Featured Post | Hong Kong's Hidden Cuisine Gems

Hong Kong is a city of hidden gems. From the jeweled lights of the skyline to the illustrious shops, it is famous for some of the most concealed restaurants in the world. Incredible foods, exciting atmospheres, and exceptionally high standards place the following six restaurants at the top of an exclusive list.

Armani Aqua - Salt Discovery

Price: $$$$$

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

The Couture meets Cuisine restaurant Armani Aqua is introducing an interesting Salt Discovery Menu, where they pair exotic and rare centuries old salt around the globe with dishes and cocktails to tantalise and surprise your palate. The salt menu is available now in the a la carte menu or as a six courses tasting menu paired with seven different salts at HKD1288 (HKD1888 with wine pairing.). I was invited over to try the tasting menu, as a big fan of the Aqua group, I was very excited about it.

Isola Bar & Grill - Come Only for Its Magnificent View

Price: $$$$
Cravingness: ★★☆☆☆

It was a delightful surprise dining at Isola Bar & Grill as I always thought it was just a "shopping mall restaurant". It is the Italian restaurant that can offer you different vibes all in one place. The ambiance is lively at the bar, chill at the outdoor dining area and romantic over the main dining area.

Linguini Fini - The Beast Feast

Price: $$$$

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

Linguini Fini, the very restaurant that emphasises on sustainability is launching their second round of family style Beast Feast. Promoting their nose-to-tail-nothing-goes-to-waste philosophy, the Beast Feast features a whole roasted Porchetta(suckling pig) and a few delicious dishes made with homegrown food. The feast is available for parties of 4 or more, priced at HKD498 per person and need reservation 48 hours in advance. Read on to see what's on the menu!

Motorino - Delicious Neapolitan Pizza

Price: $$

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

I have always loved pizza. When I was young, I am a big fan of Pizza Hut and Dominos. Although I am still a big fan of Pizza Hut's cheese stuffed crust, I have gained expectation on Pizza as I grow older and so I am not too easily satisfied. Motorino, the pizzeria from Brooklyn that offers Neapolitan style pizza, is quite a nice option when it comes to pizza. The pizza quality at Motorino has caused a controversy here in Hong Kong. Let's see what I think!

Mymy Caffè - Oh My! Decadent Hot Chocolate!

Price: $

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

Ever since my first sip of rich velvety hot chocolate in Barcelona, I have always been a big fan of hot chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but thick velvety chocolate. Back in Hong Kong, most of the time I go to Vero's Chocolate for their decadent hot chocolate. Recently I am introduced to Italian hot chocolate by Henry and I have to say I first found the texture funny. For those of you who have not tried Italian hot chocolate before, I am going to introduce Mymy Caffè to you.

The Pasta Place - Super Cute Homestyle Cafe

Price: $$

Cravingness: ★★★☆☆1/2

I am a big pasta lover! There are so many different kinds of pasta with different sauces and different ways of making them. I do not connect to many restaurants in Hong Kong as they do not make al denta pasta. I recently went to the Pasta Place under invitation and fell in love with this cute cafe.

Cova - Dining in Europe

Price: $$$$

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

Earlier this week mom gave me a buy one 3-course dinner menu and get one free coupon at Cova, Lee Garden I. I checked the menu online and found the 3-course dinner menu is priced at HKD588+10%. "Great Deal!" I thought. I immediately made a booking and dragged Henry to dine with me tonight.

Le Dôme de Cristal - First Ever Cristal Themed Restaurant In The World!

Price: $$$$$

Cravingness: ★★★★★

On 19 October, 2013, the first ever Cristal themed restaurant is opened at the Galleria on Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong! Le Dôme de Cristal is the latest fine dining restaurant and bar of Ambrosia Cuisines Group. Under the collaboration with Louis Roederer's Cristal Champagne, Le Dôme de Cristal is bringing one of the most authentic European cuisines with the pairing of prestigious Cristal Champagne to Hong Kong! I am expecting Le Dôme de Cristal to be the next upper class social playground.

Van Gogh Kitchen - Homey Restaurant

Price: $$$$

Cravingness:★★☆☆☆

Don't know if you have seen a red signboard with word "Van Gogh Kitchen" on Hennesy Road before, I saw that every morning on my way to work in my previous job. Van Gogh kitchen, a homey Italian restaurant at Causeway Bay opened by a Canadian Migrant after his success in his first dream cafe - Small Potato. Expanding his party themed empire, Van Gogh Kitchen was setup and was positioned as a mid range Italian Restaurant offering good food in a comfy environment.

Trattoria Doppio Zero - Great Pasta Always

Price: $$

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

If you ask me where can you find good pasta, Trattoria Doppio Zero is definitely on the list. Trattoria in Italian means an dining environment less formal than restaurant, more causal service, no printed menus, wine is usually sold by decanter rather bottle etc. I would not consider Trattoria Doppio Zero trattoria but an Italian restaurant with a modern setup with romantic and sociable ambience.

