RESTAURANTS

Restaurants

Hong Kong is quite simply one of the best places on earth to dine out and experience dishes from across the spectrum of cuisines. Some writers have dubbed this the "World's Fair of Food" and a "Gourmet Paradise". One thing is certain: with over 7 million residents, Hong Kong is the third most densely populated place in the world and that means cut-throat competition and very competitive pricing. There are over 9,000 licensed restaurants and countless more traders, stalls and mobile eateries.

Hong Kong is best known for its outstanding Cantonese cuisine and the freshest ingredients and finest chefs can be found here. The city's cosmopolitan mix also ensures that there is a dynamic mix of other cuisines. Sushi joints abound, as do pasta houses, bakeries, sandwich shops and just about every other style of eating you can imagine.

One experience you should not miss is trying the local dim sum. These are delicious, mouth-watering snacks prepared in steaming bamboo baskets and eaten as breakfast or lunch along with copious amounts of Chinese tea. Typical dim sum include steamed pork buns, shrimp dumplings, beef balls and pan-fried squid with spicy salt are just some of the local favourites.

Hong Kong residents generally eat five times per and most meals our eaten outside the home. Meals are typically small, and always accompanied by a generous portion of carbohydrates such as rice or mein (noodles). For the visitor this means plenty of places to snack and experience a diversity of dishes in one day.

In a Chinese restaurant waiters will commonly bring tea, condiments and snacks to your table, which will be added to the bill. Most restaurants will automatically add 10 per cent to your bill as gratuity. During Chinese New Year, this charge may be a bit higher. Make reservations whenever possible, especially over lunchtimes.

The Bostonian Restaurant

$$$$$ | American

The Bostonian has been included in the influential dining handbook The Hong Kong Best Restaurant Guide and has been a Hong Kong favourite for more than a decade. The restaurant has a lively, sometimes humurous atmosphere (each table is equipped with crayons and paper tablecloths so diners can be creative while they wait) and its menu offers a wide choice of American fare, from the signature US prime rib to Boston lobster - all in huge portions! Creole dishes are also popular here, as is the award winning collection of Californian wines. The Bostonian is tucked away in the basement of the Langham Hotel, with a bar upstairs serving lunchtime sandwiches, and tapas in the evening. Bookings recommended for dinner.

Address: Langham Hotel, 8 Peking Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon; Telephone: (852) 2375 1133

Caf� Deco

$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic

Apart from its vast and excellent international menu, featuring everything from American beef steaks to Hainan chicken, homemade pepperoncini pizzas and Indian tandoori specialities, the appeal of the Café Deco is its locatio - it's set in two high, glassed-in levels of the Peak Galleria Mall, overlooking the vista of Hong Kong. The Art Deco décor and stunning views make visiting this vibey restaurant, with its international chefs at work in show kitchens, a memorable experience. Café Deco is open for lunch and dinner daily.

Address: Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road (ride up in the Peak Tram); Telephone: (852) 2849 5111

Hunan Garden

$$$$$ | Chinese

This friendly restaurant, where live Chinese music accompanies a range of mostly spicy dishes from the Hunan province, is conveniently situated in central Exchange Square, next to Hong Kong Station, making it a good spot for a business lunch. The dining room is spacious and brightly decorated in pink and green, with the Hunanese lotus motif much in evidence. The food, liberally spiced with ginger, chilli and garlic, ranges from the delectable soups to fish, chicken, meat and bean main courses. Reservations are recommended. Open Monday to Sunday.

Address: 3rd Floor, The Forum, Exchange Square; Telephone: (852) 2868 2880

Yung Kee

$$$$$ | Chinese

Dim Sum is a Chinese tradition: an array of steaming baskets of dumplings and other delicacies from which diners make a selection, usually for late breakfast or a light lunch. Dim Sum is one of the specialities for which the multi-award winning Yung Kee is famed, along with the restaurant's renowned Cantonese roast goose served up with sweet, tasty stewed beans, nick-named the 'flying goose' because so many visitors have insisted on taking a sample of this delicious dish home with them. Enjoy the clean Asian décor of this restaurant while being served by their well-mannered staff. Open Monday to Sunday; Dim-Sum dining from 2pm to 5.30pm on Monday through Saturday, and from 11am to 5:30pm on Sundays.

