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To read this year’s round-up of festive dining in HK’s restaurants, click HERE!
Lack the time, inclination… or indeed, oven to cook your own Christmas dinner? Never fear, you’ve definitely come to the right place to enjoy a festive feast out on the town! If you’re used to entire cities shutting down from Christmas Eve onwards… think again! It’s business as usual here in HK – except with added tinsel – so we’ve rounded up some of the biggest and best Christmas dinners (plus a few wildcard choices) from some of our favourite Hong Kong restaurants. We’ve covered all cuisines, all locations and all styles so there’s nothing left to do except tuck in!
TRADITIONAL
For those who don’t think it’s Christmas without a turkey involved!
The Globe Basement, Garley Bldg, 45-53 Graham St, Central
2543 1941 www.theglobe.com.hk/
We’re big fans of The Globe’s cosy atmosphere, great pub grub and scrummy British fare, so it’s no surprise they’re keeping things traditional for Christmas! Their three course Christmas meals include roast turkey, chestnut stuffing, bread sauce… and yes, even the dreaded Brussels sprouts… followed by a flamed homemade Christmas pud, with brandy butter and custard – and it doesn’t get much more traditional than that! Unfortunately, it looks like we’re not the only fans – their Christmas Day Lunch sitting is already sold out! But you’re in luck – their Christmas Lunch ($250) and Dinner ($350) menus will be running throughout December so beat the crowds and get your turkey fill then! Just make sure you book first; the Christmas sets are generally for groups of eight or over but if you have a smaller party and have your heart set on The Globe (and we don’t blame you), give them a call and they’ll try and sort you out!
The Pawn 2-3/F, 62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
2866 3444 www.thepawn.com.hk/
Spend your Christmas in bustling Wan Chai and soak in the wonderfully historic surroundings of The Pawn, who are dishing up a fabulous festive feast available from 14 November until the day itself! The main event will be a roast turkey breast with all the trimmings – pigs-in-blankets, cranberry stuffing, roast tatties and lashings of gravy – with Christmas pudding and more-ish mince pies to finish things off. The six-course meal on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day costs $780 per person (plus an extra $220 each if you want to try their specially-selected wine pairings with each course), whilst kids under 6 eat free and those over 6 to 12 years old get 50% off. On all other days, the three-course menu is $520 and the five-course menu is $690.
Cafe Deco Shop 101&201,Levels 1 & 2, The Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road, The Peak
2849 5111 www.cafedecogroup.com/outlet.php?oid=6
The Peak Lookout 121 Peak Road, The Peak
28491000 www.peaklookout.com.hk/
If you fancy seeing in Christmas with a view to die for, Café Deco and The Peak Lookout are our perennial top picks on The Peak! Soak up some al fresco festive views in the historic Peak Lookout restaurant – their four-course Christmas menu is available for lunch or dinner on 24 and 25 December and costs $728. It includes a roast turkey and maple gammon ham main course, and a super- Christmassy-sounding roast chestnut soup! If you’d rather not brave the elements and get a true birds-eye view of Hong Kong, Café Deco also has a four-course Christmas lunch and dinner menu on the 24th and 25th for $588 per person. You can pick between two equally traditional (and equally scrumptious!) birds as your mains – either a roast goose or roast turkey. And don’t worry, a full platter of trimmings come with both!
BLT STEAK Shop OTG62, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, 17 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
2730 3508 www.diningconcepts.com.hk/blt/index.php
Get the most out of BLT Steak’s harbour-side views (if you peak closely, you’ll probably see the Christmas lights on the skyscrapers!) with their special Christmas Dinner Buffet, available on 24-26 December for $598. There will be a roast turkey, ham and prime rib carving station, plus a special trimmings section that boasts every traditional side you could think of! We’re already licking our lips over their festive desserts too – including pecan tart, gingersnap cookies, BLT’s signature peanut butter-chocolate mousse and eggnog crème brulee!
