Celebrity Life

The world’s most coveted wines—delivered to your door.

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Travel bubbles may have come and gone, but the nostalgia for a taste of home remains. In anticipation of Singapore’s National Day, we’re sharing our secret spots for the best pandan desserts in the city. 

Lany Kitchen 

I may be crucified for sharing my countrymen's best kept secret. Using cold press organic coconut oil and homemade pandan extract, Lany Chew’s amazing Pandan Chiffon cakes ($130) have been growing in popularity through word of mouth among the inner Singaporean circuit. If you’re craving something with a savoury kick, she also does an incredible Pandan Cheese Roll ($95) filled with grated cheddar and cream cheese. While Lany doesn’t currently have a retail shop, you can order through WhatsApp at least three days in advance.  

Lany Kitchen, @lanykitchen, WhatsApp to order +852 9806 4199 

Shaz Confections 

Presenting the Singaporean dessert dream duo: pandan leaves, and – wait for it – coconut cream. At Shaz Confections, bliss comes in the form of fresh pandan coconut cream, sandwiched between 16 layers of crepe and topped with a light dusting of desiccated coconut and roasted pistachio. Their Pandan Coconut Crepe Cake ($480) is certainly a crowd pleaser, but if you prefer the more traditional pandan chiffon ($138), you’ll be able to snag that too. Oh, and don’t delay: cake orders must be made at least three days in advance. 

Shaz Confections, various locations, including: G/F, 21 First Street, Sai Ying Pun, +852 5596 5956 

Soho House Hong Kong 

Okay, okay – we get it. Not entirely fair that we have a private member’s club on this list... but hear me out. Your whole membership will be worth it just to be able to have a taste of Chef Chris Thompson’s incredible rendition of a pandan cheesecake ($70 a slice). Yeah, I said it.  

Painstakingly infused and lovingly assembled each day by the talented hands of the pastry chefs, this dessert has been a House favourite since the opening, and caused waves of outrage when it was briefly off the menu. Insider tip: If you’re incredibly sweet to the team, they may also agree to bake an entire 2-pound version ($500) for you – with advance notice, of course. 

Soho House Hong Kong, 33 Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan. 

Teakha

Teakha may be famous for being one of our city’s homegrown tea-specialist cafés, but they have slowly started gaining recognition for their baked goods in recent years as well. Their cakes often incorporate elements of tea, and are simple and rustic with an Asian fineness and touch. You’ll be able to try a slice of their Pandan Coconut Chiffon Cake ($56) in the café, or order a full-sized Pandan Chiffon Cake ($420) at least two days in advance.  

Teakha, Shop B, 18 Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan, +852 2858 9185 

Ms. B’s Cakery

If it’s a showstopper you’re after, the Eleanor ($630/$1,050) is truly a sight to behold. Picture this: A decadent pandan & coconut chiffon cream cake, topped with white chocolate and marshmallows. You can even add on a handcrafted sugar orchid as a pièce de résistance ($1,300) to show off for Singapore’s National Day. Bring this along to your Singaporean spouse’s family gathering and they’ll be gushing about you for months. You can thank me afterwards.

Ms. B’s Cakery, various locations, including: G/F, Lee Tung Street, Wan Chai, +852 2869 1331 

The post A Singaporean’s Guide to the Best Pandan Desserts in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Start your day with free-flow drinks, gourmet eats, and stunning spreads - here's our pick of the best luxury brunches in town.

Hongkongers love to eat out: breakfast, lunch, dinner, at midnight, at dawn – any time really. When it comes to brunch - especially an upscale meal complete with free-flowing drinks – there are simply so many options out there. To help you narrow down the perfect place for a special occasion, we’ve rounded up the 11 best luxury brunches in Hong Kong.

Hutong

The Feng Wei Brunch at Hutong is ideal for a special occasion brunch with a view - a sweeping view of Victoria Harbour to be exact. Serving hot, spicy Northern Chinese fare (and some tamer offerings), the brunch includes appetisers, like chilled thinly-cut pork belly marinated in Sichuan chilli sauce, followed by a dim sum platter, an entrée and main course (including dishes such as steamed Hokkaido scallop with chilli and black garlic and a black truffle chicken fillet fried with Yunnan mushrooms), vegetables and rice, and finally a dessert platter. You can add on a signature dish to share. See the whole menu here.

