New Launches
The Aubrey launches The Tsuchida Aubrey Junmai
When Asia’s No. 10 Best Bar crafts their own sake label, you know it will be good. The Aubrey, located on the 25th Floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, launches “The Tsuchida Aubrey Junmai” after years of development with the Tsuchida Sake Brewery. This family-owned brewery in the mountainous region northwest of Tokyo brings their century (117 years to be exact) of sake-brewing knowledge to The Aubrey team, utilising the traditional “Kimoto” method to create a sake with equal balance of acidity, umami and mouth-coating viscosity. The carefully selected Asahi no Yume rice is polished minimally for distinct cereal, soy sauce, dry herbs, baking spices, pineapple, melon and papaya notes to come through. The Tsuchida Aubrey Junmai is available to buy and drink at The Aubrey exclusively while a sake pairing menu is also offered.
The Aubrey, 25th Floor, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong; mandarinoriental.com
Watermark reopens at Central Pier 7
The Central Star Ferry Pier’s resident waterfront restaurant has finally reopened its doors. Watermark offers contemporary European coastal cuisine with a picturesque 270-degree view of Victoria Harbour. Standouts on the refreshed menu include a bountiful seafood platter brimming with fresh catch, black ink risotto made with semi-dried squid and aged rice, and M7 wagyu flat iron steak and beef jus served with maitake mushrooms, pickled onion, Belgian endives, and potato pavé. Meanwhile, beverages like the signature “Watermark” cocktail or “Dame Rouge” mocktail ensure an elegant yet playful take on seaside dining.
Shop L, Level P, Central Pier 7, Star Ferry, Central; @watermark.hk
Kikusan debuts brand new look and menu
Kikusan is back with refreshed interiors and an elevated dining experience sure to excite. Firstly, the new menu has expanded to include sashimi, sushi, and Kikusan rolls, as well as shine the spotlight on the coveted Shirakaba Pork Loin from Hokkaido. The team has also launched its breakfast service, an unexpected yet entirely welcome addition to the culinary experience that offers specialties like black angus burger steak or the lighter “onigiri croissant”; a range of made-to-order Sino-Japanese dim sum creations; grab-and-go options made for busy lunch goers; and a chicken paitan broth collaboration with Tokyo’s Menya Fujushiro. What’s not to love?
Shop B13-15, B/F, Landmark Atrium; landmark.hk
Ship Kee relocates to Wan Chai
Ship Kee has found a new home in Hopewell Centre, leaving behind its previous address at Wan Chai’s Ship Street. The Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant’s new location spans over 6,000 square feet and boasts seven private dining rooms perfect for joyous gatherings with friends and family. Indulge in timeless signatures like their beloved honey-glazed char siu and the chicken oil and pigeon claypot rice, or dive into new a la carte creations such as the soulful Chaoshan seafood claypot congee.
6/F, Hopewell Centre,183 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai; @shipkeehk
Thesis launches premium salad jars in Hong Kong
Thesis unveils its ready-to-eat premium salad jars in Hong Kong, offering a convenient and healthy option for busy residents. Founded by Josh Li and his team at Nutrition Kitchen, the brand aims to provide fresh, nutritious meals that cater to the city’s fast-paced lifestyle. Each jar features high-quality ingredients and includes five core options—Glow, Align, Balance, Bloom, and Zen—tailored to meet diverse health goals and dietary needs.
Among the highlights is GLOW, designed to promote skin health, featuring a protein-rich blend of chicken or plant-based alternatives and nutritious ingredients like purple sweet potato and pomegranate seeds. ALIGN supports physical performance with a hearty mix, including beef tenderloin and colourful vegetables loaded with essential vitamins. For those looking to boost heart health, BLOOM combines smoked salmon with capers, delivering a tasty source of Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Packaged in eco-friendly, reusable glass jars, these salads make healthy eating both easy and enjoyable—shake, twist, and savour the goodness.
To start a subscription, visit thesisfood.com
Bibigo Bapsang
If there’s anything better than a fully-stocked freezer of bibigo dumplings, it just might be bibigo bapsang. The “fast K-meal” chain is making its global debut in the heart of Hong Kong’s very own Central district, and will be opening its doors to the public on October 10. Reasonably priced combos perfect for a fuss-free lunch or dinner offer a choice of carby Korean classic mains—think beef bulgogi rice, kimchi pork soup with kalguksu noodles and japchae—with a drink, side, and moreish add-ons like soy garlic fried chicken and fried pork and kimchi dumplings.
