New Launches
Nocino lands at BaseHall 01; Twins Liangpi, Pinky Bakery and Don Bowls & Rolls at BaseHall 02
It’s an exciting month for BaseHall — four new members have joined Central’s hottest casual dining hub. Nocino, the viral Swiss-Italian haunt known for cosy pasta selects including a spicy pork nduja reginette, has expanded its reach with a spot in BaseHall 01. Meanwhile, BaseHall 02 welcomes an exciting lineup of Asian eateries. Homegrown Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Twins Liangpi is serving up their classic, crowd-favourite liangpi as well as contemporary twists on their traditional recipe and other well-loved noodle dishes, whereas Sushi Fujimoto launches Don Bowls & Rolls, a rice bowls and hand rolls concept exclusive to the new location. Last but not least, is Hong Kong’s very own Pinky Bakery, offering perfectly chewy hand-crafted bagels made fresh every day.
LG/F and B/F, Jardine House, Central; @basehallhk
PHO BAY
A new Vietnamese restaurant has thrown its anchor and docked at Discovery Bay Plaza! PHO BAY dives into the vibrant Southeast Asian cuisine with veteran chef Chalian Phaenthong at its helm, serving up regional seafood specialties like soft shell crab green curry alongside classic Vietnamese mainstays such as banh mi, crispy vermicelli spring rolls, and of course, pho. The restaurant is a casual all-day dining concept complete with bamboo-accented interiors and a covetable al-fresco space.
Shop G08B, DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Lantau Island, Hong Kong; @phobaydbhk
Casa Cucina re-opens in Causeway Bay
Chef-owner Anthony Cheung has found a new home for Casa Cucina in Causeway Bay’s buzzy Fashion Walk neighbourhood. The relaunched concept stays loyal to the vibrant yet homely qualities that made Casa such a beloved spot, with playful interiors that reflect the creative spirit of Chef Anthony’s practice. Now with a stronger focus on seasonality and locally-sourced produce, the revamped menu revolves around handcrafted pasta signatures like the morels pappardelle, and features new mouthwatering creations like the eggplant caponata and chilli garlic tagliatelle, a refined take on Indomie mi goreng noodles.
Shop C & D, Riviera Mansion, 59-65 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay; @casacucinahk
ÓNA
ÓNA enlivens the Discovery Bay dining scene with the coastal flavours of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The restaurant boasts of a comprehensive culinary experience that takes place within warm, rustic interiors that spill out onto a vibrant al-fresco dining area. Revel in the smoky flavours of ÓNA’s signature whole squid kissed by the Josper grill, and a hearty Moroccan beef tagine flavoured with prune, apricot and almonds, or explore delicious vegetarian fare with traditional Greek dishes like spanakopita (spinach and feta pie) or a potato-eggplant moussaka (casserole). Desserts here are also not to be missed; choose from specialties like Turkish baklava pastries or qatayefe folded pancakes with cheese and syrup, a festive Arab treat.
Shop G09, DB Plaza, 1 Discovery Bay Road, Lantau Island, Hong
Kong; @onadbhk
New Menus
Citrus Carnival at Plaisance
Chef Mauro Colagreco brings the Menton Citrus Carnival to Hong Kong with a three-day culinary celebration at Plaisance. With the option of a four-course lunch or six-course dinner, guests can indulge in innovative dishes that blend the nuanced flavours of the sea with bright, zesty citrus varieties.
From March 25 to 27 at 1 Duddell Street, Central; @plaisancehk
The Chinese Library presents Dragon’s Tale
It’s a fantastic Year of The Dragon so far for The Chinese Library, who received their first diamond award at the 2024 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide awards. To celebrate, Chef Junno Li, has whipped up a new Dragon’s Tale dinner available throughout the month. Discover Cantonese cuisine reimagined with modern flair through eight dishes the likes of a foie gras dumpling with fuji apple, a tableside roasted pigeon with homemade rosemary, black bean, chu hou and sesame sauce, and a nostalgic sweet and sticky glutinous rice with terminalia almond and pumpkin seeds treat.
