The craze for delicious mid-morning weekend meals has never been more popular. According to one expert, we can thank the downturn for that.
Text by Jacqueline Yang
Deciding where to eat at the weekend has never been more difficult. Selection most certainly is not the problem in Hong Kong given the dozens of brunch options that have popped up – from those on offer at fine dining restaurants to those at al fresco cafes.
While the concept of brunch may seem an American one, in fact the idea of eating a meal between breakfast and lunch is not dissimilar to the Chinese tradition of dim sum.
So what has brought about this resurgence of Western brunch? According to Justin Pitt, Director of Beverage and Food at
W Hong Kong, the recent popularity of this mid-morning meal is linked to the economic recovery. “Brunch in any five-star hotel is not a budget option, although it is very good value. We find our clientele this year comprises a large percentage of expats who were not so likely to treat themselves last year when we all watched our finances a little more,” he says.
So, at last, something to thank the recession for: the downturn has forced restaurateurs to get creative. One of the biggest trends this year has been the mix and match element of including both a buffet-style antipasti and dessert spread with an à la carte main dish. This creates an added value for price that has been ever more important since the financial slump.
However, Katherine Wong, General Manager of Prince Hotel, observes that this version of brunch is no longer brunch as we know it. “Traditionally, brunch is about breakfast foods such as eggs and pancakes. But you bring brunch to Hong Kong and what you get is essentially another reason to charge more. From what I see, there is not much difference from brunch to your standard dinner buffet.”
With so many options available for brunch, a point of difference is crucial to standout in the crowded market. Wong says that brunch will continue as a lifestyle choice for consumers and recommends restaurants stop worrying about costs and focus on offering the best experience for diners.
“You do need to keep changing so as to create a little excitement every time a customer returns,” Pitt adds. “You need to give people an experience that has them not looking at what others are doing but
what you are doing next. Hong Kong people have adventurous palates and love to be social – brunch will continue to thrive although
where it will evolve next is yet to be seen.
In the mood for some breakfast foods, topped up with fresh seafood and antipasti bites? Then head for the the Bubbles Bar and Lobby Lounge. What makes brunch here different is the main course where diners can choose between a selection of eight different egg dishes, such as poached eggs with sauteed forest mushrooms to freshly cooked farm egg dishes with caviar. On the side comes a spread of Asian antipasti as well assumptuous seafood. The brunch is available on Sundays from 11.30am to 2.30pm for $498, inclusive of free flowing Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne.
Clockwise from top left:
Dessert at Bubbles Bar and Lobby Lounge;
freshly cooked farm egg dishes with caviar, scrambled eggs with sautéed forest mushroom;
free flow of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin;
bite-sized creations
Prince Hotel, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2113 1888
For the adventurous, W Hong Kong’s contemporary bistro Kitchen offers a taste of Australia featuring sustainable seafood from the Eyre Peninsula. Expect native outback meats such as crocodile, emu and kangaroo with the freshest fruits of the sea for a truly Aussie barbeque experience. When you have had enough from the barbi, the spread of Australian desserts will have your mouth watering again. Brunch includes free-flow Australian wines, an Australia-style beef buffet and Perrier-Jouet champagne. The whole meal is priced at$628 for adults and $290 for children.
Clockwise from left:
Dessert buffet spread;
interior shot;
Perrier-Jouët champagne
W Hong Kong, 1 Austin Road, Kowloon Station
Tel: 2717 2299
Previously located on Pottinger Street, Lotus has recently moved to Staunton Street in the heart of Soho. They have also undergone a makeover and now boasts a primary view over the Soho escalator –so it is a people-watcher’s paradise.
The Sunday all-day à la carte brunch menu here offers both Western and Asian options. Recommended are the tofu hotcakes with fresh banana and lemongrass butter ($85), “gai patti sii uu” rice noodles with chicken and Chinese broccoli ($108), and the pad Thai noodles ($108). Those looking to add a few bubbles to their meal can, from12pm to 3pm, add an additional $220 to their order per head for unlimited Champagne and two signature cocktails.
Clockwise from top left:
Gai patti sii uu rice noodles with chicken and Chinese broccoli;
Pad Thai noodles;
tofu hotcakes, fresh banana and lemongrass butter;
brunch at Lotus
5 Staunton Street, Soho, Central
Tel: 2543 6290
For a bit of al fresco fine dining, The Parlour in Tsim Sha Tsui has a fantastic view that will transport you back to the colonial world of old Hong Kong. The best time to enjoy it is at the weekend when a champagne brunch by Michelin-starred chef Philippe Orrico is on offer with free flowing Veuve Clicquot. Fill up on the impressive appetisers, cold cuts and à la carte mains. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 12:30pm at$528 per adult and $368 for children under 12.
Clockwise from left:
Al fresco dining at The Parlour;
anchovy toasts;
prawn cocktail
Hullett House, 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 3988 0101
This cosy Barcelona tapas bar and bistro has been charming locals in the Wan Chai neighbourhood since it opened last year. Its weekend brunch, on offer every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30am to 2:30pm,is highly recommended. Guests can enjoy a five-course tasting menu of traditional Spanish breakfast and lunch dishes priced at $148. Free-flow cava and sparkling wine are also on offer for an additional $98. Brunch consists of a selection of egg-based dishes and finishes with Executive Chef David Izquierdo Jover’s take on the classic Spanish dish “churros con chocolate”.
Clockwise from top:
Interior shot;
churros;
scrambled eggs
1/F, 54-62 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai
Tel: 2527 9111
Sample Justin Quek’s gourmet Cham¬pagne brunch at Whisk enhanced by jazz mixes by the restaurant’s resident DJ. Pass around hot appetisers such as goose foie gras terrine on toast and caviar aubergine with Parmesan cheese, and then indulge in one of Quek’s signatures –roasted suckling pig with spiced red wine or Australian chilled lamb
leg with thyme jus.
For your main, choose from a variety of steak, chicken, pastas and prawn dishes then round off the brunch with a selection of desserts. The brunch includes free-flowing Louis Roederer champagne, house beers and freshly shaken cocktails. The Sunday brunch is available on Sundays and public holidays from noon to 3pm and is priced at $550 per person.
Clockwise from top left:
Dining area;
egg royale with Spanish ham, smoked eel parfait,
lemon jelly, oyster with champagne sabayon;
interior shot;
grilled hunter steak and fries
5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 2315 5999
Brunch may not be a Japanese concept, but Zuma does it with some style. Guests start with a choice of bellini or a glass of wine before embarking on buffet-style starters. The mains include a variety of dishes from the robata (open grill kitchen) but the barley miso-marinated baby chicken oven-roasted on cedar wood, and the sirloin steak, sautéed mushrooms with wafu saucest and out as favourites.Of course no meal at Zuma would be complete without a dessert platter. Brunches are priced at $550 per person with Perrier-Jouët champagne, red or white wine and bellinis, or $428 per person exclusive of beverage. Accompanying children aged under 10 eat for free.
Clockwise from top:
Sushi counter;
buffet spread;
flame grilled king prawns
Level 5 & 6, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Tel: 3657 6388
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