Edit - January 7th 2018: this restaurant is now closed


Have you ever wondered what was behind that wooden door situated on 43 Wyndham Street? We certainly have! Curiosity being one of our virtues, we went to take a look and ended up spending the evening there… If you’re still wondering what it is, it’s a Chinese restaurant. Well, the word restaurant is a rather poor way of describing it because in actual fact, Aqua Group takes us on a real sensory journey in this place. You walk down a few steps in semi-darkness to keep the sense of mystery going. First surprise, a circular bar in solid wood where you can stop off for a drink. Then a long corridor that branches off into small rooms with armchairs and low tables. Very intimate and superbly decorated, we loved them! And finally, the heart of Yun Fu: the main hall. Wooden cabinets, statues and other Chinese decorative pieces set the scene. It’s time to talk about the food! The best is to order a few dishes to be shared. We therefore tested he lamb salad with onions, peppers, chrysanthemum petals and coriander; served with a sesame sauce. Full of flavour and very surprising, especially the way it was all mixed together! We also recommend the green asparagus and sesame grains, the Shandong wonton in a sweet and sour sauce and the wok friend beef tenderloin with scallions. Order rice or noodles to accompany the dishes. The more adventurous of you will be able to order a few spicy dishes. It’s up to you. The goal is to simply spend a lovely evening in this magical setting. 

 

Yu Fu

Basement, 43-55 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2116 8855

Email : yunfu@aqua.com.hk

Open Mondays to Thursdays from 5pm to midnight and Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm to 2am and Sundays from 6pm to midnight.

$$$

Edit - January 7th 2018: this restaurant is now closed


The topic of the day is not the British spread that tastes… how could we put it… rather peculiar! It’s actually the new 100% French place that Aqua Group has just opened in Staunton Street. We wanted to wait a bit before introducing it to you so as to be sure that the restaurant was worth the detour. There are so many restaurants nowadays that spare no expenses in their first few weeks of existence and then go downhill after that… But let’s move on because it’s not at all Marmite’s case. On the contrary! Since its grand opening the menu has been expanded and become even yummier. We tried out the set lunch with a gambas salad as a starter; then an asparagus risotto for one of us and a red mullet for the other. Perfect from start to finish. Well presented and incredibly tasty. The main courses aren’t too copious but it’s all for the best – you’ll have more space to enjoy the dessert! We went for the chocolate tart. Thin pastry and a delicious creamy filling. Yummy, scrummy! But you can also go for the cheese if you’d prefer to continue with a good old French savory dish! Let’s talk about the setting now. This place has a “Parisian Bistrot” feel to it: pastel green walls, a few old French posters from Aqua Group’s owner’s personal collection and lots of mirrors. Neither too much nor too little. Probably so as to not steal the spotlight from the place’s main focus: the food! To sum it all up: we definitely like this one! 

 

Marmite

44-46 Staunton Street, Soho, Hong Kong, (852) 2803 7808

Open Mondays to Saturdays from midday to midnight

And Sunday evenings from 5pm to midnight

Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays

Hong Kong address has nailed the challenge to take us back to beginning of the century, in China. Wood sculpted panels, tables worthy of the Imperial Palace, delicate silk curtains, oversized bamboo birdcages and red lanterns, the magic of the place works as soon as you passed the threshold of the door. Or rather the threshold of the elevator since the restaurant is located on the 28th floor! Huge bay-windows make it possible for you to see the mind-blowing view on Hong Kong bay.

The contrast between the delightfully retro atmosphere and the view on the ultra modern buildings is striking. Enough of the place, let's talk about cooking! The chef reviewed all the North China traditional courses and added a pinch of modernity. The different courses are to damn for. Adventurer will try the signature course: crab resting on hundred of red peppers!

 

Hutong

Open everyday from noon to midnight

28/F, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, (852) 3428 8342

One Michelin guide star.