The best straight ramen, shoyu ramen and fish broth ramen in Hong Kong - this Frenchman, previously in Japan, knows his noodles
- Léo Jockovic, a brand ambassador for Moët Hennessy Diageo, went to Japan on an exchange programme in his early 20s and is now a huge fan of ramen
- For ‘proper soupless ramen’, he heads to Kokoro Mazesoba in Wan Chai, while he would take visitors to Lin Heung Tea House for a dim sum experience to remember
Frenchman Léo Jockovic is a brand ambassador for wine and spirits distributor Moët Hennessy Diageo (MHD). He speaks to Andrew Sun.
My family is mainly from Lorraine, near Alsace in eastern France, so I’m much more of a Burgundy guy. I ate a lot of pot-au-feu (a beef stew) growing up but don’t find it much in Hong Kong because fine-dining restaurants don’t make it much.
In my early 20s, I went to Japan on an exchange programme to study economics. That’s where I started my career, and came to Hong Kong almost three years ago.
Another place I like is Maru De Sankaku (13 Aberdeen Street, Central, tel: 2346 3889). It’s the same owner as Zagin Soba, famous for their creamy chicken soup ramen, but Maru De Sankaku does a very nice fish-based broth. They have a very dense thick one, which a lot of people like, and a light clear broth that I love.
An addictive place is Kokoro Mazesoba (68 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, tel: 3751 6966), doing proper soupless ramen. I discovered this style when I was a student and I’ve been craving it.
On the Kowloon side, Nanhai No. 1 (Shop 3001 & 3101, 30-31/F, iSquare, 63 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2487 3688) has a beautiful view. You can have nice wine pairing with the food, too.
It’s a bit cliché but I love the Australia Dairy Company (47-49 Parkes Street, Jordan, tel: 2730 1356). The first time I saw the place and its food, it didn’t look appealing, but then it is very tasty and you experience a rougher version of Hong Kong service. The speed of the place spoke to me after living in Japan. I loved it as an interesting experience.
For a splurge, I would go to the rooftop bar, Faye (25/F-26/F, California Tower, 30-32 D’Aguilar Street, Central, tel: 3619 4282) and open a bottle of Dom Perignon rosé under a sunset. There’s an amazing view, great atmosphere and a diverse crowd.
There is an inexhaustible list of amazing bars here but my favourite is PDT (Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, tel: 2132 0110) simply because I have an emotional connection. That’s where I had my first spirits training session as an ambassador. It’s almost a second home to me. I would order an espresso martini.
When the borders reopen, the first place I would have to visit is France. A dessert place I miss is La Chocolaterie de Jacques Genin (133 rue de Turenne, 75003, Paris, tel: +33 1 45 77 29 01). The chocolate is amazing but the mille-feuille is out of this world. It’s voluptuous and soft, and they only make it after you order.
In Japan, I’m not going to suggest a big name but I have great memories from Xex Atago Green Hills / Tempura & Sushi An (2-chrome-5-1, Xex Atago, Minato City, Tokyo, tel: +81 3 5777 0065). I’ve been there with my Japan Moët Hennessy team for a lot of champagne events.