G/F, 32 Cochrane Street, Central; @bibigo_bapsang
Halloween treats, hairy crab menus and more
A Halloween cocktail at Terrible Baby
This year, Terrible Baby’s Axel Gonzalez has whipped up a single Halloween cocktail sure to send chills down your spine. The Candy Crush Zombie reimagines the sweet taste of death with rum, grapefruit, citrus, Haribo Happy Cola, and cinnamon Coca-Cola foam. Get your hands on it before it disappears into the underworld forever.
4/F Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Jordan, Kowloon; @terriblebaby
The Cakery celebrates spooky season
Opt for a guilt-free Halloween with The Cakery’s health-conscious treats! Choose between a chocolate crumble graveyard, a smiling pumpkin, or a spirited mini cake adorned with adorable ghosts; the latter two designs offer customisable cake bases like vegan lemon tea or gluten free vegan salted caramel. Organic chocolate cake pops and frosted cupcakes also make for a great Halloween party spread, whilst a jaw-dropping two tiered Halloween cake is perfect for a delicious table centrepiece.
Available at thecakery.com
Día de los Muertos cocktails at Vibes, The Mira
Vibes at The Mira brings the Halloween spirit with four Día de los Muertos-inspired cocktails! Served in festive skull-shaped glassware, each concoction honours a unique flavour profile. ‘Jill Valentine’ is an indulgent dessert type cocktail made with condensed milk, coconut milk and cacao liqueur sous vide with pistachio; ‘Dead Rising’ is a refreshing mixture of lime juice, watermelon juice, honey, and jalapeño-infused tequila for a slight kick; ‘El Zombi’ is a bold, fruity blend of mezcal, tequila, falernum, grapefruit soda, lime and pineapple juice; and ‘Ube Horchata’ is a sweet and creamy treat made with Malibu rum, rice milk, vanilla, purple yam, and homemade cinnamon syrup.
5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, Mira Place, 118 – 130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; @vibeshk
Hutong hosts Halloween Feng Wei Brunch
Hutong is cooking up a family-friendly Feng Wei weekend brunch special for Halloween. The Northern-Chinese restaurant is putting a monstrous spin on the occasion, with unlimited dim sum and drinks, fiery sharing plates and a charming dessert platter filled with themed treats like ma la chocolate mousse. Those feasting on Saturday will be immersed in a hypnotic DJ set alongside their brunch, whilst Sunday diners can try their hand at the Chinese rainbow calligraphy workshop.
18/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; @hutonghk
Chef Silvio Germann for Mandarin Grill + Bar x Krug Room
For those opting out of the haunted costume parties of Hallow’s Eve, a one-off dining experience at the Mandarin Grill + Bar is a luxurious way to spend your October 30th and 31st. It’s all treat and no tricks here as Gault Millau Chef of the Year 2023 Silvio Germann takes over the kitchen with his award-winning recipes. Rooted in his Swiss heritage yet simultaneously reflective of a worldly and imaginative approach, signature dishes from Germann’s Restaurant Mammertsberg include venison with celery and chestnut, and turbot paired with artichoke and briny caviar.
An ode to the ocean at Little Bao
It’s that time of the year again! Little Bao’s has introduced an exciting new round of seasonal specials, this time with a focus on fresh seafood in celebration of Hong Kong’s cherished crab season. A true sight to behold, the latest star of the show is a Korean fried chicken bao that features a whole deep-fried soft shell crab smothered in gochujang and a house-made leek and scallion salad wedged between pillowy buns. Other highlights include the refreshing scallop ceviche with jolo dashi stock and fried dumpling skin “salsa chips” and the yuen yeung milk tea ice cream bao topped with condensed milk, coffee powder, and coffee cornflakes made in-house. You can’t go wrong.
G/F, 9 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay; @littlebaohk
Ming Court brings back seasonal hairy crab sets
Savour the treasured flavours of the season’s hairy crabs with the return of two exclusive menus at Ming Court — Cordis Hong Kong and Ming Court Wan Chai. At the Ming Court Cordis Hong Kong location, the “Wondrous Feast of Hairy Crab” set combines rich hairy crab meat and roe with the likes of bird’s nest, superior broth, and black vinegar pearls for a luscious golden soup, or with stuffed Kanto sea cucumbers for textural intrigue. Meanwhile, “The Autumnal Hairy Crab Symphony” set at Ming Court Wanchai spotlights the novel Boston lobster in crab roe sauce with fried milk alongside seasonal delicacies like double-boiled partridge soup with American ginseng and dendrobium. For those who want to revel in the hairy crab’s purest form, worry not—both menus also offer a 5 tael hairy crab, steamed whole.
