Celebrity Life

Shake Shack and Yardbird Partner up for a Limited One-day-only Menu on June 12

by editorial June 11, 2021

Michelin star Japanese izakaya Yardbird has put together a limited-time menu with beloved burger-joint Shake Shack, available on 12 June starting from 4pm, with only 800 servings at the Shake Shack ifc post.

The Shake-Shack-meet-Yardbird collaboration is worth getting excited about. New Michelin star recipient Yardbird, now also a 10-year veteran, has been celebrating its decade-long anniversary with a series of activations featuring various food and lifestyle brands. This partnership with Shake Shack (with graphics created by Cody Hudson for a collectable T-shirt and beach towel) counts as its latest. Meanwhile, Shake Shack has always leaned into recreating its usual suspects through the talents and techniques of culinary experts, with editions from Danny Yip of The Chairman, David Chang of Momofuku and pastry chef Dominique Ansel. Between both brand’s ethos and a budding friendship between Yardbird chef-owner Matt Abergel and Shake Shack culinary director Mark Rosati after a first-meeting in 2018 when the burger-stand first entered the city, it was a menu bound to happen.

12 June just so happens to be also be Global Wellness Day. You know what this means: meditative spas, singing bowl sessions, restorative yoga flows and then a cheeky pick-me-up from Shake Shack after. Whatever counts as your self-care, self-love wellness routine. But, one thing’s for sure — the Shake Shack x Yardbird serves? Extremely satisfying and oh-so-good for the soul. Here’s a deep-dive into the three limited dishes to convince you otherwise:

Chicken Katsu Sando

The shining star of the show. The Chicken Katsu Sando. A Yardbird signature chicken katsu, panko-coated and beautifully deep-fried, is lodged between twin Shake Shack potato buns. The chicken katsu, a fine-mince of local triple yellow chicken and white onions, is topped with Bulldog Japanese tonkatsu sauce with a generous slathering of creamy shredded cabbage slaw. While the potato bun, well, it’s the classic, lightly toasted, soft, fluffy bite that is so well known and loved. Scrumptious. No questions asked.

Flagrant Chick ‘n Bites

It goes without saying that Shake Shack’s Chick’n Bites were already a must-order own its own. Now bolder and better, finished with a quick toss in Yardbird’s infamous fiery, zesty, tangy Flagrant Hot Sauce, it’s a fried chicken bite that can’t be beat. Served in a paper tray of six, but you’ll want to go for more, trust us on this.

Sunday’s 50/50 Whisky

There’s something so satisfying about the sonic fizz of a pull-tab opening in summer. The sound of great time to be had. Especially exciting with this introduction to the canned cocktails rota: Shake Shack’s signature Fifty/ Fifty — a half lemonade, half organic iced-tea concoction — swirled and mixed with a delightful splash of Sunday’s whisky. An easy weekend, out-of-the-can drink while basking in the sun. Or, as its served here, in a cooling cup-full of ice. Another great thing about cocktails in a can: they’re easy to collect. Bag a couple of these limited bevvies up and keep it chilled for a tasty sip while cruising on your next boating trip. Thank me later.

Why the collaboration between Shake Shack and Yardbird?

Matt: At the core of the Shake Shack business is true hospitality and passion for the restaurant industry. They don’t take themselves too seriously and are open to change and taking chances – unlike a lot of their competitors. It mostly came down to the relationship that we developed with Mark in-and-out of New York, as well as Hong Kong with his team. We really wanted to celebrate in a wide range of ways, especially for our 10th anniversary, and Shake Shack was on board to celebrate with us.

Mark: At Shake Shack, we collaborate with chefs around the world to celebrate our fine-dining roots. Shake Shack was born out of a fine-dining restaurant and we started doing chef collaborations to showcase our chef friends. We have the utmost admiration for Matt and the Yardbird team and could not think of a better way to help them celebrate their 10-year anniversary!

The Shake Shack x Yardbird HK Flagrant Hot Sauce

How did you decide on the menu and drinks?

Matt: The idea behind any good collaboration is to merge the two brands, ideas, and style into something that can only be experienced for a short time. I was really happy that Shake Shack agreed to work with my friend – and one of my favorite artists in the world, Cody Hudson, on the branding and packaging, as well as Mark Rosati suggesting to do something with Flagrant Hot Sauce. And of course, since drinking is an integral part of the Yardbird experience, we obviously had to include a beverage element. Bringing Sunday’s Whisky to the Fifty/Fifty and working with Young Master on the canning was really an amazing experience.

Mark: Matt is the master of all things chicken at Yardbird, so it was awesome to work with his culinary expertise to take a new look at some of the chicken items on our menu! I also love sitting at the Yardbird bar because their cocktails are easy-drinking and dangerous. We made a canned cocktail for the event using our Fifty/Fifty Shack-made lemonade and tea plus their Sunday’s Whisky. Man oh man!

Please tell me more about the Chicken Katsu Sando!

Matt: We are making the Katsu Sando almost identically to how we do it at Yardbird, except it’s going into the Shake Shack bun. We start by grinding the leg meat, mixing it with finely chopped, washed, and squeezed white onions, and seasoning it all with salt and pepper. We then bread the minced chicken patties: first in seasoned flour, then egg, and finally, fresh Japanese panko breadcrumbs. After frying the chicken katsu in 180°C oil until golden brown and cooked through, we dip the patty into a sauce mixture of classic tonkatsu sauce and Flagrant Hot Sauce. The katsu is then placed on the buttered and toasted bun, topped with lightly salted cabbage, mixed with Kewpie mayonnaise, and then cut in half.

