Delish News: New Restaurants, Menus, and Foodie Pop-ups in Jan. 2023

New year, new eats! With plenty of incoming concepts and imported culinary talents to enter into the city’s vibrant F&B scene, the month of January is rife with delectable eats all around. Brave the ongoing chills and round up your friends and loved ones this incoming Chinese New Year long weekend, for a taste of these best new eats on offer throughout the early days of 2023.

Call Me AL Opens with Full Menu in Sheung Wan

Sai Ying Pun’s latest neighbourhood joint only opened just a month ago, but the love project of Call Me Al, co-founded by F&B icons Beckaly Franks and Ezra Star, has rippled with well-received waves by locals and travellers alike for its homely atmosphere and warm recipes.

Call Me AL’s opening menu for 2023 merges classical European and Americana flavours with seasonality of vegetables and protein found across our local continent. Split into starters and mains, a trip to the Queens Road eatery must begin with sharp, umami-packed ‘Rizzoline’ Anchovies and already-fan-favourite Polmard Beef Tartare, with Spicy Rigatoni, Smashed Burger, and Confit French Duck Leg to share.

Location: Call Me AL, 123 Queens Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Contact details: DM for reservations / +852 6017 0067

Kitchen Take-over by Oli Marlow at Aulis Hong Kong

Aulis Hong Kong gets ready to serve up to twelve guests per night from Jan. 4 - 8 and 11 - 15 with an intimate gastronomic journey, punctuated by chef Oli Marlow's favourite creations over the years. Each evening, chef Marlow will take centre stage to prepare, serve, and tell the story behind Aulis’s culinary techniques and passions.

Pull up a chair and bask in the experience of remarkable kitchen theatrics, as dishes like Candied beetroot leaf, Ramson biscuit with crab and chicken skin, and Pig and eel doughnut whet your appetite. Followed by Turbot infused in lovage seed served with smoked bone sauce, Lamb with caramelised onion, and many other dishes, this limited time offering is priced at HK$1,680 per guest with wine pairings and non-alcoholic pairings included.

Location: Aulis Hong Kong, Shop 8, UG/F, Sino Place, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Contact details: [email protected] / +852 2817 8383

THE SEAFOOD Tsim Sha Tsui Delivers for your Shellfish Needs

Seafood-centric Chinese restaurant THE SEAFOOD opens in Tsim Sha Tsui, inviting guests to enjoy the spectacular Victoria Harbour view while indulging on the endless depths of ocean flavours. THE SEAFOOD offers over 30 types of seafood, from crabs, lobsters, shellfish, and prawns supplied by local and international fisheries.

With full customizability of the menu, Executive Chef Francis Chong boldly embraces a plethora of cooking techniques to bring out the versatile flavours of the sea. Dig into THE SEAFOOD’s crab selection Baked with Sarawak White Pepper starring freshly milled Malaysian Sarawak to complement the sweetness of the crab. For a truly unique umami experience, reserve the Empurau done two ways five days in advance, a steamed and deep-fried treat with salted egg yolk for the ultimate flavour bomb.

Location: THE SEAFOOD, Shop 4104, Level 4, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Contact details: Click here to reserve / +852 3618 8168

Bluefin Tuna Tasting Menu Hosted at Asaya Kitchen

Available on weekends until mid-February, Asaya Kitchen at the Rosewood Hong Kong champions hearty Mediterranean cuisine under the trusted guidance of Italian chef Fabio Nompleggio. The new epicurean weekend lunch menu revolves around the prized Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna, sourced from sustainable fishery JC Mackintosh based in Spain.

Priced at HK$888 per guest, chef Nompleggio brings restaurant favourites such as Rustic Flat Bread topped with seasoned Apulian burrata and cured tuna loin; homemade Gnocchetti Sardi with tuna ‘ragu’, zucchini cream, tuna bottarga and pistachios; and Tuna Sekami, a seared confit tuna served with anchovy emulsion and zesty broccoli rabe.

Location: Asaya Kitchen, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Contact details: [email protected] / +852 3891 8732

Spanish Eatery Calle Ocho Opens in Causeway Bay

Transporting the historical Madrid de Los Austrias section in Spain’s city streets, Pirata group’s new behemoth Spanish concept Calle Ocho is due to take over 2,500 square feet of Causeway Bay’s metropolitan Fashion Walk shopping mall. Expect delightful obligatorily Spanish dishes like Pan con Tomate and Tortillas, as well as new creations like sea urchin incorporated Uni-Cone tuna tartar, Spanish Suckling Pig ‘Boneless’ Terrine, and ‘Candela’ Manchego Cheesecake.

Seating up to 130 guests at a time, the two-storey restaurant combines a friendly, yet ornate environment of Iberian-inspired stylings with bespoke cuisine from Executive Chef Víctor Caballé Molina who has left his culinary footprints everywhere from Spain to Argentina, to Singapore, and even Hong Kong’s own The Optimist in Wan Chai. Opening in Mid-January, stay tuned to the concept’s social media below for more details.

Location: Calle Ocho, 8 Cleveland Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2638 8895

An Unfussy Coastal Brunch at Taqueria Super Macho

The time for summer living along the coast is not hinged upon a specific seasonal period, but instead a state of mind. Feel the vibrance of a Bajan beachside feast at this brimming brunch from Black Sheep’s double decker cantina Taqueria Super Macho.

A stunning whole-roasted Pescado Asado Entero spiked with flavourings of salsa verde and adobo brings everyone together as a colourful main dish, alongside fresh house-pressed tortillas. Platos Fuertes are ready to be passed around, including the classic tortilla chips accompanied by salsa and guacamole, daily catch market ceviche, and volcano shrimp fundido. End on a note of sweetness with a seasonal fruits plato, cervezas, and margaritas of course.

Set at HK$388 per person, or at HK$528 for added margarita free flow, the brunch is slated for kick off from 12PM onwards Sunday Jan 8. Book your seats now by clicking here.

Location: Taqueria Super Macho, 33-35 Bridges Street, Central, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 2333 0111

Modern Filipino Restaurant Dara Opens in Sai Ying Pun

Named after the provincial slang term for “auntie” in Pampanga, Philippines, Dara is the home to modern Filipino fare in the stylish Art Lane space of Sai Ying Pun. Housed within a trendy venue nearby Queens Road West, Dara’s culinary offerings blend traditional with a modern approach to introduce Hong Kong to salty, pickily and umami flavours.

Helmed by home chef turned culinary manager, Imelda Santos Bunoan, expect crispy pickings of lumpia spring rolls, chicken inasal, lechon bites, and a challenging collection of Philippines-inspired cocktails.

Location: Dara, Shop 6, 1/F, Artisan House, 1 Sai Yuen Lane, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong

Contact details: +852 5107 4474