Where to eat in Kennedy Town? The Best Gastronomy in the area

Kennedy Town is a happening place with both locals and foreigners residing in the area, so it is not surprising that you can stumble upon a restaurant on almost every street in the area, and it goes without saying that there are so many different cuisines to pick from. To make things simple for your next dinner outing, we have put together the best restaurants in Kennedy Town.

Dough Bros

Almost every foodie in Hong Kong will pick Dough Bros as the restaurant to go to if you are looking for tasty and freshly baked pizzas. Made right after you order, the pizzas which are straight out of the oven, first impress your olfactory senses with the flavours of the sauces and the smell of the warm dough hitting your nose. The best part, each pizza comes with a dipping sauce so every bite of the pizza – even the crusts – taste heavenly until the last bite. If you are a sweet tooth you may want to opt for one of their doughnuts that are loaded with cream fillings. More details are here.

Sheung Hei

What are the tell-tale signs that an eatery serves the best food? It has people queuing in front of it. Cantonese restaurant Sheung Hei falls under this category too with locals and sometimes foreigners seen waiting to dine at the spot. Most people come here to try Sheung Hei’s Michelin-recommended Claypot rice which is cooked with a charcoal stove that gives the dish its unique smoky flavour. The other delicacies to try here are the Pan-Fried Prawns with Soy Sauce, the Peking Ribs and more.

Clay Oven

Clay Oven gives the vibes of a traditional home in India with its predominantly brown-coloured interior decorated with indo-style paintings. Even the serving vessels mimic the silverware seen in the subcontinent. Much like getting the set up to the point, Clay Oven also delivers diverse flavours from India through its foods. There are a variety of popularly-loved delicacies like biriyanis, tikkas and many more. P.S.: When ordering, remember to inform your spice level. More details are here.

Smash’d

With a confined and cosy setting, Smash’d is a resto-bar that is particularly known for its burgers which are made with organic beef, but of course, their other dishes are as great too, and so is their service. The staff think way ahead of you and provide you with anything you will definitely want during your meal. Ordered a wings platter? They will give you a cup full of tissues and a sanitised wet wipe. Also, their regularly-ordered and loved dish is the Classic Smash’d Cheese Burger. If you like blue cheese, you may want to try Le Fromage Burger. More details are here.

Shoreditch

Shoreditch is always buzzing with crowds with both locals and ex-pats coming here for the lively atmosphere and the mouth-watering food. In order to give this award-winning modern British restaurant its authenticity, its chef, Eddie, went to the top restaurants in the UK to bring to Hong Kong, the best dishes served there. Some of the commonly-appreciated foods at this resto-bar are its Tomahawk steak and selection of traditional roasts that are only available during lunchtime. More details are here.

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Blend & Grind

Initially opened by fitness enthusiast Jonny Rees as a smoothie spot, especially for athletes and health buffs, Blend & Grind has now extended its business menu-wise and geographically. Today, their menu provides you with a wide range of options in terms of food and drinks. Blend & Grind is particularly talked about for its variety of Espresso martinis. Moreover, the eatery also has a pet-friendly space in the front for pet owners who want their pawed children near them. More details are here.

Alvy’s

A restaurant that will make you feel like you are eating in Manhattan, Alvy’s has quite a rustic vibe to it and serves the best range of craft beers and pizzas in the town. A perfect diner for large groups, Alvy’s boasts more than 20 bourbon varieties and 14 different craft beers on tap. So, if you are looking for a place to go for drinks and dinner with friends, then this ought to be your first pick. More details are here.

Pici Pasta Bar

For all those Pasta fans out there, Pici is a literal haven given their varying kinds of pasta that are all equally amazing. Their food dominates in terms of quality because they use fresh portions of pasta that are handmade every day. For that authentic Italian experience, it is recommended that you pair your pasta with a glass of wine. Their menu changes on a monthly basis, and there is even a special Easter menu that will be served from April 5 to 10, 2023. More details are here.

Gaia Ristorante continues to impress with elevated Italian cuisine

If there was ever a Hong Kong locale that called to mind the charm of a Roman piazza, it is surely the open plaza abutting Central’s Grand Millennium Plaza. How fortuitous, then, that nestled amid the lush foliage and grandiose staircases lies one of the city’s most iconic Italian restaurants – Gaia Ristorante. Having first opened its doors just over two decades ago, this grand dame of the SAR’s F&B scene has more than held its own through the never-ending waves of new eateries that have risen and fallen and risen again across the intervening years.

