Hong Kong Express

Published: 19/12/2011 - Filed under: Home » Archive » 2011 » December 2011/January 2012 » Lifestyle » Home » Archive » 2011 » December 2011/January 2012 »

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Almost everyone who has traveled frequently to Hong Kong would agree that its MTR network is one of the best underground train systems in the world. It is clean, safe and efficient, and from the moment you leave the airport, you are never more than 30 minutes from any major district. And during peak hours, when street-level traffic comes to a halt, the MTR is a much faster – though still crowded – way to get around, with fares ranging from HK$4 (50 cents) to HK$24 ($3).

The MTR used to cover only the urban areas, with Kowloon-Canton Railway serving the relatively underdeveloped New Territories. But in 2007, the two systems merged to become one network connecting Hong Kong Island, where the central business district is located, with the densely populated Kowloon Peninsula and satellite towns further north.

A decade earlier, the Tung Chung line was launched along with the Airport Express when Hong Kong International airport opened near Tung Chung on Lantau, Hong Kong’s largest outlying island. The MTR now encompasses some 105 miles of track and more than 80 stations.

As the network has expanded, it has driven the city’s economy. Property prices skyrocket wherever the MTR goes and setting up a retail business near one of its station exits – if you can afford it – has been virtually a guaranteed formula for success. In the main districts, numerous underground tunnels spread out from the stations to give pedestrians connections to major buildings, many of which are linked by walkways.

That means the latest restaurants, bars and shops are only ever a hop, skip and a train ride away – and with the last trains leaving key stations at 1:00 AM, you needn’t worry about lingering over a drink. Here we take a look at what’s new in some of the neighborhoods easily accessible by MTR.

Star Street

Station

Admiralty

Exit F

Before the turn of the millennium, Star Street, although a mere five-minute walk from upmarket commercial complex Pacific Place and 20 minutes from Central, was a district of old residential blocks that saw very little action. But when local developer Swire Properties swooped in, the area was transformed. In 1999, after completing Star Crest, a 329-unit luxury twin-tower residential complex, Swire decided to bring in food and beverage options to liven up the area. So it turned to one of the city’s most seasoned restaurant operators, Paul Hsu.

Hsu’s company, Elite Concepts (eliteconcepts.com), has a strong track record in managing restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong – arguably the city’s most famous entertainment block – and claims credit for turning the once-quiet back alleyway of Knutsford Terrace in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon’s most upscale commercial area, into the foodie strip it is today. But Hsu calls Star Street “a different animal” as it is a residential district, and so he had to generate traffic for his restaurants while trying to avoid noise complaints from nearby residents.

He took on the challenge nonetheless and, in quick succession, opened nightclub One-Fifth, which quickly became the party venue of choice for the trendy set, along with Japanese restaurant Kokage (both of which have now closed) and Italian eatery Cinecitta (tel +852 2529 0199), all at the 9 Star Street address.

Fast-forward a decade and Star Street has grown into an entertainment district that incorporates several blocks, including Sun and Moon streets, with art galleries, shops and some two-dozen eateries. Among them, Cépage (23 Wing Fung Street; tel +852 2861 3130; lesamis.com.sg) boasts one of the region’s largest collections of French wines, while 1/5 Nuevo (tel +852 2529 2300), which Hsu has created at the former spot of Kokage, attracts hordes of drinkers every night with its fine cocktails and contemporary tapas. Patrons spill out on to the street, creating a vibrant party atmosphere.

One-Fifth closed after five years. “It was about time. The place did its job and we had made a name for Star Street,” Hsu says. He is working on another restaurant in the area featuring Sichuan cuisine.

Whereas partygoers once had either to take a taxi or trek up the slope from Queen’s Road East to reach Star Street, an underground tunnel opened in 2007 to connect the area to Admiralty station. Take Exit F and instead of entering the mall, turn left to enter Three Pacific Place – exit from the main lobby and you’ll be in the thick of the action. Burger-and-beer joint Slim’s (1 Wing Fung Street; tel +852 2528 1661) also enjoys spill-out crowds.

Lan Kwai Fong/Wyndham Street

Station Central

Exit D2

If you’ve been to Hong Kong, chances are you have visited Lan Kwai Fong, but next time you might find much has changed. California Entertainment Building and California Tower, once home to well known restaurants such as California (immortalized by Wong Kar-Wai’s celluloid classic Chungking Express), are being rebuilt. It was not a decision taken lightly.

“We didn’t want to do it until we saw there was enough of a critical mass, that the area wouldn’t suffer [from the construction work],” says Allan Zeman, founder and chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Holdings, which owns the buildings. Dubbed the “Father of Lan Kwai Fong,” Zeman has been credited with building up this lively district.

In place of the two demolished towers one giant 26-story “lifestyle building” will rise. It will feature spacious interiors with ceilings at least 15 feet high. “I want each floor to feel grand, with a feeling of space,” Zeman says. Nearly half the building (14 floors) will have room for restaurants and bars, with outside terraces where people can enjoy al fresco dining, as well as a rooftop venue and a yoga center.

The new building will take two years to build but Lan Kwai Fong is expected to keep on partying, especially now that the new Hard Rock Café is open. Replacing the previous Canton Road branch, which closed in 2009, the LKF venue has 120 seats, a bigger stage and an outdoor area.