Trattoria Doppio Zero makes their own pasta with doppio zero flour, the finest Italian flour. What I appreciate most is that they always make their pasta al dente. I brought Henry over tonight so he could try the lovely pasta out (secretly because I want pasta myself! :) )

Aqua - Delicious Bubbly Sunday Brunch

Price: $$$$

Cravingness: ★★★★★

With a panoramic view of the Victoria Harbour, Aqua is renowned for the breath taking night view and fine Italian and Japanese delicacies. Located on the top floor on 1 Peking Road, Aqua also owned a Sky High Bar with equally amazing view. Aqua has an elegant but simple furnishing and an amazing ambiance, it is a great restaurant for any special occasion anytime of the year. The only hope you have when you dine at Aqua is a good weather.

iL Posto 97 - Wine & Cheese Night

Price: $$

Cravingness: ★★★☆☆

Many times have I tried French cheese, but not once Italian Cheese. iL Posto 97, a contemporary Italian restaurant located at Lang Gwai Fong, Central, recently introduced wine & cheese night every Tuesday 8pm - 10pm with free-flow of red and white Italian wine and Northern Italian Cheese at a price of HKD250. If you have not tried Northern Italian Cheese, here is your chance to indulge in a selection of famous Northern Italian cheese at iL Posto 97!

Carnevino - Beautifully Charred Sirloin

Price: $$$$

Cravingness: ★★★★☆

USDA Prime Top Sirloin 12oz

Carnevino is an Italian steakhouse located right at the heart of Central. With its name "Carne" stands for steaks and "vino" stands for wine, the steak house is promised to serve the highest quality steaks and remarkable wine.

Oolaa - Italian with fancy ambiance

★★★☆☆

$$$ (with alcohol)

Oolaa is an italian restaurant with both romantic and lively ambiance. The restaurant was huge, sectioned in three area: an intimate dining room on the right, a casual dinning room/bar area on the left and an open pizza kitchen with several bar tables and sofa in the middle. If you are coming with someone special, do make a reservation ahead to secure your table at the more romantic section on the right.

Linguini Fini - Music, Art and Linguine

Price: $$
Cravingness: ★★★★☆

I have been to Linguini Fini for dinner twice and quite like the place. I had been thinking about bringing my family over, but was held back because they didn't accept reservation before. Now that they do, I had to bring them there.

Linguini Fini extended to the ground floor where Cantopop was before, possibly due to the high demand at rush hour. The manager said they are still seeking a location for Cantopop. The reception also moved to the ground floor, so approach the receptionist on the ground floor for your table instead! (So you won't end up like me bringing my whole family into the lift and came back out since we did not have access to the floor. *blush)

Mostaccioli Brothers - Italian Hidden Gem

★★★★★

$$$

We were originally going to Ricks for dinner to celebrate a friend's birthday, but Ricks cancelled our booking without calling us because we were 15 minutes late. Great, no one ever informed us about the reservation conditions. So we changed our plan and went to Mostaccioli Brothers instead.

Mostaccioli Brothers is a hidden gem along Elgin Street, the entrance was not easy to find. Walking down the dark walkway with flickering candle lights, you will reach a romantic outdoor terrace. Further down the pavement, you will see an indoor restaurant with a more cosy setting.

Cammino | Decent But Small

My family asked me to pick a resto today in Causeway Bay. When I was doing my research, I found quite a lot of decent resto that I have not known of their existence. By then I realised while I was whining about dinning in Causeway Bay is getting boring, I was pretty much a frog in a well.

Cammino is located in a small corner in the Excelsior Hotel, which ironically my family dined here before and apparently I was left out. The restaurant is rather small but is spacious enough for privacy concern. With a dim yellow lighting and soft candle light, the resto creates a lovely romantic ambiance to dine in. The service was very nice and the servers were friendly and knowledgeable. The Manager was pretty passionate and introduced us several dishes, but we decided to order two set menus for the night.

Paisano's - Soho Pizza

I was planning to go to Cake-a-licious but found Paisano's when I found Cake-a-licious is not opened on Sunday, which was very upsetting since I walked all the way the hill. (I got on the wrong path, oh well.) The present of Paisano's had made my trip less unfortunate as we then planned to have pizza.

Paisano's Pizza | Challenging The 24" Pizza, To Be

Planning for a few days, anticipating to challenge the 24" pizza wholly by my friend and I, changed our mind instantly when we saw the real 24" pizza in front of our eyes in the Paisano's Pizza restaurant. Giving it a real thought, we reckon 1-2 slices of that 24"would kill us straight away, which even a take away would take us at least 2 meals to polish the whole 24" pizza. We ended up calling for a 16" pizza and half a dozen garlic bread.

Pizza's sample size hooked on wall.