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Megabites: Food News 21 November, 2015

Paradise Inn
Singapore-based Paradise Group has announced the opening of its second outlet in Hong Kong, Paradise Inn. Located at Olympian City the new outlet features Nanyang Chinese cuisine with a modern twist. Nanyang Chinese cuisine can be traced back to the 18th century, when large numbers of Chinese ventured across the seas to Nanyang regions of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand for trade. When the traders returned to China with ingredients and cooking styles techniques the Nanyang style of Chinese cuisine emerged.
Paradise Inn: Shop UG09, UG/F, Olympian City 2, 18 Hoi Ting Road, Tai Kok Tsui, Kowloon. Tel: 2177 0760 www.paradisegp.com

Howard’s Gourmet
Howard Cai, first established his “Howard’s Gourmet Workshop” in Guangzhou in 2005. Now Howard’s Gourmet is expanding to Hong Kong, the restaurant is now soft open in the CCB Tower Central, and it is slated to official open its door in early December. Mr Cai embraces two culinary philosophies: “Ingredients always come first”, “Tasty is the absolute principal”.
Howard’s Gourmet: 5/F, CCB Tower, 3 Connaught Road Central, Central. Tel: 2115 3388. www.howardsgourmet.com

Lan Kwai Fong Carnival
The korean themed Lan Kwai Fong Carnival 2015 will take place on the 21-22 November. This year’s carnival will feature the usual variety food and beverage treats, games booths, live music all with a Korean theme. Wo On Lane will be ‘transformed’ into “Myeong-dong”, the No.1 tourist destination in South Korea… with taekwondo demonstrations, Korean drum performances, K-pop dance groups and of course K-pop.

High Tide
After 6 years on Cheung Sha beach, Hong Kong’s landlords strike again as High Tide is closing on the 28 November, to re-open in Silvermine Bay in early 2016. www.hightidehk.com

Megabites: The Fat Pig, Beefbar, A Slice of London

The Fat Pig
Gotta love the name, The Fat Pig by Tom Aikens (Shop 1105, 11/F Times Square, Causeway Bay. Tel: 2577 3444) opens on the 13 November. Using only local hormone free purebred free-range British Bath pigs from Wah Kee Farm in the New Territories. The menu will feature a pork-athoria of ‘ethically’ sourced dishes featuring you guessed it pigs. We’re looking forward to see what Tom does with bacon – although quality bacon served straight up will be fine. www.thefatpig.hk

Beefbar
Originating in Monaco in 2005, the last decade has seen the Beefbar expand to Moscow, Mexico, Luxembourg and now Hong Kong. The local outlet is conveniently located on the 2/F Club Lusitano, 16 Ice House Street, Central. Tel: 2110 8853. It’s website www.beefbar.hk showcases a menu stocked with beef from Australia, the United States and Japan served and prepared in a multitude of different ways. Not sure why you’d want to eat something other than beef in a restauant called beerbar but it does serve veal, chicken for those not so into bovine delights

A Slice of London
The sight of mainland tourists mingling with sharp dressed office workers ordering fish and chips in Chater Garden in Central is quite incongruous but that’s what you’ll find this week at ‘A Slice of London’. Better known as a location for rallies and protests, Chater Garden next to the recently renovated Court of Final Appeal has been transformed into a ‘pop-up’ UK High Street (minus the bookies, charity shops and traffic wardens). Ten English brands have pop-up shops for you peruse as you enjoy some quality English fish and chips from the The Chippy and a pint of cider. There are no soft drinks or coffee onsale, so bring your own.

For those in need of a selfie, there’s part of a London bus, a red English phone box and a post box. Spend $200 in any shop, get a postcard, drop the card in the postbox for a chance to win a flight to the UK.
A Slice of London @ Chater Gardens: 9-14 November, 2015 11am-10pm.

Megabites: 2 November, 2015 – The Chippy, Awfully Chocolate, Taste of Bavaria

The Chippy
As part of November’s Best of British festival there’s an English fish and chip shop, The Chippy serving 100% English fish and chips all imported from the UK. The cod is sustainable, the potatoes are English and cut as chips. There’s even malt vinegar and chip forks… There are two sizes of cod, Signature a 10-12oz fillet ($148) and regular (5-6oz fillet, $108). The quantity of chips served with each is the same and both are served in a “Cod Save the Queen” Chippy Box.

The cod is firm and tender the batter just English and the chips are – as my memory remembers from the eating take-away fish and chips growing up – some of the best i’ve eaten in Hong Kong. They’re cut thick and use a different potato to that used locally and it makes all the difference. They sag and bend (in a good way), unlike most chips or fries served locally which stay firm and straight whether cold or hot, these are proper “chip shop” chips and delicious. They’re also serving Pukka pies ($48) and big thick jumbo sausages – battered ($38) or plain ($28).