Wooloomooloo Steakhouse Prime 21/F, The ONE, 100 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
2870 0087 www.wooloo-mooloo.com/
Wooloomooloo Steakhouse G-1/F, Onfem Tower, 29 Wynham Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central
2894 8010 www.wooloo-mooloo.com/
Wooloomooloo Steakhouse 31/F & Rooftop, The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai
2893 6960 www.wooloo-mooloo.com/
Wooloomooloo Steakhouse Shop G7-8, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui East
2722 7050 www.wooloo-mooloo.com/
Meanwhile, Wooloomooloo will be dishing up roast turkey mains (or steak if you must!) and breathtaking city views at all of their locations, plus Christmas puddings for dessert. At LKF and Wan Chai, they’re keeping it ultra-traditional, serving the bird with baked ham, stuffing and all the trimmings, whilst the two TST joints will be offering a roast turkey roll stuffed with baby spinach and chestnut puree, plus gravy of course! Prices ($580-1200) and number of courses vary between location.
The Press Room 108 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
2525 3444 www.thepressroom.com.hk
The Press Room’s brasserie-style meals have seen it fast become one of our favourite stalwarts on the HK dining scene, and we’ve got plenty of time to enjoy their delicious-sounding three-course Christmas lunch ($225) and dinner ($420) menus – they’re available from now until 24 December! There’s a traditional turkey choice for your main (wrapped in bacon with roasted veggies and a cranberry sauce), but you could also opt for the roast pheasant with bread sauce and game chips, and there’s a mushroom and truffle ravioli for hungry vegetarians as well! There’s plenty of festive favourites amongst the rest of the courses too – try the spiced parsnip soup with parsnip crisps to start, Christmas pud for dessert and finally homemade mince pies to keep you ho-ho-ho-ing all the way home!
Hebe One O One Bar & Restaurant 112 Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung
2335 5515 www.hebe101.com/
So many of our friends have recommended the delights of Hebe One O One that we just had to include it in our list; we love the laid-back atmosphere, scenic Sai Kung views and super-friendly Brit service, making it the perfect choice for a chilled-out Christmas Day. Their five-course Christmas dinner ($498) is all about the roast turkey and honey-glazed ham main event – we’re wondering how all the trimmings of honey-roast parsnips, Brussels sprouts, carrots, roast tatties, pigs-in-blankets, chestnut stuffing, bread sauce, cranberry sauce and gravy will even fit on one plate! We’re also very interested in the champagne sorbet amuse-bouche… although we’re not sure we can decide between desserts of eggnog crème brulee or Christmas pudding with brandy custard! Veggies will also be overjoyed to find they’re not left out, as they’re doing a hearty roasted nut Wellington with just as many trimmings! There’s also a Christmas Eve set meal sans turkey for $398.
Top Deck Top Floor Jumbo Kingdom, Shum Wan Pier Drive, Wong Chuk Hang, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
2552 3331 www.cafedecogroup.com/outlet.php?oid=26&name=topdeck
Christmas dinners probably couldn’t get much more scenic or iconic than noshing at Top Deck – which is on the top floor of famed HK landmark, Jumbo Floating restaurant in Aberdeen. Take in the sea views (and keep your fingers crossed for good weather) with their traditional Christmas dinner menu, available on 24-25 December for $598. It includes a roast turkey with herb stuffing main, plus roasties, brussels and plenty of gravy, a starter of oysters and a Christmas pudding with brandied Anglaise to finish things off in style! They’re also doing a Christmas brunch on 25-26 December, with free-flow bubbly Veuve du Vernay brut, wines and soft drinks, for $598 too.
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Eaten enough turkey to last you a lifetime? Here are a few places doing something that little bit different… but still just as special… for the holiday season!
Bo Innovation Shop 13, 2/F J Residence, 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
2850 8371 www.boinnovation.com
Well you probably couldn’t get much more different than X-treme Chinese cuisine and molecular gastronomy from HK’s own demon chef, Alvin Leung, at Bo Innovation! We hear Alvin’s been hard at work tinkering away on his Christmas specialties (not to mention his TV show!), so the festive menu isn’t finalised just yet – but there definitely will be one and if last year’s is anything to go by, it’ll be wild! Incidentally, last year’s included a drunken turkey duet with congee and foie gras, plus wild turkey ice-cream and a Brussels sprout cookie… and we can’t even begin to imagine what the promised ‘Xmas surprise’ was. Who knows what he’ll cook up for Christmas 2011, but it should be somewhere not too far off $1700 per person.
