The mercury is rising higher than ever – you are dead wrong if you thought we’d be taking refuge in the safety of our air-conditioned homes. Instead, we’re making plans to head out in search of new restaurants and exclusive menus. Here’s where you can find us for the duration of July.
New Opening: Cornerstone
Fresh from his stint as a finalist on Netflix’s The Final Table and the launch of Arcane, chef Shane Osborn is back with a new restaurant. Cornerstone, a highly-anticipated dining spot, is a casual bistro with 24 seats. The restaurant touts a no-reservation and no-service-charge policy.
Highlights of the menu include yellowfin tuna with pomelo, yuzu, fennel and ginger; and Wagyu bavette with red onion, rocket, ciabatta and mustard mayonnaise. Vegan and vegetarian options are included.
Opens: late June
Address: G/F, 49 Hollywood Road, SoHo
New opening: Sip Song
Opening up in The Pulse over in Repulse Bay is Sip Song – Thai Eatery & Bar, the newest dining venture from Maximal Concepts. Inspired by southern Thailand’s beach culture and the energy of Bangkok night markets, Sip Song offers authentic Thai street food in a relaxed setting.
The menu contains dishes made with sustainably-sourced seafood, skewers, curries and noodles. Highlights include pla krabrok manow (whole steamed mullet with Thai herbs, baby wombok, shimeji mushroom and chilli-lime fish broth), phat si ew nuer (hanger steak, egg noodles, broccoli and black soy) and roti kluay (banana roti pancake, condensed milk and chocolate).
Opens: July 7
Address: Shop 114 & 115, Level 1, The Pulse, 28 Beach Road, Repulse Bay
New opening: TMK
The mid-July opening from the Pirata Group is being launched as a temakeria, which in Japanese translates to a place that sells hand rolls. It’s no surprise that the restaurant will offer a wide range of creative hand rolls. Highlights include king crab, bluefin toro and Hokkaido sea urchin.
Diners can also expect sushi and sashimi, modern takes on Japanese classics and sake. TMK’s vibe is described as “punk”, with an interior that recalls a dive bar complete with a punk rock soundtrack.
Opens: mid-July
New opening: Honjo
Pirata Group welcomes another new Japanese dining concept in Sheung Wan this month. Named Honjo, the 120-seater restaurant will operate separately from TMK.
The interior is inspired by the 1950s and will feature a retro futuristic vibe, meant to conjure up notions of “a dream eclectic and quirky home”. On the menu are sushi, sashimi, tempura and hot dishes.
Opens: late July
Address: 1/F, Hollywood Centre, 77-91 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan
Tel: 2663 3772
Chef’s Table at La Rambla by Catalunya
La Rambla by Catalunya is launching its six-seat Chef’s Table experience in July that offers dishes that are not available on the restaurant’s usual menu. Showcasing chef Ferran Tadeo’s creativity, guests can look forward to Josper-grilled mid-rare, extra-large Carabinero prawns that are brimming with roe, 12 days dry-aged pigeon from Racan de Verry in France, and “Ajo Blanco”, a traditional chilled Spanish soup of almond and garlic, elevated with the addition of Hokkaido sea urchin and Ossetra caviar. This menu is only available during the summer and with limited seating.
Date: starts July
Price: HK$1,200 per person for a minimum group of 4 guests, additional HK$550 for wine pairing
Address: Shop 3071-3073, 3/F, IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central
Tel: 2661-1161
POLA x InterContinental Hong Kong afternoon tea
POLA is teaming up with InterContinental Hong Kong for the new “Beauty Promise” afternoon tea, which runs until the end of July. The name refers to POLA’s promise to transform women’s skin with its whitening products – a tall order, but one that the brand is committed to realising.
Items on the afternoon tea are inspired by the brand’s newest products, White Shot LX and White Shot MX, both of which promise bright, dewy and translucent skin. Highlights of the afternoon tea set include Japanese scallop and seaweed bread, Dungeness crabmeat and pineapple with yuzu dressing, and almond mousse with gluten-free financier.
Date: until July 31
Price: HK$688 for two
Address: Lobby Lounge, InterContinetal Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon
Tel: 2721 1211
Diageo Reserve WORLD CLASS
Diageo Reserve World Class returns for the Hong Kong leg of its global competition this month. The 11th edition of the world’s largest bartending competition partners with Hysan Place for the first time. The competition sees 10 of Hong Kong’s best bartenders taking part in three challenges to prove their skills in front of the public. The public will also get to taste each of the finalists’ cocktails and to vote for their favourite bartender.
The competing bartenders include Adam Schmidt from Mandarin Oriental, Amir Javaid from John Anthony, Hei Chan from Quinary and Summer Lo from Four Seasons. The judging panel comprises Antonio Lai from Hong Kong, Japan’s Hidetsugu Ueno, Nick Wu from Taiwan and Korea’s Joe Du Ul.
Date: July 7
Address: 1/F Atrium, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
Roku-Wareki at Nobu
Nobu celebrates Fumizuki, the equivalent of July according to the ancient Japanese calendar of wareki, with summer-inspired omakase lunch and dinner menus. The seasonal menu uses ingredients that are in season to bring flavour to the table.
Highlights of the lunch menu include suzuki sashimi with cucumber amazu and ayu with yuzu dashi. Dinner dishes include A5 wagyu with mushroom salsa and cold somen noodles.
Date: July 15-August 25
Price: HK$1,488 per person for 8-course dinner, HK$888 per person for 6-course lunch
Address: 2/F, InterContinetal Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon
Tel: 2313 2323
Guest chef Christophe Hay at WHISK
Celebrated 2 Michelin-starred chef Christophe Hay, owner of La Maison d’a Cote, joins WHISK at The Mira for two nights in July. During his guest stint, Hay will present an 8-course degustation menu showcasing dishes from his signature menu.
Hay is known for his careful choice of ingredients, relying on locally-grown artisanal produce and sometimes growing his own food. Highlights include pike perch ‘à la Chambord’ with truffle crayfish and Cheverny wine sauce, and wagyu strip loin with red onion from Florence, potatoes and mustard.
Date: July 18 & 19
Price: HK$1,588 per person, additional $380 for wine pairing
Address: WHISK, 5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, Mira Place, 118-130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Tel: 2315 5999
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