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Culled from Hong Kong’s always-hot dining scene, here are some of the most exciting menus to try this month. Be prepared for chef takeovers, collaborations melding divergent cuisines and seasonal specials -- these one-off opportunities are not to be missed.

Ecriture: 5-Course Caviar Menu

When: now until 30 June

Price: HK$2,888 + 10%

[caption id="attachment_141029" align="alignnone" width="800"] Caviar Uni Tart at Ecriture[/caption]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve come across and lusted over Ecriture’s mouth-watering caviar photos all over Instagram. Executive Chef Maxime Gilbert of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant partners with Royal Caviar Club to develop five dishes that showcase the decadent yet delicate flavours of caviar. The most opulent (and Instagram-worthy) dish is served at the start of the meal: an iconic pairing of creamy Hokkaido sea urchin with celeriac whipped cream on a buckwheat shell tart, topped with a ridiculously generous amount of Cristal caviar. The special menu ends this month, so if you haven’t tried it yet this is your last chance, and if you have already -- then you know it’s worth revisiting.

Ecriture, 26/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2795 5996

Man Wah: Exclusive Chinese Tea Pairing Menu 

When: now until 28 June

Price: HK$1,588; three premium teas HK$300, wine pairing HK$780 + 10%

[caption id="attachment_145725" align="alignnone" width="2972"] Steamed winter melon, crab meat, carrot paste and egg white at Man Wah[/caption]

Man Wah has been an iconic destination for local and regional cuisines in Hong Kong for generations. The Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant is now introducing a special tea-pairing menu featuring old and new dishes to perfectly complement its range of exclusive Chinese tea. The eight-course menu comes with three teas from Guizhou, Huizhou and Jiangxi, each distinct in its base, aroma and intensity, and all meant to enhance the flavours of Chef Wing-Keung Wong’s Michelin-starred specialties including a juicy baked half lobster with supreme broth, pan-fried wagyu with mastsutake mushroom and tossed angel hair with spring onions and crispy tea leaves. An additional wine pairing option is also available.

Man Wah, 25/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central; +852 2825 4003

Morton's The Steakhouse: Limited Edition Seasonal Menu

When: now until the end of summer 

Price: ranges from HK$128 to HK$978

[caption id="attachment_145740" align="alignnone" width="1110"] Bone-in Filet Mignon and Roasted Cauliflower with Romesco Sauce at Morton's The Steakhouse[/caption]

If you like steak, you’ll have likely visited one of Hong Kong’s best steakhouses located in the Sheraton Hotel. And if you haven’t, then you better get yourself to Morton’s now. This season, they have a whole host of new and returning dishes that include summer flavours and a meat feast of epic proportions. Highlights include the new refreshing strawberry, arugula and goat cheese salad; the succulent return of Nueske’s bacon steak; and the generously meaty Prime New York steak flight, which features three medallions of steak made up of all natural Black Angus, USDA Prime and Snake River Farm Premium Wagyu Strip, or the limited-time-only Bone-in Filet mignon. Make sure to bring a big appetite!

Morton's The Steakhouse, The Sheraton Hotel Hong Kong, 4th Level, 20 Nathan Road, Kowloon; +852 2732 2343

Rech by Alain Ducasse: La Riviera d’Alain Ducasse 5-Course Menu

When: from 1 June to 31 July

Price: HK$1,288 + 10%

[caption id="attachment_145730" align="alignnone" width="7360"] Warm Artichokes "Barigoule" at Rech by Alain Ducasse[/caption]

Rech by Alain Ducasse continues its culinary voyage through France, making a pitstop in the south for the months of June and July. Premium fresh seafood, which is native to the region and the French Riviera, is caught along the beautiful coastline and is now also available on this special menu. Executive Chef Guillaume Katola introduces Rech’s rendition of the bouillabaisse -- a melting pot (literally) of fresh ocean flavours using scorpion fish, red mullet, monkfish and John Dory, reinventing the traditional fisherman soup from 18th-century dish into a flavourful blend and signature of the one-Michelin-star restaurant and Provençal cuisine.

