Happy In Hong Kong

Tripping over to Hong Kong or living it up over there? We’ve got some updates for you, for good and happy eating. Bon appetit!

CEPAGE by Les Amis

Singapore’s Les Amis Group has just opened its new fine-dining restaurant, CÉPAGE in Hong Kong. 

Since it’s just around the corner from Central, in Starstreet in Wanchai, we can teeter there in our fabulicious six-inch stilettos, shopping bags in hand and ensconce ourselves in OTT opulence. We know we’ll just lurve their 18th Century French villa look with cutting-edge design, the grand floor-to-ceiling back-lit onyx marble wall, antique chandeliers hand-picked (but of course) and, specially flown in from Europe -- Cocquet crockery, First Series glasses and Laguiole knives. All just to enhance the dining experience. 

Chef Thomas Mayr’s cuisine is light and contemporary, combining the classics with the new. Les Amis Singapore favourites remain on the menu, such as the cold angelhair pasta with Aquitaine caviar, Japanese kombu and white truffle oil (HK$250); and wild mushroom risotto, pan-seared foie gras and langoustine (HK$230). New dishes include carpaccio of live Scottish diver scallop, citrus fruits and Iranian Beluga caviar (HK$540); angel hair, Alaskan crab, chilli Nduja de Monte Poro with lobster oil (HK$340); and Pyrenean milk-fed lamb rack, eggplant caviar, roasted pearl onion and cherry tomato confit (HK$620). 

Apart from a la carte, there are set menus ranging from HK$290 (about S$58) for two courses to a menu degustation of HK$1,320 (about S$260) for a seven-course treat. With over 2,100 labels on their wine list, we could linger at their plush bar after lunch, then totter to the roof top bar for more tipple well into tea time. 

It’s not cheap but it’s Les Amis. Be prepared to fork it out, dahlings! 

Head to:

CEPAGE by Les Amis 

23 Wing Fung Street

Tel: (852) 2861 3130

Moët & Chandon Champagne Evenings 

The high-livin’ champagne lifestyle doesn’t always have to suck the life out of your bank account. Bubbles in moderation will see us through these tough times. 

I’ve heard that Sky Lounge, the 28th floor penthouse lounge at Hotel Jen, is an absolutely gorgeous place to chill out in, with views to die for. I haven’t been there myself, so living vicariously, I will write about it. What’s nice here is that the lounge is exclusive to Executive Jen Room and Suite hotel guests for most of the day. Then, at 8pm, the door’s flung open and everyone else gets to go in. 

Soak up the style, drink in the views and sip Moët with the "Moët & Chandon Champagne Evenings" deal. Available daily from 8pm–1am, two glasses of Moët & Chandon and a selection of canapés go for HK$168+ (around S$33+). See what I mean about bubbles in moderation? 

Head to: 

Hotel Jen 

508 Queen's Road West 

Western District, Hong Kong. 

Tel: (852) 2213 6673 or info@hoteljen.com

Web Site: www.hoteljen.com.

38@ROKA 

Grazing is quite the thing these days – little bites and drinks in no particularly order so enough of the littlies make up a meal. Good for ladies like us who are big on flavour and variety, but don’t want to suffer the bulge! 

And the drinks are a bonus. For some selective grazing, try the Japanese grill ROKA at Pacific Place, for their weekday happy hour from 3-8pm where selected drinks and snacks are going for just HK$38 (about S$7.50) during weekday happy hours from 3pm-8pm. Nice price, no? I like this sort of thing. Called ‘38@ROKA', the menu includes signature mojitos (like their apple mojito pictured here), wines, beers, snacks and skewers. 

ROKA is also a good family restaurant, so when dining there, keep in mind their bestsellers such as lamb cutlets with hot pepper spices and black cod skewers with gingered samiso, hot from the Robata charcoal grill. 

Head to: 

ROKA

Pacific Place, Level LG1, Shop 002 

88 Queensway, Hong Kong 

Tel: (852) 3960 5988 or info@rokarestaurant.com.hk