An Australian food lover’s pick of the city’s best bites
Previously a vice-president of the Hyatt Group’s Andaz brand of hotels, Australian Jonathan Frolich is now the managing director of Carlyle & Co, the private members club in Victoria Dockside launched by Rosewood Hotel’s CEO Sonia Cheng Chi-man.
I love food, it’s that simple. I’m always looking to try new things and cooking is a favourite hobby as it brings people together. For me, food experiences are more social than scientific.
I love going to Jean May (Shop A, 14 Gresson Road, Wan Chai. Tel: 3590 6033). It’s on a small street and feels like an authentic bistro. The food’s always amazing. My order usually consists of the hamachi crudo, hand-cut macaroni with pistachio pesto and prawns, duck a l’orange and the hand-cut pomme frites.
Another favourite is Arcane
(3/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central. Tel: 2728 0178) and its sister restaurant, Cornerstone (49 Hollywood Road, SoHo). Their Wagyu steak sandwich, grilled Australian octopus and handmade spaghetti are great. It’s quality food, and unpretentious.
I’m a fan of The Legacy House
(5/F, The Rosewood Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Tel: 3891 8732), which focuses on the Shunde region of Guangdong.
It’s a great place to take anyone visiting as it’s an opportunity to sample a range of local dishes and flavours. I love the deep fried spicy beef with nuts and honey, roasted goose and the steamed scallops.
For dinner, modern Japanese izakaya Yardbird (154-158 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2547 9273) is where I always end up ordering too many skewers. I especially love the signature meatball, along with Brussels sprouts, sweetcorn tempura and Hong Kong’s best katsu sando, all washed down with the best highballs.
I also love Mak’s Noodle (various locations including 77 Wellington Street, Central. Tel: 2854 3810) for the best wonton noodle soup.
A nice long lunch at Louise
(G/F, JPC, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central. Tel: 2866 0300), sitting upstairs at one of the long tables or on the terrace, is worth the splurge. The roasted yellow chicken with Niigata rice en cocotte is heavenly. I really enjoy the salmon gravlax and the bread. It’s so good, and I always end up having more than one serving.