Qura Bar
Qura Bar is Regent Hong Kong’s hidden gem. Tucked away behind a glass door on the hotel’s lobby floor, this restaurant bar is a portal into another world. The interiors are glamorous yet eclectic, featuring a whimsical curation of vintage furniture and decor pieces, and the cuisine and beverage program is exceptional. One of their new cocktails called “Bittersweet Symphony” draws inspiration from consonance and dissonance in music. The upper layer is a bittersweet blend of coconut oil and Peychaud’s Bitters, whilst the bottom is a vodka-based negroni infused with rhubarb and elderflower. Pair this cocktail with Qura’s fresh Gillardeau oysters with Bloody Mary granita and you have yourself an exquisite start to a romantic meal.
“The savoury and spicy notes of the Bloody Mary granita enhance the cocktail’s herbal and bitter flavours,” says Qura Bar Manager, Gennaro Pucci. “The granita’s icy texture adds a fun mouthfeel, while the oysters offer a refreshing contrast to the richness of the drink’s coconut and elderflower.”
Lobby Floor, Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong; @qurahongkong
Té Bo
A modern European fine dining restaurant with Asian influences, Té Bo is a reflection of chef Sebastian Lorenzi’s colourful experience growing up in Hong Kong and working in European or French establishments. “Ultimately, I serve the food I love with finesse, omakase-style,” he says. His wagyu M9+ striploin dish on Té Bo’s first menu is a beautiful showcase of his culinary approach; it draws inspiration from a classic steak au poivre—a dish he loves—then elevates it with unique, unexpected flavours.
“For the peppercorn sauce, we dry toast black pepper nibs until fragrant then deglaze with cognac. We then add mustard, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, honey, cream and brown chicken jus to finish.” The M9+ wagyu striploin is paired with thyme-infused fried polenta topped with amaranth and charming dollops of thyme gel and a moreish black garlic puree.
2/F, Two Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay; @tebo.hk
Restaurant Petrus
Chef Uwe Opocensky crafts desserts that leave people in awe, wondering just how much the human mind is capable of. For the German culinary mastermind, every great creation starts with an ingredient. “I always say, I am the middleman between the producer and the consumer. The better the product is, the less I have to do,” he says. “For me, it’s all about highlighting the ingredients and the work which goes into it, so if it’s already perfect, I need to do very little to make it wow.”
The star of his Valentine’s Day dessert is the ayamihime strawberry, a special hybrid between a gariguette and amaou strawberry that took flavour scientist Yuichi Ishikawa seven years to perfect. The rose itself is an ice cream made with cream from Burgundy, rose flavour, and strawberries, which is then brought to life with a velvety dusting of freeze dried raspberry and strawberry powder, and boiled sugar “water droplets”. Delicate almond and strawberry tuile petals bring another layer of dimension to the dessert, whilst crushed pistachios add a pop of verdant green.
56/F, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty; @restaurant_petrus
Photography: Samantha Sin
Styling: Ella Wong
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. Payos
