Naomi Locke

Lobby bars are a staple in the hotel world. With countless ground level or first floor watering holes known simply as ‘The Lounge’ or ‘Lounge Bar’ across the globe, it’s hard to differentiate one from another. But Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong’s new edition to its lobby is pretty easy to differentiate because it’s a cut above the rest. Positioned right on the lip of the Wan Chai coastline, this is a hotel sporting exceptional vistas and the view is equally impressive inside. It’s just refurbished its lobby restaurant to a bar and eatery called Mirage. What a transformation. Gone are the wood-toned café-style tables and chairs of the previous incarnation. Instead, Mirage is an ornate island bar with booth seats and cushioned round tables for larger groups dotted around the space and there are stunning 25ft-tall glass-panelled windows that boast unobstructed harbour vistas. The high ceilings exude an air of serenity and, in contrast to many busy lobby bars around town, this is a place to have a quiet chat over a drink. So, in good company we test out the cocktail selection by selecting a concoction called I’m Hallucinated ($98). Unlike many fruit-based drinks that range from sweet to saccharine, this rum-based mixture with its citrus and passion fruit notes showcases the dark notes of rum around the mid-palate. For something more playful, we opt for the No Monkey Business ($98). Vodka and Oloroso sherry is combined with caramelised bananas here to produce an easy-to-

There has been a slew of Thai openings in Hong Kong as of late such as Samsen in Wan Chai and the award-winning Issaya Siamese Club in Causeway Bay. However, if you’re discussing the most popular Thai hangout, then Chachawan is still leading the charge after three years in business. And then there is Mak Mak in the Landmark which is inspiring other dining concepts to delve into the high-end representation of the avours of Siam. So it seems King Parrot Group – the enterprise behind King Ludwig and Coast Seafood and Grill – has been inspired by all this action as it has just opened modern Thai eatery Thaya in Kennedy Town. This is a spacious and sophisticated spot, decked out in teal hues and oxidised brass tones which are accentuated by a mural of lush tropical owers along the back wall. Combined with exposed lament light bulbs, the surrounds are not only stylish but exude a comfortable and relaxed vibe. Taking pride in being a modern Thai eatery, the sizable menu has almost 100 items and that doesn’t even include the drinks. Most of the dishes are under $200 with the exception of the odd item that utilises more expensive ingredients. So we’re actually quite taken aback by the wallet-friendly prices. We start by tucking into one of the more interesting East-meets-West items, the Thai lettuce salad with warm minced pork ($70), but it isn’t that great. Taking inspiration from a larb moo, there’s too much meat in this dish and it’s merely mixed with lettuce instead of the usual

In Shanghai, Mercato is an institution in the city’s casual dining scene. Located in the beautiful neo-renaissance style Union Building on The Bund, the restaurant was the building management’s response to the various failed concepts – bar Jean-Georges on the fourth floor – that hadn’t succeeded in making the address a dining destination. Modelled after chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s casual concept ABC Kitchen (unrelated to the one in Sheung Wan Cooked Food Centre) in New York, the prestigious address, family-friendly atmosphere and easy-on-the-wallet prices made Mercato an immediate hit.  That was 2012. Now, in 2016, chef Vongerichten returns to Hong Kong, long after his stint at the Mandarin Oriental in the 90s. Housed on the eighth floor of the city’s most centralised and restaurant-packed destination, California Tower, Mercato is a direct import of the congenial original concept. So much so that the interiors are designed by Neri & Hu’s, the same company that designed the premises in Shanghai. Floor-to-ceiling windows face a forest of greenery and with natural light spilling in, you can’t help but feel relaxed. Quoted as ‘sexy Italian’, the style of cuisine is best described as an interpretation of Italian that’s peppered by French techniques and influences. The menu is undoubtedly Italian – crudos, wood oven pizzas and housemade pastas demonstrate that – but items such as beef and tuna tartare crop up here and there. Whichever way you cut it, as long as it’s good, who

Remember when you were a kid and you just couldn’t wait until the last day of school? Every pupil would peel out at record speed as soon as the bell rang on that final day of the school term. Little did we know back then that as adults many of us would do anything to go back to those simple times we enjoyed when we were children. Banking on this mentality is Gakuensai. Meaning ‘school open day’ in Japanese, the interiors at this eatery, which has only just opened in TST, are fashioned exactly like part of a high school. Situated in a brand new building on Knutsford Terrace, this place should garner attention from crowds of big-kid diners in the city. As soon as you step out of the lift, you encounter displays of student works and then, to further add to the nostalgic atmosphere, when you turn the next corner, you’re in a student canteen. In fact, at Gakuensai you’re quickly fooled into thinking you’ve walked into some sort of living art exhibition that focuses on school life until you actually see all the adults eating pretty sophisticated food and drinking alcohol in the classrooms. When you head left from the entrance, past the aptly installed ping-pong table, there are two ‘class’ or dining rooms partitioned by pastel-coloured walls. Though there are no major differences between the two areas, the first is a little more intimate, while the second one down the small hallway is brighter and more open. Think history class and then down to the airy science lab. Wooden tables a

One of this year’s most highly anticipated openings in Lan Kwai Fong, this restaurant, lounge and club (dubbed the ‘adult playground’ of Singapore in its home city) has been making headlines for the legal fracas surrounding its name. However, following a swift rebranding from Ku De Ta to Cé La Vi (CLV), the seductive brand has opened on the top two floors of LKF's California Tower. Like its Singaporean sister on the 55th floor of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, this Hong Kong outpost is one of hottest addresses in town. The rooftop bar features a central Jacuzzi (not quite Singapore’s 150m infinity pool) and still a pretty impressive view over Central and Mid-Levels that leaves you feeling like still in the city rather than above it.  International comparisons aside, as you step off the elevators the interiors are so sleek it seems like dust would spontaneously combust as soon as it touches the walls. The shimmering dark panelling and red lighting matches the pulsating house mix that reverberates throughout the whole establishment. The elevators open on to the club space where the DJs spin their beats. A staircase leads you either up to the rooftop lounge or down to the restaurant below, where we’re headed. At our table, the music’s volume is only a notch lower than on the dance floor. Still, for those who enjoy an energetic ambience, the room is definitely buzzing. Service is extremely attentive. Our table is personally attended to by a waitress who introduces herself before exp

Tapas is a trend that landed in Hong Kong and never left. In fact, this Spanish tradition has inspired many restaurants all over town to follow suit with the format of small plates and drinks. Yet when it comes to finding a traditional experience that’s also wallet friendly, there aren’t many options. Enter El Born. Located in Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk, El Born serves up a selection of small bites with the promise of variety. Given the price you pay for the location, it’s a decent choice for your next happy hour. The menu consists of an ever changing list of tapas that start at $40, as well as innovative paellas such as squid ink and slow-cooked octopus options.