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TROPICAL FLAIR
 
FARE Asian. AMBIENCE Trendy rustic and warehouse-inspired décor with a striking mural of "Mama San" herself. Located on Wyndham Street, the restaurant has a good vibe to start a night out in Lan Kwai Fong or SoHo. COST HK$1,300 for two, with wine and service. WHO TO BRING Friends or a date. TURN ONS Award-winning chef Will Meyrick, who is behind the famous Sarong Restaurant and also has another branch in Bali, offers a wide choice of strong and vibrant Asian flavours, with emphasis on herbs and spices. The food leans towards Southeast Asian cuisine such as Indonesian and Thai, with sweet, salty and sour dishes. We started off with the tangy, crunchy shell crab rujak, the delicious crispy lamb and the enjoyable tuna betel leaves with lemongrass. For mains, highly recommended are the perfectly cooked dendeng balado and the moist, salt-crusted barramundi. To finish the meal, granita on the layered lemongrass panna cotta helped cleanse the palate, while the kampung Snickers was a bit too much. TURN OFFS The background dance music got way too loud at one point. DRINKS Enjoy a cocktail or two at the bar before your meal, like the coconut daiquiri with a mound of coconut flakes on top. Esther Ng
 
MAMA SAN
1/F, 46 Wyndham Street
Central
2881 8901
www.mamasanhongkong.com
 

 
FESTIVE OCCASION

FARE Sichuan. AMBIENCE Decked in red, gold and dragon motifs, it's a welcoming, comfortable environment. WHO TO BRING Friends, family or out-of-town visitors - the larger the party, the better. COST HK$1,400 for two with a glass of wine each. TURN ONS With a slightly Westernised take on Sichuan food, Red Pepper offers a huge range of dishes suitable for locals and foreigners. A must-try is the sizzling prawns in chilli sauce, which requires an almost theatrical response of shielding your face with your napkin so that the steam and sauce are not overbearing. The prawns were juicy and flavourful. We also loved the diced chicken with cashews, which packs a punch. The deep-fried squid with garlic salt was also a favourite. If you are worried about the spice level, it's worth ordering a pickled cucumber cold appetiser to douse the heat. This is communal dining at its best as even the small portions are big. TURN OFFS It gets noisy as tables are close together. The smoked duck was slightly dry. DRINKS A floral and sweet lychee tea was served with the meal. A selection of beers, wines and soft drinks is also available. Joanne Lam
 
RED PEPPER RESTAURANT
7 Lan Fong Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
2577 3811
www.redpepper.com.hk
 

 
SPICE OF LIFE

FARE Sichuan. AMBIENCE Casual chic, with communal tables and a sleek appetiser bar amid contemporary décor of wood, bamboo and brick. COST HK$1,000 for two, including drinks. WHO TO BRING Friends and family. TURN ONS We began with the eight-flavour tofu, served with a tray of seasonings that provided DIY fun as we mixed portions to our tastes. The highlight of the four-dish signature appetiser sampler was the shredded chicken with noodles in sesame sauce. Among the mains, the Mandarin fish slices with crispy soybean crumbs had mild heat and an intriguing nutty texture that contrasted with the succulent seafood, while the crispy chicken dices with dried chillis and Sichuan peppercorn surprised us with their powerful numbing effect. For dessert, we cooled down with coconut and fresh milk pudding. TURN OFFS Despite making a reservation, no tables were available, so we settled for seats at the bar. DRINKS A vast selection including tofu smoothies and soya milk to soothe overheated taste buds, plus fruit-infused sodas, teas, beers and wine. Mukul Munish
 
YUN YAN
10/F, Times Square
1 Matheson Street
Causeway Bay
2375 0800
www.miradining.com/yun-yan
 

 
NORTHERN EXPOSURE

FARE Northern Chinese.  AMBIENCE The Kowloon restaurant has one of the best views of Hong Kong Island's skyline and is decorated with traditional Chinese furniture. COST HK$2,500 for two with drinks.  WHO TO BRING Friends or business associates from out of town; it is also popular for family gatherings. TURN ONS For starters, we had the bamboo clams steeped in Chinese rose wine and chilli sauce with green asparagus coated with white sesame. The bamboo shoots were crunchy and left a tangy taste. For the main course, we had the kung po-style fried prawns with cashew nuts and chilli, which was spicy and sour but not too overpowering. The steamed cod fillets with fresh green peppercorn and soy sauce brought a sharp numbness to our taste buds - it's a dish for those who love hot spices. TURN OFFS You have to book well in advance if you want a window seat. The fried rice with salty fish and ginger had rice that seemed soggy and not fresh, and we hardly tasted the fish or ginger.  DRINKS Best of Chinese wines, reds and whites, and a selection of international beers. Mukul Munish
 
HUTONG
1 Peking Road
Tsim Sha Tsui
3428 8342
 

 
THAI DELIGHT

FARE Thai. AMBIENCE Contemporary Thai wood décor creates a casual yet sophisticated ambience, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking West Kowloon and harbour. COST HK$1,000 for two with a glass of wine. WHO TO BRING Family and friends. TURN ONS The mixed satay of chicken, pork and beef with peanut sauce and an onion and chilli vinegar sauce, the Thai shrimp cakes with sweet plum sauce and the tom kha goong - a soup of coconut, prawn, lemongrass, galangal, coriander, chilli and lime leaves. The fresh herbs and spices make the Thai dishes here some of the best in town. For mains we went for the Thai green chicken curry with rice and roti bread and mixed vegetables with garlic and oyster sauce. The sticky rice with mango topped with coconut cream is excellent.  TURN OFFS The location is slightly out of the way from the other restaurants. The roti was a bit doughy. DRINKS Signature cocktails include the coconut martini, the chilli pineapple martini and the lemongrass mojito. Tracey Furniss
 
