Eating
and living in Hong Kong is never boring — from dai pai tong (street hawkers) to the most lavish restaurants, from grimy hovels to exquisite suites, there are few cities which offer such an astounding gamut of choices. With the
uncertainty of 1997 behind it, what is surer than ever is its residents’ entrenched penchant for quirky names and designer labels. Karch, Jurong and Oxide — we’re not talking about industrial estates or
chemical compounds here but personal names. Oh, what about Fruit and Apple — no, these are not computer models. When one moves to restaurants, one contemplates the nomenclature here with a measure of disbelief — the almost normal,
sometimes simple names chosen. Felix, Petrus, Gaddi’s, Too and Vong. Wash away any disbelief with good wine and food and you’ll at least see (even if you don’t understand anything else) why Hong Kong is a food paradise.
Felix
This Philippe Starck-designed restaurant is still as fresh and energised as when it opened eight years ago.2 The fusion cuisine (with Polynesian influences) varies in creativity
and quality according to the change in menu.1 At its inspired best, the food is divine, the view of Hong Kong harbour incomparable, and the lighting intoxicating. Don’t forget a peek at the fantastic washroom basins. Must try:
Misoyaki codfish appetiser. Location: Peninsula Hong Kong. (photo 1 — ginger-marinated striped seabass.)
Café Too
The
recently opened Café Too3 is a better version of Singapore’s mezza9. Various stations display food items, which are cooked fresh for patrons, in a minimalist environment that blends
glowing glass with organic earth tones. Café Too has improved on the concept by offering a
truly staggering range of foods — Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese,
Italian, American, to name a few. Not to mention the amazing variety of drinks, breads, and desserts. What to try: a hit-and-miss experience — as with buffet meals, the quality is variable, though generally above average.
Location: Island Shangri-La. (photo 4 — Japanese tofu with crab roe.)
Vong
Clean
lines mark the décor of the restaurant, interrupted by occasional intricate murals and Oriental motifs.5 The food here is consistently good and inventive. The mixing of Eastern and
Western cuisine is fraught with 
risk — especially when it’s described as ‘classical French with Asian touches’. But Jean-Georges Vongerichten, master chef, rises to the
challenge and sensitively deals with condiments such as lemongrass, chillies and beansprouts, having lived and worked in Hong Kong and Bangkok for a long time. The food is so excellent that there is no need
to seek compensation in the view offered from the 21st floor of the Mandarin Oriental. Must try: Vong’s Black Plate7 — an assortment of appetisers including raw tuna in crispy skin.
Don’t forget the warm Valrhona chocolate cake.6 Location: Mandarin Oriental.
Gaddi’s
The traditional French restaurant has fallen from favour in Singapore (remember Maxim’s), the trend being towards a more relaxed casual dining format. But the legendary Gaddi’s holds onto its traditional ornate décor and French
haute cuisine. For all its reputation, traditional French food can sometimes be heavy with creams and cheeses, and over-salty terrines. Which explains why contemporary French cuisine inclines towards a lighter touch. At Gaddi’s,
haute has gone légère. If you choose carefully, you will be agreeably satiated, not overstuffed, and with room for the most excellent desserts. Must try: Zucchini flower and lime-scented scallops on a bitter salad, and figs
gratinated in an Amaretto-sabayon. Location: Peninsula Hong Kong.
Where to Stay (Hong Kong’s Best Business Hotels)
For
business stay, my personal favourite is the Peninsula suite (No 1915) that overlooks the Hong Kong harbour against Victoria Peak. Luxuriously appointed, 
this L-shaped suite
invites the guest into a hallway which leads to the living room, then the bedroom, the walk-in wardrobe and finally the spacious bathroom. After its 1993 renovations, the Peninsula set new standards in the hotel industry with its
TV bathtubs, edging full-length glass windows on two sides. The handsome hotel lobby with its carved pillars is an excellent place for breakfast meetings and is beautifully lit up at night — quite an arresting sight. Being in
Kowloon, there is the inconvenience of having to take the Star Ferry across to the financial district. But this is amply compensated for by the lovely harbour front promenade and the gorgeous views of Hong Kong Island at night.
Many hotels in Hong Kong Island are conveniently located within walking distance of the financial district. But the only reason to stay on Hong Kong Island is the Island Shangri-La. A thoroughly modern hotel, the Island Shangri-La has the usual opulent Oriental touches: Chinese vases and the world’s largest vertical Chinese painting at 51 m tall. Throw in massive chandeliers and floral carpets and the eclecticism can be overwhelming. This is signature Shangri-La style nevertheless and has its loyal clientele who love aggrandisement. Excellent business facilities are available here and the rooms boast a dramatic sweep of the mountains and financial cityscape.8
Jeffrey Lee