Hong Kong is home to a smorgasbord of dining options, ranging from small cafes to five star restaurants of the highest order. In addition, a growing appreciation of fine wines affords food and wine aficionados countless opportunities to sample cuisines from around the globe. A few are highlighted here, some traditional, some cutting edge.
Hotel buffet
More than likely your hotel provides a breakfast buffet, some more sumptuous than others. It’s a good way to be able to sample bites of foods you might not be familiar with, such as the mild dragon fruit, with white flesh dotted with tiny black seed like kiwi, or congee, a traditional breakfast gruel enjoyed across China. The Courtyard by Marriott offers a wide array of Western and Asian dishes, including dim sum, at the breakfast buffet. If you like the dim sum, go for the full experience at City Hall.
Dim Sum
What could be more quintessentially Hong Kong than dim sum? According to a long time resident of Hong Kong, some of the best dim sum can be found at City Hall. Unusual as it sounds, it really is located in City Hall, occupying a large chunk of one floor. It’s best to get there a few minutes before it opens at 11:00 AM as a line will have already formed for this popular eatery. After the first wave is admitted to the large, airy dining hall the line continues to grow longer and longer out in the lobby. One of the highlights of City Hall is that it is one of the few places that still serves dim sum in the traditional way, from carts pushed around the room by a fleet of women. You can choose based on how the dish looks when the server pulls the cover off, or by pointing at the signs posted on the front of the cart, helpfully printed in English and Chinese. Tender morsels of steamed pork bun, octopus, shrimp, cuttlefish balls, duck’s tongues, chive dumplings, steamed glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaves and shark’s fin soup are made with the freshest ingredients, with savory tastes of ginger, scallions and flavors of the sea and farm predominating. Before you know it the table will be strewn with small plates of myriad dishes, each with a delectable tidbit to pop in your mouth. Try the mango pudding to finish it off, with very ripe mango chunks bursting with tropical flavor within the pudding. (HK$183/person; US$25)
Peninsula Hotel
To experience a slice of the motherland of the British Commonwealth, partake of high tea at the Peninsula Hotel, located across Victoria Harbor in Kowloon. This venerable hotel, which set the standard for luxury when it opened in 1928, has a fleet of Rolls Royces stationed near the entrance. They do have a dress code so dress smartly and plan to see and be seen with the refined upper crust. High tea is offered from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm, featuring dainty, crustless sandwiches and petit fours served from elegant, three tiered trays and silver pots of tea.
California Vintage Wine Bar
The wine scene in Hong Kong has exploded over the last few years and the California Vintage Wine Bar is well positioned to take advantage of the growing sophistication of wine aficionados. According to the October 2011 issue of Wine Spectator, Hong Kong buyers continued to increase their purchases of U.S. collectible fine wine auctions, increasing 28% in the second quarter of 2011 compared to the first, and 80% over a year earlier. Ralph Roberts and Susan Darwin have teamed up with 22 small and medium sized vintners in California to bring a taste of liquid sunshine to Hong Kong. A sleek and sophisticated bar, the California Vintage Wine Bar sports rows of high tech tasting machines, made by Napa Technology, topped with wine bottles. You purchase a tasting card, then peruse the tasting menu or iPads attached to every table, and find the wine you want to taste. After inserting an ATM-like card you can select a taste, half glass or full glass, placing your glass under a stainless steel spigot to receive your wine. Featuring a wide range of wines from well-known to obscure wineries, there is a wine that will appeal to every palate. A seasonal tasting menu continues the California theme, with such offerings as Gilroy garlic fries, tacos, tostadas, beef sliders and cheeses from the acclaimed Cow Girl Creamery based in Marin County, CA. (HK$29-133 for ½ glass; $55-267 for 1 glass, $186-1201 for a bottle; $58-118 for tasting menu dishes. US$4-17 for ½ glass; $7-34 for 1 glass, $24-154 for a bottle; $7-15 for tasting menu dishes.)
Golden Valley Restaurant
The Michelin-rated Golden Valley Restaurant is located in the Emperor Hotel in Happy Valley. It’s enjoying a rush of popularity so reservations are a must. Featuring Sichuan style Chinese food, the menu is unusual in that so many traditional foods are available. While not as formal as the Peninsula, white tablecloths and ornate furniture set the tone. The focus is on the food, which is prepared with care, using only the freshest ingredients, while the service can be indifferent. The crispy skin of the fried chicken was delectable, while the sweet flavors of corn and chicken soup soothed the palate. Fried eggplant with minced pork and dry chilli gave a good kick, while the sautéed prawns with sour sauce exuded briny, ocean flavors. A good wine selection is available, or to avoid the sometimes difficult task of pairing wine with innumerable Asian flavors of shared dishes, you can choose from a variety of cocktails or beers. (HK$350 per person, including drinks; US$45)
Summary
While there is no shortage of fine dining options in Hong Kong, these eateries illustrate a range of options, from traditional Western and Chinese food, to a taste of California.
See related article on “A day in Hong Kong” for more information about what to do around the restaurants mentioned here. See “Walking tour allows self-paced discovery of Hong Kong” and “Making the most of three days in Hong Kong” for more information on activities.
Information:
Courtyard by Marriott, Hong Kong
167 Connaught Road West
Western, Hong Kong
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/hkgcy-courtyard-hong-kong
City Hall Dim Sum
Lower Block City Hall
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: 2521-1303
Hours: 11-3 Mon-Sat; 9-3 Sun
Peninsula Hotel
Salisbury Road
Kowloon
Tel: 2920-2888
www.peninsula.com/Hong_Kong/en/
California Vintage Wine Bar
77 Wyndham St.
Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2525-9808
www.cvinebar.com
Golden Valley Restaurant
Emperor Hotel
1 Wang Tak St.
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2961-3330
www.emperorhotel.com.hk
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