Hosting a dinner party and feeling the heat? Crave presents premium grocers and caterers offering online delivery services.
Text by Jason Spotts, illustration by Tim Cheng
It is high summer in Hong Kong and the mercury – not to mention the humidity – is rising.
Just a few minutes outside an air-conditioned zone feels too tough to contemplate – let alone a complicated grocery run.
But then you remember you are hosting a dinner party and nothing is prepared. People you really want to impress with your home cooking – perhaps your boss or a future business client – are coming. Organising an event such as this can take days of forward planning – there’s decoration, menu design and most importantly, securing top ingredients for the feast to think about. With so little time left, it seems divine intervention is required.
“It is crucial to plan ahead,” says Liz Seaton, owner of Gingers, a professional caterer based in the Mid-Levels. “Try the recipes out at least a week beforehand to see what you can do in advance. Don’t try to do too much, and on the day, make sure you don’t spend all your time in the kitchen.”
Lori Granito, owner of catering company Go-Gourmet and Magnolia Private Dining Room, agrees that you should keep things simple.
“Don’t do complicated recipes – cook what you can execute well and buy in the rest. Never do a recipe you’re trying the first time. They’re your guests, not your guinea pigs.”
The truth is that not everyone is equipped to handle a complicated dinner party. Thankfully, Hong Kong is now blessed with a number of superb services that make home entertaining as simple as logging on or picking up the phone. You may need to co-ordinate things, but the heavy lifting and transportation work can now be left in someone else’s capable hands.
These professionals have everything covered. The finest quality meat or seafood, delectable desserts, vintage wines, top quality organic vegetables – they can all be delivered right to your door.
Crave introduces you to the best online grocers and catering specialists who ensure you no longer ever need to face a dinner party crisis. Now you can concentrate on enjoying the ensuing party as much as your guests without any hassle – and let the professionals take care of business.
Ali OliA bakery, café and gelateria with branches in Sai Kung and the Mid-Levels. Ali Oli provides a large range of fine breads and you may find a lot more to order while browsing their extensive food selection. They offer many homemade products from pesto sauce to hummus to preserves, as well as pies, cakes, desserts, pastries and speciality baked goods, including a gluten-free selection (pre-ordering required). They also offer “Chef’s Table”, which is Ali Oli’s premium catering arm. Delivery is free but subject to varying minimum order charges in relation to where you live in Hong Kong. See www.alioli.com.hk/products.html for product list and delivery details.
Tel: Mid-Levels 2898 9000
Tel: Sai Kung 2792 2655
www.alioli.com.hk
Aussie OrganicsAussie Organics of Australia delivers organic produce to customers in Hong Kong each week. Orders spend no time in Hong Kong storage: once shipments arrive, they are delivered straight from the airport. From packing in Australia to delivery takes just 24 hours. Order from a range of veggie and fruit packs or customise your selection for weekly delivery.
Tel: 2293 2265
www.aussieorganics.com
Homegrown Foods
If you want to buy locally, Homegrown Foods offers quality organic produce sourced from sustainable organic farms in China and Hong Kong. Although they officially launch this month, Homegrown Foods has been delivering wholesale to partner restaurants and selected private customers for over six months. Deliveries are available only on Hong Kong Island for the time being.
Tel: 2671 2771
www.homegrownfoods.com.hk
The PorterhouseHeaded by ex-Morton’s of Chicago General Manager James Fortier, The Porterhouse is an online butcher specialising in premium steaks (certified USDA Prime and Choice steaks, and certified Angus Beef). It offers a range of other meats and a wine shop with more than 300 labels. The Porterhouse delivers beautifully packaged produce in cooler bags free of charge from Monday to Saturday, for orders more than $500. Orders placed before 10am will be delivered the same day to most of Hong Kong including Discovery Bay. If you don’t want to cook, The Porterhouse offers a “genuine steakhouse experience” meal or a wine tasting party through its catering arm.
Tel: 2553 3765
www.porterhouse.com.hk
South Stream SeafoodsNow in its 21st year, South Stream began as a wholesaler to hotels and restaurants in Hong Kong. As Sars crippled the city’s hospitality industry in 2003, they turned to home delivery. Today, South Stream sells fresh seafood to the public online. The website opens and shuts like a store according to air freight shipment schedules: once incoming stock is confirmed, the South Stream staff update the online inventory and pre-sells the shipment to the public. Upon arrival, the online store is closed until the next shipment. “We don’t continue to sell the fish two, three, four days after arrival like a normal brick-and-mortar store would do,” says co-founder Bradley White. “Unsold stock is portioned, packed and frozen immediately. We then deliver fresh goods on the following day.”
Tel: 2555 6200
www.south-stream-seafoods.com
SiftA modern patisserie favourite with branches in Central, Ap Lei Chau and Wan Chai. French pastries, macaroons, cookies and its famous cupcakes are hand-crafted daily from premium ingredients flown in from around the world. Sift desserts are made with great care and tend to sell out quickly, so we recommend ordering ahead of time. Daily deliveries run from 10am to 5pm, with last orders for same-day delivery at 4pm for pre-made items. For large, customised selections, order at least a day in advance. Delivery is available for orders above $500 (cash only), but surcharges apply depending on location. Consult their order form for details.
Tel: 2870 3887
www.siftdesserts.com
Mayfair Fine WinesIt is not easy to pick wines for an evening’s entertainment, unless you are an expert. Mayfair Fine Wines provides an advisement service to help you pick the right bottles, com- plete with serving instructions. Or, visit Mayfair from 6-8pm on Thursdays to get ideas from their weekly themed tastings. Delivery is daily, and free with a membership (also free). They deliver everywhere in Hong Kong except the outlying islands, in which case deliveries can be arranged to be loaded on ferries at the pier.
Tel: 2810 6806
www.mayfairfinewines.com.hk
Soho Wines & Spirits
Offers free daily delivery for orders above $500 (cash or cheque only) except Sundays and public holidays. It also provides a wine glass rental service for delivery at $5 a glass (plus a deposit of $36 per glass). Glasses must be cleaned and returned to its shop on Elgin Street in Soho.
Tel: 2525 0316
www.sohowines.hk
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