Hong Kong’s private dining scene may have lost some steam since its prolific noughties heyday, but there are still a handful of under-the-radar, off-the-circuit eateries where exclusivity and experience reign supreme.
Cuore
Home-style Italian has never looked better than at Andrea Oschetti’s swish southside loft, where a tome and artifact adorned industrial space sets the scene for the chef-sommelier’s seasonally-driven regional menus. Inspired by his own personal culinary experiences, Oschetti’s recipes (along with his healthy helpings of hand-picked wine) will have you imagining you’ve quantum leaped to the Italian countryside. And best of all he only takes one booking (for 10-40 guests) per evening, so you’ll have the beautiful room all to yourself. Bravo!
Wong Chuk Hang, address upon booking. cuoreprivatechef.com
Butchers Club
If you’re a sucker for the heart-stopping gourmet burgers at the Butcher Club’s Wan Chai patty parlour, you’ll fall head over rump for their ‘Secret Kitchen’ housed the group’s original Wong Chuk Hang digs. Limited-number seats can only be secured after you pre-purchase a Black Angus cut, which is then dry-aged for your desired length of time and seared to perfection come dinnertime. Top it off with succulent seafood starters and diet-derailing desserts and you’ve one prime night out.
16/F, Shui Ki Industrial Bldg, 18 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Aberdeen. thebutchers.club
Ta Pantry
Having realised her culinary creativity during an early modelling stint, owner-chef Tata Esther kicked the catwalk for the kitchen and opened this elegant dove-grey and white restaurant-proper which seats up to 20 guests in burgeoning sup-burb Wan Chai. Gussied, grown-up surrounds set the scene for Esther’s delectable international fare spanning Shanghainese to European cuisine; all of which reflects her clandestine cooking roots.
1 Electric St, Wan Chai. ta-pantry.com
For more fab Fragrant Harbour recommendations, snap up the LUXE Hong Kong guide.
