New Launches
TANGO Argentinian Steakhouse
Beloved South American steakhouse TANGO has found a new home in the heart of Central’s bustling Lan Kwai Fong area! After bidding farewell to their Wydnham Street location in November 2022, the restaurant has returned with a vibrant offering of premium Argentinian meats and seafood, all on show at its brand new open kitchen led by Chef Duilio Desimoni and Chef Saruulgerel Eggi Enkh-Amgalan. Dig into various mouthwatering steaks from Buenos Aires and choose from TANGO’s first-ever selection of dry-aged beef cuts; get a taste of true Argentine culinary culture with barbecue-ready sausage varieties known as achuras; and indulge in an unbeatable lineup of empanadas and desserts.
2/F, Grand Progress Building, 15-16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central; @tangohongkong
Croque
View this post on Instagram
There’s a new kid on the block looking to up the city’s sandwich game, one cheesy bite at a time. Founded by Remi Brunet and Clement Jacques, Croque takes the beloved croque monsieur on a flavourful adventure, whipping up thrilling flavour pairings that cater to every palate. Sink your teeth into the moreish Angry Duck!, a combination of homemade confit duck, emmental cheese and orange balsamic; or the fishy Captain Hook that pairs smoked salmon and salmon roe with a zingy horseradish cream. Of course, a take on the classic French sandwich is also on offer, reinvented with mornay bechamel and pickle slices. Beef up the meal with a side of truffle fries and an indulgent, carby dessert of French toast brulée.
1 Lyndhurst Tower, 78 Wellington Street, Central; @croque.hk
Cultured
White Owl Group launches Cultured, a new brand specialising in delicious fermented foods that are good for both you and the planet. Founded by serial entrepreneur Shirley Kwok of The Cakery, Cultured was born out of the desire for better plant-based alternatives to cheese. Now the brand is stepping up to the challenge with a gut-healthy variety of cheese, cream cheese spreads, and hummus that are all bursting with nutrients and umami — thanks to the magic of fermentation. Elevate your breakfast bagels with Cultured’s creamy Truffle Cream Cheeze or treat your tastebuds to a crunchy snack of their handcrafted seed crackers topped with the Sundried Tomato and Roasted Garlic Cheeze or Sweet & Spicy Curry Hummus. The full line-up of Cultured products are available online and for pick-up at all The Cakery stores.
Chinese New Year menus and more
Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
There is no better place to welcome the Year of the Dragon than Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. Feast on an exclusive Omakase-style eight-course menu at The Aubrey from 6pm to 10pm on February 11th against the backdrop of the city’s breathtaking Chinese New Year fireworks.
For exceptional Chinese fare, head to Man Wah, the hotel’s One-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant where Executive Chinese Chef Wong Wing-Keung has curated a special menu highlighting good fortune, including Lo Hei tossed salad and dim sum selections like crab and shrimp dumplings – symbols of abundance.
Man Wah has partnered with master chef “Dashijie” Theresa Yiu again this year to create a limited-edition Supreme Goose Liver Turnip Cake, available exclusively at The Mandarin Cake Shop. The Mandarin Cake Shop is now hosting a pop-up at Ocean Terminal, Harbour City until 14 April, allowing Mandarin Oriental Fans to purchase celebratory treats like traditional Chinese New Year puddings and luxurious gift hampers featuring signature items from Rose Petal Jam to X.O. sauce.
5 Connaught Road Central; @mo_hkg
Ho Lee Fook
Ring in the Year of the Dragon with a special Lunar New Year feast crafted by Chef ArChan from Ho Lee Fook restaurant. Usher in luck and prosperity with the restaurant’s luxurious take on Chiuchow-Style Lo Hei. This traditional tossed salad features emperor red snapper along with ten different vegetables and herbs and is served alongside baby Chinese cabbage in a broth made from emperor red snapper. Indulge in the Wok-Fried Australian Lobster tossed with Ho Lee Fook’s signature XO sauce, cooked to tender perfection and paired with crispy rice vermicelli for that extra crunch. Both dishes serve up to six people, making them perfect additions to your reunion dinner table. This Lunar New Year offering will be available for pre-order between February 10-15, so be sure to pre-order at least 24 hours in advance to welcome the Year of the Dragon in auspicious style.
3-5 Elgin Street, SoHo, Hong Kong; @holeefookhk
Mott 32
Kick off the Year of the Dragon with a lavish spread of auspicious delicacies at Mott 32. The multi-award winning establishment’s celebratory Chinese New Year menu honours tradition with the likes of a bountiful whole lobster and abalone lo hei, spicy wok-fried mud crab with turnip cake, and a hearty bamboo basket of steamed lotus leaf rice with prawn, duck, conpoy, chicken, mushroom and egg. Other highlights include steamed fourfinger threadfin cooked in chicken oil and hwa tiao wine, and a crispy assortment of sliced duck with taro.
Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central; @mott32hk
The Legacy House
Ring in the new year with a prosperous feast of traditional Chinese delicacies at Rosewood Hong Kong’s resident Cantonese restaurant. The Legacy House has cooked up lavish dinner menus for Chinese New Year, featuring the best of its cuisine with dishes like the 15-ingredient poon choi, stewed razor clams, and crispy chicken rolls stuffed with glutinous rice, conpoy, dried shrimp and preserved meats. Lunchtime at the restaurant is a celebratory Chinese New Year dim sum affair, with reimagined favourites such as a caviar-topped steamed lobster dumpling and salmon puff pastry with cheese. These limited-time menus will be on offer from 7 to 19 February, 2024.
5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; @thelegacyhousehk
Man Ho Chinese Restaurant
Honour the start of the new year with a Michelin-starred dinner at Man Ho Chinese Restaurant. Led by Executive Chinese Chef Jayson Tang, the restaurant’s culinary team cooks up a host of festive Chinese New Year classics to be enjoyed in the company of your loved ones. Help yourself to a dose of good luck with braised bamboo pith, abalone, and pork tongue rolls, while sautéed tiger garoupa with a bright citrus honey sauce promises a successful year ahead. The seasonal Ru Yi Chinese New Year Reunion Set menu also boasts opulence in the form of Man Ho’s signature deep-fried crispy chicken and baked crab shells stuffed with crab and lobster meat.
Level 3, JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty; marriottbonvoyasia.com
Chinese New Year puddings at Yat Tung Heen
The one Michelin-starred Yat Tung Heen rings in the Year of the Dragon with its celebratory signature turnip pudding, and Chinese New Year pudding. The former is crafted with premium dried shrimp, conpoy, Chinese preserved sausage and air-dried preserved meat, while the latter is a coconut glutinous cake made with cane sugar. Both nostalgic classics arrive in elegant boxes adorned with traditional Chinese motifs, and can be purchased as a gift set containing the restaurant’s housemade premium XO sauce, candied walnuts, and a hand-selected variety of ginseng oolong tea leaves.
Available for pre-order here
Lai Ching Heen
Lai Ching Heen begins their Chinese New Year celebrations early with their indulgent Chinese New Year Fat Choy menu, available 16 January to 25 February. The two Michelin-starred restaurant begins the six course meal with an array of moreish bites like barbecued suckling pig and golden lobster with spicy salt before introducing the delicate ‘Buddha Jumping Over The Wall’ — a soup filled with auspicious delicacies such as sea cucumber, abalone, and bird’s nest. Come the day of Hong Kong’s first Lunar New Year fireworks in four years, Lai Ching Heen offers an exclusive six-course dinner to complement its stunning views of the occasion. For those looking for a more customised experience, a range of exclusive a la carte dishes like braised rock rice with pork belly make for a great celebratory addition to any meal.
Ground Floor, Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon; hongkong.regenthotels.com
Starbucks
This Lunar New Year, Starbucks is helping us usher in the Year of the Dragon with their stunning new 21-piece “Guardian Dragon and Its Keeper” merchandise collection. Inspired by myths and legends, vibrant red and turquoise designs depict flying dragons soaring through vivid illustrations. From tumblers to coffee mugs, each product celebrates the strength, vitality and good fortune dragons symbolise. But Starbucks gifts don’t stop there — delight your loved ones with an exquisite Assorted Pastries Gift Set. Housed in a striking bright red box adorned with dragon motifs, it includes four thoughtfully selected pastry flavours to please every palate, from Earl Grey palmiers to matcha egg rolls. For the ultimate Lunar New Year bundle, purchase two sets to receive red packets!
Available at all Starbucks stores except the Hong Kong Disneyland Store
Kyoto Joe launches pescatarian semi-buffet
Favoured for their expansive vegetarian dining options, Kyoto Joe now expands their offerings with a pescatarian all-you-can-eat menu. Diners are treated to a choice of one seafood or plant-based main course— such as an applewood smoked sashimi box or the signature watermelon steak— and an unlimited flow of appetisers, robatayaki, deep-fried delights, sushi rolls, and other hot dishes.
23/F California Tower, 30-36 D’Aguilar St, Central; @kyotojoelkf
Seasonal delights at Ta Vie
Chef Hideaki Sato’s new winter tasting menu is a brilliant execution of vibrant seasonal flavours. The Kegani king crab and avocado appetiser arrives with a delicate layer of chrysanthemum and ginger jelly, followed by a paring of grilled Hokki clam with 36-month aged parma ham. Fans of sea urchin will delight in the menu’s signature dish, which is a fresh serving of handmade pasta with Aonori sauce and premium Hokkaido uni. For the finale, Chef Sato presents his take on the classic mont blanc dessert (reinvented with pu’er ice cream) as well as the refreshing apple and pink guava sorbet.