The Chinese Library, Police Headquarters Block 01, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central; @thechineselibrary
Shake Shack Matcha Cookies & Cream Shake
Calling all matcha enthusiasts, Shake Shack has launched a new limited-edition milkshake that is truly heaven sent! The Matcha Cookies & Cream shake is a dreamy hand-spun concoction of crushed butter cookies, premium matcha powder from Kyoto’s Uji matcha master Kitagawa Hanbee, and Shake Shack’s signature vanilla frozen custard. Gloriously rich and the perfect example of “not-too-sweet” supremacy, it truly does not get better than this.
Available at all Shake Shack locations across Hong Kong; @shakeshackhongkong
Chef Joe revamps Yurakucho Izakaya, YFC Happy Hour
Along with the arrival of Chef Joe Chan who previously helmed Awa Awa, comes a whole new lineup of Japanese street eats inspired by the culinary gems found in gado shita across Tokyo. Dig into signature creations the likes of salmon handrolls, snow crab udon and wagyu sando, or swing by for a weekday lunch deal starring a house curry with crispy tonkatsu. Adding to the good news, Yurakucho Izakaya has also launched a Yurakucho Fried Chicken happy hour that runs Monday through Saturday at 4 ‘til 7pm.
G/F, Yu Yuet Lai Building, 43-55 Wyndham St, Central; @yurakucho.hk
LPM celebrates Art Basel
Extend the Art Basel Hong Kong revelry into dinner and drinks at LPM! The restaurant’s ‘Recipes for our Friends’ cocktail menu pays homage to French artist and writer Jean Cocteau, while dishes like a king crab and tomato tart are a delightful display of Head Chef Maurizio Pace’s creativity. To complement the gastronomic celebration, LPM will also be hosting special performances by French party band The Troubadours on March 29 and 30.
23-29 Stanley Street Shop 1, UG, H Queen’s, Central; lpmrestaurants.com
New WTF Pizza at The Pizza Project
Another month, another WTF Pizza at The Pizza Project! This March, The Pizza Project is serving up a tribute to the precious pistachio with two mouthwatering delights. The ‘Ode to Pistachio’ is a savoury treat of chunky pistachio spread with mortadella mousse and chips, fior di latte cheeses, and stracciatella, while the ‘Cremino’ is an indulgent dessert pizza that is a simple but blissful combination pistachio creme, nutella and white chocolate.
Available from March 8 to 17 at The Pizza Project’s Peel Street and Star Street locations; @thepizzaproject.hk
Collaborations And Chef Announcements
Chef Sato Hideaki crowned Maison Mumm RSRV’s first Global Ambassador
We raise a glass to Chef Sato Hideaki of 3 Michelin-starred Ta Vie for his new role as Maison Mumm’s inaugural Champagne RSRV Gastronomic Global Ambassador! The prestigious appointment comes after a three year-long partnership between the renowned chef-owner and the Maison Mumm RSRV Embassy—a relationship that has given rise to one-of-a-kind champagne pairing menus and Chef Sato’s achievement as Asia’s first RSRV Special Culinary Ambassador last year.
Together, Chef Sato and Maison Mumm will continue crafting visionary culinary creations that draw inspiration from the unique textural profiles of each RSRV cuvée. Besides the loyal patrons of Ta Vie, those headed to Maison Mumm’s Tables des Chefs in Reims can also look forward to indulging in these collaborative delights during Chef Sato’s upcoming four-month four-month residency at the restaurant.
Chef Donovan Cooke x Roland Schuller Private Table
From March 13 to 16, culinary masterminds Donovan Cooke and Roland Schuller are joining hands for a special series of four-hands lunch and dinner experiences. The collaboration will take place at Donovan Cooke’s eponymous restaurant (launched late last year), and welcomes Chef Roland back to Hong Kong after his departure from Octavium in 2023. Dishes will be an introduction to both chefs’ culinary legacy, with signatures such as Chef Donovan’s tuna tartare from Ryne, and Chef Roland’s wagyu trio from his previous stint at The Drawing Room.
Call 5228 7006 to reserve your spot
16/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay; @donovan.hongkong
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. PayosCredit
Lead image: Courtesy of BaseHall
