‘Great after a hike’: the best Hong Kong restaurants for seafood, brunch and dim sum, according to a French food entrepreneur

Food entrepreneur Christopher Daures is the co-founder of meal planner service Eatology, and enjoys exploring European and Asian cuisines in Hong Kong
He also shares his top pick for omakase in Tokyo, and a ‘superb’ restaurant with an avant-garde chef to visit in France

Food and Drinks

Andrew Sun

Published: 11:15am, 9 Nov, 2022

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With a background in engineering, IT and banking, Frenchman Chris Daures is a co-founder of Eatology, a meal planner service that recently launched a Flexitarian meal plan. He spoke to Andrew Sun.

I moved abroad when I was 23, living in England and Japan before moving to Hong Kong. I really enjoy travelling, outdoor activities and discovering different food cultures, so experiencing countries and their food has always been important to me.

There are many places I love but in Hong Kong, here are my top picks. Bistro du Vin (Shop A, 39-41 Cadogan Street, Kennedy Town. Tel: 2824 3010) has classic French food with an excellent wine selection. I love this place because it has a fantastic atmosphere. Ambience is key.

Gaia Ristorante (G/F, Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen’s Road, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2167 8200) is perfect for alfresco dinners and sharing delicious Italian food with friends. It’s a great central location and an easy meeting spot. The five formaggi pizza and cotolette di vitello or veal cutlet are among my favourite dishes.

Chris Daures is a co-founder of meal planner service Eatology. Photo: courtesy of Christopher Daures

Yardbird (154-158 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2547 9273) is nostalgic to me from my years in Japan. It’s incredible how the senses – taste, particularly – can incite vivid happy memories. I love the atmosphere of a delicious modern izakaya with a great selection.

Mr. Wolf (5/F, Lane Crawford House, 70 Queen’s Road, Central. Tel: 2526 0838) is my favourite brunch spot, with a lovely relaxed setting. Besides their classic brunch, I always enjoy the breakfast bowl, which is healthy and tastes amazing.

Amatriciana pasta at Gaia Ristorante. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

A stew at Bistro du Vin. Photo: Instagram/@bistroduvin.hk

14 South Lane (14 South Lane, Shek Tong Tsui. Tel: 5744 8390) is another hidden healthy brunch gem. I love the avocado toast and smoothies.

Dim sum is a must for visiting guests. I would take them to Dim Sum Library (Shop 124, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty. Tel: 3643 0088) for the black garlic siu mai or sea bass and pickled cabbage spring roll, which are among my favourites.

For dinner, I would take them to Sing Kee Seafood Restaurant (33-39 Sai Kung Tai Street, Sai Kung. Tel: 2791 9887). I love the seafood there, packed with local patrons. It’s great after a hike or a day by the beach.

Roast chicken from 14 South Lane. Photo: Instagram/@14southlane

So far, I haven’t found any restaurant in Hong Kong representing the southwest of France. But in Tokyo, I would suggest Lauburu (6-8-18 Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo. Tel: +81 3 3498 1314), which has a large selection of amazing dishes from my home region. Their cassoulet is amazing and is one of the best I have had.

Also in Tokyo, Sushi Sawada (3F, 5-9-19 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Tel: +81 3 3571 4711) is stunning. It has only six seats and serves omakase. Sawada-san is one of the finest sushi masters and a true craftsman.

Their work and dedication is amazing – the fridge works without electricity and Sawada-san loads it with ice every five to six hours. An authentic experience of raw, smoked and cooked sushi, especially for tuna and uni.

Oyster chicken with sea salt at Yardbird. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

In southwest France, you should visit Les Prés d’Eugénie (334 Rue René Vielle, Eugenie les Bains. Tel: +33 5 58 05 06 07). Chef Michel Guérard is an avant-gardiste. He invented “cuisine minceur” – a low-calorie style of cooking – and is an inspiration to me.

The setting is superb. The best time to go is October until March when it is truffle season. The classics to try are morel and mushroom pillows, and salmon papillotes.

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