6 MUST-VISIT SPOTS FOR EATING AND DRINKING IN HONG KONG

Until recently, Hong Kong equated formality with status and sophistication. In recent years, however, the citys drinking and dining scene has flourished, led by innovative establishments that have re-gional authenticity and a senseof cultural identity at their core.Indonesian import Potato Head brings a relaxed Balinese vibe to Hong Kongs hip Sai Ying Pun neighborhood. Conceived as a multiconcept space, the achingly stylish space combines a re-tail store, a restaurant serving dishes from its native archipelago, and a bar where classic cocktails are given an aromatic twist, as in its Indo Bloody Mary, spiced with sambal, tamarind, and fresh red chili. However, time is best spent in the music room, a secret space dedicated to acoustic integrity, where audiophiles will appreciate the extensive vinyl library, and aesthetes the Wes Andersoninspired midcentury interiors.Ernest Hemingway serves as the inspiration for The Old Man (a play on the writers The Old Man and the Sea), a compact cocktail bar from a trifecta of industry veterans: Roman Ghale, Agung Prabowo, and James Tamang. An abstract mosaic in the novelists form watches over the bar, where mas-terful hands mix exceptional drinks, each of which is named for a Hemingway tale. Those lucky enough to get front-row seats should ask the bartenders to mix up some off-menu Hemingway favorites.Dont be put off by its shopping mall location. Dr. Ferns Gin Parlour is one of the citys best hidden bars. Behind an unassuming door marked Consulting Room, staff in white lab coats wait to ensure that you receive proper treatment for whatever ails you in the form of a li-bation gin-based, of course. With over 250 bottles to choose from, there is one for every palate, as well as impeccably executed versions of the classics.After outgrowing its original (and cramped) Sheung Wan site, Hong Kongs original hipster hangout recently upsized. Thankfully, it lost none of its effortless cool in the process. Unfortunatelydespite being able to accommodate significantly more dinersthe wait times are just as long, which should be seen as testament to the quality of Yardbirds yakitori offerings rather than reason to complain. Prized for its chicken skewers, the additional floor space is reflected in an expanded menu, which boasts delicately flavored seasonal dishes, all best washed down with the restaurants excellent selection of sake.From May Chow, Asias Best Female Chef of 2017, a plaudit awarded by Asias 50 Best Restaurants, Happy Paradise is also her most audacious endeavor. Mini mosa-ic tiles, terrazzo surfaces and unapologet-ic neon lighting assert this bold eaterys proud Hong Kong identity from the outset, and the contemporary interiors are complemented by Chows inventive neo-Cantonese cuisine. At once nostalgic and entirely unique, dishes range from the simplelike char siu (barbecue pork) egg riceto the adventurous, such as pigs brain served with burnt pear vinai-grettewith plenty of elevated, reinter-preted classics in between.Colonial-chic interiors and gloriously campy service make New Punjab Club, the passion project of local group Black Sheep Restaurants, utterly charming. Serving cuisine purely from the Punja-bi region of northern India and Pakistan, vibrant tandoori, fragrant chaat and silky smooth makhani are big draws, with each dish taking its heritage seriously. The restaurant is nothing if not playful, however, and a roving gin trolley ensures that a good time is had by all.