The food and drink happenings that you should know about this week
There's an explosion of flavour this coming week as restaurants look towards the celebration that is Mother's Day and beyond. Amid new restaurant openings, the announcement of our Tastemakers List for 2021, and the crowning of another local establishment as Asia's best, the excitement is palpable in restaurants, bars, and everywhere in between. Catch up with recent happenings and find out what to mark down in your calendars with our round-up below.
See also: Asia’s Most Influential: Hong Kong’s 42 Tastemakers 2021
Modern Izakaya Roji Opens In Lan Kwai Fong
Taking over the alleyway space that previously housed Brickhouse, Roji is a newly opened contemporary izakaya that interprets Japan's culture of late night drinking and tapas with a French influence. The space features a sleek design with neutral tiles and wood panelling, although it still opens out into the alley, and the layout—distinct bar and restaurant areas split by a high table—mirrors that of Brickhouse.
Headed by mixologist Lok Gurung, the bar menu dedicates many inches to highballs; among them, the Classic highball exemplifies Roji's approach, mixing Miyagikyo whisky with bonito-infused umeshu and manzanilla sherry for sweet and savoury notes, and lengthened with soda water carbonated using a Hoshizaki machine for five times more bubbles for a smoother mouthfeel. The signature cocktails are also notable—we recommend the Kinome (kinome-infused vodka, Fernet Hunter, coconut, citrus) and Nori (seaweed Campari, Green Chartreuse, strawberry, maraschino, jalapeño) for their herbal complexity.
The cuisine at Roji is approachable and moreish while retaining an edge of sophistication, as demonstrated in dishes like the king crab legs, blanched and peppered with a parsley and shiso blend; the hamachi sashimi, heaped with ikura, kombu and bottarga for umami; and the three tomatoes salad, which seasons fresh Japanese tomatoes with kombu dashi and shiso for a refreshing starter. Serving both well-considered food and drinks with in a convivial atmosphere, we can see Roji easily reviving this alley once again.
Roji, G/F, 20A D'Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong
See also: Imbibing On A Taste Of Kyoto With Chef Shun Sato And The House Of Ki No Bi
