A frequent visitor to Japan, Jeffrey Chan is the owner of Marble Kappo restaurant, which specialises in Ozaki beef.
As an entrepreneur, I enjoy exploring food of different countries because tasting distinct dishes explains the culture, history and geography of the country. The dining experience allows you to get deeper into the culture, leading to interactions with people and learning their experiences.
I love to eat simple dishes with fresh and good food quality.
One place I like is Octavium (8/F, One Chinachem Central, 22 Des Voeux Road Central, tel: 2111 9395). It’s a cosy Italian restaurant with sophisticated decor. I love every course in the meal, from the starter to the house-made pasta, to the desserts, and the warm house-made breads. It’s all beautifully cooked and presented. An extraordinary dining experience. Every detail speaks of professionalism.
Kyoku (38 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, tel: 2156 9888) is a hidden gem for Japanese food. Located in a less busy part of Causeway Bay, it uses the freshest and finest ingredients to prepare intriguing sushi and creative teppanyaki dishes. My favourite is toro sushi and teppan wagyu steak. The tuna is imported directly from a famous tuna fishing Japanese family with 150 years of history. Chef Wai’s toro sushi is an indulgence.
Kyoku offers a selection of high-quality A5-rated wagyu including, Matsuzaka beef, Saga beef, and a rare Kobe beef, which teppan chef Ken cooks to perfection.
Chotto Maki in Central review: made-to-order fusion maki sushi
For visitors, I would take them to the famous seafood district of Lei Yue Mun. It is a place where visitors can see a part of Hong Kong’s history and culture, and enjoy a delicious Chinese seafood meal. You can pick different kinds of seasonal fresh seafood from the vendors. I don’t have a favourite restaurant there. Any of them will do.
Kai Kai Desserts (29 Ning Po Street, Jordan, tel: 2384 3862) is where you can find the locals squeezing into to enjoy all different kinds of Chinese sweet soups. My favourite is the taro purée soup.
For more local snacks, Wong Ming Kee (80 Kai Tak Road, Kowloon City, tel: 2716 2929) has fresh house-made meat balls and squid balls. They are served with rice noodles and soup with a touch of fried dry garlic and fresh Chinese coriander. The combination is truly the best.
Of course, I think my restaurant Marble Kappo (1/F, Crowne Plaza Hong Kong, 8 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2650 8988) is pretty good too. My highlight is the premium Japanese wagyu steak and the wagyu shabu-shabu.