HUSO, THE POTTINGER 

Photo: Huso

Having just opened last month at the Pottinger Hotel, Huso impressed with its Champagne and Caviar menu celebrating the French Mediterranean cuisine with seafood-centric dishes, all topped with caviar from various regions and accompanied by a niche selection of Champagnes that are rare to the market. We particularly enjoyed the Dior egg which brought a trifecta of textures with the runny centre, caviar crunch and soft jelly. A favourite was the sea bass papillote, perfectly cooked and having absorbed all the tomato flavours typically found in the Mediterranean. It was also our first time trying caviar on ice cream, a delectable surprise!

Huso, The Pottinger Hong Kong, 74 Queen's Road Central; +852 5801 1280

CROWN SUPER DELUXE

Photo: Crown Super Deluxe

One has come to expect exuberant hospitality from Black Sheep Restaurants establishments, and at Crown Super Deluxe, under writer-turned-new executive chef of Japanese cuisine Joshua Bedell’s helm, diners truly get the epitome of that and more. Three curated teppanyaki menus showcase the season’s finest fresh seafood (such as the oh-so-succulent teppan spiny lobster drizzled in a coral butter sauce), rice, vegetables, and a selection of impeccably marbled prime cuts ranging from Australian wagyu rib-eye to A5 Kagoshima wagyu tenderloin and sirloin. Yet it’s the multi-sensory experience that takes it to the next level; the personable teppan chefs with their fire shows that elicit rounds of gasps around the table, the groovy playlists, and even an in-house psychic-mentalist (Thursdays to Saturdays) to keep guests entertained as they enjoy their night caps in the lush whiskey lounge at the back.  

Crown Super Deluxe, Mezzanine, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham St, Central; +852 2111 8434

PLUME

Photo: Plume

Step into Plume and you’ll find a tropical rooftop oasis serving both expansive views and an array of brightly coloured dishes, courtesy of Écriture's Executive Chef, Maxime Gilbert. We couldn’t get enough of the tomato gazpacho with sourdough croutons as this spiced version stood out from its traditional counterpart. The Australian wagyu beef tartare was full of flavours and topped with a runny egg of the most beautiful orange colour. For mains, the tender octopus paired perfectly with the zesty herb sauce and we always love a simple roasted fragrant yellow chicken. A typical French dessert to not miss is the clafoutis, but don’t forget to remove the pits from the cherries!

Plume, Rooftop, 80 Queen's Road Central, H Queen's, Central; +5200 1683

BLUHOUSE

Photo: BluHouse

You might have seen it all over your social media feed. This summer Rosewood hotel opened BluHouse on the ground floor, offering casual dining, coffee, bakery and ice cream sections as well as a more formal setting at The Dining Room by BluHouse. For lunch, you come for pasta and pizza. Highlights of our meal included the burrata di Andria, the rigatoni pasta with egg yolk, guanciale and pepper and the Diavola pizza with nduja, fior di latte di Agerola cheese and spianata Romana. For dinner, the anchovy emulsion really added to the fresh tuna crudo, and we had to stop ourselves from finishing the whole veal tartare with artichoke buffalo ricotta and capers. Out of the very much anticipated selection of pasta, we particularly enjoyed the bites of heaven that were the homemade veal cappelli, as well as the quail ragu risotto whose generous dose of parmesan made it especially creamy. Last but not least, the chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo is not one to pass on to finish a perfectly Italian meal.

BluHouse, Rosewood Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui, Salisbury Rd, 18 Victoria Dockside; +852 3891 8732

KICHO

Photo: Kicho

A large binchotan charcoal grill made from Japanese white oak takes pride of place at Kicho, a cosy 800-sqft restaurant newly landing in Central’s Manning House serving up omakase-style tori kappo. And it’s on which, encircled by the 18-seater light wooden counter, that various parts of the sustainably raised, exclusively supplied Kuro Satsuma chicken are prepared to perfection by chef Chikashi Yoshida, the earthy, smoky charcoal flavour complementing the organic textures of the chicken. Spanning 16 courses, expect seared breasts, wings and thighs as well as rarer dishes like liver patties and the slow-cooked tosaka (comb). The impressive tipple collection, curated by honcho Masashi Kamatani, is worthy of mention too, which includes award-winning sakes from Fukuoka to Chiba, as well as exclusive Tsuno wines produced in the Miyazaki prefecture.

Kicho, Shop 2A, 1/F, Manning House, 38-48 Queen’s Road Central; +852 2633 8933

HONJO

Photo: Honjo

The Pirata Group restaurant has been a firm fixture for Sheung Wan dwellers for years, and Honjo’s contemporary Japanese menu is seeing an exciting overhaul to feature fourteen new dishes including a debut selection of maki rolls and entrees like the salt-grilled Hamachi Kama that highlight traditional cooking techniques. The scene-stealer, though, are the kamameshis – rice cooked in iron pots – in a trio of variations: wagyu with onsen egg and truffle soy; king crab leg with salmon roe and ponzu butter, and (personal favourite) three types of Japanese mushroom and black truffle, ample with those crispy bits at the bottom we can’t quite get enough of. 

Honjo, 1/F, 77-91 Queen's Rd W, Sheung Wan; +852 2663 3772

GRAND MAJESTIC SICHUAN

Photo: Natasha Tang

We came to Grand Majestic Sichuan with a little bit of apprehension (one of us' spice tolerance is quite low) but left pleasantly surprised by the combination of ingredients and flavours that Chef Robert Wong has put together for the new summer additions, from the spiny lobster with rice cracker, tofu and Sichuan peppercorn to the wok-fried Berkshire pork tomahawk. The tea-smoked duck served with steamed buns that the chef had just prepared that morning left a smoky aroma in the air and were delightfully simple yet flavourful, and the much loved dan dan mian stood out with the spicy sesame sauce. The desserts did not disappoint, the osmanthus ice jelly with strawberries and blueberries was refreshing while the soya milk pudding with black sesame crumble made for an excellent palate cleanser.

Grand Majestic Sichuan, Alexandra House, Shop 301, 3rd Floor, 18 Chater Rd, Central; +852 2151 1299

1111 ONES RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

Photo: 1111

To say that 1111 Ones is Will Leung’s love letter to his hometown of Hong Kong would be no overstatement. Under undulating terracotta ceilings, the young executive chef presents a seasonal six-course or eight-course tasting menu, each creation capturing a single everyday culinary moment (and gorgeously depicted in an accompanying hand-painted postcard by illustrator Jerry Cho) or familiar childhood treat – think streetside egg waffle rolls, typhoon shelter crabs and salted fish eggplants – elevated to new heights with his French-trained artistry. Stars include the chicken consommé meets sea cucumber chips, fresh abalone slow cooked for eight hours, and a scrumptious Iberico suckling pig trio (pork chop rack, terrine, and char siu pork jowl) that reminds one of grandma’s recipes. Go for the wine pairing menu and take a seat at the counter tables to watch the team assemble each dish with such meticulousness, as you take a heart-warming trip down memory lane.

111 ONES,11/F, 18 On Lan St; +852 2910 1128

Check out our full reviews of Basin and Heimat.