Zeman has also moved two of his popular restaurants from the old towers to another of his venues across the street. Indochine (4/F, the Plaza, 21 D’Aguilar Street; tel +852 2869 7399; indochine. com.hk) now features an outdoor terrace, while the classic Vietnamese cuisine remains. Japanese eatery Kyoto Joe (2/F-3/F, 1 Lan Kwai Fong; tel +852 2804 6800; kyotojoe.com) is again luring crowds with its sushi and beef tataki.

New eateries also continue to pop up in the LKF Tower, home to the boutique Hotel LKF (hotel-lkf.com.hk). Gold by Harlan Goldstein (Level 2, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street; tel +852 2869 9986) has replaced Scandinavian restaurant FINDS (which has moved to Tsim Sha Tsui) with a modern European menu featuring sections such as King of Hams (Iberian Bellota) and Queen of Hams (Italian), alongside fresh oysters, premium steaks and dishes such as slow-cooked Colorado lamb rib and melt-in-your mouth Scottish salmon. The outdoor terrace is also a draw here.

Meanwhile, the owners of Hong Kong’s most popular gay club, Propaganda, have opened a wine and champagne lounge called Psychic Jack (1/F, 30-32 Wyndham Street; tel +852 2868 6102) just off Lan Kwai Fong, providing a sophisticated place to hang out in the evening until 3:00 AM. Prices are steep but its ultra-slick interior with windows looking out on the historical Fringe Club will no doubt still draw crowds.

Wyndham Street, which has in recent years seen its many art galleries and furniture shops replaced by drinking and dining outlets, continues to evolve. Its options range from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -esque Chinese restaurant Yun Fu (Yu Yuet Lai Building at number 43-55; tel +852 2116 8855) to modest French bistro Pastis (number 65; tel +852 2537 5702). Soho, a few minutes’ walk to the west consists mainly of Staunton, Shelley and Elgin streets. It’s still a favorite haunt of Hong Kong foodies.

Tai Hang

Station Tin Hau

Exit B

Like Star Street, Tai Hang, near Hong Kong Island’s busiest retail district of Causeway Bay, is a mostly residential neighborhood. It has also recently seen an influx of new restaurants, with many of them congregating along Tung Lo Wan Road, off the main traffic artery that is King’s Road. Old noodle joints share the block with sleek additions such as Japanese restaurant Katte Shabushabu (G/F, 134 Tung Lo Wan Road; tel +852 2806 3678), and Rouge (58 Tung Lo Wan Road; tel +852 2881 1901), a café praised for its seafood dishes.

Almost all of these are relatively small, independent operations but the late-2010 opening of a branch of Classified here (G/F, China Tower, 1-9 Lin Fa Kung Street West; tel +852-2857 3454; classifiedfoodshops.com.hk) may signal a turning point for the area. Since launching in 2006, this local chain of cafés-cum-gourmet food shops has averaged one opening per year, Tai Hang being the fifth. All enjoy prime locations and are frequently packed out.

Denise Leicester, director of marketing and sales at the Press Room Group, which owns Classified, says the goal of the company is to encourage “street-level sociability” – a luxury in a crowded city of vertical developments.

“Tai Hang is vibrant and active, yet relaxed,” Leicester says. “The immediate customers [of the new shop] would naturally be Tai Hang residents, but the long-term aim would be to help make the neighborhood a dining destination.” Like its sister outlets, the new Classified features full-length glass doors that open on to the street, allowing the clientele to soak up the local vibe. Further down Tung Lo Wan Road is the heart of Tai Hang. The narrow grid-like streets are full of eccentric eateries, giving the district a bohemian air. They include the den-like coffee-and-cake shop Café Y Taberna (16C King Street; tel +852 2577 7165), and the European-style Café on the Corner (4 King Street; tel +852 2882 7135).

The One/iSquare

Station Tsim Sha Tsui

Exits B1/H, R

Before 1998, the height of new buildings in Tsim Sha Tsui was capped because the old Kai Tak airport was relatively close by. Now, skyscrapers are springing up, creating opportunities for restaurant operators with an eye for a good view.

One of the most notable new structures is the 29-story The One (100 Nathan Road; the-one.hk), with 13 floors of retail and nine others dedicated to restaurants, including the Sky Dining levels (17-21). The cuisine covers the waterfront from Cantonese and Chiuchow to sushi and fine steaks. The building also hosts a drinking establishment called Cocky Bar (L18; tel +852 2724 6388; cockybar.com). The views cover the waterfront, too; each floor of the building features outdoor terraces that offer sweeping vistas of Kowloon and Victoria Harbor. But not every restaurant takes advantage of the harbor panoramas. Two that do are the modern Continental eatery Harlan’s (19/F; tel +852 2972 2222) and steakhouse Wooloomooloo Prime (21/F; tel +852 2870 0087).

Another new entertainment hotspot in the area, iSquare (63 Nathan Road; isquare. hk), also features restaurants with stunning vistas. Through a marble corridor and past a display of Grand Cru wine, you are led inside Ambrosia Oyster Bar and Grill (Shop 2,802, 28/F; tel +852 2368 6901; ambrosiaoysterbar. com). The interior opens up to a 270-degree window offering yet more imposing views.

On the top floor is Nanhai No 1 (30/F; tel +852 2487 3688), a Chinese restaurant themed on a merchant ship that sank off the coast of China during the Southern Song Dynasty. Another Elite Concepts venue, it serves beautifully presented dishes, although the taste can be a little hit-and-miss. The view is, however, spectacular – from here, even the 30-story Peninsula Hong Kong looks rather small. The Eyebar, Nanhai No. 1’s al fresco terrace in aqua-blue décor, runs the length of the restaurant and offers exotic cocktails and stunning sea views.

By Reggie Ho