The French Connection
Grab your beret, pull on your stripy shirt, pose with that baguette and come celebrate everything French in Hong Kong.
It’s that time of year again, when folks around town live la Rive Gauche in celebration of all things French. Yes, Le French May is well and truly underway, with a fantastic lineup of live cultural programs, foodie treats, French cinematic classics and haute couture for local francophiles to enjoy.
So to warmly welcome the merry month of Le French May (which in its 18th year actually encroaches into April and June, but hey, who’s counting?), we present the Frenchiest quartiers of Hong Kong.
Oh Là Là Là
Party like the French with a glass of pastis, a shot of absinthe or a wobbly game of pétanque. By Johannes Pong.
DUO
The French abhor our air-conditioned existence in Hong Kong, so anywhere with outdoor or semi-outdoor seating will automatically become a French hangout—take the civilized strip outside Classified on Hollywood. A little further down, right next to the Man Mo Temple is DUO. French-Lebanese owner Marwan recently renovated its entrance to include a cozy lounge area with couches, all in soothing rich browns, where you will often see the French sipping on a cup of coffee or glass of wine during the afternoon.
118 Hollywood Rd., Central, 2547-0000.
La Loggia
The sensuously dim-lit bar/lounge of the agnès b. pain grillé at the IFC is rather like an elegant, intimate Parisian social salon from the belle époque, with stately wall paneling in smoky green-grey, washed oak floors and gorgeous Moroccan chandeliers. Only by going out to the little terrace for the harbor view will you remember that you’re not by the Seine. The wine cellar houses over 600 bottles of French wine (and Château Musar from Lebanon) and around 80 champagne labels, some directly imported from France, such as the pleasantly fruity Roger Coulon. For champagne cocktails, try a Bellini or a hardcore Hemingway (absinthe and bubbly). Fancy a nibble with your Kir Royal? Order some Sturia caviar from the southwest of France served on ice in the original tin, with freshly baked blinis and homemade sour cream, or a fine cheese platter with succulent grapes.
Shop 3089-3097, Podium 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance St., Central, 2805-0723.
Chéri-Chéri
Situated across the park on top of Aberdeen Street and Caine Road is the grungy garage-glamorous headquarters of the French creatives in the nearby hood of NoHo, although proprietor Theirry Chesta says the lounge and bar-resto is now just as popular with the locals. His designer wife Catherine Magnan of Magnan & Tse (a boutique just down the road offering original jewelry-embroidered fashion) gives the lounge area an alternative chic-et-trash vibe. Stools are upholstered in stonewashed denim, vintage fabrics and eclectic artwork; root-like structures hang from the ceiling, lending a dark, underworld feel. The laidback ambience and the rotation of Serge Gainsbourg, French rock and chill-out makes Chéri-Chéri the perfect venue for private parties, or just dropping by for a nice glass of wine. Try the Chemin De Marquiere (Pinot Noir from Pays D’Oc) or their scrumptious Chéri-Chéri Shot of caramel syrup and iced vodka. They also serve yummy mise en bouche and dindin such as baby octopus, beef tartar and mint prawn balls.
41-49, Aberdeen St., Central, 9604-7777.
Pastis
Emphatically French, it’s a slice of Nice (the French town, not the adjective) and a breath of fresh Côte d’Azur air on Wyndham. It exudes casual bistro chic, with posters and bric-a-brac all from France, a notable difference from all the glossiness around that area. The drink of choice is, of course, pastis, that sweet, sociable aperitif—Ricard (from Marseilles) or Pernod (Parisian) diluted with water to a soft, milky yellow. This successful little experiment by two bona fide Frenchmen, Olivier Caisson and Jérôme Spitzer, also features the recipes of their two moms. They just switched to their midsummer menu, still featuring the light, authentic touch.
Gecko
Hidden in the alley that is Ezra Lane, Christophe Bonno’s cozy absinthe lounge is like a crazy bohemian bar in the backstreets of Montmartre. The charismatic Frenchman has been running this den of iniquity for eight years (quite a mean feat) and it’s the go-to watering hole during jaunts from Wellington to Drop or Home. It’s known for its spectacular jazz nights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, especially the latter when all the coolest cats in the city gather for the wildest, rawest, most organic and fun jam until the wee hours. A shot of La Feé Verte, anyone?
Ezra Lane, Lower Hollywood Rd., Central, 2526-1372.
Les Boules
Probably the world’s first (and certainly Hong Kong’s only) indoor basement pétanque bar, the ubiquitous metal ball-throwing game you see men playing everywhere in the South of France. The revolutionary brainchild of Gecko’s Christophe and Eric Masson of the Hong Kong Pétanque Club on Lamma, Les Boules sits on a quiet street in Shek Tong Tsui. Venture down the staircase and it brings you to an unexpectedly cavernous subterranean realm that’s as bright as a fine summer’s day in Provence, with chanson and French electro lounge pop blaring from the speakers. There are three sand-topped lanes and two smaller trainer lanes. Balls are there for rental, but you can also buy your own, with chic accessories like a bag for your boules or a handy magnetic ball retriever. There’s also board games such as Monopoly Bretagne and French Tarot (a card game, not for divinatory purposes). And s’il vous plaît, don’t be snobby and ask for fancy cocktails and dry martinis—this is pétanque and it’s all about pastis and draught beers.
18 Woo Hop St., Shek Tong Tsui, 2872-0102, www.lesboules.hk.