So, in a city where restaurants open and close at the drop of a hat, what’s the secret to Gaia’s outstanding longevity? “While our offerings are not that different from many other Italian eateries in the city, after more than two decades, we’ve put together a very solid offering. We focus on fresh ingredients and classic recipes that have been tried and tested with discerning diners over the years,” explains owner Pino Piano. “More importantly, we listen to our customers’ feedback. Some of our patrons have been coming back to us for two generations now, and if they’d like something tweaked slightly, we are more than happy to accommodate them.”

Affable and charming, Naples-born Piano is a stalwart of the industry who has seen the evolution of the city’s dining scene first-hand. Recalling Gaia’s early days, he says: “Things were totally different when we first began. We were the first restaurant to introduce al-fresco dining to the central business district. Up until that point, outdoor dining could only be found farther afield in Sai Kung or the outlying islands.”

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gaia-ristorante-elevated-italian-cuisine-dining-hongkong-gafencu-artichoke — Carciofi Fritti alla Giudia

gaia-ristorante-elevated-italian-cuisine-dining-hongkong-gafencu-fritto — Fritto in Semolina con Sale d’Acciuga

Eager to sample the fare that has enchanted the city since 2001, we begin our tasting with two appetisers – Carciofi Fritti alla Giudia and Fritto in Semolina con Sale d’Acciuga. The former is an ancient Roman-Jewish dish of flowering artichoke hearts that are boiled then deep-fried. Crisp on the outside and deliciously succulent on the inside, it’s an enticing opening act. The latter starter of fried calamari and red prawns is equally delicious. Each morsel here is lightly battered and fried before being sprinkled with anchovy salt, with an optional squeeze of lemon deftly cutting through the inherent oiliness of the dish.

gaia-ristorante-elevated-italian-cuisine-dining-hongkong-gafencu-spaghetti — Spaghetti con Gamberoni Rossi Piccanti

Continuing with the seafood motif, our next course of Spaghetti con Gamberoni Rossi Piccanti arrives tableside. Topped with a juicy, generously sized Mediterranean red king prawn, the underlying spaghetti is cooked to al-dente perfection and ladened with smaller shelled prawns as well. The sauce, too, merits particular mention, with the tanginess and slight piquancy of the spicy cherry tomatoes serving as the perfect foil for the oceanic accents of the dish.

gaia-ristorante-elevated-italian-cuisine-dining-hongkong-gafencu-manzo-wagyu — Manzo Wagyu ‘Mayura’ all’Olio e Sale Grosso

Onto the mains, we begin with the decadent Manzo Wagyu ‘Mayura’ all’Olio e Sale Grosso, featuring a sliced slab of wagyu sirloin accompanied by asparagus and Romanesco broccoli. Cows at the Mayura farm in Australia are given a chocolate-laden diet that is said to enhance the tenderness and flavour of their beef. Umami-laden and melt-in-your-mouth soft, this is guaranteed to be a hit with any meat-minded diner.

gaia-ristorante-elevated-italian-cuisine-dining-hongkong-gafencu-spigola in crosta di sale alle — Spigola in Crosta di Sale alla Cipollina

With our waistlines getting dangerously tight, the final course hoves into view: a beautiful plate of Spigola in Crosta di Sale alla Cipollina (an oven-baked sea bass accompanied by lemon and chives). The fish in question is, as Piano explains, first deboned then coated in a salt-and-egg white crust before being baked in the oven – a deft move that sees all its inherent flavours retained. Once unpacked, a dash of lemon and a sprinkling of chopped chives are all the garnishes required. A delicious blend of crunchy skin and fall-off-the-bone tender flesh, it’s small wonder that this signature dish has been on the menu since Gaia’s inception.

Gaia Ristorante. Unit 01-05, G/F, Grand Millennium Plaza, 181 Queen’s Road Central, Central. (852) 2167 8200

(Text: Tenzing Thondup)

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Harmonious Fusion: East-meets-West dining at Italian restaurant Aria

Defying the Covid-19 adversity and the great odds in a very hostile environment, 54-seater Italian restaurant, Aria, in Lan Kwai Fong boldly opened its doors for business in July, and is now well on its way to carving a prominent niche in Hong Kong’s highly-competitive dining landscape. Led by bubbly 35-year-old Michelin-starred Italian executive chef, Andrea Zamboni, Aria treats diners to a refreshing culinary adventure like no other. Drawing from over 20 years of highly-rated restaurant experience across Italy and Asia, his expertise is very much a product of inspiration and mentoring from the legendary Gualtiero Marchesi, who is widely regarded as the father of modern Italian cuisine and the first chef in the country to receive three Michelin stars, as well as from other virtuoso chefs in different parts of the world.

