Eating your way through Asia's World City
HONGKONG — From roast goose at the old reliable Yung Kee to molecular gastronomy at Bo Innovation, you can find a restaurant for every mood and every budget in Hong Kong. For me, Hong Kong is like Paris when it comes to eating — it’s almost impossible to get a bad meal here.
Allow me to share some of my favorite haunts:
Ruth’s Chris, Lippo Center
If your next Peter Luger fix is too far away, there’s comfort in knowing we have something just as awesome in Asia. Steak is an intensely personal choice. Their two-inch rib eye, with a fine, seared crust and finished with butter, is mine. The wine list is more than adequate, the atmosphere darkly intimate. My first Ruth’s Chris experience was so deeply satisfying that I refused to eat steak anywhere else for a year. A meal for two can run up to HK$ 2,500 with wine (ouch!), but the value is in the perfection of their steak.
Pret a Manger, IFC
While I’m still deeply offended that they took the brie and cranberry sandwich off the menu, Pret remains my default lunch place when I’m at work. Permutations for lunch are almost endless. Today can be soup and salad, tomorrow a sandwich with a bag of chips, the day after a big, satisfying wrap. Everything is organic and made within store premises. Make it anyway you like, but I recommend you always finish with a cookie.
Tandoor, Lyndhurst Terrace
Tandoor is Hong Kong’s most loved Indian restaurant. Their expansive lunch buffet is a criminal steal at HK$110. An Indian band plays music at dinnertime, giving a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.
Press Room, Hollywood Road
Blueberry pancakes are light and fluffy, their eggs benedict sublime. The crowd is a chic microcosm of the island’s population and the interiors remind one of a friendly Parisian cafe. Sunday Brunch at Press Room is the best way to start your day, especially after a big night out at Lan Kwai Fong.
Life Café, Shelley Street
Found right by the escalator, this organic vegetarian cafe is an oasis of calm in busy Central. Everything is fresh, vibrant and delicious. Order vegan squash soup and the best tabuleh salad in the world.
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Ria blogs at fastfoodie.net and can be reached at annaria@gmail.com.
