Indian entrepreneur and newcomer’s favourite Hong Kong restaurants so far – for breakfast, lunch, and tea of course
Pallavi Danthi, founder and creative director of House of Pravasa, may not have been in town for very long, but she has already found a few gems to satisfy her eclectic tastes
Pallavi Danthi, founder and creative director at Pravasa.
A [newcomer] into this deliciously diverse city of Hong Kong, I find myself discovering my new hometown one great restaurant at a time. Food has always been a fervent passion of mine since I hail from the land of myriad local cuisines, India.
Interior of Aberdeen Street Social. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Depending on how hectic the week’s been, my go-to place for a casual and relaxed breakfast is Aberdeen Street Social (JPC, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, tel: 2866 0300). I usually order the eggs Benedict, smoked salmon bagel and maybe a mammoth pastrami sandwich.
If I’m feeling fancy, I head to brunch – with champagne, of course – at Brasserie on the Eighth (8/F Conrad Hong Kong, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, tel: 2822 8803).
This interior of Maison Libanaise. Photo: KY Cheng
You can’t beat Maison Libanaise (10 Shelley St, Central, tel: 2111 2284) for a juicy lamb kibbeh and hummus at lunch, especially when accompanied with a sneaky glass of the Chateau Ksara: a Lebanese red.
Wagyu beef puff at Dim Sum Library.
If I’m in the mood for a light lunch, then Dim Sum Library (Shop 124, 1/F Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 3643 0088) is my answer. The melt-in-the-mouth wagyu beef puff will make you feel like it’s Christmas.
The interior of New Punjab Club.
Always looking for great Indian food, I struck gold when I came across New Punjab Club (World Wide Commercial Building, 34 Wyndham Street, Central, tel: 2368 1223). Their samosa chaat and lahori seekh are prepared by the chef who tweaks the traditional recipes and takes them to the next level. Sweet cravings are satisfied at Little Bao (66 Staunton Street, SoHo, tel: 2194 0202) for their gorgeous salted caramel ice cream sandwich.
We Indians take our tea very seriously. The welcoming grandeur of the high tea in the The Lobby at The Peninsula hotel (22 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2696 6772) is not to be missed. Get there before rush hour to avoid a queue.
Chef Umberto Bombana of Otto e Mezzo Bombana.
You can’t beat the Earl Grey martini at The Lawn at the Upper House (Level 6 Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 2918 1838). Or a beautiful Italian red wine and a lovely chat with the chef Umberto Bombana at his three Michelin star 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, which is always great to end the night of gluttony and begin the night at Lan Kwai Fong.
When in Barcelona I love Spoonik (Carrer de Bertran, 28, tel: +34 934 88 64 84)which turned out to be quite a fascinating experience. The fabulous eight-courses of molecular gastronomy with the sound, smells and visuals are not to be missed.