Conveniently nestled on the 24th floor of Lan Kwai Fong’s California Tower, Aria provides a cozy and elegant ambience, conducive to fine dining with close associates or loved ones.

“We take great pride in both our signature dishes, as well as our own creations that we offer week after week, which truly delight our customers as they keep on coming back, looking for more new dishes that they have not seen or tasted before,” says Chef Andrea. Though it is a daunting challenge to constantly come up with fresh culinary treats that will suit the taste of the highly-discriminating palate of Aria’s patrons, he isn’t the least perturbed. After all, he draws from 10 solid years of mentorship from Michelin chefs across Italy plus 11 years of culinary experience in Asia, eight in Shanghai and other cities in China and three in Hong Kong.

“One of our greatest strengths is the depth and breadth of the top-notch fresh ingredients that we procure no more than 24 hours from the source in Italy, other Europe countries and elsewhere in the world,” he says. A case in point are premium winter-time white truffles from Italy which he adroitly employs to enhance and adorn his various culinary wonders.

“We procure fresh, top-notch ingredients from the source in less than 24 hours ”

Keen to sample his culinary creativity, we kicked off our tasting.

The Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto with Hairy Crab and White Truffle marks an auspicious start as it immediately whets your appetite for more exotic culinary offerings. Fusing the iconic and seasonal hairy crab with prominent Western culinary delights, particularly white truffle and Risotto, is most innovative and creative.

“There are no hairy crabs in Western cuisine and I thought this element plus white truffle will be welcomed by diners in the city,” says Chef Andrea of the dish.

Next, the Uovo all’Uovo… Tribute to Chicco Cerea, which features prime-quality caviar and white truffle topping, isn’t just exotic as it serves more as a rare treat that any food connoisseur will certainly savour. It comprises scrambled Livornese hen’s egg from Tuscany at the bottom, poached quail egg, Ikura, Baeri caviar from the Royal Caviar Club and Alba white truffle shavings. A tuille dentelle adds texture to the dish.

Then arrived the Scampi with Foie Gras. Chef Andrea says he owes a lot to his signature dish as it first got him noticed by Michelin in 2010. Using duck foie gras from France that is cooked medium rare, he pairs it with scampi, caramelised pumpkin puree and white truffle shavings.

Stripe Sandwich with Caviar and White Truffle is a curious but sumptuous and harmonious mix of the East and West. Placing a high premium on interacting and gaining fresh culinary insights from his small crew, as well as Aria’s diners, he embraced a Japanese-inspired rendition of a sandwich dish which prominently features succulent prime Australian beef wedged between two slices of fine Italian bread.

When in Shanghai, the most iconic and ubiquitous dish that automatically comes to mind is definitely the must-have Xiao Long Bao. Chef Andrea’s intimate rendition of this archetypal dish comes in the form of Andrea’s Ode to Xiao Long Bao that again marks a harmonious meeting of the East and West.

The next time you fancy Italian food, it’s always best to go for an adventurous, gratifying and fun-filled gastronomic experience, and Aria happens to deftly tick all those boxes in spades.

Aria, 24/F, California Tower, 30-36 D’Aguilar St, Central. (852) 2804 1116. info@ariaitalian.com

Fiamma Flourish: Family-style Italian restaurant with a Michelin twist

A family-style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the Peak.

With the Peak Galleria – one of Hong Kong’s most iconic landmarks – having recently undergone a complete refurbishment, the updated venue has understandably drawn a slew of fine-dining eateries. The latest to open its doors is none other than FIAMMA, the sophomore SAR outing from renowned Italian chef Enrico Bartolini.

Fiamma Flourish Family style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the peak gafencu magazine taste dining Chef Paolo Olivieri 2 — Chef Oaolo Olivieri

Boasting a staggering eight Michelin stars across five eateries, Bartolini is, in fact, the most Michelin star-awarded chef in his native country. His innovative techniques and high-end culinary wizardry, though, have been tempered for a more accessible, family-style offering in FIAMMA. “We want to take the best traditional recipes from all across Italy and give it a refined flourish,” explains head chef Paolo Olivieri, who also helms Bartolini’s other Hong Kong outpost, SPIGA, adding: “We want to allow diners to enjoy Italian family fare made with the very best of ingredients.”