Address: 32-40 Wellington Street, Central District (near Lan Kwai Fong); E-mail: info@yungkee.com.hk; Telephone: (852) 2522 1624

Indochine 1929

$$$$$ | Oriental

For a special gastronomic treat, take a trip back in time to the age of colonial elegance at the Indochine 1929, where the setting evokes the breezy veranda of a Franco-Viet plantation house from that genteel era. Fringed lamps and gramophone music add to the ambience while diners tuck into the restaurant's signature dishes such as salt and pepper soft-shelled crabs or fish fried Hanoi-style, as well as any number of other Asian delights. Reservations are recommended. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, and only for dinner on Sunday.

Address: 2nd Floor, California Tower, 30-32 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central District; Telephone: (852) 2869 7399

The Ashoka

$$$$$ | Indian

The Wyndham Street area, close to central Hong Kong, abounds in Indian restaurants. The one that claims to be the oldest Indian restaurant on Hong Kong Island is the Ashoka, which has been serving up mouth-watering northern Indian meals since 1973. The Ashoka is popular not only for its tasty, extensive menu but also because of its very low-priced set menus, available at lunch or dinner - their fish and mutton dishes come highly recommended. À la carte specialities are also on offer. The restaurant is very small but the atmosphere is relaxed and casual. Open for lunch and dinner daily.

Address: 57-59 Wyndham Street, Central District; Telephone: (852) 2524 9623

Jumbo Floating Restaurant

$$$$$ | Chinese

Hong Kong's famous floating restaurant, gently riding the swells in Aberdeen Harbour, consists of three sections which are all brightly lit by a myriad of dazzling lights making a fairy-tale night-time spectacle for the thousands who come to dine here every week. Jumbo in Chinese means 'gem' or 'treasure', but the western meaning fits it just as well with its massive capacity for seating 2,300 diners simultaneously. The cuisine on offer is varied, but mainly seafood, which diners can pick out themselves from a selection swimming in a tank - the Flamed Drunken Shrimp is extraorinary. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Address: Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. (Shuttle ferries depart from Shum Wan Pier and Aberdeen Pier); E-mail: sales-hk@jumbokingdom.com; Telephone: (852) 2553 9111

Dan Ryan�s Chicago Grill

$$$$$ | American

Homesick Americans visiting Hong Kong will find solace in the carnivorous cuisine served up at Dan Ryan's Chicago Grill. The menu tempts with sumptuous feasts such as rack of lamb roasted with rosemary, or char-grilled porterhouse steaks. Not-so-meaty specialities on the menu include homemade pasta dishes, as well as thick satisfying soups served in bread bowls. The bar is also popular for its informal beer-swilling atmosphere. Reservations are essential for this taste of gratifying down-home cookin'. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Address: 114 Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty; Telephone: (852) 2845 4600

Felix

$$$$$ | Fusion

This elegant and trendy restaurant's sleek interior boasts a long table occasionally used as a catwalk, suggesting Felix's fashion-venue ambitions match its culinary aspirations. The Dungeness crab cake, with an avocado and jalapeño remoulade, and the lobster risotto top the haute cuisine list but there's no telling what the haute couture has to offer... Reservations are recommended, open every night for dinner.

Address: Peninsula Hotel, Salibury Rd; Telephone: (852) 2315 3188

SPOON

$$$$$ | Modern Eclectic

At SPOON, diners are offered the opportunity to create their own meal from a selection of contemporary Asian, French and vegetarian ingredients. The steamed duck foie gras is a favourite, as are the Wagyu beef tenderloin and the pan-seared red tuna. Be sure to browse the six-course Sexy SPOON Menu. The sleek décor is made up of eel-skin upholstery and mink cushions, while hundreds of Venetian glass spoons adorn the ceiling. Reservations are recommended. Open daily for dinner, and on Sunday for lunch.

Address: InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd; Telephone: (852) 2721 1211 ext. 2323