Rech by Alain Ducasse, InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2313 2323

à nu Retrouvez-Vous: Caviar & Champagne Menu

When: 3 & 4 June

Price: HK$2,450 & HK$2,980 + 10%

[caption id="attachment_145742" align="alignnone" width="5070"] Seasonal Hana-sansho with wagyu beef on rice at à nu Retrouvez-Vouz[/caption]

With two Michelin stars under his belt, chef Shohei Shimono of à nu in Tokyo brings his culinary concept to Hong Kong. À nu meaning “just as it is” in French, is the exact characterisation of the restaurant -- each dish showcases one specific ingredient and is given a voice by accentuating its flavours with complementing elements. For two nights only, chef Shimono himself will be in Hong Kong to present two special nine-course tasting menus, the first in partnership with W3 caviar on 3 June, and the final with Henri Giraud Champagne. Expect to be wowed by opulent ingredients such as fresh uni, baby clams, firefly squid, wagyu beef and seasonal fish. 

À nu retrouvez-vous, Shop OTE 402, Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2770 6222

Robuchon au Dôme: Robuchon’s Devotion Gala Dinner

When: 8 June

Price: HK$4,200 + 10%

[caption id="attachment_145731" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Le Crabe Mille Guille of Tomato and Crab Meat at Robuchon au Dôme[/caption]

With three Michelin stars for the past 11 consecutive years, need we introduce Robuchon au Dôme? Robuchon’s family of chefs -- Eric Bouchenoire, Tomonori Danzaki and François Benot join Robuchon au Dôme’s Julien Tongourian to continue the late Jöel Robuchon's legacy through a collaborative menu dedicated to the culinary legend's devotion to his art. This extremely rare menu is available for one night only at Grand Lisboa Hotel. 

Robuchon au Dôme, Level 43, Grand Lisboa Hotel, Avenida de Lisboa, Macau; +853 8803 7878

VEA x JL Studio: Chinese x French Four Hands 22-Course Menu

When: 12 & 13 June

Price: HK$2,380; wine and cocktail pairing HK$780  + 10%

[caption id="attachment_145733" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Signature Banana Curry by JL Studio at VEA Restaurant and Lounge[/caption]

It’s no news that the guys at VEA like to collaborate with top international culinary masters -- you may remember their successful partnerships with chef Bee Satongun of Paste (Bangkok) and chef Julien Royer of Odette (Singapore). This time, chef Vicky Cheng is joining forces with guest chef Jimmy Lim of JL Studio in Tai Chung. Both chefs are bringing eight small bites, two main courses, a dessert and their Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant title to the table -- serving each guest 22 dishes in one sitting. The concept behind the duo come from a culinary pairing of Chinese and French cuisine; honouring our hometown food served at dai pai dongs and cha chaan tengs.

 VEA Restaurant & Lounge, 29 & 30/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central; +852 2711 8639

The post The Top 7 Special Menus You Can’t Miss This June appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Summer is fast approaching; with it comes extra doses of vitamin D -- at least when the sun’s out.

But what happens when the clouds come in or rain comes down? Luckily, adulthood gives us plenty of options to drink our vitamins and so here we are, with the seven best fruit-forward and vegetable-based cocktails to quench your healthy thirst.

Cocktail #1 at The Sea by The Old Man

Fronted by the same bar heroes behind Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2019 winner -- The Old Man, founders Agung Prabowo, James Tamang and Roman Ghaleopen have officially opened the doors to their spin-off concept The Sea in Sheung Wan. Similar to its sister venue, the bar and its cocktails continue to pay homage to celebrated literary figure Ernest Hemingway. Our pick for The Drinks List is Cocktail #1. It’s a favourite of Head Bartender Agung Prabowo and uses umami-enhancing seaweed gin as its base mixed with a sweet, sour and lightly carbonated lacto-fermented pineapple, topped with soda made from bones.