Fiamma Flourish Family style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the peak gafencu magazine taste dining Burrata E Pomodori — Burrata E Pomodori

Thus, FIAMMA’s menu eschews complex dishes for easily accessible Italian recipes. “We don’t want to overcomplicate the flavours,” says Olivieri, “Instead, we focus on a handful of ingredients per dish to ensure that each has its own turn to shine.”
Eager to test this theory, we began our tasting experience with two appetisers – Burrata E Pomodori and Tartare Di Bue Piemontese. Shipped fresh from Puglia in South Italy every few days, the burrata still had a fresh jiggle to it when it arrived tableside. Creamy and rich, it was enhanced further with the tartness of French heirloom tomatoes and earthy Taggiasca olives, with a powdering of basil crumbs and breadcrumbs adding an extra crunch.

“We want to take the best traditional recipes from all across Italy and give it a refined flourish”

The tartare, meanwhile, was a veritable feast for the eyes, being garnished with edible flowers, black truffle flakes and even a quail egg yolk for good measure. Its taste was equally enticing, with the meat – the famed Fassona beef sourced from Piedmont – surely rising as the star of this ensemble culinary cast.

Fiamma Flourish Family style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the peak gafencu magazine taste dining Tagliolini Ai Ricci, Bottarga, Limone — Tagliolini Ai Ricci, Bottarga, Limone

Next to arrive was the Tagliolini Ai Ricci, Bottarga, Limone, with the freshly made tagliolini merging with grey mullet bottarga (roe) and Sicilian bottarga that bequeathed the dish with lavish oceanic accents. Heightening its appeal were the Japanese sea urchins atop the dish.

Fiamma Flourish Family style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the peak gafencu magazine taste dining Tortellini Emiliani E Parmigiano — Tortellini Emiliani E Parmigiano

We then dove into another pasta dish, this time the hearty Tortellini Emiliani E Parmigiano. A classic italian recipe, the Italian-style dumplings were filled with a smooth blend of pork and beef, drizzled liberally with Parmigiano Reggiano fondue and a beef jus. Topped with crisp Parmigiano wafers for a welcome textural contrast, this creamy, meaty concoction was comfort food at its very finest, embodying a decadence that belies its understated appearance.

Fiamma Flourish Family style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the peak gafencu magazine taste dining Burrata E N_Duja Pizza — Burrata En Duja Pizza

Scarcely pausing for breath, we then reached for the Burrata E N’duja pizza, freshly made in FIAMMA’s brick oven. The dough, we were informed, had been fermented for 24 hours to ensure a smooth, soft texture, and wonderfully complemented the chunky burrata cheese and pork N’duja sausage morsels on top, with the latter offering a delightful piquancy to the proceedings.

Fiamma Flourish Family style Italian fare with a Michelin-starred twist atop the peak gafencu magazine taste dining Dessert_Cannoli — Cannoli

Finally, with scarcely any room left in our heavily indulged stomach, the dessert course – Cannoli – hoved into view. An iconic Sicilian affair, the crisp cannoli shells were stuffed with a sweet, creamy ricotta filling and sprinkled in turns with dark chocolate chips, pistachios and candied oranges. Sweet without being cloyingly so, once again, Chef Olivieri’s aptitude for finding the perfect culinary equilibrium was evident in this dish.

From start to finish, FIAMMA’s menu is a study in restraint. In place of the flashier, more ostentatious culinary offerings served by so many of the city’s Italian restaurants, the emphasis here is undeniably on paring down on unnecessary flourishes to ensure that each dish’s flavours and ingredients truly shine through. Pair that with its welcoming interiors and an extensive wine menu, and what you get is a venue that’s perfect for any family affair.

FIAMMA. Shop G02, Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road. (852) 2657 0800. reservations@fiamma.com.hk

Text : Tenzing Thondup

Tag: italian restaurant

Where to eat in Kennedy Town? The Best Gastronomy in the area

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Gaia Ristorante continues to impress with elevated Italian cuisine

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Fiamma Flourish: Family-style Italian restaurant with a Michelin twist