NEIGHBORHOOD

Visiting Neighborhood is like receiving a surprise gift from your best friend—you never quite know what it is you will be getting, but you are always certain that it will be something truly special. Chefowner David Lai has cultivated a menu that thrives on its seasonality, changing frequently to incorporate the freshest produce, resulting in a concise line-up of dishes that deliver unusual, exciting and spectacular flavours every time. Tucked in a side-alley next to Pak Tsz Lane park, the restaurant is small and cosy, with an unassuming simple but elegant décor that is happy to let the food bask in all the attention it deserves. Lai is unafraid to tackle offal cuts and more unfamiliar types of seafood. Amidst all the specials, there is one constant—Neighborhood’s transcendent chocolate palette, a luxuriously rich yet feather-light expression of pure poetry on the plate. The wine list is similarly short but well curated and reasonably priced; whilst the majority are French and Italian varieties, we spot a few more unusual regions such as Lebanon and Slovenia represented. Service hits the mark too. In a city where many restaurants operate to diminishing returns as the years go by, it is a real pleasure to find a place that delights in turning out food that just keeps getting better.

The prime seats at Haku are at the chef’s counter At Neighborhood, hborhood Chef-owner David Lai has cultivated a menu that thrives on its seasonality, resulting in a concise line-up of dishes that deliver unusual, exciting, and spectacular flavours