Frites Belgium on Tap G/F, Oxford House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Quarry Bay
2250 5188 conceptcreations.hk/
Frites Belgium on Tap Shop 6, 1/F, Causeway Centre(Brim 28), 28 Harbour Road , Wan Chai
2877 2422 conceptcreations.hk
Frites Belgium on Tap Shop 1 & 2, G/F & 1/F, Queen’s Place, 74 Queen’s Rd C, Central
2179 5179 conceptcreations.hk
A nice compromise for those wanting traditional but with a twist, everyone’s favourite (and errr… only) Belgian restaurant has got a nifty little Christmas set lunch ($118-178) and dinner ($650) up their sleeve. Although Frites will be doing a roast turkey main and a Christmas bread and butter pudding as dessert, you couldn’t expect them to completely abandon their speciality right?! So your meal will kick off with a mixed seafood Christmas fish soup, whilst if you add an extra $88 to your festive set lunch, you can get a ½ kg pot of their house mussels – if you’ve still got any room left!
FINDS Restaurant & Bar 1/F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberly Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
2522 9318 www.finds.com.hk/
We’re not going to get the snow here so FINDS, with its signature Scandi-cool style, may be the closest we get to feeling the Arctic chills! Hong Kong’s only Scandinavian restaurant is serving up a truly special and utterly unique seven-course Christmas dinner for $788, available between 24 to 27 December – and there’s not a turkey in sight! Your meal starts in style with the amazingly-named Glogg (Nordic mulled wine), before moving onto a Christmas tasting platter including Danish herring, then a turnip soup, wild Finnish lingonberry sorbet (with a splash of vodka!), mains of either salmon or Iberico black pork before a final festive Nordic dessert platter! Sounds like an unforgettable Christmas meal to us!
Cafe Gray Deluxe 49/F, Upper House, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
3968 1106 www.cafegrayhk.com/
For a truly contemporary Christmas meal (with some kick-ass views to boot!), head to Café Gray Deluxe, who are doing a Christmas Eve dinner ($950, $1450) or Christmas Day lunch ($850) that delivers 21st century cuisine at its finest! Rather than roast turkey, you can enjoy a main of either crisped Barbarie duck breast with a balsamic-fig glaze or a slightly more traditional beef Wellington with roasted parsnips, whilst even the typical Christmas pud is given a twist with nougat ice-cream and cranberry Anglaise! There’s also a lobster stew, truffle corn and chervil gnocchi and… yum… salted caramel and chocolate chunk nibbles to end things on a definite high!
208 Duecento Otto 208 Hollywood Road, SOHO, Sheung Wan
2549 0208 www.208.com.hk
Just like everyone else, we’re slightly obsessed with how delicious the food at 208 Duecento Otto is – so we were delighted to hear they’re doing some mouth-watering rustic festive menus for the holiday season! Rather than tie you down to a specific number of courses and a set meal, 208 is playing it free and easy with an a la carte menu between 12-26 December that features an array of special festive dishes, like homemade pork and veal Christmas ravioli, honey and garlic glazed roast turkey breast with caramelised greens and Panetonne pudding, spread amongst the rest of their signature specialities. Meanwhile, there will also be a 5-course sharing menu for parties of six or more ($800 per person) and a complimentary glass of mulled wine for all between 19-26 December too!
Sakesan G/F, 18 Shelley Street, Soho Central
2525 1660 www.cafedecogroup.com/outlet.php?oid=19&name=Sakesan
ZUMA 5/F, The Landmark,12-16 Des Voeux Road Central, Central
3657 6388 www.zumarestaurant.com/
Lovers of Japanese cuisine need not hungry at Christmas – and given the huge role turkey plays in sushi, you’ll be unsurprised to learn this is a turkey-free zone! Sakesan are doing a special festive degustation menu, with more courses than we count, from 15-31 December for $688 – or add $200 more to get premium Japanese drinks pairings with each dish! For that, you’ll get a bit of everything, including Wagyu beef tartar, uni and avocado tempura, foie gras au torchon and a decadent 70% chocolate lava cake with green tea ice-cream. Sassy favourites Zuma will also be offering a spectacular sharing dinner on Christmas Day for $1480 per person. They’re still working on finalising their dishes, but if last year’s feast of seafood delicacies or indeed, their trademark champagne brunch, is anything to go by, it should be fabulous!
