HK Magazine: What is different about SPOON’s menu?
Alain Ducasse: I designed the concept around giving the customer maximum freedom, from the choice of what to have to the sauce. We don’t impose strict rules on the food as traditional chefs would, and encourage mixing and matching to create something unusual.
Nine Michelin-star French chef and author of “SPOON Cookbook” Alain Ducasse was in town to supervise the handover of French restaurant SPOON to its new chef. His next mission? Outer space. He talks to Bruce Dawson about what’s cooking.
Harbourside and Yu
InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui, 2721-1211
Bubbly: Moet & Chandon
Cuisine: International buffet and Japanese seafood. Both feature massive seafood buffets with oysters, lobster, sushi, sashimi and salads, with a main course and a dessert buffet.
Atmosphere: Posh but not pretentious, worthy of your best smart-casual
Price: Adults $438, $238 for children under 12
Time: Sun noon-3pm
Bruce Dawson visits the best free-flowing champagne brunches in town.
Bruce Dawson eats on the streets in Shenzhen, and finds the people as much fun as the food
Shenzhen has experienced an explosion in mid- to high-end restaurants specializing in international cuisines, including French, Italian, Thai, Indian, Russian and pretty much everything in between. But you didn't come to China for foie gras, did you? We turned our backs on the big-name restaurants and hit the streets for some simple, amazingly cheap and often surprisingly good street fare.
Peak Cafe Bar
9-13 Shelley St., SoHo, 2140-6877
Name: Raspberry Mojito, $48
The lowdown: Bacardi, Framboise, raspberry puree, lime, Prosecco and mint leaves - a best-seller in Aussie sister restaurant Cafe Sydney.
Strength: 4/5
Drunk by: Expat suits and skirts
The verdict: Fruity, refreshing and tie-loosening.
Bruce Dawson and Spike Tang choose cocktails for hot summer nights.
Jaspas Party Junk
Cruising: Sai Kung Country Park.
Cost: $550 per adult (aged 13 and up), $200 per child and infant
Duration: 10:30am-5:30pm
Jump on board at: Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung or Noon Day Gun in Causeway Bay.
Sifting through the junk: You can choose between “Junk #1," which holds up to 40 people, and "Junk #2," with a maximum capacity of 26 people.
Bruce Dawson and Vivian Lau check out food afloat.
I've got 80 years of stories, what decade do you want to talk about?
I was hit by a hand grenade on June 12, 1945. I remember it well. After I got better, I trained to invade Kyushu but the war ended so I was sent to the Manchurian border in what were called “Liberty Ships.” We called them “Floating Coffins.” I served in Manchuria for almost a year.
Retired journalist Dave Roads has worn a lot of hats in his 86 years. He was a founding member of the Foreign Correspondents' Club, a WWII Marine Corps veteran, a war correspondent during the Korea and Vietnam conflicts, the Hong Kong correspondent for the "New York Herald Tribune" and AP for nearly 50 years, and a high-ranking member of the Freemasons. He has seen the city change from a merchant port to a thriving megalopolis. His book, "Behind the Headlights," is out soon. He talks to Bruce Dawson.
Sharpen your shucking skills, people: South Australian oyster season is here. Hong Kong imports 67 percent of all Australia’s seafood, so you'll be spoiled for choice across the city. So what makes a great oyster? We asked a panel of experts for the low-down on the perfect specimen.
Pearls of wisdom from shellfish specialists.
Anthony's Catch
Funk factor: Great seafood, unlimited champagne and a Culinary Institute of America-trained owner/chef making you breakfast.
Atmosphere: Laid-back and friendly. If you're lucky, the guitars might even come out.