Any favourites from the menu?

Matt: It’s a toss-up between the Fifty/Fifty x Sunday’s Whisky Highball and the Flagrant Hot Sauce Chick’n Bites. They go perfectly together so there’s no need to choose just one!

Shake Shack x Yardbird is available on 12 June at Shake Shack ifc from 4pm until sell-out. The first 30 in line will receive a limited Shake Shack x Yardbird HK beach towel.

Shake Shack ifc, Shop 4018, Podium Level 4, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2522 5611

The post Shake Shack and Yardbird Partner up for a Limited One-day-only Menu on June 12 appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Posted in Events, shake shack, Yardbird

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Where Chefs Eat: Matt Abergel of Ronin and Yardbird Hong Kong

by Dara Chau February 24, 2020

Whether it’s an extravagant fine dining restaurant or a humble street side hawker stall, we are perpetually on the quest for delectable foods — whatever the occasion. So, for the ultimate insider scoop, who better to personally recommend the best eats around the world than top chefs who’ve seen and tasted it all. We go right to the source as international culinary legends reveal where they eat and what they order when the aprons come off.

Matt Abergel is a name that is frequently brought up when speaking of the food and beverage scene in Hong Kong. Co-owner and Executive Chef of Rōnin and Yardbird Hong Kong, Co-founder of Sunday’s Grocery and Sunday’s Spirits (a bodega/deli style store with an independent brand of Japanese alcoholic beverages), (and author of James Beard Foundation award-winning book, Chicken and Charcoal. He is responsible for shaping the Hong Kong culinary culture and the master of yakitori, earning him recognition locally and globally. We chat up the chef and find out where he dines when he’s not whipping up innovative new culinary ideas.

For an evening of fine dining…

The place to go for refined French food is Belon. Chef Daniel Calvert’s cooking is always well-executed, focused, and delicious and there’s always something new to try on the menu.

Belon, 41 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central; +852 2152 2872

For a cheeky cheat meal…

Mak Ming Noodles serve classic Hong Kong comfort food. They have the best Soi Gau Wonton Meen -- the broth is incredibly clean and deep, the wontons are expertly made, and the noodles are silky.

Mak Ming Noodles, 309 Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun; +852 2633 2368

Mak Ming Noodles, 6 Mercury Street, North Point; +852 2623 9896

For a romantic date night…

Chef Motoyama of Mikasaya is one of my favorite sushi chefs in Hong Kong and the service at Mikasaya is great. He serves extremely high quality fish in a chill and relaxed environment. I always go for the omakase menu. For kaiseki, Kitaohji in Tokyo is a fantastic place for a great meal on a special date or occasion. The food is excellent and the beautifully decorated private rooms are perfect for a memorable date experience.

Mikasaya, Unit B, 2/F, Cameron Plaza, 23 - 25A Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2301 3555

For getting friends and family together…

Celebrity Cuisine is a favourite of mine, with with delicious, spot-on Cantonese cooking. Whether you go for dim sum or dinner, make sure to order the crispy paper skinned chicken, fried rice, and sweet and sour pork.

Celebrity Cuisine, 1/F, Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, 3 Kau U Fong, Central; +852 3650 0066

For a healthy detox…

Healthy, simple, and a convenient location to my restaurants, is Be-Juiced + Bar. They have great cold-pressed juices and smoothies that my kids also enjoy.

Be-Juiced + Bar, 45 Peel Street, Central; +852 2668 6231

For happy hour tipples…

When in Tokyo, I like to go to Bloody Angle. This bar is located in Shibuya and is as no frills as you get. It’s one of the best record bars as far as I’m concerned and all of the records they play are available for purchase

Bloody Angle, 4/F, 1 Chrome -- 15-16, Shibuya, Tokyo; +81 3 6427 5178

The post Where Chefs Eat: Matt Abergel of Ronin and Yardbird Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Posted in be-juiced, Belon, celebrity cuisine, kitaohji, mikasaya, Ronin, sunday's grocery, where chefs eat, Wine & Dine, Yardbird

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Where Chefs Eat: Nathan Green of American Grill and Smokehouse Henry

by Dara Chau January 16, 2020

Whether it’s an extravagant fine dining restaurant or a humble street side hawker stall, we are perpetually on the quest for delectable foods — whatever the occasion. So, for the ultimate insider scoop, who better to personally recommend the best eats around the world than top chefs who’ve seen and tasted it all. We go right to the source as international culinary legends reveal where they eat and what they order when the aprons come off.

Rosewood continues to roll out culinary concepts. One of their latest being Henry, the “unapologetically American steak and smokehouse, paying tribute to southern traditions” as Chef de Cuisine Nathan Green would describe. You might be familiar with his unpretentious home-style cooking at his former restaurants like Rhoda and Jason Atherton’s 22 Ships and Ham & Sherry in Hong Kong. More recently, Nate has taken on the title of grill master at the Victoria Dockside luxury hotel where you can sample some of the best cuts of meat in the world. But where does @chef_smokeybandit hang out when he’s not behind the grill or in Henry’s Butcher Shop? We find out.