Cafe Iguana Shop R004, Roof Level, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui
2196 8733 www.cafedecogroup.com/outlet.php?oid=8&name=Caf%C3%A9Iguana
Traditional turkey with a Mexican twist! We love that Café Iguana is putting its very own spin on the festive bird – they’re doing chestnut-crusted turkey breast fajitas as part of their Christmas brunch ($138) and dinner ($350)! The menu also includes tomato and tortilla soup, lime leaf panna cotta and plenty more authentic Mexican flavours if you fancy seeing in your Yuletide with something a little bit spicy!
Lotus G/F, 5 Staunton Street Central
2543 6290 www.lotus.hk/
Make your holidays hot and spicy in the heart of Central with Lotus’ modern four-course Christmas dinner menu of Thai delights, available on 24-26 December for $378. The main course is a Thai spin on the traditional Christmas bird – Aunty Tao’s crispy cassia bark chicken with black vinegar caramel and Szechuan pepper! The free-range chicken is marinated overnight in a cinnamon and caramel sauce with Thai spices and peppers, and that scrummy cinnamon scent is Christmas all over! There’s also that Thai staple, Tom Yum Kung soup plus a delicious-sounding dessert of egg and ginger caramel custard, plus some unique spicy cocktail pairings – Christmases don’t come hotter than this!
Gaylord Indian Restaurant 1/F, 23-25 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
2376 1001 www.chiram.com.hk/
We’ve had Mexican spices, Thai spices… so we had to have some Indian spices too! Gaylord’s December menu ($258 per head) includes their twist on traditional turkey – this time it’s a turkey malai tikka (turkey barbeque marinated in a saffron yoghurt). Other items on the menu include chicken samosas (of course!), grilled mackerel tikka and kadai lamb in onions and hot garam masala spices that’ll have you be feeling hot, hot, hot even in December!
THE HOTELS
For luxury, amazing service and completely-Christmassed up décor, you can’t beat festive meals at one of HK’s many hotels! Hotels are generally extra-accommodating towards children (how Santa fits in so many hotel appearances on his hectic present-delivering schedule, we’re not sure!), so these are great choices for family outings.
W Hotel 1 Austin Road West, Hong Kong
37172222 whotels.com/hongkong
One of our favourite hotels in Hong Kong has to be The W, who manage to make being cool, quirky, modern and luxurious all at the same time seem easy! So if you’re in the Kowloon area for Christmas, look no further than W Hotel’s restaurants – Kitchen, Living Room and Sing Yin Cantonese Dining – who will be doing festive lunch and dinner menus on 24 and 25 December. Kitchen will be doing a lunch ($508) and dinner buffet ($890-1090), whilst their famous Sunday Brunch with a free-flowing Perrier-Jouet will be doing the honours for Xmas lunch itself ($1090). Sing Yin’s set lunch is $298, whilst their dinner is $988, and there will also be special buffets in The Great Room on the day itself ($600 lunch, $790 dinner). We’ve heard a rumour Santa himself will be putting in an appearance – so save a mince pie for him!
Feast 29 Tai Koo Shing Road, Tai Koo
3968 3968 www.east-hongkong.com/en
Don’t ignore the Island East side for your Christmas celebrations – and EAST has got Christmas covered! Feast are getting off to an early start with their festive semi-buffet lunch – you can get your mitts on it from 5 December for only $230. It includes a super-Christmassy main course (roast turkey and honey-glazed ham, alongside the more unusual choices of king prawn cannelloni and vanilla-braised beef chuck), plus the chance to take your pick from a spectacular fresh Seafood Market, as well as all the usual buffet dishes and seasonal desserts For 24 and 25 December, the semi-buffet dinner costs $538 for the early sitting or $638 for the later one, whilst there’s a free-flow champagne brunch on Christmas Day itself for $638. Meanwhile, there will be a three-course set lunch ($230) available on 26 and 27 December… and festive welcome drinks and appearances from Santa throughout the whole seasonal period!
