The best things to eat in Hong Kong right now

At Artisan de la Truffe, seasonal truffles feature in every single dish, whether they’re freshly shaved onto an appetiser or infused into an ice cream for dessert. The best item from the menu, though, is also the simplest – the tagliatelle with truffle shavings ($178). The pasta is as much of a star as the famed fungi and is made in-house before it’s cooked to spot-on al dente-ness. Likewise, the sauce – made from white wine, cream, chicken broth and parmesan – is so delicious, we’d drink it by the spoonful. The adorning truffle shavings change depending on the seasons – black winter truffles should be available from now until early next year alongside the black Périgord species, which is served until early spring. If you really want to spoil yourself, order your tagliatelle with white Alba truffles (additional $180 for three grams) before they go out of season in December.

With cooler weather comes plumper oysters. While plenty of places in town serve freshly shucked shellfish, we’re particularly taken with the selection at Chic. Definitely get the US pacific rock oyster ($78), which is as long as an outstretched hand and boasts a flesh that’s deliciously creamy with notes of sea spray. If size doesn’t matter to you, there’s also the gillardeau from France and rock oyster from New Zealand (both $58).

Two bites of pure indulgence, this starter is part of the menu revamp at Gough’s on Gough, following the arrival of the new executive chef, Cary Docherty. The “toast” here is actually beef dripping – i.e. fat – that’s breaded and deep-fried to a caramelly colour. To balance out this decadent base, Docherty piles on a brightly dressed crab and mayo salad that’s adorned with fronds of fresh dill. The result is surprisingly light, more unctuous than fatty and with a good level of acidity to cut through the heaviness. We ate this with a generous helping of caviar (market price) and so should you.

What sets Kytaly’s pizzas apart is the dough. Made of 70 percent water, it’s billowy and blackened in spots, soft within but with an almost mochi-like first bite. It’s good enough to be eaten on its own, although, of course, quality toppings don’t hurt Kytaly’s cause. Order the Margherita Sbagliata ($200) – an abstract arrangement of buffalo mozzarella from Campania, Riccio tomato sauce and a reduction of fresh basil, salt and extra virgin olive oil. It’s one of the simplest things you can order on Kytaly’s dough – and also on of the best.

Available on Mrs Pound’s lunch menu, this brothy, flavourful laksa ($85) is essentially comfort in a bowl. The soup, for starters, is super slurpable, spun from slow-cooked seafood and rounded off with a dash of coconut milk. It’s then loaded with fishballs and cakes, fried tofu puffs (all the better to soak up that broth) and a soft-boiled egg with a runny, orange yolk. Top everything off with a plump tiger prawn. 

If you’ve ever eaten at Okra, you’ll know that the guys there are very, very serious about their food. So when they decide to launch a new project, you better believe it’s going to be good. That’s exactly what Sausage Commitment is – Okra’s new brand of house-made sausages. There are currently four franks available – all crafted with loads of TLC. The MaLa sausage, for example, is cured month-long in fermented rice, then smoked (for 15 hours!), then dried and roasted before it reaches your plate or a charcoal bun. We also love the smoky, Cajun-inspired Andouille, which packs a heady punch. You can get a taste of these sausages ($88, with or without bun) at Clockenflap this weekend but they’re also available at Tong Chong Market on December 16 and, of course, at Okra.