Featuring: Uwe, Paper Moon, 11 Westside…
AFTER his surprise move last year when he left the Mandarin Oriental to make fancy burgers at Beef & Liberty, Uwe Opocensky has turned things on its head again by opening his solo venture, Uwe, in Hollywood Rd.
Wanting to create the feeling that you’re dining in his home, Uwe has placed heavy emphasis on simple and organic ingredients, a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere and hearty portions. Uwe made a name for himself as the executive chef of the Mandarin Grill and the Krug Room, and has taken essences from the fine dining scene – somewhat pricey-but-worth-it set lunch menus (at $HK788, $A130 per head) and a six-course dinner excluding wine pairing (at $HK1228, $A200 per head) – but something must be working because the restaurant was immediately booked solid for six weeks from the soft launch in September. Uwe, G/F, 252 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan; phone +852 2546 8665.
Jet-setting Hong Kongers may be aware of Paper Moon, the glamorous Milan restaurant with locations in Istanbul, Beirut and Manila. For those who perhaps aren’t able to escape as much as they’d like, then rejoice: because Paper Moon has opened in a scenic harbour front location in Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui.
The upscale dining destination achieves the near-impossible feat of being a casual spot for a quick lunch or a fancier, you-could-take-your-potential-inlaws-here space for dinner. Expect simple but classic Italian dishes, including grilled baby octopus, gnocchi and yellowfin tuna carpaccio but those with a bigger appetite can tuck into Milanese-style pork chop, 300-day grain-fed Australian ribeye. Groups will also love the pizza offerings, with the pizza Valtellina coming loaded with bresaola, mozzarella, rocket salad and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Paper Moon, Shop 301, 3/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui; phone +852 2156 2256.
The wait for a decent Mexican joint is over. While Hong Kong can boast a few nearly-there taquerias, 11 Westside has opened, excitingly, in Kennedy Town. Unusually for a Central-ish location, there’s a rather elaborate courtyard decorated with Grecian urnware. There was a certain amount of hype surrounding 11 Westside but it could well be justified given the menu – tableside “guac”, a dizzying array of tacos (never a bad idea), grilled red snapper with tortillas and to finish, churros with white chocolate ganache and churros popcorn.
Form an orderly queue… 11 Westside, 1/F, The Hudson, 11 Davis St, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong; phone +852 3996 7754.