MANGO TREE
Shop 2032, Elements,
1 Austin Road West,
Tsim Sha Tsui,
Tel: 2668 4884
 

 
STRAITS AHEAD

FARE Straits (Malaysian/Singaporean) cuisine. AMBIENCE Casual yet warm. Photos of food hawkers from the old days dot this bright and spacious restaurant. WHO TO BRING Friends, family or visitors - the more the merrier, as dishes can be shared. COST HK$900 for two, with a glass of wine each.  TURN ONS Service is excellent, with staff eager to explain dishes. The menu fills all the cravings of die-hard fans of Straits cuisine, including satay served with delicious peanut sauce, and nasi lemak - coconut rice with sambal and crisp accompaniments of roasted peanuts and deep-fried anchovies. But the highlights are the noodles. The assam laksa - a rich, tangy tamarind broth mixed with noodles - and the char kuey teow, with delicate spicy-salty noodles and bean sprouts topped with prawns and Chinese sausages, are as authentic as those found in Malaysia or Singapore. For dessert, the warm rolled pandan-flavoured crêpe is a must-try. TURN OFFS When the place is packed - and it usually is - food takes a bit longer to arrive. DRINKS The frothy tea tarik, or "pulled tea", is delicious and hearty. Beers, wine and soft drinks are also available. Pin Lee
 
CAFÉ MALACCA
Level 2, Jen Hotel (formerly Traders Hotel)
508 Queen's Road West
Sai Wan
2213 6613
 

 
CURRYING FLAVOUR

FARE Indian. AMBIENCE Cosy interiors with heavy curtains and well padded sofas and chairs. COST About HK$600 for two with drinks. WHO TO BRING During lunch, it attracts the office crowd and tourists from nearby Peking Road. On weekends, diners are mainly families and friends. TURN ONS Gaylord is one of the oldest Indian restaurants in town and has gained a loyal following over the years. For starters, we tried the samosas, fried fritters and idlis (steamed buns made of rice) which we enjoyed. For mains, we tried the mutton rogan josh, which was spicy but lacked bite, chicken do-piaza and yellow lentils and paneer mutter, a dish made of cottage cheese and chick-peas. The spice level was quite high and made a good combination with crispy naan and pullau rice. The desert was barfi, made of fermented milk, and deep fried dumplings in a sugary syrup called gulab jamuns. Both of them were a delight after the spicy curries. TURN OFFS The service was a bit slow and the waiters seemed tired. The curries lacked the multilevel spice experience on the taste buds that a curry usually brings. DRINKS Indian and international beers with a good selection of wine. Mukul Munish
 
GAYLORD INDIAN RESTAURANT
1/F, 22-25 Ashley Road,
Tsim Sha Tsui,
Tel: 2376 1001
 

 
PROVINCIAL TASTES

FARE Hunan. AMBIENCE This cheerful restaurant is packed with wooden tables and decorated with Peking opera masks and murals. COST HK$500 for two for dinner, or HK$48 for a set lunch. WHO TO BRING Colleagues, friends and family. TURN ONS This Michelin-recommended restaurant serves authentic Hunan cuisine at reasonable prices. For a really hot experience, try the recommended steamed fish head with diced red and yellow pepper - be sure to order plain noodles to dip into the sauce. Not as hot is the cumin sizzling beef, which was delicious. The stir-fried cabbage is crunchy and slightly spicy, and try the Changsha-style stinky tofu if you're adventurous. TURN OFFS The tables are a bit unstable, and the stir-fried shredded potato was bland rather than spicy. Drinks Soft drinks and beer; corkage is HK$50. Esther Ng
 
CAFÉ HUNAN (MAIN)
KOON WAH BUILDING
420-424 QUEENS ROAD WEST
WESTERN DISTRICT
2803 7177
 

 
FIERY RANGE

FARE Asian. AMBIENCE Contemporary interior in bamboo, teak and rattan with a large patio. COST HK$1,200 for two, with a glass of wine each. WHO TO BRING Friends, family and a date. TURN ONS The wide choice of fare includes Indian, Vietnamese, Singaporean, Malaysian and Thai. We went for chicken satay, tom yum goong and a Vietnamese spicy crab meat and pomelo salad, which had a good balance of chilli, sour and sweet. The deep-fried tofu with five spice, garlic and chilli was perfectly cooked, soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. For mains, we shared a chicken rendang curry with rice and a plate of crunchy garlic kale - both were excellent. For dessert, the sticky mango pudding is a must-try. TURN OFFS We waited 10 minutes for the menu and then again to get served, but it was a busy Saturday evening. DRINKS A choice of smoothies and soft drinks, wine, beer and cocktails. Tracey Furniss
 
SPICES
G/F, The Arcade,
109 Repulse Bay Road
Repulse Bay
2292 2821
 


Spice things up

Tuna betelleaves from Mama San. Photo: Jonathan Wong

A must-try is the sizzling prawns in chilli sauce. Photo: Felix Wong

Eight-flavour tofu from Yun Yan

Chilli-spiced bamboo clams at Hutong

Mango Tree serves Tom Kha Goong. Photo: Marcus Tse

Assam laksa at Café Malacca

Samosas at Gaylord Indian Restaurant

Steamed fish head with diced red and yellow pepper. Photo: Felix Wong

Tom yum goongat Spices in Repulse Bay

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Good Eating

Test your taste buds at restaurants offering the hottest specialities from all over Asia


Test your taste buds at restaurants offering the hottest specialities from all over Asia.


Spice things up

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Test your taste buds at restaurants offering the hottest specialities from all over Asia

Test your taste buds at restaurants offering the hottest specialities from all over Asia