In a cosmopolitan city where we like to enjoy the finest things from every corner of the globe, we’re always hungry for the latest and greatest culinary offerings. Still, as much as we love flavours and chefs from abroad, we’ll always be partial to the talents who live and breathe along with the rest of us in Hong Kong, because they’re the ones who know how to truly appreciate and represent the rich, unique culture we’re so proud of.
The 2016 Wine & Dine Festival (27 to 30 October), its eighth edition, features the best of all worlds. The event will feature more than 420 booths offering the finest culinary craftsmanship from celebrated chefs, as well as exquisite cheeses and wines from some of the world’s top affineurs and vineyards. Festival guests will also experience an expanded list of offerings that includes some of the top emerging talents from the hippest restaurants and bars in Hong Kong. These up-and-coming stars will draw inspiration from our gastronomic metropolis and present creative, tantalising dishes and drinks.
Check out the new Star Food Booths in the Grand Pavilion area to meet culinary talents including May Chow of Little Bao, Agustin Balbi of The Ocean and Eddy Leung of Chez Ed amongst others, all of whom will be cooking up Asian-influenced dishes with innovative cooking styles and creative flair. Apart from the restaurants that keep our dining scene buzzing and bustling, street food is a local obsession that forms a huge part of Hong Kong’s eating culture. Therefore, in response to this year’s Hong Kong edition of the Michelin Guide, which included its first street-food section in history, the Street Eat corner will take place during the four-day event, where visitors will be able to sample a delightful variety of the city’s delectable street food — all in one place.
Living in a vibrant city that never sleeps means we are always out and about looking for the best drinks at the hottest bars. At the Hong Kong Bar area, also new this year, guests will get to taste East-meets-West concoctions inspired by our local culture and concocted by some of Hong Kong’s top mixologists. One intriguing example is a cha chaan teng (teahouse)–inspired drink called the Haig-a-Horlick, created by The Envoy, which combines whisky with malted milk. There will also be drinks that use traditional Chinese dried fruits combined with whisky, as well as cocktails influenced by the 1970s and ’80s that will take you on a happy trip down memory lane.
Tickets for the festival are priced from HK$30 to HK$600; find more details here.
Wine & Dine Festival, Central Harbourfront Event Space, 9 Lung Wo Road, Central, discoverhongkong.com