If New York is the city that never sleeps, then Hong Kong is its Asian equivalent. There are so many places to go, festivals to attend, and chic hotels to stay at, planning your next vacation there is almost a no-brainer.
A sleek new hotel
Hong Kong developers, Alex Bent and Dinesh Nihalchand of District15 collaborated with Alex Jones from Spawton Architecture (they designed the city’s Pacific Place) and designer Candace Campos of ID-entity (who designed the Sift cupcake chain) to create this hotel that pays tribute anything that is related to Hong Kong. The developers worked with local fashion houses, artists and designers incorporating many local touches like serving food in trolleys (just like the local Cha Chan Tengs). The 13-storeyed, 24-room hotel, has two types of rooms, with 22 small ones being 150 sq ft, with two big ones that are 280 sq ft. The hotel’s location is located near the Yau Ma Tei MTR and is also close by trendy areas like Mongkok and Tsim Tsa Tsui. Prices start at about $233.
Impossibly trendy restaurants
Like Dehesa, Hong Kong also has its very own nose-to-tail restaurant that specializes in all things pork, and it’s aptly named The Fat Pig. The chef, Tom Aikens, has worked for the three Michelin-starred chef, Pierre Koffmann, at his restaurant, Tante Clare, as well as London’s two Michelin-starred Pied a Terre. Sharing plates include the baked pork meatballs with oregano, parmesan and sour cream with creamy polenta (about $30), while smaller bits include the charcuterie board (about $22). For drinks, there is a range of wines, beers and ciders to choose from.
Plat du Jour has its second outlet at Pacific Plaza, which closely resembles a Parisian cafe with booths, banquettes and an indoor terrace. The restaurant seats 160 people and serves dishes like the Escargot Bourguignon, Lobster Bisque and Poached Tuna Niçoise, with madeleines that are rumored to be delicious as well. Those who love seafood can expect oysters and seafood platters, along with a vintage Citroen van that serves pastries and coffee. Come for the afternoon tea from 3:30-5:50pm for more sweet treats.
Festivals for foodies and arty types
Taste of Hong Kong festival (Mar 10-13)
Amber’s ebisu oyster with seaweed and potato
Foodie alert: the inaugural Taste of Hong Kong festival (Mar 10-13) presents chefs from well-known restaurants like Amber, Aberdeen Street Social, CHINO, Yardbird and RŌNIN, among many others. Diners get to sample 40 dishes by chefs from these restaurants, including Michelin-starred chef Pascal Aussignac of Club Gascon and award-winning executive chef Daniel Doherty, who is known for his signature dish, “The Duck and The Waffle”. Apart from that, there are also 50 boutique producers of beverages and food this year, all taking place along the Central Harbourfront. Excited? Tickets range from $138-678 on Ticketflap.
Art Central
You’ve heard of Singapore Art Week, but did you know that Hong Kong has a vibrant arts scene too? Hong Kong’s Art Central (Mar 20-23) is back for the second year, and includes work hand picked from galleries from over 20 countries, with most of them from 23 cities across Asia. The event is held at Victoria Harbour and features famous artists like Liu Kuo-sung, who is known for his inkwork and avant-garde artist Qin Feng. Look out for a performance piece by Ting-Tong Chang that analyzes the relationship between techonology and society. Tickets are $41 and can be bought here.
