Hong Kong’s best fish and chips according to a UK native, and where she loves to eat Japanese skewers and pudding that is ‘the stuff of dreams’
- Eira Jarvis is from Yorkshire in northern England, where they know a thing or two about fish and chips. In Hong Kong they are her ‘reward after a sweaty hike’
- She is also a ‘huge fan’ of Japanese cuisine and has one regular sushi spot that reminds her of her travels to the country
UK native Eira Jarvis is the Hong Kong-based managing director (Asia) of Pret A Manger. She spoke to Andrew Sun.
My food tastes are very broad and inclusive. I don’t tend to have a routine. It really depends on my mood.
Funnily enough, when I was growing up, eating out wasn’t really something we did very often, although on summer holidays we drove across Europe, which exposed me to local markets and cuisines.
Like most folks here, I’m a big fan of Japanese food. If I’m not grabbing a Pret sandwich, I could well be enjoying something from Hana Musubi (various locations including Shop 46, 1/F, Admiralty Centre, 18 Harcourt Road, Admiralty. Tel: 2520 2259). Their omusubi – rice balls – with Hokkaido salmon is great, as is the burdock root.
It’s a nice way to wind down after a busy week with a few ice-cold beers or sake – sometimes both.
I’m originally from Yorkshire so will always be tempted by good fish and chips. Nowhere does it quite like home but I can recommend Hooked (86-88 Caine Road, Mid-Levels. Tel: 2915 1118). The fish, from New Zealand, is cooked to order. This is often my reward after a sweaty hike, hanging out with a beer from the chiller while waiting for the food.
I am a massive fan of Indian food and Tulsi Indian Restaurant (7 Tsat Tsz Mui Road, North Point. Tel: 2568 3806) does a good job replicating a wide range of regional dishes.
The truffle pudding comes glazed in birch sap with a generous grating of Berkswell, a hard ewe’s milk cheese, and it’s the stuff of dreams.
Sushiyoshi (1/F, The Otto Hotel, 8 Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Tel: 2657 0280), which started in Osaka, brings many great memories from Japan and we try to get a seat at the sushi counter whenever chef owner Hiroki Nakanoue is in town. The menu constantly changes depending on the season but Hiroki-san is always a generous and larger-than-life host.
Outside Hong Kong, high on my list is Ekstedt (17 Humlegaardsgatan, Stockholm. Tel: +46 8 611 12 10). It’s all about fire and smoke, no gas or electric, in the open kitchen, and excellent Scandinavian ingredients.
I remember some amazing oysters and fire-roasted duck breast, seasoned with some finely grated smoked reindeer heart. Not something you have every day.
