The temperature is rising, autumn is waning, Easter’s over and it’s time to emerge from your winter hibernation with the best new dining experiences in Hong Kong for April.
It’s great to see the Hong Kong hospitality scene revving back into gear with a host of exciting new openings joining new innovations from some of our favourite culinary players. From spicy Vietnamese delights to nostalgic brunch extravaganzas, these are the best new dining experiences for April.
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Sophia Loren House
In the latest chapter in its storied history, Wan Chai’s historic Woo Cheong Pawn Shop has transformed into Sophia Loren House, a beacon of la dolce vita on Johnson Road. Designed as a ‘one stop’ Neapolitan dining and entertainment destination, this vibrant four-storey venue will recreate the celebrated lifestyle of Rome during the 1960s and 70s immortalised by film director Federico Fellini.
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Formerly housing the modern British restaurant The Pawn, the building is undergoing a transformation, and will pay homage to the legendary actress Sophia Loren when it reopens this month, featuring four distinct dining and entertainment concepts.
Look out for Sophia Loren Pizzeria, a street-level haven for pizza enthusiasts seeking the authentic taste of Naples; Casa Sophia Loren, a sophisticated yet cosy Italian seafood restaurant that features an open kitchen; STAGE, a throwback to the vibrant 70s with live performances, a dance floor, and an atmosphere charged with nostalgia; and the Pellicola Rooftop, a trendy and romantic spot overlooking the colonial tramway and lively Johnston Road.
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Sophia Loren House joins the Sophia Loren Restaurant brand, inaugurated by the actress with her first namesake restaurant in collaboration with Neapolitan entrepreneur and politician Luciano Cimmino in Florence in 2021. The brand has since expanded to Milan, Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, and the southern Italian port of Bari.
Wagyu Kappo ODA
Famed Japanese beef shrine Wagyu Kappo ODA, has officially arrived in Hong Kong. The restaurant, which exclusively uses premium Black Wagyu beef from Kagoshima’s Oda Farm, has opened in Central, helmed by Japanese executive chef Tomiya ‘Tommy’ Yu.
Award-winning Oda beef cattle are fed with an original feed that’s a blend of 12 different hormone and antibiotic-free ingredients and is raised in a stress-free and healthy environment and at the new eatery, chef Yu creates Wagyu Kappo dishes in a unique Omakase style that showcases the exquisite taste of premium Japanese beef.
Menu highlights include Oda Beef Tartar; Oda Wagyu sirloin Sukiyaki paired with premium Japanese egg and rice cooked with a clay pot; and charcoal grilled Chateaubriand.
Book ahead and make for the 13 counter seats or assemble the lads and book the private dining room.
Pho Bay
Vietnam’s culinary heritage heads to the outer islands with the opening of Pho Bay at Discovery Bay Plaza. The new restaurant and bar welcomes guests to a bamboo-accented dining room with an ocean-view deck for al fresco dining that beautifully complements one Asia’s most subtle and healthiest cuisines.
At the new venue, chef Chaliang Phaenthong, a 30-year veteran of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants in Hong Kong, presents a menu laden with light, fresh regional seafood specialities. Authentically balancing traditional sweet, sour, salty and hot elements, the menu features quintessential Vietnamese favourites evolved from a unique heritage of both Southeast Asian and French colonial influences.
Pho Bay unsurprisingly headlines with world-famous pho and the secret of chef Chaliang’s recipe lies in the broth, which is infused with the fragrance of star anise, clove and cinnamon to lend a natural sweetness.
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Also look out for authentic banh mi, action-packed baguettes adopted from the French colonial era stuffed with pork liver pate, grilled pork, grilled beef or roasted chicken with pickled vegetables and fresh herbs; and refreshing and light goi cuon spring rolls made with a semi-transparent skin of rice paper stuffed with taro, mushrooms, vermicelli, and mixed vegetables, perfect for dipping to refreshing perfection in fish sauce!
Juno
Tap into the summer vibes of chef Jordi Vallés Claverol’s new weekend brunch menu at Sheung Wan Italian-Mediterranean culinary oasis Juno.
The Wing Lok Street eatery infuses sunny southern European essence throughout its new menus, which are headlined by the city’s most exciting new weekend brunch. The brunch includes two appetisers, a main and a dessert from an array of heartfelt Italian and contemporary Mediterranean creations, as well as free flow drinks including handpicked wines, negronis and beer (for an additional charge).
Highlights include super-smooth Butternut Pumpkin Soup sprinkled with crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds and a splash of mint oil; Caviar d’Aubergine, a fragrant and guilt-free ‘caviar’ that sees eggplant roasted in the charcoal oven and dressed with pine nuts, mint, basil and honey; Burrata Pugliese, a creamy take on the southern Italian soft cheese, paired with heirloom tomatoes and frisée for textural interplay; and Lobster & Prawns Open Omelette, a sumptuous Spanish-style egg dish enriched with sweet piquillo peppers and poached onion.