Level 6, Cordis, Hong Kong, 555 Shanghai St, Mong Kok; cordishotels.com and 2/F, Great Eagle Centre, 23 Harbour Road, Wanchai; mingcourt.com.hk
A hairy crab feast at Cuisine Cuisine
Cuisine Cuisine eases us into hairy crab season with a special eight course dinner menu. Available from September 23 to November 1, the Hairy Crab Feast presents a myriad ways to enjoy the season’s star ingredient, putting the prized flavours of the Jiangsu province variety on full display. Among the exciting dishes are a luscious hairy crab roe soup with winter melon and bean curd; a large Shanghai-style dumpling with crab roe and meat; classic Cantonese roasted pigeon for good measure; and of course, a whole 6 tael hair crab in all its steamed glory. Dessert is a comforting bowl of sweet potato soup with fresh ginger juice to soothe the soul.
3/F, The Mira Hong Kong, Mira Place, 118-130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; themirahotel.com
Kyoto Joe presents hairy crab delights
This crustacean-inspired menu sees the hairy crab fried up Typhoon shelter-style with scallops, mushrooms and cabbage in the mix — perfect with spoonfuls of rice. The menu eases in with Hokkaido crab meat served with cucumber-wrapped rock melon and other refreshing appetisers, followed by a crab claw salad, seasonal sashimi and sushi, and Isoyaki abalone with braised radish served in lobster soup. If not the Typhoon shelter crab, the grilled A4 Kagoshima ribeye is a buttery alternative for mains, one that comes with a glistening egg yolk that envelops the steak with silky richness for a sumptuous bite.
23/F California Tower, 30-36 D’Aguilar Street, Central; @kyotojoelkf
Mott 32 embraces hairy crab season
From November 1 to December 15, the award-winning Mott 32 is serving up a hairy crab feast like no other. For the special menu, Group Executive Chef Lee Man Sing has taken the prized crustacean (imported from Yangcheng Lake, Jiangsu) and reinvented it ten different ways. Among them, the hairy crab roe claypot rice is a decadent smokey delight with its generous hunks of crab meat, and the pan-fried pipa tofu smothered in hairy crab roe sauce is an elevated rendition of the classic Chinese dish.
Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central; @mott32hk
Hutong introduces Northern-style Bei Fang Dim Dum series
Hutong’s first global collaboration is one for the books. The Aqua Restaurant group favourite has enlisted the help of its team of chefs from all over the world to create eight pioneering dim sum creations. The Bei Fang Dim Sum series marries Northern Chinese flavours with Southern Chinese dim sum traditions, giving rise to intriguing dishes like the Hunan-inspired steamed garoupa fillet with pickled chilli dumpling, eye-catching crispy bean-curd roll with agaricus blazei and wild mushrooms, and shredded roasted duck and foie gras spring rolls — a bite-sized reimagination of Hutong Hong Kong’s popular Flaming Peking Duck.
18F HZentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; hutong.com.hk
Sushi Mamoru presents ‘Megumi’ course
Mamoru, or ‘to protect’ in Japanese, has been the guiding ethos at the eponymous sushi restaurant for the past 3 years. Sushi Mamoru safeguards centuries-old sushi traditions, meticulous even about whether the fish is caught upstream or downstream — does it make a difference? To Chef Hirofumi Chiba, at least, it makes all the difference. From ethical fish sourcing to visiting the rice farm in Nagano Ina each year for ‘beyond organic’ rice, Chef Chiba prioritises quality seasonal ingredients for omakase menus. In celebration of the restaurant’s 3rd anniversary, he presents a refined ‘megumi’ course highlighting seasonal specialties in a more concise format. The ‘takumi’ course, or long menu, remains available for lunch or dinner.
Shop 2. G/f, 32 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai ; sushimamoru.com
Milk & Cream debuts two new flavours
With Halloween just around the corner, homegrown ice cream brand Milk & Cream has launched two bewitching flavours: Pandan and Pumpkin Pie. Imbued with the essence of Southeast Asian desserts, Pandan is a rich and impactful blend that uses 1kg of pandan leaves per tub to ensure that the ingredient’s unique flavour truly shines through. Meanwhile Pumpkin Pie is fall in a scoop, boasting a cosy mixture of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger.
Available at G/F, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; milkandcream.com.hk
Casa Sophia Loren celebrates 90th birthday of legendary actress
In celebration of the iconic Sophia Loren’s 90th lap around the sun, Casa Sophia Loren has whipped up a special tribute menu showcasing some of the actress’ favourite dishes. Authentic Italian recipes that stay true to traditional Neapolitan cuisine, dishes include a bucatini carbonara with guanciale pork cheek, a dessert pizza that pairs tangy lemon custard with amarena cherries, and Loren’s all-time favourite: linguine with a special sauce that brims with the flavours of southern Italy.
60-66 Johnston Road, Wan Chai; @sophialorenhongkong
Editor
Alyanna Raissa J. Payos and Karrie LamCredit
Lead image: Courtesy of Shangri-La Group