Cuisine: Northern Chinese - Sichuan
When: Saturday and Sundays, 12pm to 3pm

Hutong, 28/F, One Peking, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; 3428 8342

MO Bar at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

MO Bar at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental is offering the summer brunch - an idyllic picnic-style spread with comforting eats and free-flow drinks as well as live DJ entertainment. Every weekend, enjoy a charcuterie board and a homemade foie gras in a jar on a picturesque miniature picnic table followed by mains including a lobster eggs benedict, yellowfin tuna steak and a vegetarian sweet potato and vegetable madras curry.

Choose the Belvedere Brunch for one and half hours of free-flow of Belvedere cocktails and Moët & Chandon Champagne or the Premium Rose Brunch for free-flow of Moët & Chandon Rose, white & rose wine and an additional selection of classic cocktails.

Cuisine: International and pan-Asian
When: Saturdays and Sundays, 11:30am to 3:45pm

MO Bar, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, LANDMARK ATRIUM, LANDMARK, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central; 2132 0077

Madame Fù

With unlimited Peking duck, dim sum and free-flow drinks, the brunch at Madame Fù at Tai Kwun is a proper delight. Choose your package and settle into limitless Peking duck, a dim sum trolley with comforting favourites (like crystal shrimp har gow and char siu bao), appetisers and mains (including salt and pepper crispy tofu, Madame Fù's signature Iberico char siu, a firecracker chicken and more) and an ice cream sundae to finish. See the whole menu here.

Cuisine: Cantonese
When: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 2 hours, 11am to 5pm (last order 4pm, Duck Station starts at 12pm)

Madame Fù, 3/F, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central; 2114 2118

aqua

Just a floor above Hutong, aqua takes up two floors in One Peking and offers the same gorgeous sweeping view of the harbour and skyline. The summer brunch offerings include a 'light' version on Fridays, and a weekend special complete with a DIY Bloody Mary station and live DJ performances. Feast on the signature sashimi platter and maki, Mediterranean oysters, paccheri vongole pasta, Hakata salmon, grilled lamb and more.

Cuisine: Japanese and Italian
When: Because it's summer Light Brunch, Friday, 12pm to 3pm; Because it's summer Brunch, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 12pm to 3pm

aqua, 29/F & 30/F, One Peking, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; 3427 2288

La Rambla By Catalunya

The market-style Sunday brunch at La Rambla starts with an unlimited selection of paletilla Ibèrica, chorizo, salchichón, Spanish cheese, white anchovies and crystal bread served to your table followed by a pick of tapas and paellas, and a butcher's main course. Dishes including a creamy bechamel with Iberico ham and a traditional suckling pig among more. Pick a free-flow package and add something sweet to finish! You can see the whole menu here.

Cuisine: Catalan and Spanish
When: Sunday, 11am to 5pm (last call at 4pm)

La Rambla, Shop 3071 - 73, 3/F, ifc mall, Central; 2661 1161

The Tai Pan at The Murray

Set in the luxurious The Murray, The Tai Pan's semi-buffet brunch is elegant and sophisticated - guaranteed to make you feel like a well-rested guest on holiday. The buffet selection includes summer and fresh green salads, assorted cheese, cold cuts and house marinated salmon as well as a carving station with roasted Peking duck and a selection of sweets. For the table, freshly-shucked imported seasonal oysters and a choice of main - with dishes such as a wild mushroom and black truffle pasta, pan-seared duck breast, and grilled wagyu hanger steak on offer.

Cuisine: International and pan-Asian
When: Saturday and Sunday, 12:15pm to 2:30pm

The Tai Pan, Garden Level, The Murray Hong Kong, 22 Cotton Tree Drive, Central; Address, Number

Silencio

For an upscale boozy brunch, Silencio's recreation of Japan's vibrant drinking dens makes it the ideal location for an early afternoon spread with free-flow drinks. Choose from four drink packages (HK$200 to HK$1,500) and enjoy freshly shucked oysters, mussels, snow crab legs, prawns, a seasonal selection of sashimi and maki, crispy chicken karaage, a main (we love the wagyu sando!) and a dessert platter. See the whole menu here.

Cuisine: Japanese
When: Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays, 12pm to 3pm

Silencio, 6/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central; 2480 6569

Duddell’s

Boasting two Michelin stars, Duddell's is a Hong Kong luxury brunch classic. Its weekend salon brunch is served fresh, with dishes on offer including dim sum favourites (shrimp, spicy wontons, deep-fried, rice rolls and more), hot soups (hot and sour, minced beef), chilled vegetables and spicy beef, marinated tofu, rice and noodles, mains (such as a four-piece Peking duck and sauteed beef tenderloin) and desserts. See the whole menu here.

