Featuring: Man Wah, The Last Resort, Lady Nara…
EXCITINGLY for Hong Kongers, we can greet the wet and humid season (everyone’s favourite time of year) with the extension of dine-in times at restaurants (to 10pm, from 6pm) and – gasp! – have dinner with three other people (it was limited to groups of two for nearly three months).
While looking askance at anyone who has the misfortune to sneeze while accidentally inhaling pepper, wearing masks when not actually eating, and sanitising hands like it’s going out of fashion looks set to remain, at least these new restaurants offer something to help guide us through the start of typhoon season.
Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental, the genteel grandfather of Cantonese fine dining is back. Though technically not a new restaurant per se, it has had a complete makeover, so it looks and feels like a completely different space – think dark azure tones with Chinese embroidered art panels and delicate brass embellishments, all done very tastefully as this is the Mandarin.
As for the food, the Michelin-starred kitchen, headed by Chef Wing-Keung Wong, balances old favourites with new creations, with a focus on often overlooked culinary gems and forgotten delicacies. Highlights of the menu include Deep-fried Matsutake Mushroom Pudding, Baked Lobster in Superior Fish Broth and the Hakka-inspired Braised Pork Belly with Taro. Man Wah at the Mandarin Oriental, 25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong, phone +852 2825 4003, www.mandarinoriental.com
While having a name that could denote somewhere that people might go to out of desperation, The Last Resort is actually the latest opening from chic restaurants group, Black Sheep. Perched on Peel Street, the Canadian-inspired watering hole delights with a wallet-friendly menu of no-nonsense drinks (cheers to straightforward names like Whiskey Apple and Bourbon Coke as opposed to something more esoteric).
Food-wise, expect juicy hot fried chicken and golden-fried potato wedges dipped in sour cream and sweet chili sauce courtesy of chef Jowett Yu (Executive Chef of Ho Lee Fook and Le Garçon Saigon). In a town beset with bewildering menus at confusingly high prices, a simple concept such as this is very welcome. The Last Resort, 52b Peel Street, Soho, Hong Kong, phone +852 2442 2440, www.thelastresort.com.hk
So, we’re back to the idea of curated menus and ‘grammy decor, but Bangkok cafe, Lady Nara has opened its rattan doors to Hong Kong – its first outside Thailand. It’s Thai food but tones down with some Western touches, so think Lobster Tom Yum Bisque with Garlic Toast. Lemongrass Roast Chicken, Soft Shell Crab & Wagyu Burger and Rigatoni Red Vodka Crab. Just turn a blind eye to all the influencers posing at the light pink terrazzo bar, rattan chairs and lashings of floral decor. Lady Nara, Shop 3303, 3/F, Gateway Plaza, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, phone +852 2153 3730, www.facebook.com/ladynara.hk