Only two weeks to go until we ring in 2016! Many travel junkies might spend the last day of 2015 in Europe or other tropical destinations but if you’re planning to stay in Hongkong – don’t worry. They say you start a new year as you end the last one, right? So why not see in 2016 in style with an impressive feast at one of these glorious venues to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Check out the following dinning spots, enjoy a festive day with your friends with live entertainment, food and drinks and a countdown to 2016 in Hongkong.
Amber
Occupying the seventh floor of Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the heart of Hong Kong, Amber is a two Michelin Stars restaurant, ranked 4th and 24th in S. Pellegrino Best Restaurants in Asia and in the world respectively. Richard Ekkebus’ stellar Central dining room is another that’s open on 1 January. They’re offering their six-course wine lunch with starters like Hokkaido sea urchin in a lobster jell-o with cauliflower, caviar and crispy seaweed waffle, and mains including cuttlefish carbonara with quail egg yolk and fillet of venison with Iberian lardo.
Price: HK$1,288 (includes wine pairing)
Add: Amber, 7/F, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong
Contact: 00852 2132 0066
A buzzing atmosphere awaits at Posto Pubblico, which translates to Meeting Place. A small bar area accommodates those visiting for drinks and casual diners happy to perch on the bar tables. The compact restaurant area is a hive of activity, too, making it a great place to dine with friends. It has the feel of an authentic New York Italian diner, but in the heart of Hong Kong. Wherever possible, all dishes use local organically farmed produce meaning that the menu changes according to season and availability. Brunch options include Eggs Brooklyn (HK$98) with breaded eggplant, roasted peppers and hollandaise, and sweet options like the Cioccolato Pizza Fritta (HK$128), featuring Nutella, banana and vanilla ice cream. There’s also a free-flow prosecco option for some hair of the dog (add HK$88) with your brunch. Alternatively, you can knock the hangover right out of you with one of the monstrous sandwiches – go for a Bloomberg (roasted vegetables and fresh mozzarella) (HK$98 for six-inch, HK$138 for footlong) to offset some of the inevitable guilt.
Add: Posto Pubblico, 28 Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong
Contact: 00852 2577 7160
New Wan Chai spot MyHouse might be one of the most favourite dining rooms of the year, with its chill vibes, excellent wine list (orange wine, anyone?), and more than serviceable Italian-leaning menu – think dishes like lobster mezzaluna with a light chervil, tarragon and vermouth cream, and pigeon with orange and cardamom. As is their wont, they’ve organised a seven-course New Year’s Eve dinner which will transition into a very cool house party. There’ll be music provided by Metales Balearicos Soundsystem with Barnaby Bruce and Roy Gonzalez who’ll be behind the decks from 8pm.
Price: HK$1,088 for the first seating at 6:30pm, HK$1,288 for the second seating at 9:00pm (includes a free glass of champagne when the clock strikes 12) – both inclusive of wine pairing.
Add: MyHouse, 26/F QRE Plaza, 202 Queens Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Contact: 00852 2323 1715
The Optimist is presenting a four-course meal as well as a more lavish grand tasting menu, with dishes including clams in salsa verde, Tudela artichokes with baby squid, tuna tataki and entrecôte rib eye, while the latter menu includes showstoppers like their txuleta dry-aged rib eye hot off the grill, and well as the whopping whole grilled turbot.
Price: HK$650 for the 6:00pm early bird (with complimentary drink) four-course, HK$780 per head later and HK$1,080 for the grand tasting menu
Add: The Optimist, G/F, 239 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
COntact: 00852 2433 3324
Hong Kong’s hottest new Korean restaurant is turning it on this New Year’s with a nine-course tasting menu. Start with a serving of their housemade prawn crackers and vegetable kimbap, and follow it up with a main of USDA short ribs with a soy glaze or twice-cooked Iberco Bossam pork belly with dwengjang and gochujang glaze.
Price: HK$750 per person, HK$900 with champagne or soju welcome drink
Add: Jinjuu, UG/F, California Tower, 32 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong
Contact: 00852 3755 4868