Fly and eat
Food guide to four Air Niugini route cities.
Street eats
Ameyoko Market is one of the best bazaars in Asia. Here, you can snack on seaweed, pickled octopus tentacles, yakitori chicken sticks, barbecue prawns and tropical fruit. Oh yes, and there is fabulous shopping to do afterwards, too, including bags, toys and clothes. Ameyoko Market is in the Taito Ward of the city, next to Ueno Station.
Local favourite
For meat lovers, head to Kobe-Beef Kaiseki 511. The restaurant takes its name from the two grades of beef that the chefs exclusively use – A5 is the highest-quality of Japanese beef, and 11 is almost the highest grade of marbling, as measured on a 12-point scale. Rather than preparing their steaks on a hot grill, the restaurant roasts them in a brick oven at nearly 1000ºC. Located at B1, Dear Plaza Akasaka, Akasaka 4-3-28, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Top-end treat
Hidden secret
At the exquisite, French-style Signature restaurant at the l Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Tokyo, indulge in dishes such as poached langoustine with zucchini and peppermint, as well as foie gras in ravioli with snow peas and duck veloute. Delish.
See mandarinoriental.com/tokyo.
Shichifukujin is one of the best sushi cafes in the city, according to chefs and locals in the know. Packed by 7pm, foodies race here for the quality of the scallops, tuna and sea urchin – at brilliantly low prices.
Located at 3-2-13 Koenji-kita, Suginami-ku.
Street eats
The infamous, sprawling Chinatown Complex Food Centre is a great place to have local traditional dishes and Singaporean street food. Be adventurous and try dishes including chilli crab, frog porridge
and prawn noodles.
Located in Chinatown, Singapore.
Local favourite
For the perfect, steaming bowl of laksa, complete with coconut milk, sea food and chilli, head to 328 Katong Laksa. It is one of the most famous restaurants in Singapore, loved by locals and visitors. The portions are big, cheap and addictive. See 328katonglaksa. com.
Top-end treat
Named after its founder, Ignatius Chan, Iggy’s at the Hilton Hotel on Orchard Road, is a serious foodie treat. Some of the world’s finest luxury ingredients are on the menu including quail, Alba black truffles and white asparagus.
See iggys.com.
Hidden secret
Cocotte @ Wanderlust Hotel is the perfect place to re-charge, away from Singapore’s hustle and bustle. It has a spacious design and a French rusticstyle menu. We are talking rich chocolate tarts, steak frites and fish drizzled in saffron oil. Ooh la la!
Located at 2 Dickson Road, Ground Level, Wanderlust Hotel.
SYDNEY
Street eats Take a water taxi and head to the colourful Sydney Fish Market, which offers Australia’s biggest variety of fresh seafood. Take the chance to people watch as you eat freshly shucked oysters, lobster mornay and chips, succulent prawns and
Moreton Bay bugs. Heavenly. See sydneyfishmarket.com.
au.
Local favourite
After a day exploring Sydney, head to Hurricane’s Grill Bondi Beach for their famous “full rack” of ribs. Utterly mouthwatering, they are served hot and juicy. See bondi beach. hurricanesgrill.com. au.
Top-end treat
For an unforgettable treat book a table at Quay, one of Australia’s most respected restaurants, overlooking Sydney Harbour. Executive chef, Peter Gilmore, delivers intricate dishes such as steamed pink snapper with shaved southern squid, pink turnips and umami juices.
See quay.com.au.
Hidden secret
Head to the Food Society Restaurant & Bar for a lavish “Vodka High Tea.” You can indulge in a delightful degustation by head chef Fernando Sanchez, who offers handmade savoury and sweet canapes.
See foodsociety.com.au. HONG KONG
Street eats Cheung Chau is a Hong Kong gem with its still-active fishing fleet, and the local restaurants are always ready to dish out the fresh fruits of their daily hauls. Seafood Street, near the pier, is the best place on the island for an alfresco meal and to soak up the lively ambience. From the Cheng Chau ferry pier, walk along San Hing Praya Street.
Local favourite
At City Hall Maxim’s Palace, you will discover why the locals consider this the home of dim sum. The huge dining hall, complete with grand chandeliers and floral carpets, has been serving dim sum for decades and remains a local institution.
See maximschinese.com.hk.
Top-end treat
The stylish Felix restaurant at the Peninsula Hotel boasts views of Hong Kong’s spectacular skyline and pushes culinary boundaries. Stand out signature dishes include “Othello”, slow-cooked sea bass with black shrimp mousse, parsleyginger sauce, black yoghurt jelly and spinachbarley risotto. Pricy but worth every bite.
See hongkong.peninsula.com/en/fine-dining/felix.
Hidden secret
At Chi Lin Vegetarian, within a sprawling Tang Dynasty style garden, the kitchen team creates the menu using seasonal produce with both dim sum and a la carte dishes. Located at Long Men Lou, Nan Lian Garden, 60 Fung Tak Road, Diamond Hill, Hong Kong.
Air Niugini flies to Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney and Hong Kong regularly. For schedules, see airniugini.com.pg.