The Chippy will be open in Tamar Park from 6pm on the 3,4 November and at the various Best of British Events later this month. Managing Director of The Chippy Craig Barnett hopes to open The Chippy in Soho later this year and serve English fish and chips 7 days a week.

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The open air cinema has loads of space on the grass, just bring something to sit on. You can also bring your own drinks and food. Entry is Free.

Awfully Chocolate @ Hysan
Opening in Basement 2 of Hysan Place in early November is the fifth Awfully Chocolate outlet in Hong Kong. Known for their signature multi-layered chocolate cakes sold, by the inch because size matters, these are now also available by the slice. For chocoholics there’s a wide range of chocolate goodness including chocolate ganache, chocolate brownies, chocolate mille crepe, chocolate truffles, chocolate tarts, chocolate ice-cream and the super stacked chocolate cake… All can be enjoyed with chocolate ice blends and chocolate coffee.
Check out their locations and prices at www.awfullychocolate.com

Bavarian Festival @ Great Food Hall
Octoberfest maybe coming to an end but there’s still lots of Bavarian goodies to enjoy at Great’s Bavarian Food Festival in the basement of Pacific Place. In the bakery there’s a choice of 15 pretzels and logans, wonderfully textured and tasting baked products that put the plastic bread onsale at local chain bakeries to shame. Or try some German dark bread with your Bavarian blu cheese from the ‘cheese room’ or sliced meats and salami’s. Of course there’s Bavarian craft beers from Pfungstäedter – all at around 4-5% alcohol, because Bavarian’s drink beer like the English drink tea. Beer, a drink to be enjoyed at all times of the day.
The Taste of Bavaria festival runs until November 12

Maya Cafe Grand Opening – 24 October, 2015

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The Grand Opening of Maya Cafe @ 173 Des Voeux Road took place on 21 October.
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Megabites: Seafood – 24 October, 2015

Seafood is hot right now with four new restaurants opening recently that offer the ocean’s not quite as plentiful as it used to be produce. The world’s seas and oceans offer a bountiful source of food, but pollution and fish harvesting have depleted fish stocks, destroyed fish breeding grounds and killed the food sources that fish need to grow and live. Sustainable fishing and fish farms are a start, but it only works if we the customer take an interest in where the fish we eat is sourced.

Organized by Hong Kong’s Ocean Recovery Alliance, November’s month-long Kin Hong “Healthy” Seafood Festival looks to raise public awareness about sustainable seafood and why we should care about what we are eating, and where it comes from. 21 restaurants are participating, but insanely for the restaurant to participate they only have to prove that one fish dish on their menu comes from sustainable sources. Positive idea, poor execution.

Noho’s Pauls Kitchen which opened in 2007 has undergone a renovation and a rebrand to emerge this month as Lobster and Mussels by Paul’s Kitchen. Looking to differentiate itself from a regular seafood restaurant the outlet sells only fresh lobster and mussels cooked and prepared in a variety of ways. Paul’s Kitchen’s signature French Baby Chicken does make the new menu for those who don’t like lobster or mussels.
Lobster and Mussels by Paul’s Kitchen: 16 Gough Street Central. Tel: 2815 8003 www.pauls-kitchen.com

New in Sai Ying Pun is Fishschool a concept and collaboration between Yenn Wong and Chef David Lai which looks to “Bring modern Hong Kong to the plate with a cuisine reflecting the local culture and resources”. Offering farmed seafood and fresh local Hong Kong fish sourced from small, family-owned fishing boats the menu features a range of dishes you might not have tasted before. Or simply pick a fish and have it baked, steamed, roasted, grilled or pan-fried… as you desire.
Fishschool: 100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun. Tel: 2361 2966 www.fishschool.hk

The Ocean is the latest outlet to open at The Pulse in Repulse Bay. Located on the 3/F The Ocean opened on the 21 October and claims to serve “sustainably sourced seafood”. Neither the press release or website offers a menu and we’ve received no replies to our emails for more information. So all we have currently is the address, more when we’ve taken a look.
The Ocean: Shop 303-304, 3/F, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay. Tel: 2889 5939. www.theocean.hk

Seas Ahoy a family themed child friendly restaurant opened in Tsim Sha Tsui last month. The interior looks a little different with a ‘kid-literate’ menu and a ship themed play area for children to enjoy while parents dine. Sadly according the press release “Seas Ahoy’s portion is created smaller so that every plate is a new experience” – the sharing plates concept of micro-sized portions that you can ‘share’ at full meal prices was old several years ago.
Seas Ahoy: G1, Mirror Tower, 61 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 3956 5300. www.seasahoy.com

Wine & Dine Festival 2015

The 2015 Wine & Dine Festival at the Central Harbourfront features a dizzying array of food and wine to enjoy over the next three days. The festival is organised by HK Tourism, which ensures that a large number of the territories hotels have food booths showcasing their signature dishes at prices well below what you’d find when dining at the hotel.

