Best Bites and Sips: 11 dishes we loved this month (September 2024)

Best Bites and Sips is a roundup of the outstanding dishes we had within the last month: those that renewed our love for established venues, caught our attention at a new opening, or freshly impressed upon us the creativity and skill of Hong Kong’s talented chefs and mixologists. From casual street snacks to meticulously prepared cocktail creations, these are the best dishes and drinks to try in Hong Kong and abroad — the ones we’d recommend you make a special trip for.

The best dishes and drinks we supped on and savoured this month:

Veda

The dish: Grilled Paneer (HK$168)

G/F, 2 Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong, +852 3755 3067

LucAle

The dish: Tiramisù Di LucAle ($HK108)

I just knew this was going to taste so good in my mouth as soon as I laid my eyes upon this beauty of a dessert. LucAle specialises in spaghetti and other classic Italian delights so I was pleasantly surprised when they put their own twist in this tiramisu. It has a creamy taste with a fluffy texture. There’s less coffee flavour which I prefer much more. The twist is the caramelised sugar on top which adds an extra layer of sweetness and crunch to the already soft bite. This was also the biggest tiramisu I’ve had which can feed up to 2 to 3 people – I am 2 to 3 people. — Samson Jr C De Guzman, Assistant Multimedia Editor

Shop A, 100 Third St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Hanu

The dish: Premium Set Grade 1++ Hanwoo Ribeye and Tenderloin (HK$498)

Seoul Korean Restaurant

The dish: Kimchi Tofu Stew (HK$92)

Kimchi stew is one of my comfort foods, and Seoul Korean Restaurant has been my go-to in Hong Kong since my friend introduced me to it in uni. Is it authentic? I’m not Korean, so I wouldn’t know. Are there better places to get kimchi stew? Probably. But will I always come back here? Absolutely.
The stew is absolutely filled with pork, tofu, egg, and more. Every sip of the soup is warm and comforting as a mix of nostalgic and new K-pop blasts from the speakers. The anchovy broth gives it a punch of umami, followed by a tinge of spice from the kimchi. It’s the perfect amount of heat for me, but spice lovers can probably ask for some more. The stew calls my name whenever I’m in Mongkok. No matter rain or shine, I just can’t help but order this again and again. — Johanna Muliani, Editorial Assistant

G/F, 21 Tung Choi Street, Mong Kok

Uoharu

The dish: Wagyu Sando ($278)

Somewhat hidden away underneath Pacific Place, is Uoharu, an authentic Izakaya experience. Only distinguishable with a small door, it’s certainly contrasted with huge dining spaces shown on public display of the other restaurants around it. After entering, it doesn’t feel small at all, and it feels as if you’re transported into a modern Izakaya in Tokyo.

With a very comfortable interior furnished with Japanese Japanese-inspired design with a modern take, it is a very enjoyable dining experience. This continues onto the menu, an underrated part of a dining experience that Uoahru takes seriously. The menu is full of illustrations of the food items and handwritten names of the menu items in English, Chinese, and Japanese – this made looking through the menu fun, and ignited a higher level of anticipation for the food as the illustrations were very well drawn.

With a crispy exterior toasted to a perfect caramelised golden crust and a juicy wagyu steak inside, this Wagyu Sando is my best bite of the month. Something so simple but full of flavour with the right amount of textures leaves you wanting more. Buttery, smooth, and tender. The only reason I couldn’t finish this dish faster was because of how hot it was, straight out of the kitchen. After cooling down, I fully enjoyed each bite I took (which didn’t take many bites to finish!) — Ryan Putranto, Multimedia Editor

Uoharu, Shop 001, Level LG1, Pacific Place, 88, Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Hualien Dating

The dish: Hualien Premium Stinky Tofu Hot Pot (HK$118)

I stumbled upon this restaurant completely by accident. I was heading to another restaurant nearby, but then Hualien Dating’s menu and interior caught my eye. Specifically, it was the hot pot that intrigued me.
Now, as promised by the name, this thing stinks. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! I’m a fan of stinky tofu, so I had no problem with the smell. It’s loaded with a bunch of ingredients: pork, duck blood, egg dumplings, fish cake, taro-stuffed meatballs, pork intestines, and of course, stinky tofu. Two kinds of stinky tofu, in fact. I loved the fact I could try something different with every bite, which kept the meal exciting. I had this after a rough bouldering session too, and this meal felt like a godsend. — Johanna Muliani, Editorial Assistant

Shop 14-15, G/F, AIA Tower, 183 Electric Road, Fortress Hill, North Point, Hong Kong

Thesis

The dish: ALIGN Salad (7 pack at HK$700)

I recently had the chance to try the new ready-to-eat Thesis salad jars. Launched by Josh Li and his team at Nutrition Kitchen, the jars are delivered directly to customers’ doorsteps to match the feverish pace of those living in Hong Kong while supporting their wellness and gut health.

