Cover Antonio Lai and Nana Chan at Plantation Tea Bar (Photo: Handout)
Antonio Lai and Nana Chan at Plantation Tea Bar (Photo: Handout)
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From a cocktail competition to new menus and collaborations, these are all the events and happenings that you should know about this week
The meeting of talents, and the discovery of new ones, is the lifeblood that sustains Hong Kong's dynamic food and drink scene. From a new cocktail menu by two top-of-class minds in tea and mixology, to the crowning of a new bartending champion, there was certainly plenty of that this week. Summer is also in full swing, which means a plethora of hot-weather specials to sate the appetite without bloating. Read on to explore the city’s latest dining updates.
In case you missed it: DarkSide welcomes Paradiso bar from Barcelona, Landmark launches new culinary collaboration series, and more
Tea-total
Above The cocktail lineup (Photo: Plantation Tea Bar)
The cocktail lineup (Photo: Plantation Tea Bar)
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First opened in April to carve out a space in the city for the appreciation and enjoyment of fine teas, Plantation Tea Bar in Shek Tong Tsui has now introduced a nighttime menu of tea-infused cocktails designed in collaboration between founder Nana Chan and Quinary's Antonio Lai. Featuring six cocktails all made with Plantation's high-quality Chinese teas, the menu is available from 6pm between Wednesdays and Sundays. Among the original creations are tipples like the refreshing Jasmine Sake (cold brew Jasmine Phoenix pearls, sake, apple syrup), the evocative Tangerine Pu'Erh Rum (pu'er slow-cooked rum, tangerine peel syrup, hawthorn cordial), and the Da Hong Pao Whisky, inspired by the Old-Fashioned with its mix of Da Hong Pao slow-cooked whisky, Angostura bitters, homemade ginger syrup and liquorice air.
Plantation Tea Bar, 18 Po Tuck Street, Shek Tong Tsui, Hong Kong; +852 5596 6254
World famous
As one of the most prestigious bartending competitions in the region, the Diageo World Class Competition for Hong Kong and Macau has crowned a new winner for 2023 this past Wednesday. Featuring a showdown between the six finalists—down from 15 entrants—competitors were challenged to to create a forward-thinking aperitif and digestif that could be paired with two of Zuma’s signature dishes; while the speed challenge asked the finalists to create five classic cocktails with a twist within five minutes.
After over four hours of judging by Bar Leone's Lorenzo Antinori, Simone Rossi of Darkside, and 2022 winner Jo Lo, bartender Birstacla Wong of The Green Door emerged victorious with her creative cocktails made using liquid nitrogen and served from Chinese teapots. As the 2023 champion, Wong, who has tended bar previously at Gishiki Lounge and Penicillin, will progress to the global finals of Diageo World Class, due to be held in São Paulo, Brazil this September. Argo's Jack Ng was awarded 1st runner-up, while Quentin Luk of Kuromaru was recognised as 2nd runner-up.
Sound and sight
Above Immersion is the name of the game at The Glenlivet's newest dining experience
Immersion is the name of the game at The Glenlivet's newest dining experience
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The Glenlivet has returned to Hong Kong with its latest whisky and gastronomy event in the form of a pop-up dinner at Wako Sake Labo in Tin Hau. Served across 12 courses, the omakase-style dinner is paired with three of the distillery's expressions—the 18, 21 and 25-Year-Olds that have been sourced from The Glenlivet's Sample Room collection—while immersive animations on a wraparound LED screen that covers almost the entire perimeter of the dining room walks guests through the history of the brand, as well as the distillation practices and barrel-making used to craft the different liquids. The experience ends on a blind tasting session that explores the power of music on your tastebuds. Limited to six sessions only, the dining experience is priced at HK$1,980 per person and is available for booking between July 28 to August 12 at +852 6406 0770.
Wako Sake Labo, G/F, 1 Gordon Road, Tin Hau, Hong Kong; wakosakeonline.com
Mi casa es tu casa
Above New cicchetti at Casa Cucina (Photo: Handout)
New cicchetti at Casa Cucina (Photo: Handout)
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Nestled in Sai Ying Pun, Casa Cucina has launched a new menu of sharing cicchetti—tapas-style dishes originating from Venice—that showcases market-fresh ingredients and with lighter flavours for the summer. Featured prominently are fresh handmade pastas such as the snow crab cappelletti with cantaloupe mascarpone, and the bold lobster tagliatelle with a zingy tomato sauce and chunks of whole lobster. Meanwhile, mains include the vegetarian-friendly baked ricotta with mushrooms, and the crispy scale tilefish, which showcases chef Anthony Cheung's cultural upbringing with a fish broth emulsion inspired by traditional Chinese soup.
A midsummer night's menu
Above Heritage beetroot tortellini, goat cheese, pine nuts, pea velouté (Photo: Gavin Yeung/Tatler Dining)
Heritage beetroot tortellini, goat cheese, pine nuts, pea velouté (Photo: Gavin Yeung/Tatler Dining)
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For more in refreshing summertime specials, head over to 181 at Fortnum & Mason, which has just launched a showcase of seasonal British dishes. Available in a la carte format, the menu comprises starters like tomato gazpacho, compressed watermelon and feta, and burrata, heirloom tomatoes and music bread; and mains such as 30-day-aged beef chuck agnolotti, smoked tomato agresto and grilled artichokes, and summer squash salad with tabbouleh. A three-course set menu with drinks is also available for HK$388 per head.
181 At Fortnum & Mason
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Shop 022, G/F, K11 Atelier, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Gavin Yeung is a Hong Kong-based writer and was the editor at Tatler Dining. He has written across the realms of F&B, design, fashion and travel, with a focus on in-depth profiles and experiential features. Previously, he held editorial positions at Hypebeast, Soho House and Vogue Hong Kong. He’s also a keen photographer and aspiring home bartender, and is constantly thinking of original, Cantonese-inflected (and occasionally questionable) cocktails to shake up. Follow him on Instagram at @gaviny.