Cuisine: Cantonese
When: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, 12pm to 2:30pm
Price: HK$588 per adult for food, free-flow fresh juice, soft drinks; Drink packages prices vary; All prices subject to 10% service charge

Duddell's, 3/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central; 2525 9191

Zuma

The weekend brunch menu at Japanese izayaka Zuma serves sophisticated, delicate eats - perfect for when you're looking to indulge. Enjoy a selection of seasonal dishes, sashimi, nigiri, maki and a main (offerings include teriyaki salmon, a spicy beef tenderloin,a takana fried rice, and a chilli-marinated chicken thigh with barley miso). Make sure to check out the premium options - we especially like the look of the miso-marinated black cod. See the whole menu here.

Cuisine: Japanese
When: Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 3pm
Price: HK$738 per person for food only (including iced tea); various 2.5 hours free-flow champagne packages

Zuma, 5/F & 6/5, LANDMARK, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central; 3657 6388

The post The Best Luxury Brunches in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Margo, one of this summer's most anticipated new openings, brings to Hong Kong a new - and fresh - evolution of the ever-popular Modern European formula.

The restaurant, a trendy, urban chic space that elevates the concept of brasserie, offers much more than Insta-worthy corners and plates.

I recently met with head chef Mario Paecke to discuss German food, multicultural inspirations and cooking with passion.

What’s the inspiration behind Margo?

First of all, I'm really that I had the opportunity to open a restaurant, and to bring to Hong Kong my thoughts and my inspirations in a different way. What I want is to showcases dishes with a German twist. There is good German food beyond sausages and pork knuckles.

When I got the opportunity to come to Hong Kong in 2017, my inspiration was mostly a combination of French technique, German flavours and Asian influences, which I have been fascinated by since I started travelling the continent in 2012 and falling in love with it. My first fine dining restaurant was in the mountains, in a five star hotel in Bavaria, where I tried to introduced some Asian influences. Now, I’m doing the opposite. At Margo, the food is not 100% German but there are elements and dishes related to the country’ culinary traditions.

It’s refreshing to see German dishes on a Hong Kong menu. Are we about to witness a renaissance of German cuisine in international food capitals?

Chefs in Germany are not very open minded, there’s a big sense of community in the culinary world, like there in other European countries, like France. Or in Italy and Spain, where governments are really proud of their cuisines. In Germany, maybe because of our history, a new era of fine dining didn’t start until the 90s and 2000s. Not so many people know about the fine dining scene in Germany, or how good our food actually is. There’s a lot of creativity but also a lot of individualism.

Does Margo reflect your journey and career as a Chef?

I’ve started a new journey here. A lot happened before this: My years in Germany as chef de cuisine, one Michelin star, the recognition from 50 Best. When I came here I started afresh cooking French fine dining. I was so inspired from Hong Kong in general as well as products from Japan, which I had never worked with in Germany.

The menu you see now at Margo is a combination of this, but it’s also just a first step. I’m already thinking of what’s next, what I can do. For me it's also very important that the guests like our dishes. I need to see their reactions to see which dishes will become our signature. For each service, I wouldn’t say that I’m nervous, because you need to believe in yourself, but you have to be focus. There are a lot of emotions and passion that go into my food. I’m trying to find a balance here. See what people think by introducing refined German dishes but without restricting my creativity.

Can you talk us through some of menu’s highlights?

The menu starts with a category called “Häppchen,” which means “bite” in Germany. For most Hong Kongers, understanding German cuisine is an education process and, while we don’t call ourself a German restaurant but a Modern European one with influences from the country, guests will be interested in new dishes when there’s an interesting story behind them to get to know the culture.

Why did become a chef?

My passion came from watching my grandma cooking every weekend. I followed my goal and I moved out at 16 to start my career, in a very small business, at a very junior level. You need to progress slowly, building up from the basics and then acquiring new skills.

If you had to choose three ingredients to cook with for the rest of your life, what would they be?

Potatoes, which I also used a lot on this menu, apples, and asparaguses. We are very passionate about them in Germany and I can’t wait for Asparagus season in March. You can do so many things with them.

The post Chef Mario Paecke of Margo Talks German Food and Culinary Inspirations appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.