A recent addition to the sleepy-by-day neighbourhood of NoHo is Palate, a nouveau French-Italian restaurant-bar on Gough Street. First-time restaurateur Arnold Mok Wai-yan has teamed up with his sister, executive chef Karen Mok Seen-wah, to serve lunch, dinner and drinks until late.

The contemporary interior (by Artichaut Design) is punctuated with decorative objects from around the world, such as a Philippe Starck floor lamp, a wall-to-wall art installation by Masanobu Oshiguchi, Murano glass sculptures and Baccarat crystal pieces. The main dining area seats about 24 people while a semi-private room can fit eight.

Palate's menu, which is dedicated to 'Mom & Dad', changes according to the availability of seasonal ingredients. Recent selections for mains have included cioppino stew, a tomato broth with assorted seafood, served with sourdough bread (below; HK$208), roasted Cornish game hen on a bed of creamed spinach (HK$168) and filet mignon in a red-wine glaze topped with gorgonzola and served with garlic mash potato (HK$218).