Favourite Hong Kong restaurants of Zuma’s Arkadiusz Rybak, and how dishes inspire the drinks he creates
Hong Kong seafood and street food, European dishes, Japanese cuisine, dim sum and Vietnamese banh mi are among the favourites of the adventurous eater and bar development manager at Zuma
I’m adventurous when it comes to eating. I like exploring flavours and combining them, which often provides inspiration for my drinks. Having said that, I also like my creature comforts and often eat the same dishes in the same places over and over again.
Rybak likes to visit the seafood restaurants in Sai Kung with friends. Photo: Dickson Lee
Whenever someone visits, I like to show them the local food so I head to Sai Kung for seafood and Kowloon to explore street food in Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui. I find new places around there every time – it’s great for exploring!
If I want a casual bite or weekend snack it really depends on my mood, but I do find myself at other bars quite regularly.
Hand-cut steak tartare by Employees Only.
I love Employees Only (19 Lan Kwai Fong, Central tel: 2468 2755) for its amazing beef tartare and great vibe, and Stockton (32 Wyndham St, Central, tel: 2565 5268) for its super roast beef sandwich with caramelised onion and truffle chips, not to mention the great hospitality. Both places are great for a quick snack and drink.
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Interior of Gough’s on Gough.
Serge et le Phoque (Tower 1, The Zenith, 3 Wan Chai Rd, Wan Chai, tel: 5465 2000) is one of my favourite restaurants in town, and for something more adventurous Gough’s On Gough (15 Gough St, Central, tel: 2473 9066) is truly excellent.
Chef Takashima Yoshihiro of Shugetsu.
In between service I head to lunch at one of my three favourite spots in Central. For ramen I head to Shugetsu (5 Gough St, Central, tel: 2850 6009). It’s a cosy joint that serves house-made noodles but it’s the grilled kurobuta pork belly that’s the real winner.
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I also love Ding Dim 1968 (14 Elgin St, Central, tel: 9698 1968) for its super friendly staff and consistently good dim sum. My list of favourite dishes is long: barbecue pork buns, fried dumpling with shrimp and foie gras, beef and egg on rice, beef balls on bean curd sheet, and crunchy deep-fried wonton.
