1. 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Often hailed as “the king of white truffles,” owner-chef Umberto Bombana first achieved fame with this classic Italian restaurant in Hong Kong‘s Central district in 2011 as as the first Italian restaurant outside Italy to receive three Michelin stars. With an ever-changing menu featuring the best in fresh produce, the restaurant consistently produces high-quality, authentic cuisine. A highlight is undoubtedly the pasta which is made in-house.
2. Caprice
Back on Hong Kong island at the Four Seasons, French cuisine is combined with a stunning harbour view at Caprice. Dishes are inventive, featuring luxurious ingredients and superior cooking techniques. Specialties such as crab royale and Racan pigeon from Maison Bellorr – cooked in cocoa pod, salsify and puffed potatoes, and cocoa jus – are notable highlights, and its cheese room located at Caprice Bar is also worth a visit. Make sure you check out its extensive and impressive wine list.
3. Forum
This 43-year-old Cantonese restaurant located in Causeway Bay is a celebrated household name and is frequented by the glitterati of Hong Kong. Traditional Cantonese braised dishes with dried seafood reign supreme here, but it is its Ah Yat braised abalone – a tender, slow-cooked, flavoursome creation – that has everyone talking. Most dishes are executed with traditional techniques and are luxurious yet comforting. Try the braised bird nest in rich brown sauce, crispy fried chicken and stuffed crab shell with dried scallops, or go for the weekend dim sum if you’re looking for something less elaborate.
4. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Another spot opened by the late chef, this French restaurant at Queen’s Road Central features a circular bar and open kitchen that gives guests a full view of the preparation process. Take advantage of their tapas-style portions, which are designed to offer diners an opportunity to sample a greater variety of traditional French dishes.
5. Lung King Heen
Another restaurant located at the Four Seasons Hong Kong, Lung King Heen was the first Chinese restaurant in the world to receive a Michelin three-star rating. Their roast Peking duck is a huge favourite, but be warned there are limited portions sold each day. Consider ordering other equally spectacular dishes, such as the wok-fried Wagyu with morel mushrooms, crispy scallops with fresh pear, shrimp paste and Yunnan ham, and simmered lobster in supreme broth.
6. Sushi Shikon
Sushi Shikon brings the classic experience of the flagship Ginza restaurant to Hong Kong. Helmed by chef Yoshiharu Kakinuma, everything served here is complex and layered, clean and precise. The fish arrives daily from Japan, and the rice is imported from Niigata. What makes the sushi extra special is their secret vinegar, which is aged four years.
7. T’ang Court
Enjoy authentic Cantonese cuisine at this acclaimed but unpretentious restaurant located in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui district of Kowloon. The classics, such as Peking duck, lobster with onions and shallot, and baked stuffed crab shell with onion are particularly popular.
If you’re in Macau…
1. Robuchon au Dôme
Get a good view of Macau while indulging in French contemporary cuisine at this restaurant housed in the dome of the Grand Lisboa Hotel. According to the Michelin guide, their seven- and eight-course seasonal menus, which finish with a dessert trolley, are worth a try. Their extensive wine list is also worth perusing.
2. Jade Dragon
Located in Macau’s City of Dreams, Jade Dragon boasts lavish interiors with accents of gold and jade, as well as embroidery, soft carpets and Chinese drawings and ceramics. Serving contemporary Cantonese cuisine in a fine-dining setting, their lychee wood barbecue specialties – which include roasted Peking goose, suckling pig and chicken with truffle – take on a smoky, floral aroma.
3. The Eight
Another restaurant found at Grand Lisboa Hotel in Macau, the design of The Eight is inspired by its namesake number and the goldfish, both of which represent good fortune. The cuisine is a mix of Cantonese and Huaiyang, with the latter considered one of the four great traditions of Chinese cuisine. The restaurant serves over 40 kinds of dim sum, and shares the hotel’s whopping 16,800 bottle wine cellar with the other 13 restaurants on the premises. Specialties include crab claw with steamed egg white and fish broth, braised lamb brisket and stir-fried lobster with egg, minced pork and black bean.
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours before visiting, and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
To learn more about Singapore Airlines flights, visit singaporeair.com. For updates and travel advisories, please visit Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.
This article was first published on 21 December 2018.
