Featuring: Casa Cucina, Upper Deck Bar and Grill, Belon…
AT the time of writing, the Hong Kong government has brought out a bewildering new multi-tiered categorisation of dining restrictions, depending on restaurant staff and patrons’ vaccination statuses. Spanning four categories, restaurants can open until 6pm, 10pm, 12am or 2am, and have up to two, four, six and eight people per table. Confused? So are we. In fact, so baffling is the new ‘vaccine bubble’ system that several restaurants have opted to revert to the last set of restrictions which will remain at four diners per table and choosing to close at 10pm. Despite all of this, there are some brave new dining ventures which have opened up their doors and are determined to help Hong Kongers endure yet another month of closed borders and compulsory mask wearing.
The ever popular upscale French bistro, Belon has now reopened on Elgin Street with a brand new concept and new chef in the form of Matthew Kirkley who has worked in a number of Michelin-starred establishments, including Hong Kong’s very own Amber at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. Kirkley’s signature dishes include a colourful turbot with beurre cancalaise, a rather artful looking salade gourmande with veal tongue, foie gras, black truffle, and haricots vert; and a rich and flavourful sausage wrapped in bread otherwise known as cervelas en brioche, and a reinvigorated version of the pigeon pithivier. Belon, 1/F 1-5 Elgin Street, Central; phone +852 2152 2872. Visit belonsoho.com
Once home to, well, not very much particularly with regards to dining, the district of Tung Chung adjacent to Hong Kong International Airport, has seen a glut of new restaurants, thanks to the rejuvenated waterfront and the opening of a new Sheraton Hotel. The Upper Deck Bar and Grill is a new American steakhouse primed to appeal to all hungry carnivores. Using dry-aged cuts – ranging from 21 to 30 days – standout dishes include Porterhouse and beef tartare, oven-roasted bone marrow, and beef short rib, among others. Non-beef options include barbecue smoked spring chicken, pan-seared seabass and some particularly succulent lamb burgers. The Upper Deck, Shop 101, 1/F, T Bay, 9 Yi Tung Road, Tung Chung, Lantau; phone +852 2757 8889.
Casa Cucina & Bar is a new Italian eatery, with its Instagram-friendly pale pink interior and French windows, offering three floors of dining space – private dining floor, large open kitchen, cocktail bar and all – in the heart of Sai Ying Pun. The Cicchetti-inspired menu (small bites style) created by executive chef and Amber alumnus, Anthony Cheung is filled to the hilt with delicacies such as carpaccio with pineapple, yuzu, evo and shiso flower; crispy fritto misto with scallop, squid and shrimp; duck leg ragu pappardelle with chicken liver and parmesan; braised oxtail ravioli; rustic tiramisu and loads more. Casa’s menu also features a selection of cocktails and mocktails to enjoy inside or in the semi-alfresco open windows setting, if you can bear the humidity. Casa Cucina & Bar, Shops 8 & 9, 158A Connaught Rd W, Sai Ying Pun; phone +852 2887 9666 or visit casacucina.hk