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Dirk Dalichau, general manager of the Eaton Hotel in Yau Ma Tei.

Quirky restaurants, entertaining chefs, real value: where a Hong Kong hotel GM likes to eat

  • Dirk Dalichau, general manager of the Eaton HK hotel in Jordan, is an adventurous diner who is very choosy about quality and price
  • His picks include a Chungking Mansions gem, Hong Kong’s best tacos and one extremely entertaining chef

Born in Germany but a Hong Kong resident for close to a decade, Dirk Dalichau is the general manager of the newly rebranded Eaton HK in Jordan.

I go out a lot and am quite adventurous. I generally seek smaller, more intimate and often quirky restaurants with authentic food and fun design. I am very picky when it comes to quality and price and look for real value. I don’t mind spending a lot, but it needs to be worth it.

An Italian chef in Hong Kong’s favourite places to eat – no Thai, please

My favourite restaurant for Chinese food is Kam Shan Seafood Restaurant (62-68 Woo Sung Street, Yau Ma Tei, tel: 2332 7366). It has been around for decades and once you conquer the queue, you may be seated in a small room on one of the various floors requiring you to duck when entering. My favourites from among the authentic Hong Kong dishes and fresh seafood items are clams with black bean sauce, salad sauce fried pork, and fresh prawns with chilli soy sauce.

Tokyolima (18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2811 1152) has a stunning mix of Peruvian and delicate Japanese cuisine in an amazing setting. I always take the “Feed me” chef’s tasting menu – it’s an incredibly decent price.

Grilled octopus skewers with black olive tapenade, carrot puree and capers from Tokyolima in Central. Photo: James Wendlinger
Baby back ribs at Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill.

Other regular haunts include Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill (two locations including Shop OT315, 3/F Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 3-27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2735 6111). The restaurant is relaxed and my best fix for juicy baby back ribs with barbecue sauce and spicy chicken wings.

It’s a real adventure to get to The Delhi Club (Room 3, 3/F, Block C, Chungking Mansion, 38-44 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2368 1682) but it has probably the most authentic, delicious Indian food you can find at simply stunning prices. The decor is super kitsch but the hospitality is warm.

11 Westside (1/F, The Hudson, 11 Davis Street, Kennedy Town, tel: 3996 7754) has the town’s best Mexican tacos combined with super nice service, in a fantastic setting. And hidden in the back is one of my favourite bars, The Wilshire, with delicious cocktails.

Chicken tikka at The Delhi Club in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: David Wong
The view across Victoria Harbour from Wooloomooloo Prime in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Jonathan Wong

P&P Pinco Pallino (6 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, tel: 9153 7186) is a fantastic small authentic Italian bottega with a straightforward eat-and-drink philosophy. They also have probably the most entertaining chef in Hong Kong. It’s always a great night out. The best dishes are burrata con affettati misti (fresh Italian cow milk cheese with mixed cold cuts) and pasta ai funghi e olio tartufato (pasta with mushrooms and truffle oil).

Dim sum is a must for any visitor, but so is a gin and tonic while seeing the 8pm light show and the amazing night skyline. I go to top-floor terrace bars like the one at Wooloomooloo Prime (21/F, The One, 100 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2870 0087), which overlooks both Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. It’s the best space to view the scenery.

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