2F, The Pottinger Hotel, 21 Stanley Street; @ta_vie_hk
Wintertime delicacies at Sushi Saito
Legendary Chef Takashi Saito of the one-Michellin starred Sushi Saito reinvigorates his classic Edomae sushi experience once again, introducing a new host of seasonal seafood luxuries. Indulge in the autumnal delicacy of Matsuba crab, hand-pulled, combined with crab roe and paste, and crowned with seared mullet roe for a dish rich in savoury elements. Elsewhere, diners can look forward to a highly bespoke dinner with Chef Saito’s selection of eight nigiri sushi, the centrepiece of the whole menu. Each sushi is prepared according to the unique conditions of each fish, which vary on a daily basis and require differing cuts and seasoning.
45th Floor, Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street; fourseasons.com
Collaborations And Pop-ups
Chef Thierry Drapeau at SKYE Roofbar & Dining
On January 19 and 20, 2 Michelin-starred Chef Thierry Drapeau of Signature Bangkok is bringing his “cuisine of the soil” philosophy to Hong Kong for two nights with SKYE. Lauded for his gastronomic creativity, Chef Thierry has looked to local farmers to craft a six-course menu that draws on his artful use of edible flowers and herbs from all across Asia. Expect to reconnect with nature through delicate French fare; a poached langoustine with carrot mousseline blooms with tagete flowers, while a crisp Challans duck and cauliflower mousseline is paired with braised salsify flowers.
Reserve a table here
SKYE Roofbar & Dining, Level 27, The Park Lane Hong Kong – A Pullman Hotel, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay; @skyeparklane
Black and White Truffle night at Grissini
Chef de Cuisine Valerio Mandile presents the best of both worlds at an exclusive one-night only black and white truffle dinner. The luxurious event is an eight course dinner that highlights the glorious differences between these seasonal Piedmont delicacies. The prominent garlic notes of the white truffle compliments dishes like the bottoni pasta with langoustine and crustacean emulsion, while the black truffle’s earthy flavour are the perfect finish to the heartier Iberico pork Plin with chicken consommé or the seared atlantic lobster and celeriac purée. Those looking to elevate the experience further can opt for a wine-pairing menu at an additional cost.
Reserve your spot here
2/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
LPM x Lyre’s presents ‘Une Petite Pause’
Those participating in Dry January can still indulge in a range of classic cocktails with LPM Restaurant & Bar’s new ‘Une Petite Pause’ bespoke menu. Created in collaboration with leading non-alcoholic spirits brand Lyre’s, the menu comprises four alcohol-free cocktails that are as layered and delightful as LPM’s beloved Tomatino. Take your pick from the likes of The Nogroni Sbagliato made with Earl Grey, gentian root, and Lyre’s Classico, aperitif rosso, and Italian spritz, or a Watermelon Gazpacho that blends Lyre’s Dry London with LPM’s watermelon and tomato gazpacho mix.
H Queen’s, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central, @lpmrestauranthk
The Pizza Bar on 38th at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo’s legendary The Pizza Bar on 38th is back for another two-week pop-up at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong! From January 15 to 28 (closed January 22), the hotel’s Private Dining Room will once again be transformed into an interactive chef’s-table setting, offering a mouthwatering view of the pizza oven. Gourmet pizzas boasting seasonal flavours and premium ingredients like Bafun sea urchin, San Marzano solania tomatoes, and Japanese yellow and purple cauliflower, will be served in two rounds only for both lunch and dinner. The pop-up’s signature ‘degustazione’ menu features a starter, seven pizza slices, and dessert. Those who don’t want to miss out on Executive Chef Daniele Cason’s renowned creations must reserve a seat in advance.
Make your reservations via +852 2132 0066 or email [email protected]
7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Moxie x CulinArt 1862
For the first time ever, Moxie’s Michael Smith and Stanley Wong of CulinArt 1862 have joined forces for a one-night only four-hands dinner. Delight in sustainably-sourced seafood and local produce with dishes such as a seared yellow-fin tuna starter with nori rolls, wasabi and lovage vinaigrette; monkfish “foie gras” with burnt dashi leeks and honey miso; and lamington paired with Davidson plum gel.
Reserve a spot here
1/F, Chinachem Leighton Plaza, 29 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay; culinart1862.com
Paul Lafayet x Emilie Sarnel
Paul Lafayet brings a touch of fantasy this Chinese New Year with the help of French illustrator Emilie Sarnel. To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, the French patisserie has curated a selection of themed gift sets brought to life with Sarnel’s playful illustrations. The Scarlet Dragon Gift Box 2024 brims with luxurious delicacies, housing artisanal handmade cookies, chocolate-covered strawberries, caramel almonds, premium teas, and a fine bone China dish to last far beyond the holidays; while the red velvet treat-filled Lucky Bag is the perfect little something for friends and family.
Shop the full Paul Lafayet Chinese New Year collection here
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. Payos and Kaitlyn LaiCredit
Lead image: Courtesy of Mott 32
