hong kong restaurant 21st birthday
Apr 21st, 2007, 01:03 AM
#2
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Is there a particular food you like? If Chinese, do you have a region which is a favourite? Do you have a budget? (There are places like Nobu, Joel Rubuchon here which are good but quite expensive). Is a view important to you? Do you want something formal or informal (There are not a lot of formal places here, but there are a few.) How many days will you be in Hong Kong? I could give a ton of reccos but would be able to give better direction with more information.
I have some concerns about about the Jan 1, some restaurants may be running set meals that day. I am just not sure. Not necessarily bad, but could be a bit more expensive.
I have some concerns about about the Jan 1, some restaurants may be running set meals that day. I am just not sure. Not necessarily bad, but could be a bit more expensive.
Apr 22nd, 2007, 10:05 AM
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Looking for dinner ,not particulary formal.We are in Hong Kong for 5 days,so any reccos would be appreciated.We like most foods and love chinese and do not have a region that is favourite.The only one is my youngest daughter(18)as she is a fussy eater but I am sure we can cope.I willlook into the 2 you have mentioned,budget wise I dont really mind for his birthdaywithin reason. thanks again
Apr 22nd, 2007, 09:14 PM
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I am in Bangkok today and writing from a hotel lounge, so I don’t have all my restaurant info with me, but if you search this board for my thread call “Cicerone’s Reccos for What the Locals Do for Fun in Hong Kong (Hint: We DON’T Go to those Awful Night Markets....)” you will find a long list of restaurant reccos. There is a set of restaurant with views which might be good choices for the birthday, in particular a place like Hutong which I think a young person would like for views and ambience; for the picky eater you could go to the Italian restaurant or the Japanese restaurant which are part of the same complex if spicy Chinese does not work. Another very lively and fun place with a good mix of Asian and Western food and a very good view is ToTTs Asian Bar and Grill in the Excelsior Hotel in Causeway Bay. If you want to splurge more, then go to Felix which is more formal both in terms of décor and food (not dressy, no jackets on men, but the women could certainly dress up more). Another very good choice would be Pearl on the Peak up on the Peak which would have great views and food. Check all of these vis-à-vis what they may be doing on Jan 1, as I mentioned they may be offering set meals at set prices. Some may be closed on Jan 1 after the Dec 31 celebrations. (There is a restaurant in the list called Secret Pantry, it is now closed.)
For eclectic Western I think M on the Fringe would be a good choice, no views but wonderful food and just funky enough for a young person and right near the younger bar district of Lan Kwai Fong if you wanted to take the 21-year old out for her “first” official drink. (This is unlikely to be offering set meals, it’s not that kind of place.) Other just plain good restaurants but without views would be Ingredients in the trendy Star Street area (some bars here too for that drink) and Gaia or Tuscany by H for Italian food; Gaia has a lovely outdoor terrace which would be quite nice in December (not a whole lot of outdoor eating places in Hong Kong; I understand Ingredients now has a small roof terrace, you might ask about that if you are interested).
For the birthday girl, what you might do on Jan 1 is make an effort to get to Causeway Bay at Noon for the firing of the noonday gun, which has been a Hong Kong tradition for the past few hundred years. A cannon is fired every day at Noon, it is done basically in front of the Excelsior Hotel (you access the gun area from an underground walkway in the car park of the hotel). I understand that at the firing on December 31 they have bagpipers and Scottish dancers as pat of this. (The gun is fired by employees of Jardines, the Scottish “hong”). A good way to start the birthday off with a “bang”. (If you contribute about US$3,500 to the local Community Chest, you can even fire the cannon yourself, and you get to keep the gunshell and they provide a bagpiper). The firing is celebrated in Noel Coward’s song “Mad Dogs and Englishmen’:
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this foolish habit.
In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun,
To reprimand each inmate who's in late.
In the mangrove swamps where the python romps
there is peace from twelve till two.
Even caribous lie around and snooze, for there's nothing else to do.
