Chatting with Cafe Deco Group president Martin Allies recently, I was happy to hear that after an eight-week refitting in China, the Jumbo Kingdom boat is back in Aberdeen harbor. The Sunday brunch is still $328 for adults, $198 for kids, with unlimited bubbles and soft drinks respectively. Anyhoo there’s a new barbecue buffet every Fri & Sat night for $388 with seafood and steak with unlimited Carlsberg. Oh – new breakfast menu Sun from 9am. Call 2552-3331. Is there no end to the madness at Lotus Thai restaurant? Chef Will Meyrick has launched yet another new menu with seared barramundi fish and palm hearts, caper berries, lemongrass topped off with chili lime dressing. Perfect for kicking off the summer season. It packs a punch, amigos, so you’re well advised to pair it up with one of the new wine selections, such as a nice crispy Sauvignon blanc or a nice buttery Chardonnay. 37-43 Pottinger St., Central, 2543-6290. It was recently my brother’s birthday, which had me thinking, what is the appropriate thing to do for a guy in his mid-thirties? Personally, I love my birthday. Being a longterm traveler, it’s the one celebration I can always count on no matter where I’m living. Well, I would suggest a good meal and a wine-addled cruise of the high seas, such as the set dinner on Le Boat: Deep Water Bay Beach, Island Rd., 2982-8321. If you didn’t know this, May 9 marks the 150th anniversary of civil rebellion against British rule in India. In what was the biggest jail-break in history, an estimated 20,000 prisoners were set free from over 40 prisons. Anyhoo, it all gives me an appetite for a good curry: the $98 all-you-can-eat at Jashan, 1/F, Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Rd., Central, 3105-5300. Ladies, if you like your Italian chefs, catch Michelin-star chef Valentino Marcattilii and his special menu until May 19 at Grissini (2/F, Grand Hyatt, 1 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai, 2588-1234). Honey is the only food on earth that will never spoil. Guangzhou’s best is on the menu at the following m.a.x. concepts restaurants: Jasmine (Shop 5, LG/F, Jardine House, Central, 2524-5098) and Guangzhou Garden (Shop 35, L/3, Langham Place, Mongkok, 3542-5768). It seems Sunday brunch is back with a vengeance. The latest to re-launch is the Oyster & Wine Bar at the Sheraton Hotel (20 Nathan Rd., 2369-1111). Champers, a killer view, unlimited seafood – shall I say this is a pleasant way to spend a Sunday? The Igor’s Group has a new card out giving discounts and special invites to members. Just ask at any of their outlets for an application. An interesting combo: revered winemaker Albert Mann from the Alsace region of France will host two nights of wine pairings at both Chinese restaurant Lung King Heen and French restaurant Caprice. Is it madness to suggest wine with Chinese, when most people tend to order beer out of sheer habit? The answer is no, my friends. A light, delicate, fruity white wine is smashing with most Chinese seafood and starters, while a bold, gutsy red washes down a Peking duck (or duck a l’orange for that matter) with style. May 24 at Lung King Heen, Caprice May 25. There are only two things in the world that can kill me: coconut and swordfish. But on my last trip to Africa I took a special pill and to my amazement was able to neck down pina coladas and swordfish steak to my stomach’s content. Check this: swordfish is in season from the Pacific ocean, seared with avocado and grapefruit salad or grilled with teriyaki sauce and wasabi mash at Dot Cod seafood restaurant, 10 Chater Rd., 2810-6988 – but remember it’s closed on Sundays. Not in a million years would I have imagined making a point to visit the Novotel Citygate hotel’s Olea restaurant out in Lantau, but believe me it is worth the effort. Tranquil water pools, bamboo and views of the hills are yours courtesy of the seven-meter-high windows. And value? For $188, you get a four-hour brunch with dishes from France and Greece to Spain to Italy. Fresh homemade pasta? Check. Daily roast? Check. Chilled seafood on ice? Check. 51 Man Tung Rd., Tung Chung, Lantau Island, 3602-8818.