The Sea by The Old Man, 2 Po Yan Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong; +852 2307 0030

Salad Imposter at Dragonfly

A twist on the classic caprese salad, which is usually made with mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, the Salad imposter is the refreshing and nutritious cocktail solution to summer. Those who sample this veg-forward cocktail can expect pleasantly savoury flavours made possible by parmesan-infused Gin Mare, fresh plum tomatoes, basil, citrus and hints of sharp and sweet notes from peach vinaigrette. It is served with a seasoned mozzarella garnish to guarantee that you get your daily dose.

Dragonfly, Shop 10 - G1, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2777 2633

Pandan + Lychee Daiquiri at Armoury

Located in the former officer’s armoury and store at Tai Kwun, the Armoury is a bar that sits in the cool shade of a mango tree on the historic parade ground. It gets seriously busy, thanks to its semi-alfresco layout. But if you can brave the crowds to grab a seat in the open-air, then sit back and sip on their (Thai) take on a daiquiri, made with pandan and lychee. Using Chalong Bay rum from Phuket, the easy-to-drink cocktail is lightly sweetened with lychee and fragrant with the aroma of pandan leaves.

Armoury, G/F Armoury Building, Tai Kwun, 10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong; +852  2703 9111

77 Wells at DarkSide

Named after the colloquial moniker for Kowloon, DarkSide is an equally dark but atmospheric bar that sits inside the new Rosewood Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. Here, 90% of the spirits are dark too, along with the rich dark chocolate it comes paired with. We opted for something more cooling, and thus our cocktail of choice was 77 Wells. The drink pays homage to the number of wells there were in the old walled city of Kowloon, and uses Mancino vermouth bianco and yuzu sake, tempered by a jasmine tea kombucha and peppered with cubeb.

DarkSide, Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon; +852 3891 8732

Shiso G&T at Dai Bing

The classic gin and tonic is (in my opinion) the ideal drink for summertime sipping, and its thirst-quenching abilities are given a little vegetal lift with shiso at Hong Kong’s artisanal ice suite Dai Bing. Made with Spanish crafted London Dry Gin, Cortese pure tonic water and the herbaceous Japanese leaf, the Shiso G&T is poured over a single, crystal clear ice block that melts slowly for a longer lasting cocktail. That’ll be why their name means “big ice” in Cantonese then.

Dai Bing, 52 Bonham Strand West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong; +852 9838 4438

Green Canto Mary at The St. Regis Bar

As each St. Regis around the world offers its own custom Bloody Mary, the Hong Kong property has given its own a Cantonese twist. Using dried tangerine peel, soy sauce and a mix of Chinese five-spice, the Canto Mary is a well-seasoned cocktail with an added whisky punch that will likely wake up any tired soul. There are also three variations available -- a red, yellow and green base -- that use tomatoes from Côte d’Azur, the southeast corner of France. While the red Canto Mary is strong and aromatic, and the yellow is on the sweet side, the winner is green as it has the perfect amount of savoury notes and a crisp twang that goes so well with the live jazz band.

The St. Regis Bar, 2/F, The St. Regis Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2138 6888

VEA Lounge

If you’re one for quirky concoctions then VEA Lounge might be your best bet, what with resident mixologist Antonio Lai leading the charge for unconventional cocktails. This season is no different, and Lai looks to Hong Kong’s casual cafes (cha chaan teng) for his inspiration and ingredients. One such creation is Kumquat, a vibrant cocktail of London dry gin, oleo-saccharum (the rich flavoured sugar-oil mixture), citric acid solution and the bright citrus tang of fresh kumquats and lemon. The cocktail also comes with a kumquat lolly to mix it up with another texture as your drink.

VEA Lounge, 29/F, 198 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 2711 8639

The post The Drinks List: 7 Fresh Fruit & Vegetable-Based Cocktails appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.