In Bengal to move at all is seldom ever done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
For eclectic Western I think M on the Fringe would be a good choice, no views but wonderful food and just funky enough for a young person and right near the younger bar district of Lan Kwai Fong if you wanted to take the 21-year old out for her “first” official drink. (This is unlikely to be offering set meals, it’s not that kind of place.) Other just plain good restaurants but without views would be Ingredients in the trendy Star Street area (some bars here too for that drink) and Gaia or Tuscany by H for Italian food; Gaia has a lovely outdoor terrace which would be quite nice in December (not a whole lot of outdoor eating places in Hong Kong; I understand Ingredients now has a small roof terrace, you might ask about that if you are interested).
For the birthday girl, what you might do on Jan 1 is make an effort to get to Causeway Bay at Noon for the firing of the noonday gun, which has been a Hong Kong tradition for the past few hundred years. A cannon is fired every day at Noon, it is done basically in front of the Excelsior Hotel (you access the gun area from an underground walkway in the car park of the hotel). I understand that at the firing on December 31 they have bagpipers and Scottish dancers as pat of this. (The gun is fired by employees of Jardines, the Scottish “hong”). A good way to start the birthday off with a “bang”. (If you contribute about US$3,500 to the local Community Chest, you can even fire the cannon yourself, and you get to keep the gunshell and they provide a bagpiper). The firing is celebrated in Noel Coward’s song “Mad Dogs and Englishmen’:
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this foolish habit.
In Hong Kong they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun,
To reprimand each inmate who's in late.
In the mangrove swamps where the python romps
there is peace from twelve till two.
Even caribous lie around and snooze, for there's nothing else to do.
In Bengal to move at all is seldom ever done,
But mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.
Apr 22nd, 2007, 10:17 PM
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Sorry, it’s the birthday BOY…
Also, one thing I forgot to mention, the restaurant group which runs Hutong also has a junk (i.e. boat) which they take out for cocktail cruises, this might be a fun thing to do before the birthday dinner. A cruise as the lights are coming up over the city would be great IMO, this would be around 5:30 – 6 pm in the winter, check at sunrisesunset.com (you might also check this boat for New Year’s Eve, I just saw your other post). It is called the Aqua Luna, check on the website for Hutong on my restaurant thread for info.
Generally on New Year’s Eve many restaurants offer rather expensive set meals, some have bands. Not sure what to tell you to do. What hotel are you staying at? Are they offering anything? The Lan Kwai Fong bar area always has a big street party, however, I actually think this is a place to be avoided, as it is really, really crowded with revelers and can get really out of hand and dangerous – not to scare you too much but one year several people were crushed to death when people slipped on the wet pavement (the area is built into a hillside, and the bars are all open into the street). Your teenagers will probably want to go, I don’t know that I would advise it personally. The esplanade and the open area of Salisbury Road on the Kowloon side would be a better area, IMO.
Also, one thing I forgot to mention, the restaurant group which runs Hutong also has a junk (i.e. boat) which they take out for cocktail cruises, this might be a fun thing to do before the birthday dinner. A cruise as the lights are coming up over the city would be great IMO, this would be around 5:30 – 6 pm in the winter, check at sunrisesunset.com (you might also check this boat for New Year’s Eve, I just saw your other post). It is called the Aqua Luna, check on the website for Hutong on my restaurant thread for info.
Generally on New Year’s Eve many restaurants offer rather expensive set meals, some have bands. Not sure what to tell you to do. What hotel are you staying at? Are they offering anything? The Lan Kwai Fong bar area always has a big street party, however, I actually think this is a place to be avoided, as it is really, really crowded with revelers and can get really out of hand and dangerous – not to scare you too much but one year several people were crushed to death when people slipped on the wet pavement (the area is built into a hillside, and the bars are all open into the street). Your teenagers will probably want to go, I don’t know that I would advise it personally. The esplanade and the open area of Salisbury Road on the Kowloon side would be a better area, IMO.
Apr 23rd, 2007, 03:34 AM
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thanks for all the info,we are staying at the rennaisance harbourview,but i think we would prefer to be out and about on new years eve.I will try to find your post on restaurants i have tried before bit couldn't.Thank you again
