Tag Archives: restaurant

Lung King Heen, Four Seasons, Hong Kong

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With a reputation as the best Chinese cook in the world, Chef Chan Yan Tak has a lot of customers who visit with high expectations. When the Michelin guide arrived in Hong Kong 8 years ago, his restaurant Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons received the ultimate recognition of three stars, an accolade it has retained ever since.

Despite the grandeur of its reputation this restaurant has a friendly feel, the staff provide every guest with professional but personal attention and Chef Tak’s passion for traditional but creative cooking is very much evident throughout the menus. With no formal training, Chef Tak’s creations are inspired by family recipes and traditions. The kitchen is known particularly for its exceptional seafood and dim sum.

Located on the fourth floor of the opulent Four Seasons Hotel, this large open-plan dining room is understated and elegant. It is a subtle space in comparison to the hotel’s other award-winning restaurant, Caprice. We sat at a central table, and quickly the restaurant filled up around us- families, friends and business lunches – it is definitely a restaurant for any occasion.

Most local guests choose tea to accompany their meal, so we did the same. The warm fragrant drink cleanses the palate between courses and the delicate taste complements the bold dim sum dishes. A small tasting menu had been prepared for us, highlighting a few of the chef’s specialties, whilst taking my dislike of fish into consideration. First, a few classic dim sum mouthfuls to wake up our tastebuds… each parcel was an explosion of flavour and excitement. The pineapple pork dumpling was the best, a yellow topped pastry (it doesn’t actually contain any pineapple) with a juicy meaty filling.

Also on the table were a few traditional sauces, all homemade at the restaurant. Particularly notable was the XO sauce, which is notoriously difficult to make, and needs a precise balance of components to create the correct taste.

The BBQ meats were perhaps my favourite part of the meal. Melt in the mouth sweet and tender pieces of pork, goose and duck that were each carefully roasted in the dedicated roasting room at the hotel, to attain an addictively good sweet crispiness.

Wok-fried Superior Australian Wagyu Beef Cubes with Morel Mushrooms was a hearty dish. High quality meat and fresh seasonal vegetables were coated in an irresistible sauce. The final savoury dish was a classic Chinese staple. Fried rice with shredded chicken sounds simple, but here it was made to perfection. Comforting and filling, every grain of rice was carefully separated and coated in a tantalizing salty hint; it was tasty and rich without the normal cloying greasiness.

Dessert was a trio of strange and delicious treats. Vibrant green lime pudding with aloe and mint was a light jelly dessert. I appreciated the lightness of the jelly though didn’t quite understand the flavouring. We also tried Osmanthus Jelly, a typical floral jelly that was intriguing and delicious; ideal at the end of a meal.

Lung King Heen translates to ‘view of the dragon’, and I was pleased to find the food is every bit as majestic as the name suggests. This Chinese cuisine is fit for royalty but the staff make everyone feel welcome, and it is that unusual balance that makes this 3-Michelin star establishment so special and unique.

More information and book a table at Lung King Heen here.

22 Ships, Hong Kong

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A new Jason Atherton seems to pop up in London every couple of months. Whilst travelling the world I have noticed his significant global influence too. Kensington Street Social has just opened in Sydney’s chic Old Clare Hotel, and he has two successful eateries in Hong Kong.

22 Ships is rather different in style and offering to Atherton’s ‘Social’ restaurants that I have experienced. The small tapas joint is centered around a lively bar, where busy barman mix up White Sangria cocktails and pour glasses of Cava. In the kitchen Executive Chef Nathan Green creates pretty plates of contemporary Spanish tapas. The tasty recipes indicate an obvious influence of Chinese ingredients and produce – roasted suckling pig with pineapple and piquillo peppers is a hit with locals and expats.

I opted for a few of the house specialities including a rich and decadent jamon, manchego & truffle toastie with quail eggs, and the mini pork and foie gras burgers. I loved the perfectly balanced dish of peas, broad beans, goat’s curd and Serrano, a welcome plate of greenery.

The desserts are artistic and exciting, I could see plenty of technical expertise and complicated processes going into each pudding. We devoured the chocolate fondant with malt ice cream and 100’s & 1000’s, a bowl of delicious contrasting textures and tastes. The green tea cheesecake with lime and yoghurt I spotted on the neighbouring table also looked very appetising.

22 Ships is proof that Atherton has a grasp of food trends all around the world, though this little eatery has enough positives to succeed even without his celebrity name attached to it.

More information and book a table at 22 Ships here.

Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach, Australia

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Of all the hotels I have visited around the world, a few stand out in my memory. Halcyon House made a lasting impression, with its fantastic bright beachy design, stylish innovative cuisine and prime seaside location. A recently renovated and transformed former surfer motel, this special hotel has already won a handful of prestigious awards.

I spent an afternoon enjoying lunch at the hotel’s destination restaurant, Paper Daisy, and relaxing by the pool. The décor is decidedly blue, from the crisp staff outfits to the books on the shelves.

The chef, Ben Devlin, is one of Australia’s most talented young chefs, having previously worked at Noma and Esquire. The menu reflects the seasons, and local produce is the main focus. The dishes are creative and thoughtful, sophisticated cooking without unnecessary fuss… which perfectly suits the setting.

Highlights included raw & preserved vegetable salad with fresh ricotta, a beautiful rainbow of ingredients paired with creamy homemade cheese. The Wagyu grade 9 rump with curry leaf, sesame and sugarleaf was the winner from the main course section of the menu. Irresistibly velvety-soft meat with a caramelised crisp edge dressed with Asian herbs.

Desserts are simple with a tropical theme. I loved the Stonefruit tart with caramelised white chocolate and nectarine, a satisfying contrast of sweetness and acidity. With our meal we opted for a refreshing Australian white, ideal in the hot climate.

After lunch we dozed by the pool and dreamt of staying in one of the eclectic Halcyon House rooms. I can’t think of a more idyllic place to spend a summer holiday.

If you are lucky enough to be staying at Halcyon House there are lots of interesting and quaint towns nearby, each with exciting eateries and independent shops to explore. Here are a few of my favourites:

Byron Bay – grab a flat white and healthy, organic brunch dish at Bayleaf, or head to The Farm for a wholesome lunch.

Brunswick Heads – Fleet is a trendy restaurant run by a husband and wife, with innovative contemporary cuisine and carefully selected Australian wines. Be sure to book ahead as the small venue fills up fast.

Mullumbimby – for a delicious wood-fired pizza and lovely local atmosphere, take a short drive to Mullimbimby’s Milk & Honey. The rustic pizzas are huge so get one to share between two.

Newrybar – this tiny village’s highlights are all on one street. Harvest serves inventive and tasty breakfast, lunch and dinner and sells its produce at the deli next door. Shopaholics will love the tempting homeware and gifts at Newrybar Merchants.

Coolangatta – avoid Surfer’s Paradise and Gold Beach and instead head to Coolangatta for a quieter, more picturesque, white sand beach.

Brisbane – often forgotten in favour of Australia’s larger cities, Brisbane is a great stopover city as you head further north. Head to Esquire’s casual eatery Esq for a tapas style dinner, and chic café Morning After for great coffee and food. Lone Pines Koala Sanctuary is a wonderful place to meet Australia’s best loved animals in a friendly environment.