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 5 Connaught Road West, Hong Kong
25220111 www.mandarinoriental.com/hongkong/?htl=MOHKG&eng=google&src=local
All of the Mandarin Oriental’s eateries – the Michelin-starred Pierre, Mandarin Grill + Bar, traditional Cantonese restaurant Man Wah, Clipper Lounge, Café Causette, English pub The Chinnery and The Connaught Room – are offering special festive lunches, dinners and buffets on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (prices range between $638 and $2688). You can also enjoy roasted chestnuts and mulled wine from 5-8pm on 17-24, whilst there will be performances from Jean Wong’s School of Ballet and Festival Chamber Choir on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Soak in the spectacular views alongside some stunning French cuisine at Pierre – the six-course dinner menu is $2688 on 24 December, $1888 on 25 December, with a lunch option on Christmas Day too that costs $1188. No turkey here but instead a starring main course of game pie with beetroot marmalade, whilst the rest of the luxurious menu includes potato ice-cream, eel terrine and seared oysters with a foie gras sauce.
The Peninsula Salisbury Road, Kowloon
2920 2888 www.peninsula.com/hong_kong/en/default.aspx
There are special festive menus at all nine of The Peninsula’s restaurants and bars, whilst the whole place will be thoroughly bedecked with fairy lights, gingerbread houses and twinkling Christmas trees, making it the perfect place for some Yuletide snaps! You can enjoy their signature festive afternoon tea for $388 at The Lobby, to the backing of the Rhythm & Harmony big-band (24-31 December) or more traditional Christmas carollers (22-26 December). Meanwhile, Spring Moon is doing a Chinese Christmas six-course menu from 21-27 December ($938), whilst Gaddi’s is offering a slightly more traditional dinner menu on Christmas Eve ($2888), with a choice between turkey or venison mains and a Christmas pudding ice-cream! Their Christmas & Boxing Day menu will set you back $1688, with Felix is also serving a spectacularly fancy festive dinner on all three days ($2388 Christmas Eve, $1488 Christmas & Boxing Day).
Island Shangri-La Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central
2820 8551 www.shangri-la.com/island/christmase-brochure/
Take your pick from Michelin-starred Petrus’ Christmas lunch of eight-course dinner, Café Too’s festive buffets (which on 24-25 will include a glass of sparkling wine, party favours and an appearance from Santa!), or Yuletide menus at Lobster Bar & Grill, the Lobby Lounge and Island Gourmet. There will also be a Christmas carol choir and a special Christmas Carnival for kids in the Island Ballroom on Christmas Day! Prices range from $278-2588 depending on restaurant and date.
The Four Seasons 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong
3196 8888 www.fourseasons.com/
There are Christmas Eve and Day lunch and dinner menus at The Lounge to a backdrop of live jazz music ($370-1030); a relaxed buffet lunch and cocktails on Christmas Eve at Blue Bar ($348) or a spectacular Christmas Day dinner banquet in The Grand Ballroom with all proceeds going to The Community Chest charity (tables of twelve cost $13,800). We’ll also be taking home a few of their specially-made macaroons in three festive flavours (ginger, red velvet and cinnamon; $165) for the trip home!
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong International Commerce Centre, 1 Austin Rd W, West Kowloon
2263 2263 www.ritzcarlton.com/en/properties/hongkong/default.htm
Enjoy some fab festive menus from Italian restaurant Tosca, the highest bar in the world Ozone, The Lounge & Bar with free-flow champagne buffets and live jazz, Tin Lung Heen with its amazing views over Lantau or buffets and signature chocolate afternoon tea ($328) at Café 103. The dinner menus at Tosca and Tin Lung Heen are a stomach-stuffing six courses whilst there’s also a Boxing Day Teddy Bear Afternoon Tea ($388-888) at The Lounge & Bar, with all proceeds going to homeless charity Home Of Love. Prices range from $388-2688 depending on restaurant and date.
Langham Hotel 8 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
2375 1133 www.langhamhotels.com
Each of The Langham’s five restaurants – The Bostonian, Main St. Deli, L’Eclipse, T’ang Court and Palm Court – will be putting on Christmas spreads for the holiday season. Our picks are the ultra-traditional three-course turkey lunch and dinner ($338, $358) at Main St. Deli or the fresh seafood brunches and semi-buffets ($468-968) at The Bostonian. Palm Court will also be doing a Tiffin Teddy Bear Tea, where you can donate Christmas presents to the Salvation Army, plus get a delicious afternoon tea and see Santa himself for $248.
