Opening Frenzy: Nakamura Tokichi

In Hong Kong, there are restaurant openings and then there are THE restaurant openings, and the recent launch of Nakamura Tokichi (中村藤吉) definitely belonged to the latter category. Rarely have I seen such a frenzy building up for any new place, other than in the days and weeks prior to the official opening of the first overseas outpost of this 150-year-old, Kyoto-based tea maker/lounge last week. All the social media outlets have been swamped with posts from those who had a chance for a sneak preview, the press was all over it, and in the first few days its operations, many waited in line for hours to get in, some started early in the morning in order to score a table or to order one of the limited menu items.

First thought on Neighborhood

We seized the opportunity to try out our friend Chef David Lai's new Soho restaurant, Neighborhood, in its first evening of service during the soft-opening week in mid-October.

The restaurant is located at a relatively quiet corner on Hollywood Street between Peel and Aberdeen, with the entrance tucked at the back facing a little park. Decor was minimalist and tasteful, with gray wall, wooden, clothless tables - we were adoring every single piece of tableware from the short glass tumblers to the forks and knives that David brought back from Paris.

Hitting the Right Tone - The New Ta Pantry

We got a table reservation at the model-turned-chef Esther Sham's new Ta Pantry restaurant a week ahead of its official opening in late April. I didn't have a chance to try her food at the original location on Wanchai's Star Street before it was closed, but based on what I heard from friends and fellow food bloggers, I am quite eager to see and taste what her creative fusion menu has to offer.