Playful Plates

Looking for somewhere new to eat this Winter? Here’s some new top tables in Hong Kong, Hobart and Nagoya to enliven the tastebuds…

Denis Fahy samples sumptuous southeast Asian fare at Monsoon in Hong Kong, the latest offering from celeb chef W ill Meyrick

LOFTY EATS INSIDE THE NAGOYA TV TOWER

Since 1954 the 180-metre tall Nagoya TV Tower, designed by the same architect behind Tokyo Tower, Tachu Naito, has been a symbol of this Japanese city. Late last year, the iconic building was reimagined as a 15-rooom boutique hotel with several attractive dining options. Grandest of all is Lily, which offers exquisitely plated lunches and dinners utilising produce from the local region. Glycine puts a modern spin on local specialities and produce with a seasonal set dinner menu offering soup, fish and meat courses. Want to go for a more alfresco, casual dining experience within this Nagoya landmark? Check into Farm& for coffee, craft beers and sake. thetowerhotel.jp

BELLA! FIAMMA OPENS AT PEAK GALLERIA

Marrying innovative family-style cuisine with the culinary musings of Michelinstarred chef Enrico Bartolini, Fiamma has opened at Peak Galleria. The culinary team is led by head chef Paolo Olivieri, a graduate of renowned Rome culinary school the Etoile Academy, who taps into his extensive experience leading kitchens in Dubai and London.

Following Italy’s tradition of season-driven antipasti dishes, Fiamma presents starters including burrata cheese, roasted octopus with an arrabbiata sauce and Fassona Piedmontese beef tartare with Parmigiano Reggiano fondue and quail egg yolk topped with shaved black truffle.

Pasta dishes and mains include pork and beef tortellini with Parmigiano Reggiano fondue; linguine with cooked half-lobster; fresh tagliolini with bottarga topped with sea urchin and seared Mediterranean seabass. fiamma.com.hk

SAMPLE KYUSHU-STYLE EATS AT SUSHI HAKUCHO

Kyushu-style omakase restaurant Sushi Hakucho opened in Tsim Sha Tsui this November, the newest member of the Bird Kingdom Group, where guests are invited to discover the finest, freshest sushi from Kyushu made by veteran sushi master Harada Makoto. Kyushu is famed for its environmental protection efforts, and the restaurant exclusively sources all seafood from the island.

In accordance with omakase tradition, tasting menus are entirely dependent on seasonality of ingredients. Chef Makoto’s specialty sushi includes fresh and sweet squid, ika and quail egg yolk sushi, ika and urchin sushi, and snakehead fish sushi, a prized seasonal eel higher in fat with strong flavour. Also on the menu is Kyushu’s Kumamoto A5 Wagyu, famed as the only free-grazing cattle in Japan and rich in healthy monounsaturated fat. facebook.com/sushihakuchohk

PRIVATE DINING IN WONG CHUK HANG

Looking for somewhere to host a knock-out dinner with friends and fam now that the pandemic is (hopefully) coming to an end? Then head out to Wong Chuk Hang to the Factory, an event space/ kitchen with 5,000 square feet of space and walls covered with cool artworks. The creation of The Butchers Club founder Jonathan Glover, the space can host anything from intimate dinners a deux to 80 diners for a sit-down meal. Chef Brandon Tomkinson, who trained under Gordon Ramsay, helms the kitchen here, and his signature dish is a “carpet bag” tenderloin stuffed with oysters and wrapped in bacon. Other mains include chicken & foie gras galantine with fig jam and tomato bruschetta and a golden-crusted beef wellington. thefactoryhk.com

A NEW CULINARY LANDMARK FOR HOBART AT THE TASMAN

Renowned chef Massimo Mele will head up the kitchen as culinary director at a new restaurant in the heart of Hobart. A native Tasmanian with both international status and homegrown Italian roots, Massimo will bring his signature Italian warmth with a local Tasmanian twist to Parliament Square when the restaurant opens early this year inside the new Tasman hotel.

Born in Tasmania and raised in Naples, Massimo’s passion for food was born out of being surrounded by incredible Italian produce from a young age and he’s passionate about championing local ingredients. He started out at Donovan’s Restaurant in St Kilda, then returning to Tasmania to open Mud Bar in Launceston. From here Massimo travelled the globe to hone his craft before joining Hugo’s Group and La Scala on Jersey back in Australia.

The yet-to-be-named restaurant will be located within the landmark Parliament Square project. This heritage redevelopment is situated in the most buzzing part of the city, connecting Murray Street with Salamanca Place. The restaurant will open when The Tasman officially opens its doors in 2021, offering a new cultural centre for Tasmania’s capital city. marriott.com

INNOVATIVE FLAVOURS ERUPT AT ETNA

Tin Hau’s new dining hotspot, Etna, serves up healthy Asian and Mediterranean plates prepared by chef Rene Michelena, former chef de cuisine at iconic two Michelin-starred restaurant Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago who’s also done stints at Lily+Bloom and the Continental at Pacific Place.

Get your tastebuds dancing with starters like warm asparagus & lentils topped with goat cheese or tuna carpaccio with smoked artichoke before digging into mains including crispy soft shell crab fettucine with Gochujang syrup or saffron risotto with Robiola cheese. The dessert menu is headlined by the Etna Tiramisu, a deconstructed version of the classic Italian pud, with espresso chiffon, mascarpone mousse and cayenne pepper-infused chocolate ganache. Bar snacks include stuffed crab frittata crostini, crispy calamari and rock shrimps and boneless seven-spice chicken wings with yuzu gremolata. Keen to eat or drink outside? The outdoor terrace can seat up to 50 while the balcony caters for a further 20 guests. etna.hk