There’s wine, wine and more wine, tasting rooms, samplers and wine pairing dinners. To enjoy a glass and to keep things simple wine’s have been divided in to two categories. Classic wine – $20/coupon and Grand wine $50/coupon. You can purchase as many or as few coupons as you desire.

Food… There’s lots of lovely food, a smorgasbord of tastes and flavours from across the globe. The food and wine booths are separated into zones. Sadly, neither the festival map nor the booklet offer a list of all the participating outlets. In a way that good as it forces you explore, but it can also be a pain to locate a booth you want to visit.

Buffets are for grazing and sampling, and this is the best way to explore the large festival area because you never know what you might find. Dishes are paid for in cash and prices range from $10 up. Some of delights we discovered on our wander last night included a lovely artesian french booth offering cones of cheese, ham’s and salami ($50-60). Among the delights in the hotel booth area were a tasty lamb shank and a delicious stuffed crab topped with melted cheese; or enjoy heart shaped meatloaf topped with gold leaf.

Locally it can be hard to find good bread, but several restaurants make their own and are showcasing this on their booths Ciak has nice fresh bread to go with it’s spicy sausages. While Bagoes is offering fresh bagels, bagel sandwiches.

There’s lots of desserts, one definitely to look out for is is egg custard served in a real egg shell. It’s not cheap $70 for 2, but it’s delicious – booth C204.

There’s also a stage offering a variety of live music through the festival.

Frustrations – there’s very little seating, and no shade! So if the sun’s out, bring some suntan cream and an umbrella because without any breeze Central Harbourfront can be very hot.

It’s outside, there’s food, wine, beer, live music… what’s not to like, have fun.

Wine & Dine Festival 2015
Date: 22-25 October, 2015
Venue: Central Harbourfront
Tickets: $30
More info:
22 October – 8-11:30pm
23-24 October – 12-11:30pm
25 October – 12-10pm
More images here

Feeding HK Cookbook Launch – 14 October, 2015

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Feeding Hong Kong launched it’s third cookbook at Cafe 8 on the 14 October, 2015
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Megabites: Cheeky

Pretension, often without substance, has been the trend in recent years among new restaurant openings. In stark contrast to this is Roberto Kwong’s, the original owner of Racks in Lan Kwai Fong, newest venture Cheeky. A bright orange irreverent hole in the wall pasta takeaway in Wanchai. Founded with long term friend Fu Chan, Cheeky – complete with it’s own theme song composed by local singer Charles Chan, aka H, aka Fu’s brother; and a logo drawn by comic artist Elphonso Lam – opened in mid-September offering a menu of bites, pastas and lunch sets.

Fu’s in charge of the kitchen, while Roberto handles the witty repartee. And since neither likes doing the washing up they employed a kitchen hand. One of Fu’s creations is jalapeño poppers ($35) – these are jalapeños stuffed with cheese, breaded and deep fried, and they’re delicious. The big fat skin on chips ($30) sound like they’re something different but sadly turn out to be normal chips, but nicely cooked crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. There’s three pasta options spaghetti, penne and linguine with a choice of freshly made toppings – bolognese, meatballs, bacon wild mushroom cream sauce and pesto primavera. The cheeky specials are cream pea wasabi, ring of fire in three firery flavours ‘burning’, ‘pounding’ and for the real masochists ‘bleeding’. There’s also a sweet angel hair dragon beard, a dessert style pasta that’s served cold and needs to be ordered a couple of hours in advance.

Cheeky also have $48 lunch sets, where the sauces are different to the regular menu and there are side dish options of a pork chop, chicken fillet, seafood or vegetarian.

The portion sizes are ok, the pasta is served nicely al dente. The meatballs were baked and the tomato sauce fresh with a hint of herbs. The wasabi cream pea is something cheeky that shouldn’t work but does. If there’s one slight criticism, I’d prefer slightly more sauce, but that’s a purely personal preference. Take a wander down Swatow Street for an enjoyably Cheeky lunch or dinner.

Cheeky
B2A, 4 Swatow Street, Wanchai. Tel: 2325 2725