As someone who prefers a high-protein diet, I was recommended the ALIGN jar which is said to be high in protein and iron as well as essential vitamins A, C, and K. One simply needs to add the dressing, shake the jar, and your meal is served. Eating out of the jar was an interesting experience — less difficult than I thought — but I’d still recommend pouring the salad out in a bowl if it’s convenient.

Inside my salad was a balanced meal including beef tenderloin, carrots, pumpkin, orzo, pumpkin seeds, baby gem lettuce, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, halloumi, and citrus dressing. I found the salad to be multi-layered and full of flavour. Seeing the ingredients laid out through the glass to begin with also added to the experience, as I could see exactly what I was putting in my body. — Aaron Chow, Editor

Shop A, 100 Third St, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Minato Wan Chai

The dish: Cod Fish (HKD2,808 for two-person, nine-course HAMA Teppanyaki dinner menu)

I went to try out the large land-meets-sea concept in Wan Chai. Funny enough I recall this space used to be a Genki so I was curious to see what they would do with the massive space after it closed down. The entire space has been transformed into this new look that transports you outside of Hong Kong. It was a great break from the city as once you’re inside, everything slows down. For me, I’m more attracted to the decor and styling vs food but there’s a great balance of the two at Minato.

Split into three sections for omakase, teppanyaki, and kaiseki, I opted for the Cod Fish (銀鱈魚) and I have to recommend this dish. It could be that I was looking for something warm and comforting, but whatever it was, this dish stood out. The simmer pot was rich and had a good balance of earthy flavours. It was basically an elevated home-cooked meal. Try this if you’re feeling homesick or just need something to warm your belly. — Ambrose Leung, Editor-in-chief

BTS Gelato in Chamonix

The dish: BTS Gelato

While covering an ultra-marathon story in France, I was burning crazy calories each day. On one particular day, I was training in the Alps and hit something like 26k steps so needed a quick hit of calories and came across this gelato shop. While looking at all the flavours, my eyes stopped right at this pan that was called BTS. I have no idea if this is what BTS tastes like but I can tell you the gelato from was pretty sweet. It was a mix of strawberry, banana, and crème de violette. — Ambrose Leung, Editor-in-chief

Chamonix, France

Fukuro

The dish: Unagi and wagyu claypot rice

Always quoted as “An izakaya for the city’s night owls,” Fukuro has revamped its newest tasting menu for all Japanese enthusiasts. To cure my mid-week blues, I stopped by for dinner and kickstarted with their earl grey highball, which topped my highball list without a doubt. My favourite dish of the night was the Unagi and Wagyu claypot rice; the eel was fresh and fatty, along with cubes of A4 wagyu inside the rice mixed with their special sauce. Don’t forget to dig till the end for the crispiest scorched rice. — Janice Leung, Social Media Manager

Soho, 1-5 Elgin St, Central, Hong Kong

St Regis Run x Jee’s Four Hands Dinner

The dish: Abalone & Fish Maw Pithivier

Two-Michelin-starred Rùn has teamed up with Jee, the newest contemporary Cantonese restaurant in town, for an exclusive four-hands dinner. While Chef Oliver Li of Jee reinterprets classic dishes with creative flair and Executive Chinese chef Hung Chi-Kwong of Rùn masters Cantonese classic dishes, what can go wrong? The whole menu was extensively scrumptious, but my eyes and palate were fixed on the Abalone & fish maw Pithivier, conpoy, and assorted seafood. The layers of flavors and textures in this dish were simply extraordinary, leaving a lasting impression that danced on my taste buds. — Janice Leung, Social Media Manager

1號 Harbour Dr, Wan Chai, Hong Kong