BINGE Hong Kong - Fathers' Day from Beef and BBQ to Buffets

Fathers' Day (20th June) dining options are aplenty in Hong Kong so the trick is to pick and book early! Heed our suggestions for a great day out in Stanley, Central or the Wan Chai area:

Head out to Stanley ... where you will find Rocksalt in leisurely laid back setting with beautiful views of Stanley Bay and a 3 course set lunch at HK$238 per person or a 3 course dinner at HK$328 per person. 

Expect items like Forrest Mushroom Soup served with porcini dust and a splash of fresh cream, a Rocksalt Salad of salt cured salmon served with beetroot, cucumber and crumbed quail eggs. For mains, think Char Grilled Sirloin steak served with steamed vegetables and potato gratin in a red wine sauce, succulent Char Grilled Lamb Chops served with steamed vegetables and potato gratin in a red wine sauce or the beautiful Father’s Catch with paperbark cod with cherry tomatoes, wild mushrooms, baby fennel. Tiramisu for dessert and special kid's menus available. If thats not enough, Dad's get a free takeaway - a stubby holder and a free round of drinks for himself and 3 buddies on his next visit to the restaurant. Rocksalt is at 25 Stanley Market Road, Stanley, T: +852 2899 0818

Saigon, also at Stanley also offers three special sets priced at $388 for two people, HK$788 for four and HK$988 for six. 

Expect simple delicious Vietnamese flavours served in a sultry colonial era atmosphere amidst gentle rattan fans, soothing celadon tones and grand French doors opening onto an outdoor veranda with panoramic views over the South China Sea. Tuck into Vietnamese favourites like Fresh Rice Paper Rolls with choice of Pork and Prawn, Soft Shell Crab or Duck Breast, Saigon Spring Rolls with pork and shrimp and Shrimp Mousse on sugarcane. The mains include items like the Wok-Braised Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper and Fresh Herbs, Lemongrass Curry, Southern Vietnamese Fried Noodles with Pork, and Crab Meat Fried Rice. For Dessert, there are items like the Sago with Pomelo and Mango in Coconut Soup or Lemongrass flavoured Panna Cotta. Saigon is at 1/F, Murray House, Stanley. T: +852 2899 0999

For something meatier (and more in Central), check out the newly opened Blue Smoke Bar-B-Que, in Lan Kwai Fong. 

Step back into time into the old South into a unique ambience of antique timber panels, rust iron, concrete slabs and old-style benches which the restaurant owners have actually salvaged construction materials from Tennessee factories and dilapidated farmhouses. 

This is definitely a sit and share kind of place with big plate items like their ‘secret recipe’ spicy ribs to even a whole suckling pig. True to the theme, there are a whole lot of bar-b-que dishes - think ‘Budweiser Beer Can’ smoked USA chicken and unique bar-b-que platters with dishes like bar-b-que turkey! 

Kids will love the nachos and if you like good ol' American fare you will not be dissapointed by the Texas red beef chili, Texas brisket, pulled pork, lamb rib, and hot links – with traditional side dishes of coleslaw, baked beans, corn bread, mac ‘n’ cheese and classic homemade American pies. A good drinks menu awaits with a good selection of American beer, signature 14oz frozen Margaritas, bourbon cocktails, lemonade by the pitcher and iced tea. Blue Smoke Bar-B-Que is at 3/F Grand Progress Building, 15-16 Lan Kwai Fong, Central. Tel: +852 2816 9018.

For a more delicate and luxe take on beef, cross over to IFC Mall and check out H One where 12 imaginatively prepared Beef dishes await, showcasing high quality beef from around the world from US Angus Beef, USDA Prime Dry Aged Beef, Australian Wagyu Beef, Italian Beef to Japanese Kobe Beef. 

Their USDA Prime Dry Aged Sirloin is aged for 14-28 days for a more intense flavor and there is even Wagyu beef tongue and beef cheek on the menu, both rarely available in Hong Kong. Some of the starters include a Slow Cooked Prime US Beef Carpaccio, Parsnip, Black Truffle and Walnut Vinaigrette, Char-Grilled Wagyu Beef Tongue, Watercress Leaves and Horseradish Cream, Kobe Beef Tartar, Sunny Side Up Quail Egg and Brioche Bread and a Wagyu Beef Cheek Ravioli, Foie Gras and Light Truffle Sauce. Mains include favourites like the Charcoal Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye, Asparagus, Rosemary Potatoes and Thyme Jus, Bollito Misto of Beef with Salsa Verde (brisket, tongue, rib) or a Pan Fried Wagyu Beef Tenderloin, Broccolini, Garlic Mashed Potato and Shallot Red Wine Jus. H one is at Shop 4008, Podium Level 4, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central. Tel: +852 2805-0638.

In the Wan Chai area, head to the award winning Cepage, opened by Singapore's Les Amis Group. They are serving up a special menu celebrating their new ranking among the world’s top 100 restaurants and their accomplished achievement of bagging a Michelin star within a year of their opening in Hong Kong. 

At HK$488 per person or HK$678 with a wine pairing, the menu is served every Saturday. Appetiser choices include a Boston lobster salad with green apple gelée and crème fraiche, or Wagyu beef carpaccio with marinated white asparagus, aged parmesan and summer truffle. This starter is paired with Palmer Champagne. For a second course try their hearty and classic bouillabaisse seafood stew in puff pastry. Mains are a choice between pan-seared, line-caught snapper and crunchy tête de veau, layered with baguette, eggplant caviar and datterino tomato-pinenut dressing, or a serving for two of roasted premier French free range chicken, Coquelet de Bresse, with lemon confit and rosemary, roasted pearl onion, new potato and courgette. Both are paired with the light and tasty - Misha "The High Note" Pinot Noir, 2008. Dessert is a mascarpone mousse with marinated strawberry and elderflower sorbet, complemented by La Spinetta Moscato d’ Asti, Quaglia 2009. Great value if you ask me! CEPAGE is at 23 Wing Fung Street in Wanchai. Tel: +852 2861 3130.

In the Harbour Road area at The Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Buffet is the word and their 3 most popular restaurants Tiffin, Grissini and Kaetsu all have grand buffet options. For reservations, call: +852 2584 7722.

Tiffin well known for European-style delicacies serves a wonderful Sunday Brunch spread at HK$638 or HK$698 with free flow Moet Chandon Rose Champagne, kids pay only HK$319. If its an Afternoon Tea affair, then the buffet spread is only HK$258 for adults and HK$129 for kids. The Dinner Buffet spread is at HK$538 for adults and HK$269 for kids.

Grissini also brings out their Italiano best with a lunch buffet spread of authentic Italian feast with antipasti, homemade pastas, carving station, cheese table and sensational desserts and a complimentary glass of Italian sparkling wine for each guest. Adults HK$485 and Kids HK$243.

Japanese Kaetsu's buffets present a wide range of traditional Japanese delights including sea urchin and fresh prime tuna at the sashimi station, a la minute tempura prepared from the kitchen and pan-fried Japanese Wagyu beef at HK$680 for Adults and HK$340 for Kids for Lunch. The Dinner Buffet is HK$780 per adult and HK$390 for kids.

- Elaine