by Aude Camus 
 
When I  met Manuel Palacio and Christan Talpo, the two founders of  Pirata Group, back in early 2018 (REDISCOVER THE ARTICLE HERE), the group had already opened 6  venues and was turning 3. A year and a half later, Pirata Group now operates a total of 14 venues across town (including 5 Pici, the beloved Pasta Bar which first opened its doors in Wan Chai before making its way to Central, Kowloon and the New Territories). Have I tried them all? Almost! Including newly opened TMK, a one punk rocker Temakeria credited for a good meal and a wild night out. 

TMK is all about living life the fun and punk way and, the minute you stepped-in, you are immerse in the punk rock inspired interior design and the electric ambiance: a 1980’s style Japanese custom motorcycle seating in the center of the room, Japanese art on display all over the place, tattoo rom inspired bathroom …  there’s definitely something cool about this place. It’s a bit dark true but that’s just an add-on to the cool punk vibes of the place and in the end, who cares if your Instagram pictures aren’t perfect as long as you are having fun and enjoying yourself. Right? 
 

Adding to the crazy vibes is the Drinks on Me (HKD 290/round) feature on the drink menu. Order it and each person within TMK (guests and staff) will be poured a generous serve of sake accompanies with boisterous cheers and the sound of the gong. Quite a party kicker! Told you, this place is all about the vibes. 

I do wanna order a round of shots for everyone very much but maybe let’s have something to eat before that. I’m afraid things would get too wild too quickly otherwise. 

TMK offers a refreshing take on the traditional Japanese temakeria and serves a selection of sushi and sashimi plus dishes to share – loving the flavourful Hamachi (HKD 98) carpaccio served with tangerine ponzu, black sesame and crispy quinoa and the super pornfood Karagge (HKD 78) also known as Japanese deep fried chicken - but the house’s heroes are the hand rolls, the classic ones and the creatives ones. 

Hong Kong Madame fav: the Tuna Hotdog Handroll (HKD 98), aka the yummiest tempura fried Kalifornia topped with spicy tuna. I could easily eat my weight in TMK’s Tuna Hotdog!
 
And if you are not sure what to choose, because well everything just looks way too good, then just go for one of the two tasting menus: the Denim (HKD 288/person) or the Leather (HKD 398/person). 
 
Let’s just have one last Japanese beer or another round of sake before we leave right? I just like the atmosphere of this place way too much. I do have to be back soon and give a go to both the lunch menu (from HKD 148/person) and the weekend brunch one (from HKD 198/person). Congrats Pirata Group, seems like you always figure out the way to my heart. I didn’t even know myself that I was a punk rocker down deep inside.
 
 
TMK
Shops G & H, G/F and M/F, 77-91 Queens’s Road West, Sheung Wan
 


 

 

by Aude
 
Ok, I know it is not chic and glamour like you would expect from a Parisian girl but I must confess something: I love beer. But here is my Parisian side, I am kind of snobbish about it. Just like I would rather like not to drink wine rather than drinking cheap plonk, I tend to be peaky when it comes to beer (but never say no to a good old Chiang when eating Thai food but that’s totally different … the girl is full of paradoxes). A place that has been satisfying me lately? Blue Supreme ! 

 

I first discovered Blue Supreme on Instagram. The place is just so Instagram friendly and they take the most beautiful and appealing photos … good job guys, half of the job is done already when people see your pictures and think “ok, I must try this place”. Looking for more info, I ended up on their Facebook page and loved their description:
 
We are a neighbourhood restaurant nestled on the quiet Upper Lascar Row, Sheung Wan. At Blue Supreme we focus on live and bottle conditioned beer; beers that are bottled with live yeast and culture that allows a secondary fermentation. The resulting beer has more nuanced and layered flavours; secondly, the natural carbonation gives a more lively and spritzy mouthfeel, allowing even full flavoured beers to be refreshing.
 
The kitchen at Blue Supreme showcases new American cuisine weekly, with a limited but constant evolving menu. The food here pays respect to Chef Leonard's American roots; featuring craftsmanship in a variety of sub ethnic, regional American delights. We want to serve many overlooked culinary delights found across different regions of the U.S. that are perfect for this beer-centric establishment.
 
 
Live and bottled conditioned beer? New American cuisine? Limited and constant evolving menu? Craftmanship? … Game on! 

The beer menu is nothing like I’ve ever seen before in Hong Kong. First of all, it’s quite extensive. Then do not look for an Asahi, that’s not the right place. Bottled beers are sorted according to their intensity:

- Sour and Funky

- Fruity and Spicy Yeast aromas

- Malt Driven

- Hoppy and bitter

- Crisp

My choice (upon recommendation of the bartenders of course as I have absolutely no idea what to go for): a Sour and Funky one, the Rodenback Vintage 2014 (HKD 295 / 750 ml) with tasting notes of balsamic, vanilla and wild honey. Surprising it is definitely! Sour and funky it is too!  It actually seems like you are not even drinking beer but something different.
 
Ok, beers are reaching expectations. Should we try the food now?
 
I had no idea what to expect of “new American cuisine” and yet it was nothing like what I could have expected. Every bite was surprising and super elegant, not the kind of words I would usually associate with American cuisine:

 

Shakshuka, dill and feta (HKD 150), super pornfood

Iberico chop, Brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, green apples (HKD 210)

 
Ok so that’s two hits. On the drinks and on the food! I definitely needed to shave a little chat with Ted, one of the co-founder.

As a beer advocate, personally, I find the selection in Hong Kong limited. It does not paint a full picture of craft beer. There are a lot of interesting beers and styles yet to grace Hong Kong. We aim to create a one of a kind beer experience in Blue Supreme by sourcing interesting beers and presenting them coherently through our menu.

 

The central theme of the beers is that they are bottle conditioned. Bottle conditioned means that the beers are bottled with live yeast and culture that causes refermentation in the bottle. The process gives the beer more nuanced flavours and spritzes carbonation - allowing the beer to carry flavours and still be refreshing. We would like to paint a full picture of what craft beers should be with a focus on farmhouse style ales and sour beers.

 

Navigating through an extensive beer or wine list can be daunting, and I would like to avoid this at Blue Supreme. Therefore, our menu is arranged by intensity. As you go down the list, he beers become fuller flavoured. Moreover, by arranging the menu by flavour profile instead of beer style will help our customers understand the flavour of the beers better.

 

 

The food menu was created to accompany the complex flavours and aroma compounds of the live beers. Therefore, Chef Leonard Cheung created a simple, yet sophisticated menu with a variety of regional-focused American delights such as the Lowcountry Cornbread with Smoked Butter and Duck Confit Burger with Fennel and Pomegranate Salad. The menu frequently rotates as the Chef Leonard favors fresh, in-season produce and local producers in the neighborhood.

 

The name Blue Supreme comes from the song “My Blue Supreme” by Interpol; it reminiscences of new found love and heart break. “Cruising in my Blue Supreme” was his metaphor for finding happiness.
 
 


Blue Supreme
G/F, 21 Tung Street, Sheung Wan
 
Beers (all served from 3 different temperature zones):

 
Food menu is short and seasonal