High-flying cuisine THERE is life after airport restaurants. All you have to do next time you need to eat at Chek Lap Kok is bypass the bright lights of the departure hall canteens and head for the new Rouge Chinese restaurant at the Regal Airport Hotel.
Low lights, red lanterns, blue velvet chairs and petals floating on water combine with a broad Cantonese menu offering everything from abalone and shark's fin to braised beancurd and fried rice. The regular menu has 138 items, and the specialities list has 110 dishes. Rouge is also reasonably priced. Steamed spare ribs with black bean sauce is $60; sauteed clams with XO sauce is $148; and steamed stuffed bamboo pith with mashed shrimps, fried scrambled egg white with crab meat and crab roe is $168.
Other specialities include braised silver cod fish with preserved vegetable and glass noodles in casserole ($68), fried sea conch and fresh asparagus and scallion with XO spicy sauce ($168) and stir-fried shrimps with walnuts ($98). Reservations on 2286 6868.
Grape magic ALL the benefits of red wine will be offered in a pill if research by Italian pharmaceutical company, Indena, goes according to plan. The concept emerged from the lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in France, where moderate consumption of red wine is thought to protect against the dangers of high-fat diets. The idea of offering non-alcoholic relief from clogged arteries is also being investigated by medical communities around the world, according to reports from France.
Scientists hope they can offer a little grape magic without luring people into alcoholic indulgence. The secret ingredient is a particular combination of flavinoids, which aren't necessarily present in every type of grape.
Peak performance THURSDAY evenings are Rosemount Estate and 'jazz in the garden' nights at the Peak Cafe. A range of nine wines - four whites and five reds - from the Australian estate are showcased every week from 7.30pm to 10.30pm. These include the new 99 Rosemount Cabernet Merlot, which was launched in Hong Kong last week. Prices range from $210 to $430 a bottle, with wines by the glass from $42. Music is by the Peak Cafe Jazz Trio. Reservations on 2849 7868.