CHANGE was in the air. So was the noose of spiralling rents. Those make every independent restaurateur shudder, including Supatra.
Rather than uproot her Lan Kwai Fong location, the feisty Thai restaurateur closed for six weeks and ploughed $1.5 million into renovation. The result was an expanded bar on the ground level with a new menu of Thai tapas, available anytime.
''I've always done well on the food side of business, so I decided to combine the bar with light food and snacks,'' she explained. Now patrons can swill Singha and nibble salads, satay, fried squid, dips and sticky rice treats. The more serious appetitescan go upstairs and be seated in what she describes as a classy Thai house with carvings, artefacts, and a balcony with plants and flowers.
To enhance the bar area, she's added a recent purchase: a genuine long tail boat from Phuket. Installing the eight-metre vessel was a test of patience and friendship. It had to be cut in half then brought to the site when the move wouldn't obstruct traffic. ''It took eight of us. What an ordeal.'' Supatra's, 50 D'Aguilar Street. Tel: 522-5073. CONFUSED about Italian wines? Let the light shine in with a handy Guide to the DOC & DOCG Wines of Italy. The 31-page booklet, available free from the Italian Wine Association, even explains those acronyms. DOC means controlled denomination of origin; and the latter refers to a group of elite wines whose quality is guaranteed by the Italian government.
The guide profiles the regions, offers maps, describes the characteristics of the wines and includes a glossary. For a copy, contact Ms Wendy Tam, c/o Italian Trade Commission. Tel, 846-6500; fax, 868-4779. NEED a hit of sassy seafood gumbo, dirty rice or chicken creole? Skip over to Causeway Bay. Just in time for Mardi Gras is the opening of Lori Granito's Cajun cooking school.
The New Orleans-born caterer-turned-teacher offers classes and tasting dinners in her new space in Tang Fai Mansion, one block from Times Square. Scheduled for this evening is a four-course New Orleans dinner tasting for $275.
Slated for next Tuesday is a demonstration class in Cajun classics such as shrimp remoulade, seafood bisque, jambalaya and creole pecan pralines. Course fee, including seasonings and recipes, is $300. Reservations are a must. For information contact Bayou Catering. Tel: 574-5046; fax, 574-5344. AND speaking of Mardi Gras, the Bostonian in the Hong Kong Renaissance Hotel is pulling out all the stops for their annual New Orleans Festival.