Hong Kong restaurant veteran on his favourite places to eat, from Brass Spoon to Maxim’s Palace to Kowloon City Thai
Indian restaurant group founder tells us where to eat the best Chinese food, especially dim sum, and Thai, where he takes guests for fine dining, and why cooked food courts are the best places to celebrate a win on the hockey pitch
Punjab native Kuldip Uppal has been in Hong Kong 30 years and is executive director of Uppal Hospitality Group, a food supplier and restaurant operator running such outlets as Jashan, Bacco, F.A.B. (French American Bistro) and newly refurbished favourite Jo Jo Indian Cuisine.
I grew up around food. My father was in the restaurant industry too. We ate mostly Indian food until I came to Hong Kong. That’s when I started exploring. Now I eat a lot of Chinese, lots of dim sum and some Thai.
With family gatherings, we often go to City Hall Maxim’s Palace (2/F, 5-7 Edinburgh Place, Central, tel: 2521 1303) for lovely dim sum. I think they are the best. If I have guests and want some fine-dining food, I go to Mott 32 (Basement, Standard Chartered Bank Building, 4-4A Des Voeux Road Central, Central, tel: 2885 8688).
Hong Kong Indian restaurant owner on 33 years in the business, surviving Sars and the changing face of Wan Chai
For steak or fish and chips, I go to Frites (1/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central, tel: 2217 6671). It’s owned by a friend of mine and it’s convenient. I have a partner who owns several French places but I always like his Comptoir (42 Forbes Street, Kennedy Town, tel: 2453 9873). It’s very small. They do something like French-style tapas and I love the food there.
For Thai, I don’t go to any fancy places. Instead I like a place called Friendship Thai Food (38 Kai Tak Road, Kowloon City, tel: 2382 8671) run by a nice lady that does homestyle Thai food. We go there every month or so.
I like really local places. I even get the char siu at fast food chain Café de Coral (various locations).
