Binge - Secret Spots In Hong Kong

Raise the Red Lantern

Don’t you want to be Joan Chen, sprawled in poignant glamour across these red swathed day beds? So boudoir, so “Raise the red lantern, darling and take me! The jade tablets have spoken tonight!” Oh bliss! ‘Tis the new Yun Bar, within aqua’s Yun Fu in Wyndham Street in Hong Kong, which is described as “a chic and sexy ‘Old China’ inspired lounge and bar space for casual drinking and cocktail sipping”.

Slip through the heavy oak door street entrance, and descend ‘back in time’ down a Dunhuang-esque, Silk Route-inspired staircase into the sprawling red, 5000-square-foot Yun Fu. Sip on three signature cocktails – Pui Mu (HKD78), rice wine infused plum cocktail mixed with cranberry juice; Bo Ba (HKD68), a green bamboo wine mixed with triple sec sugar syrup and grapefruit juice and Mi Ya Luo (HKD68), a brown rice based wine blended with a sweet and sour passion fruit syrup and sprite. Bar menu bites are mostly northern and western Chinese flavours and happy hour extends from 6pm – 9pm. The restaurant itself serves these regional Chinese cuisines as well, in equally provocative setting. Semi--private dining areas separated by sheer voiles and screens with hanging lanterns. Nice for a smoking hot date! How apt that it’s open for dinner only.

Just note that at 10pm, visiting DJs take to the decks in Yun Bar and martial arts movies will be projected on its circular screen in the main bar area. Time to adjourn elsewhere with your hottie then. You could adjourn on a cruise on the aqualuna – continuing the sexy ‘ancient China’ theme or just get to the point and ask your hottie: “Your pavilion or mine?”

Basement, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Tel: (852) 2116 8855

View From the Top

But how about if you are with your brood rather than your beau? Here’s another ‘secret spot’ simply because the view is so breathtaking – The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant located at The Peak. Okay, granted - so not glam, and I must say a chain restaurant complete with Bubba Gump merchandising and movie memorabilia is not usually up Madam’s faultlessly sophisticated alley. But I’ll make the exception because of its stunning view and the fact that you can heave kids up there, and food there is generally kid-friendly.

If you happen to be in the vicinity, good to KIV that the restaurant’s will be doing a promo, offering 8 dishes at HK$60 each from 1-4 Oct, to mark China's 60th National Day. Be prepared for signature dishes like Onion Rings, Greenbow Tenders, 'Best Ever' Popcorn Shrimp, Dynamite Shrimp, Calamari Rings, Cajun Shrimp, Hush Pups and Classic Caesar salad. (Hmmm – how much more Americano can you get on China’s 60th anniversary??)

Mummy can sip on their caipirinha or lychee martini, and kids get to load up on their superfruits via mocktails. If you’ve brought along fat mother-in-law, don’t worry – there’s Zero Calorie Acai Green Tea (HK$28), which blends Acai green tea with lemon and lime. And of course, we mustn’t leave without buying our ‘Run Forrest Run’ souvenir t-shirt!

Good to know also - On 1 Oct, you can catch a view of the fireworks from the restaurant, too.

Tel: (852) 2849 2867