specials

The Kowloon Shangri-La is featuring the cuisine of Janni Kyritsis, chef of the award-winning MG Garage in Sydney. Kyritsis, whose restaurant was named Restaurant of the Year in 2000 by both the Sydney Morning Herald and Australian Gourmet Traveller, will be cooking his creations in Margaux restaurant, as well as at a series of wine dinners in the Harbour Room from April 10-14. The a la carte lunch and dinner menus in Margaux include many of Kyritsis' specialities, such as quail and pig trotter sausage in vine leaves, confit of olives and garlic with tomatoes in hand-made Greek filo pastry with anchovy sauce, and veal sweetbreads with cauliflower fritters, bitter leaves and purslane salad. The four-course 'Best of MG Garage' wine dinner on April 10 is $780 plus 10 per cent. The dinner on April 11 features the wines of Majella, presented by the winery's owner, Brian Lynn. The four-course dinner includes roasted pigeon with pigeon liver stuffing, grilled hearts and white polenta, paired with Majella cabernet sauvignon, and seared wallaby fillet with beetroot puree and red cabbage, served with the Malella Malleea; it's $680 plus 10 per cent. At the 'Top of the Top' dinners on April 12-14, some of Australia's most famous wines will be served, including the 1990 vintage of Penfolds Grange Hermitage and Henschke Hill of Grace. The four-course Top of the Top dinners cost $18,000 plus 10 per cent for a table of six to eight. Call 2733 8750.

Another Australian chef, Geoff David Haviland from Marketa Restaurant, is making an appearance at the Hotel Nikko until April 15. Australian dishes, seafood and wines are featured in seven food and beverage outlets in the hotel, including Les Celebrites, Cafe Serena, Toh Lee and Sagano. Call the Hotel Nikko on 2739 1111.