Mmm I was there last time and didn’t really eat anything there except a little ice cream at one of the vendors in the big mallish area (I only recall G.O.D. as one of the stores). I didn’t really notice anything too interesting in Asian restaurants but there were more Western restaurants in that road along the beach area.
Not related to Stanley. My HK friend recommends this Shanghainese restuarant in Causeway Bay. Her recent best meal.
Wang Jia Sha
1/F, Soundwill Plaza 2 - Midtown, 1-29 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay
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As others have already noted, as an ex-pat community and tourist destination, Stanley for Chinese/Asian dining is slim on possibilities. A friend who lived there chose a Western restaurant when we walked down the road and hosted dinner out, and it was good . . . just like we always tried to hit Dan Ryan’s Chicago Grill, not just for the key chains, but because its pastrami sandwiches were better than many we’ve had in the States. (Shame on us for even ordering pastrami in a California “deli” that was “decorated” with large photographs of original Second Avenue and still-going-strong Katz’s – we should have known better when we couldn’t find a tongue sandwich on the menu (shame on them).)
The effort it takes to have a truly bad meal in Hong Kong, no matter the cuisine, is hard to imagine. Have a good trip.
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Naf already mentioned Si Yik dai pai dong 泗益 in Stanley, which is worth trying for Kaya Toast, old school HK style French Toast, and salted beef egg sandwiches. That’s probably the most interesting localized eatery and standout there. If you only have room for one thing, get the French toast.
Or if possible skip Stanley and spend a weekend late morning/afternoon at Tai O Fishing Village instead, so much old school street food that’s super delicious and very scenic/stuck in time.
Never been but Kashiwaya (2 Michelin star) and Kaiseki Den by Saotome look interesting for kaiseki (I’d probably pick the former due to personal preference to try).
Ta Vie, while not kaiseki, looks kaiseki French, and maybe I’d go for this over Ryugin if given the choice. Ryugin Tokyo seems even overrated and less satisfying these days from what I’ve read by others.
Sushi Masataka is on my to try list. I’d rather go there than Shikon. Or you can try something a bit more affordable, that’s still high end but catered more towards locals (e.g. Sushi Mori Tomoaki in Fortress Hill, but you have to specify and sit in front of Mori san).
Or try high end tempura, like Ippoh (Central), though they are Kansai style.
I’d be happy to splurge and pig out solo on a large flower crab (cold Chiu Chow style) and paying through the nose, or the same crab steamed with shaoxing wine, chicken lard, and rice noodles at The Chairman or that spinoff in Happy Valley (forgot the name). Or go to town on a wild steamed deep sea fish (non humpback grouper) from South China Seas then finish off with an order of soy sauce wok stir fried noodles.
Don’t know if you are into hot sake and otsumami, but if so I would attempt a solo reservation at Godenya (I think it’s near Kau Yu Fong) if there’s any availability, and try some very eclectic sake pairings with food to go with it by the master.
Or you can do a bang bang in Sham Shui Po and eat as many local snacks as you can. Can’t go wrong in that part of the neighborhood for affordable delicious eats.
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Thanks for the ideas!
Tai O has been on the list for a long while now. But even I don’t think I can survive a very long bus/ ferry trip to Tai O from HK Island with two small ones…At some point I have to give that charcoal gai dan jai stand which you wrote about I think on Yelp a try.
Originally the idea of Stanley came about when I thought I could combine a trip to the beach and a trip to Stanley market on the same day for the kids. I am not exactly sure what there is in the market. I don’t even remember if I have been to Stanley myself. Or if i have, probably only once in my life. So I am not sure if they will find any value at the market. If not, I guess Repulse Bay/ Meen and Rice or Shoku (grill) at The Pulse would be sufficient. There is certainly a Repulse Bay price premium LOL.
I still haven’t booked/ planned anything despite I am supposed to be on a plane soon. I ended up giving Kashiwaya a call and booked a seat at the counter. They seem to be pretty wide open in the reservation books. I was thinking about Ryugin but don’t have a strong opinion about any of them and don’t have much time to think. This would be my splurge meal.
I’m gasping at the prices, only because I visited Tokyo in the last 2 years. But it is worth giving it a try since you are not going to Tokyo, and plus you get a sense of what 2 Michelin star Japanese means (if it means anything at all).
Usually the differences between the pricier menus at kaiseki restaurants are either more dishes, and/or the use of finer and more expensive seasonal ingredients.
Unless you are feeling super spendy, the Akane (middle) menu might give the better bang for the buck. You get some of the more specific spring seasonal items. The Aotake menu looks similar but you get Ise Ebi (Japanese spiny lobster) course and maybe a few ingredient swaps/additions on some dishes, but the value might not be there.
Can you also please take pictures of their sake menu and post it with your review? Enjoy your meal there!
Indeed the prices of top tier Japanese food in Hong Kong is high. Its odd to think that Tokyo is now cheaper to eat in than Hong Kong, given the still very high rent there. I don’t think I will be in Japan in the next few years, and if I am I am not going to be able to get a tranquil kaiseki or omakase meal in with the kids in tow.
Will do!
Nice list!
Thanks!
If you haven’t decided and want to try a Sake, the first one is good 九頭龍大吟釀. Ask them to set a portion aside and serve it warm as 燗酒. It’s designed for that). Perfect for kaiseki.
Ta-ke is re-opened now! I received their announcement email.
I was researching eats at Pacific Place. This dish from Summer Palace caught my eye. Local lobster noodle in bouillon- $1800 HKD. Wow. That place is pricey.
He filmed in Tai O, among other places.
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Sorry that it took me this long to join this forum… For future reference, kaiseki I would do:
Kaiseki Den by Saotome, and perhaps Kashiwaya - for more traditional. I prefer Kaiseki Den myself.
I also love RyuGin, and Tenku RyuGin has always been one of my favorite places. They have slowly been moving back towards the traditional end of the spectrum. Even the molecular dessert is now gone.
For a slightly cheaper option, La Bombance is pretty decent.
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Great to see you posting in food forums again, Peter. You’ve been missed.
@KK I have been lagging in reporting back about the HK trip. But I end up didn’t go to Kashiwaya for a rather peculiar reason. I just don’t like that they devalue themselves by giving B1G1 to HSBC card holders. If they think their food is worth only half of what they charge to non-HSBC card holders, then I prefer to eat somewhere else that is willing to stand behind every dollar that they charge. I am sure all my pals who live in Hong Kong probably have an HSBC card, but at the end, I didn’t bother. I think I ended up buying one of these from the market and had a seafood feast instead.
I went to Kashiwaya once. Haven’t felt the urge to go back… and actually declined invitations from their PR. It was fine, but just wasn’t all that exciting.
