It's Friday night and you and the significant other are stuck with the weekly dinner dilemma: settle for the same old SoHo staple, or try somewhere new? With an estimated 13,000 to 18,000 restaurants in our fair city, finding a fresh restaurant shouldn't be as difficult as it usually feels.
With endless openings, closings, renovations and menu revamps, it's a challenge to discover a new dining experience that truly satisfies. Why not go straight to the source, to the people who spend most of their lives surrounded by food - chefs. After hours, every chef has a restaurant they like to escape to. We talked to five of them. Under the radar Finding a gem among the hundreds of restaurants hidden away among the nooks and niches of our city can be more trouble than it's worth. But when your entire day revolves around food, you get to know some of the best.
A chef's day often starts at dawn - David Lai of On Lot 10 heads to Ap Lei Chau's market every morning to source fresh fish. 'It's full of stubborn, no-nonsense old ladies who know a thing or two about quality and value,' he says. 'Near the market is a canteen, Chan Sun Kee, that'll cook anything you bring them.'
Vicky Cheng of Liberty Private Works prefers the seafood sellers of Tuen Mun. 'I was fortunate to be brought to Kwan Choi Kee by a helpful server,' he says. 'His family runs it and it's just a sight to see all the beautiful seafood.'
Then it's off to the kitchen confines for the day - but when lunchtime rolls round, the search for a quick, hearty meal can be challenging for those at the chopping board. Kenny Chan Kwok-keung of Dong Lai Shun heads out for a late lunch at either New Shanghai Spot, where 'the dishes are traditional and creative, but suitable for a quick meal', or Delicious Viet Bistro, where he digs into a plate of sweet-and-sour pork.
Vinny Lauria of Linguini Fini prefers some spicy Sichuan dishes to keep him going. 'Chilli Fagara is one of the establishments in town which consistently delivers a great meal at a great value,' he says. 'The different levels of heat in the food make it an exciting and challenging meal.'
Lai grabs a cheap hot dog loaded with mayo and relish at local favourite Wing Lok Yuen. 'They sell these cheap, generic wiener hot dogs, loaded with thick, sweet mayo and relish. It's next to my doctor's office, so I always get a couple to reward myself after every visit,' he says. Alternatively, Lai heads for Hop Yick Tai for what he says are the best rice noodle rolls in Hong Kong. 'It's the only place where it tastes remotely like how it used to in my childhood,' he says. 'Food is a lot about memories and nostalgia - I understand how fast food has become a symbol of evil, but for me it's plain old comfort food.'