Delish News: New Restaurants, Menus, and Foodie Pop-ups in December 2022

With the changing of the seasons comes a new rotation of menus and restaurant openings to excite our palate. Aside from the festive Christmas spreads to save room in our calendars and stomachs, there are tons of exciting concepts that will satisfy you right into 2023. Or at least give you a refresher in between hefty family feasts cooked up for the celebratory period. Check out our favourite new restaurants, pop-up eateries, seasonally limited menus, and bars, that are taking over Hong Kong in December 2022.

'A Crab Extravaganza' from Chom Chom and Hotal Colombo

There comes that time of the year again, where the Cantonese tradition of splitting into seasonally ripe mud crabs is at its peak. For a truly special experience, however, there are the intercultural reinterpretations of this star ingredient by chef Gisela Alesbrook of Hotal Colombo and chef Logan Hester of Chôm Chôm, who will take over the Sri Lankan diner this December.

Priced at HK$588 per person, the mouth-watering menu draws inspiration from Vietnamese and Sri Lankan cuisines, alongside influences infused from Asian gastronomy. Dig into the Crab Puffs, Green Papaya and Crab Salad, Crab and Pork Imperial Rolls, to whet your appetite, before tucking into the main attractions of Hot Butter Crab Legs. Indulge in all this succulent meatiness, along with a plethora of other dishes only on Dec. 6 and 7. For more details on this collab, and to reserve your spots, click here.

Location: Hotal Colombo, 31 Elgin Street, SoHo, Central, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2488 8863

Veggie Kingdom Winter Solstice

In the traditional Chinese vein of celebrating the winter solstice, Veggie Kingdom has put together some classic winter sharing dishes with their signature healthy plant-based twist. Drenched in black pepper gravy, their Poon Choi (HK$888 medium, HK$1,388 large) incorporates the restaurant’s famed vegetarian char siu, along with meatless versions of prawn, abalone, as well as lotus root and mushroom varieties. Each pot size feeds between six and 10 people, respectively.

Another comforting dish to pore over is the Golden Winter “Lamb Stew” with Shiitake Mushroom and Cordyceps Flower Claypot Rice, which serves up to four diners at HK$328. Order by phone before Dec. 15 and enjoy a 10% discount on your traditional feast.

Location: Veggie Kingdom, 7/F, VIP Commercial Centre, 120 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2366 0336

Vista Ristorante

Revamping the former aqua space in Tsim Sha Tsui, Vista is the group’s brand new concept that introduces quality Italian eats against a stunning view. Sweeping over the Island skyline, with top-tier sights of Victoria Harbour, the beautifully designed dining room is only a precursor to the 3,000-square-foot cocktail bar that the space will expand into, set to unveil in January 2023.

Boasting a menu designed by executive chef Andrea Mura, Vista Ristorante boasts authentic Italian classics that have been elevated to fit today. From thin-crust Venetian Cicchetti that whets your appetite, the refreshing marine Lobster and Lime Linguini and Milanese main of 450g breaded veal cutlet with shaved black truffle and truffle mayonnaise, to the sumptuous Tiramisu served table side, the Vista experience is one balancing elegance and flavourful satisfaction.

Location: Vista, 29/F & 30/F, One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Contact details: +852 2778 3255

Trattoria Kagawa by Mihara

Fusing together two of Hong Kong’s most popular and beloved cuisines, Japanese master chef Terufumi Mihara debuts Trattoria Kagawa by Mihara at Wan Chai’s bustling Ship Street. A refined trattoria of Italo-Japanese delights, the menu showcases the fresh ingredients of Kagawa, chef Mihara’s home prefecture, while infusing cooking techniques from Italy’s diner culture.

Combining his specialty wa modern cooking, and a passion for Italian comfort dishes that won him over during his travels, chef Mihara conjures up an array of East-meets-West dishes amongst the likes of Uni Carbonara (HK$238), savoury Japanese Wagyu Beef Rossini (HK$358) topped in foie gras, as well as an amazake laced Biancomangiare (HK$78). Follow along on a culinary journey through the omakase style feasts, priced at HK$880 for one, with the choice of upgrading to a deluxe version at HK$1,580. Do note that the omakase experience requires at least a two-day pre-order.

Location: Trattoria Kagawa, 18 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 5394 3680

Bushra

Inspired by the lounges of Beirut, Bushra brings a sweltry hub featuring Middle Eastern, North African, and Mediterranean eats that are hard to come by in the city. Watch the lights of East Tsim Sha Tsui twinkle in the horizon on the open terrace, as you are surrounded by tunes from a live DJ, rowdy belly dancers, and sultry shisha smoke.

Backed by experienced chefs who share roots from the region, enjoy the bespoke menu created by Morocco-born chef El Mehdi Zenasni, Egyptian native chef Sakr Tamer, and chef Najib Farkhoury from Lebanon. Apart from usual crowd-pleasing suspects like Hummus and Lamb Kebab, dive into the delectable rota of Moutabal and Muhammara dips, fragrant Moroccan Beef Tajine, Persian Chicken Pilaf, and more.

Plus, there is a steady selection of new cocktails crafted by Sandeep Kumar, renowned mixologist of The Wise King. Reinterpreting the classics with some Arabian flair, sip on the rework of a Bellini aptly named Habibi, and the Turkish Espresso Martini, which uses the fragrant Turkish variant of brew.

Location: Bushra, G6 & UG16, Tsim Sha Tsui Centre, 66 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Rosita

Headed by chef Marco A Livoti of Holy Cannoli, who has joined hands with Michelin-awarded chef Agustin Balbi and chef Ricardo Chaneton, Rosita is the latest Latin-American eatery to hit Ship Street, bringing with it some touches from French and Japanese gastronomy. Built to feel like a welcoming living room, the venue pairs the vibrance of the cuisine on show with a universal joy of convivial eating.

Debuting with a six-course tasting menu (HK$988 per person) set, the New Latin delights are set to stun with their emphasis on freshness and use of ingredients faithful to the concept’s origins.

Location: Rosita, 1-7 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 9762 4188

KAPPOU MU and room 3

Slated to open its doors in mid-December, Dining Art Group brings to H Zentre a brand new dual dining room and bar concept featuring traditional Japanese kappo cuisine, as well as a luminous speakeasy to the side. Spanning over 3,000 square feet, the space is split into sleek pockets of dining and drinking that intertwine in aesthetics and flavour.

Sample Kappou Mu’s dazzling dishes amongst the likes of fresh Himi kanburi (winter yellowtail), Japanese amberjack, shirako (milt), Ise-ebi (spiny lobster), unique plates starring Omi beef as a centrepiece, and more. Moving on to the Ginza room, room 3 presents a series of intricate cocktails that range from the exotic to the traditional. What’s more, there's a range of sakes and whiskies to take neat, alongside a bunch of delectable Japanese tapas incorporating izakaya favourites and sea-caught ingredients.

Location: KAPPOU MU & room 3, Shop UG01-03, UG/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Contact details: (KAPPOU MU) +852 6617 6602

(room 3) +852 6361 8505