For mains look out for Juno Truffle Tagliolini, thin, ribbon-like all’uovo (egg) pasta laced with shaved truffle and parmesan; baked Côte d’Azur-style barramundi with fresh tomato, courgette, aubergine and sage; and Pork Ribs glazed with pomegranate molasses and accompanied by rosemary-scented jacket potatoes.
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Desserts from France or Italy end the brunch feast on a classic sweet note: choose from a crisp Tarte Tatin with delicious dollops of caramel and vanilla ice-cream, or stylishly presented Tiramisu dusted with Valrhona cocoa powder in a Champagne coupe, featuring Savoiardi (ladyfingers) drenched in Illy coffee.
Chinesology
Delve into the good old days with the awesome new 80’s dim sum brunch at Chinesology at IFC. Revisiting favourites from the past five decades, chef Saito Chau’s exquisite new dim-sum brunch experience evokes nostalgia with a touch of modern joie de vivre.
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Served from noon until 3 pm, the brunch begins with the Five Fortune’ appetisers – Free Range Egg Mousse with Vinegar; Chilled Botan Shrimp with 20-year Huadiao wine; Hong Kong-treasured Jumbo Razor Clam; Italian Tomato with Seaweed and Vinegar; and pickled Scallion with fruity Roselle and tangy Vinegar. The appetisers are served on one platter and are followed by a collagen-packed house signature soup, with sea cucumber, winter melon, bamboo fungus, carrot oil, and chicken oil.
From here it’s all about unlimited dim sum bites from the 11-dish strong menu, which includes Siu Mai Quail Egg; the delicate Minced Pork Xiao Long Bao; Wild-caught Mottled Spinefoot with 15-year-old Tangerine Congee; translucent Har Gow with tiger prawn and minced pork; vegan-friendly kale and vegetable dumplings; and mushroom and pepper puff pastries.
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You can also choose a main from a tantalising selection that includes lobster with sergestid shrimp sauce and handmade rice flour rolls; free range chicken with wild mushroom, lotus root, and chives; and premium dried abalone with goose web, and a secret recipe sauce.
Be sure to opt for the free flow package, which includes a series of signature cocktails – the Southern Sidecar with VSOP cognac, ginger spice and kumquat liqueur is especially refreshing – and a selection of wines and cocktails. Be sure to book ahead as this promises to be one of the city’s hottest dim sum menus for the season.
ÓNA
Newly opened ÓNA is Discovery Bay’s new home to traditional southern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. Named after the Catalan word for ‘wave’, ÓNA rides the wave of coastal cuisines that accompanied ancient empires from the Phoenicians to the Greeks, Romans and Ottomans.
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Complete with an expansive outdoor deck circled by palm trees and colourful rustic décor paying homage to rustic Mediterranean style, ÓNA distinguishes itself with a menu thats a homage to the region and its many culinary influences. Show stopping dishes by Moroccan chef El Mehdi Zenasni – many cooked on the specialty Josper charcoal oven – include rich, melt-in-your-mouth beef tagine flavoured with apricot, prune and almonds; slow-cooked lamb marinated in lemon yoghurt and Arabic spices, and gently tenderised for 72 hours; Baharat garlic butter prawns; and Sumac Baby Squid.
A range of salads includes Greek with feta and kalamata olive, Lebanese fattoush with pita bread, and even Syrian tabbouleh herb salad.
The restaurant’s rustic interior design meanwhile adopts neutral tones for a warm and welcoming atmosphere, adorned with rich textiles and vibrant tile work injecting a burst of colour. Golden yellow, coffee, olive green and linen beige tones are reminiscent of the afterglow of sunset.
Yurakucho
Wyndham Street’s favourite Japanese izakaya has welcomed a new chef and new menu. Yurakucho Izakaya, known for its vibrant atmosphere and Japanese street eats, has welcomed chef Joe from the esteemed Awa Awa and Sake Central, who introduces a brand-new menu featuring an enticing array of Japanese street eats focused on the hawkers underneath gado-shita train stations.
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Chef Joe’s culinary expertise shines through in his signature creations, including the delectable Chicken Kaarage with wasabi mayo with parmesan; salmon, snow crab and cucumber hand rolls; Wagyu Sandos with Tonkatsu sauce, and snow crab udon with ikura and onsen egg.
A special highlight is the launch of the highly anticipated YFC (Yurakucho Fried Chicken) happy hour, available from 4 pm to 7 pm every Monday to Saturday, featuring YFC chicken, ice-cold beers, house sake and an enticing crunchy bar bites menu.
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