Property consultant Rex Wong's favourite Hong Kong restaurants
Old favourites, a secret hideaway and somewhere to splurge - Wong has a place for every occasion. Mind you, he says, nothing beats dining in good company, not even the food
I enjoy good food at nice restaurants, as well as home-cooked meals. The food itself is not the only thing that concerns me — the company is just as important. Sometimes the food may be ordinary but if great people are there, that can make the meal fabulous.
For Chinese food, the (6/F Langham Place Hotel, 55 Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, tel: 3552 3300) delivers exquisite, delicious and distinctive Chinese cuisine. The char siu is unbeatable. It also has a great selection of wine to go with Chinese dishes.
For Italian food, (3/F The Royal Garden, 69 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2733 2000) is a great place to eat. It may be a bit overpriced and old-fashioned, but I always loved their lobster bisque and homemade pasta.
I like to take my out-of-town guests to Temple Street and dine with them in the (66 Woo Sung Street, Yau Ma Tei, tel: 2332 7366). Be sure to go to the original three-storey location, not the new version on Nathan Road in Jordan. This is a good opportunity to taste authentic Hong Kong-style Cantonese dishes. I usually follow this meal with a sightseeing walk around the nearby streets and the well-known night market.
My little secret hideaway is (3 Tai Wong Street East, Wan Chai, tel: 2529 3806). It is a small, local restaurant that serves delicious dishes, and is very reasonably priced. I could eat a whole plate of their Shandong fried chicken by myself with a big bowl of rice. A good tip is to never go at peak dinner times.
Conversely, if I were to splurge, (56/F Island Shangri-La, Supreme Court Road, Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 2820 8590) is very grand and romantic, and has breathtaking views that go with the impeccable food and service.
My work often takes me to Japan, so, for a Tokyo suggestion, a favourite is (3-14-22 Shinjuku Station, Shinjuku 160-0022, Tokyo Prefecture, tel: +81 3 3353 3028). It's a local yakitori restaurant located near my apartment in Shinjuku. They have great yakitori and many other choices of kushiyaki. Like any Japanese restaurant, they take their food presentation seriously, making every dish look almost like an artwork. Yet the prices are reasonable and the service is super friendly.
