Hong Kong has more than 11,000 restaurants, of which 61 are Michelin-starred, serving a variety of cuisine, ranging from traditional dim sum to unique fusion culinary fare. To help you navigate through the maze of gastronomical creativity that is Hong Kong’s food scene, here is a list of five great restaurants for expats.
RyuGin, West Kowloon
RyuGin is the first overseas restaurant of RyuGin Japan and with it Chef Seiji Yamamoto has attempted to recreate the Tokyo dining experience here in Hong Kong. It is located on the 101st floor of the ICC, the tallest building in Hong Kong and so if you like your dinner served with a spectacular view, this is the place for you.The chef takes traditional Japanese dishes and serves them up with a twist of his own. Some of the signature dishes include monkfish liver with seasonal vegetables in a special miso sauce. The dishes are full of exotic foods that are rarely found in Hong Kong, many of them specially flown in everyday from Japan. The restaurant has already earned two Michelin stars for its elaborate and creative ten-course kaiseki menu and striking ambience that offers diners a glimpse of Hong Kong’s skylines. Such an experience, of course, comes with a price. Expect to pay about $1,980 for the kaiseki meal and a little something more for drinks and additional charges.
Liberty Private Works, Central
Dining at Liberty Private Works, located on the top floor of the Stanley 11 Building, is an exclusive affair. The restaurant hosts only a few diners (up to 26 diners) everyday and these privileged few have the opportunity to watch Chef Vicky Cheng prepare his carefully crafted dishes right before their eyes. The chef’s signature dish is the Tuna, Sea urchin, Espelette, Rice. Diners are advised to begin with a frozen grape on the left of the dish in order to freshen the palate. Following the feast of creamy sea urchin on caviar served an Espelette pepper sauce, they must then finish with a frozen lychee. Remember that you may have to book up to a month in advance for a seat at this interesting dining experience.
On Lot 10, Central
On Lot 10 is located on Gough Street, which already houses many popular eateries. But this small, but chic restaurant has a distinct identity of its own. Chef David Lai has created a French menu consisting of dishes such as whole roast foie gras, fish roasted in salt crust, seafood soup and sweetbreads. Dining here will dispel the myth that French food has to be expensive and elaborate. The cobblestone patio and whitewashed interiors are simple and refreshing, and servers are always attentive, helping to truly enhance your eating experience here.
Island Tang, Central
It may have an offbeat location in The Galleria, where it sits amidst dry cleaners and tailors, but once inside Island Tang, you will be transported to a whole new place with its tall ceilings, leather chairs and an art deco bar reminiscent of old Hong Kong. Regular visitors swear by their well-crafted Cantonese menu featuring dishes like wok-fried wagyu, Sichuan prawns, shark fin soup and honey coated barbequed pork.
Especially popular is the roasted crispy chicken, cooked in broth and then hung, dried and deep-fried in Peking Duck style. The pink garoupa in the live seafood section is also a popular dish, steamed to perfection with soy sauce and hot oil poured over the top.
Tim’s Kitchen, Sheung Wan
Tim’s Kitchen is a Michelin-starred restaurant that is affordable and yet serves up a remarkable menu of Cantonese food. Chef Yau-Tim Lai has received so much appreciation and recognition from locals and foreigners alike that he has already branched out in Macao and Shanghai. The interiors of purple and gold resemble a regular Chinese restaurant, but the food more than makes up for this. An interesting feature of the menu is the section of dried ingredients such as bird’s nest, abalone and sea cucumber. There is also the roasted pigeon, crispy chicken, roasted crispy pork belly and deep-fried whole fresh crab claw with peppercorn salt, a dish that needs to be pre-ordered as it used classic Cantonese cooking methods that required advance preparation.