We take a look at some of the best locally made products by chefs, brewers, bakers, ice cream makers, coffee connoisseurs and wine producers, who create and sell them all over Hong kong.
Big or small? Vibrant or stagnant? Sweet-sounding or unpleasant to the ear? For years, Hong Kong’s indie music scene not only has been both the stage and playground for aspiring local musicians and music lovers, but it has also attracted criticism and sparked endless discussions about its standards, diversity and sustainability. As the annual Clockenflap music festival rolls into town, we talk to industry insiders about their career paths as well as the flaws and prospects of our city’s indie scene, and take a peek into three new band venues.
Penny Zhou and Andrea Lo chronicle the highs and lows of Hong Kong’s live music scene, and go behind the scenes with the people making it happen.
Linguini Fini (G/F-1/F, The L Place, 139 Queen’s Rd. Central, 2857-1333) was one of our city’s earliest adopters, using pig’s hearts, brains and tripe in creative and unexpected Italian dishes since its opening last year. (Read our interview with chef Vinny Lauria of Linguini Fini.)
Locals might yawn and scoff at this new wave of nose-to-tail dining that’s overtaken posh restaurants in our city. After all, we Hongkongers have been eating pig tripe, intestines and all sorts of weird and wonderful animal parts for dim sum, lunch and dinner all our lives. But not every culture has had such an easy-breezy relationship with a beast’s more exotic bits. In fact, it wasn’t until recently—a couple of years after British chef Fergus Henderson published cult classic “The Whole Beast: Nose-to-Tail Eating” in 2004—that the whole nose-to-tail concept really exploded on the global restaurant scene. All of a sudden, this age-old, almost-forgotten European tradition of eating every part of the animal was revived in the trendiest of eateries, and it was not only socially acceptable, but actually cool, to devour guts at a dinner table once again.
Winter has arrived (sort of), and it’s time to bundle up in cozy layers, sip on hot mulled wine and indulge in some heart-warming, soul-enriching, calorific winter dishes. What better than a good, old-fashioned fondue to bring together family, friends and fromage fiends alike? Whether you’re looking for chocolate or cheese, there are plenty of restaurants offering the Swiss dish this season, so roll up the sleeves on your snowflake-patterned sweater and get dunking.
What better way to pile on that extra layer of winter blubber than with a big, bubbling pot of fondue? Lindsay Varty dips into the cheesiest pots in town.
Whether you’re visiting for the first time or vacation there every couple of years or so, there’s so much to do in the city that it can be difficult to decide. But there’s more to Tokyo than Tokyo Tower, the Tsukiji fish markets and the nightlife at Ginza. We ended up exploring the districts that fashion and gaming subcultures call home.
Whether you’re rubbing shoulders with the otaku in Akihabara or teeny-bopping with the cosplayers in Harajuku, every district in this massive, sprawling metropolis has its own distinctive charm and quirkiness. Leanne Mirandilla goes exploring. Photos by Joey Ewen.
Hong Kong’s art scene continues to grow, with a new gallery opening seemingly almost every time we turn our backs. The past few months alone have brought a number of impressive and diverse new galleries, from transgressive exhibitions and educational programming in an industrial warehouse in Chai Wan, to an appointment-only space showcasing works from European masters such as Hirst and Warhol, there’s something to satisfy art enthusiasts of all stripes.
Carrie Ann Hau and Kirsty Ward tell us what to expect at four of Hong Kong’s newest galleries.
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Istanbul is both in Asia and in Europe—how perfect does that sound? Throw in a flourishing economy and a new dedication to modern art and you’ve got one of the world’s most happening cities built on the remains of one of history’s most glorious empires. Story and photos by Gregoire Glachant
Established in 2009, Handmade Hong Kong is a collective of proud local crafters that sets up stalls at fairs, events and festivals all over the city. Shoppers can come and browse all kinds of handmade products, from jewelry and accessories to greeting cards and stationery. “Having been born and grown up here, I was sad to discover how challenging it is for artists to thrive in this city,” says founder Jacinta Read.
Want to find more awesome crafters? Make for one of Handmade Hong Kong’s regular fairs.
The festival celebrates its 41st anniversary in a big way, with almost 50 feature films plus a collection of short films. While a few hot titles such as “Love,” “Holy Motors,” “In the House” and “The Suicide Shop” are already sold out, Arts Editor Penny Zhou selects seven lesser-known movies from the program that you shouldn’t overlook. Screenings take place at the Film Archive (FA), Palace IFC (IFC), Broadway Cinematheque (BC), AMC Pacific Place (AMC) and more.
Organized by the Alliance Française de Hong Kong, the French Cinepanorama is the longest-running film festival in Hong Kong.
‘Tis the season for the fragrant white truffle, and our city is positively drowning in promotions for this rare and pricy Italian delicacy. Get your fix at a traditional Italian eatery, or go bold and have them with some rice and teppanyaki. The choice is yours, and you can start as early as breakfast.Bourgeois BrekkieStart your day on the right track with an eggs Benny, white truffle style.
Try these tasty white truffle dishes while they’re in season. By Lindsay Varty
