In a metropolis like Hong Kong, one can easily find themselves overwhelmed or lost in a sea of people. Even simple pleasures like a bowl of wonton soup – whilst served at many eateries – may sometimes seem impossible to find.
Rising rental yields and new developments have been shifting eateries (and introducing new ones) to relocate beyond the ground level, with many restaurants finding themselves nestled within high-rise shopping malls or office buildings. Whilst this isn’t anything new to high-density cities nor is it to Hong Kong, with so many buildings though, where does one start? I wish I could say it was simply as easy as looking up however it’s a start – simply being more observant to the surrounding buildings and being aware that there are options all around you. In addition, making openrice.com your friend.
Hopefully my suggestions below will be make your life a little easier when it comes to eating your way through Hong Kong!
Yumcha
I wanted to start off with one of the gems of Cantonese cuisine – Yumcha. It’s hard to go wrong with dim sum, steaming hot morsels of luscious fillings encased in a range of skins.
Occupying the top floors of the high rise shopping malls in Hong Kong are some of the best Yumcha restaurants in the city. Golden Palace is one of these, located at level 25 of iSQUARE Mall, with its location commanding impressive views of the Hong Kong skyline. Don’t let the location fool you, the dim sum (particularly the Har Gao, prawn dumplings) are well priced and you will also find some new-style dim sum dishes.
Golden Palace（江顺河鲜）
25/F，iSQUARE Mall
63 Nathan Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
http://www.goldenpalace.com.hk/jiangshun/
Afternoon tea with a twist
Afternoon tea plays an important part in Hong Kong culture, with many cafes, restaurants and even bars offering excellent deals from 3-5pm.
I headed to Tapa Gria at The One for afternoon tea late last year and highly recommend it. The One is a high rise shopping complex, featuring more boutique brands with the top levels being occupied by restaurants with different cuisines. With its Tsim Tsa Tsui location, you get some of the best unobstructed views of Hong Kong harbour and it is definitely worth coming here for the views alone.
As the name suggests, the restaurant specialises in Spanish tapas and their afternoon tea set ($298HKD excl. tax for 2 people) includes a choice of white or red sangria and a food platter, consisting of croquettes, olives, tomato toast with jamon serrano ham (pan con tomato y jamon), lightly battered calamari and a dessert medley.
Tapa Gria
18/F, The One
100 Nathan Road
Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Set Lunch
The Goldmark houses both retail and office tenants with its lower levels being occupied by a great range of, more affordable dining options. I was taken to The Mon by a few friends, and the entrance to the restaurant is typical of many mixed-use buildings, smaller lifts with a directory showing each floor with pictures of its restaurants next to it.
The Mon is a Japanese style izakaya specialising in egg dishes, however it was the set lunch menus that wowed me. ~$100HKD (excl. tax) will get you a set menu with a mini udon, a non-alcoholic beverage and a nigiri platter (second photo above). The atmosphere is darker but cosy, great for a catchup and business lunch.
The Mon（門）
4/F, The Goldmark
502 Hennessy Road
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Summary – Shopping centres and High rise buildings with a great selection of eateries
Angelina – Just one of many alfresco dining options at IFC Mall
Kong Kong Island
Hysan Place, Causeway Bay
The Goldmark, Causeway Bay
IFC Mall, Central
Kowloon
Langham Place, Mongkok
The One, Tsim Sha Tsui
iSQUARE Mall, Tsim Sha Tsui