New Eats: Healthy menus and light bites from Leaves and Liberty, Rollin and more

If you feel like it’s time to check those New Year’s Resolutions boxes, mindful habits like clean eating or getting active can help round out a better version of ‘New Year, New Me’ — perhaps one you’d be more inclined to stick to for longer than 14 days. Those plagued by the ‘Veganary’ guilt, don’t fret, these new healthy menus below are the perfect starting point to eating well in 2021.

Leaves and Liberty 

Popular hangout spot Beef & Liberty is pledging to go green for the month dedicated to healthy eating. Aptly named ‘Leaves and Liberty’, the 100% vegetarian menu, which has previously only been available at pop-ups or takeaway, will be served exclusively at its California Tower location. Apart from classics salads and Impossible patties, the menu features new starters like charred cauliflower (HK$49) drizzled with chilli and olive oil and a selection of burgers including the ‘’Shurmami’ (HK$99) — a house-made quinoa patty stacked with vegan ginger mayonnaise, mushroom pate and oyster mushroom tempura, and limited-edition special ‘Aftershroom’, packing in a breaded Lion’s Mane mushroom patty with kimchi slaw between toasted sweet potato buns(HK$118), created by sustainable food activist chef, Peggy Chan.

Leaves & Liberty, 3/F California Tower, 30-32 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2450 5778

Rollin

Should you desire something other than leafy salads and pre-prepped Tupperware this week, Rollin is a delicious alternative. Almost guilt-free, the Korean food-slash-lifestyle brand’s seaweed rolls (HK$40) wrap in fillings like Korean fishcake, tofu, truffle beef and a ‘Mortadella Sandwich’ between a thin marinated rice casing — surely will bypass groggy food coma slumps at 3pm. Debuting at Landmark’s newest cultural hub Belowground, the takeaway spot adds a playful presentation with sneaker boxes as takeaway carriers, along with a range of branded caps and hoodies. For those still longing for a cheeky cheat-meal streak, Rollin’s roll cakes packed with cream and seasonal fruit will make a great mid-day snack.

Rollin, Belowground, Basement Floor, Landmark, Central, Hong Kong

Penicillin 

Commended for its farm-to-table (or bar) concept, Penicillin is Hong Kong’s first sustainable bar using only locally sourced or up-cycled ingredients. Starting January, the eco-conscious joint rolls out a new lunch menu curated with a fermented drink pairing — a wonderful alternative to going dry. The ‘Flawless Feed’ (HK$200) features four appetisers, one main and three organic house-fermented drink pairings that promise to improve gut health with enzymes, live bacteria, vitamins and minerals. Savour delectable plates like salmon gravlax eggs Benedict and Scottish chicken egg between refreshing sips of fruity ferments which include a tangy apple cider that has been fermented for seven days with apple, pineapple and honey.

Penicillin, LG, Amber Lodge, 23 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong +852 9880 7995

Soil to Soul 

At Soil to Soul, refined ancient Korean temple food is delicately remade for contemporary tastebuds with beautifully elegant plates. The new ‘Beyond Vegan’ afternoon tea set (HK$498 for two) continues to showcase the vegetarian restaurant’s fine representation with a curated selection of six sweet and four savoury delicacies put together by executive chef Gu Jin Kwang. Served temple-style in a double-layered wooden box tray, the bite-size snacks — including kimbap, a Korean seaweed rice roll; 10-year soy-sauce fermented pickle; traditional Korean doughnut; and got-gam hodu mari (walnuts rolled in dried persimmon), traditionally served to royalty — arrive with a soothing herbal tea pairing. In need of a motivating kick to get healthy eating in check? Soil to Soul’s afternoon tea sets come limited in numbers with only 10 available daily. Start booking.

Soil to Soul, 704, 7/F, K11 Musea, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong, +852 2389 9588