipes from China‘s northern and Sichuan regions, a reminder of just how many immigrant cuisines Hong Kong’s best restaurants represent. 59 Caine Road, SoHo. themonogamouschinese.com

4    g.e Run by eccentric chef Gianluigi Bonelli, g.e (“gastronomy extraordinaire”) is a culinary wonderland. Dining rooms kitted out with whimsical settings–from a “time-traveling” train to a garden of Eden–serve as backdrops for Bonelli’s molecular gastronomy. Be warned: Ingredients’s states of matter are frequently altered. 2/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Road, Tsim Shai Tsui. gedining.com

5    The Dining Room A new flagship from the esteemed Xiao Nan Guo group, this spacious restaurant brings a casual vibe to the glittering Hysan Place mall, with an open kitchen serving up quintessential Hong Kong dim sum and contemporary Shanghai?nese dishes. Fans also love the delicate Chinese ?desserts like chilled puddings in jasmine, pumpkin
and green tea flavors. Shop 1201, 12/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay.

Armani/Prive: a touch of Milan.

Top Five Stops For Your
EVENING COCKTAIL

1    Wyndham the 4th This newcomer serves up classic cocktails in a laid-back setting, tucked inside an inconspicuous building on the city’s main bar street. Given the following manager and bartender Tom Wood has garnered, it won’t be under the radar for long. 4/F, 48 Wyndham Street, Central. wyndham4th.hk

2    Quinary Mixologist/alchemist Antonio Lai concocts molecular cocktails. Note the evaporators, centrifuges and other laboratory apparatus stacked behind the sleek bar. You can get a “regular” martini, but wouldn’t you rather try Lai’s signature Earl Grey martini with “caviar”? 56-58 Hollywood Road, Central. quinary.hk

3    Armani/Prive A slice of high-fashion Milan with a vast outdoor terrace, perfect for Hong Kong’s subtropical climate. Afterwork revelers in suits mix with dolled-up glitterati for drinks, laughs and the perfect amount of effortless glamour. 2/F, Chater House, 8 Connaught Road Central, Central. armaniprive-hk.com

4    001 Reservations (852-2810-6969) are a must at this underground speakeasy. No sign indicates its location save a dimly lit door knocker. Expect a jazz soundtrack, plus meticulously crafted cocktails with a fresh grilled cheese sandwich on the side. LG/F, 97 Wellington Street, Central.

5    Lobby Lounge The InterContinental has renovated its iconic Lobby Lounge. The sweeping views of Victoria Harbour through its floor-to-ceiling windows remain, but an updated interior, a new range of drinks and live music make this a happening happy-hour haunt. InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com.

Five Small
GEM HOTELS

1    The Jervois Two French design savants, architect Florent N?d?lec and furniture maker Christian Liaigre, teamed up to build this sleek tower of 49 suites in the up-and-coming Sheung Wan neighborhood. 89 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan. thejervois.com

2    Hullett House Housed in the former marine police headquarters dating to 1881, this hotel’s ten suites are intricately and innovatively decorated, with themes such as Pop Art to Shek O (one of Hong Kong’s beaches). Bonus: Each room has a terrace looking out onto the southern tip of Tsim Sha Tsui and Victoria Harbour. 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. hulletthouse.com

3    J Plus This minimalist boutique hotel is the first in Asia designed by Philippe Starck. There are touches minor (bespoke vases and door handles) and major–an open-air balcony where guests can relax above buzzing Causeway Bay. 1-5 Irving Street, Causeway Bay. jplushongkong.com

4    Hotel Icon This hip, bright hotel is a pioneer in Hong Kong. Run by university students in tourism and hospitality, it gets its inspiration–and a hefty dose of design savvy–from local creative heavyweights like designer Vivienne Tam and architect Rocco Yim. 17 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East. hotel-icon.com

5    Tai O Heritage Hotel Earlier this year, an abandoned colonial police station in the far-flung fishing village of Tai O was turned into an elegant, white-facaded nine-room hotel with sweeping views of the South China Sea. Shek Tsai Po Street, Tai O, Lantau Island. taioheritagehotel.com.