Hong Kong and Macau_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 14th Edition) - Andrew Stone [118]
PRAWN NOODLE SHOP
Map Noodles, Malaysian $
3184 0505; Shop 201, 2nd fl, Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen’s Rd Central; bowl of noodles $35; 11.30am-7.45pm Mon-Sat; MTR Sheung Wan (exit E2)
This neat place serves palatable Penang-style Malaysian laksa and prawn noodles that keep homesick Malaysian expats coming back. There’s a branch in Wan Chai ( Map; 2520 0268; Shop 4, Rialto Bldg, 2 Landale St; MTR Wan Chai, exit B2).
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ADMIRALTY & WAN CHAI
Wan Chai, and to a lesser extent Admiralty, is a happy hunting ground for ethnic restaurants. Name your cuisine and then MTR, bus or tram it down to the Wanch. You’re certain to find it here.
BO INNOVATION Map Chinese $$$$
2850 8371; www.boinnovation.com; 60 Johnston Rd; lunch from $178, dinner from $680; noon-2.30pm Mon-Fri, 7-10pm Mon-Sat; MTR Wan Chai (exit B2)
Alvin Leong, the tattoo-sporting chef of this trendy spot with two Michelin stars, is the enfant terrible of Hong Kong’s culinary scene. We were impressed by his takes on molecular gastronomy (Chinese sausage and rice ice-cream), and even more so by the fact that there were dishes we’d love to eat every day (noodles with uni and fish roe).
GRISSINI Map Italian $$$$
2588 1234; http://hongkong.grand.hyatt.com; Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Rd; lunch from $400, dinner from $700; noon-2.30pm, 7-10.30pm Mon-Fri & Sun, 6.30-10.30pm Sat; MTR Wan Chai (exit A1)
Fluffy, chewy and addictive, the foot-long grissini (bread sticks) here are – appropriately – the best in town. But leave room for the Milanese specialties, especially the pasta and risotto, and pair them with a bottle from the 1000-strong cellar. This stylish restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows commanding views of the harbour. The Sunday brunch ($455), with its exquisite, strictly Italian offerings, is our favourite buffet in town.
PETRUS Map French $$$$
2820 8590; www.shangri-la.com; 56th fl, Island Shangri-La Hotel, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Rd; set lunch from $368, set dinner from $1380; 7-10am, noon-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm; MTR Admiralty (exit F)
With its head (and prices) in the clouds, Petrus was known as one of the finest Western restaurants in Asia, even before it plucked one star from the Michelin firmament. Here traditional French cuisine is served under crystal chandeliers, the views are riveting and the wine list will move connoisseurs to tears. Coat and tie required for men.
CAFÉ TOO Map Western $$$
2820 8571; www.shangri-la.com; Level 7, Island Shangri-La, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Rd; lunch buffet from $298, dinner buffet from $418; 6.30am-12.30am, buffet noon-2.30pm, 6.30-10pm; MTR Admiralty (exit C1)
If value and variety are what you’re after, don’t miss this upbeat and airy restaurant where the buffet is an extravagant performance showcasing fresh seafood, dim sum, noodles of all persuasions, curries and desserts.
CINE CITTÀ Map Italian $$$
2529 0199; www.elite-concepts.com; Ground fl, Starcrest Bldg, 9 Star St, Wan Chai; set lunch $138/168; noon-3pm Mon-Fri, 6pm-midnight Mon-Sun; MTR Admiralty (exit F)
The Michelin inspectors who recommended this sleek place probably enjoyed twirling their taglioni between real-life supermodels and blown-up stills of Fellini movies almost as much as they did the stellar Italian fare. The bigoli with duck ragout and porcini is absolutely divine; the friendly sommelier can help you pick a bottle from the famous wine list.
YIN YANG Map Chinese $$$
2866 0868; 18 Ship St; lunch $180-280, dinner $560-1000; noon-2.30pm, 7-10.30pm, dinner only Sat, closed Sun; MTR Wan Chai (exit B2)
Margaret Xu, the soft-spoken chef of Yin Yang, calls her cooking New Hong Kong. A former ad-agency owner who taught herself how to cook, Margaret grows organic vegetables and fruits in Yuen Long and uses ancient preparation methods, such as stone-grinding and roasting in terracotta ovens. Chinese cooking at its absolute, rarefied best this is not. But what Margaret sometimes lacks in technique, she compensates for with passion and originality. Nowhere is this more apparent than in her