Taste of Hong Kong: The 852’s Finest Food Festival

Let the Feasting Begin!

Our favourite day out is back! Taste of Hong Kong presented by Standard Chartered  descends upon Central Harbourfront from Thursday, 16 March to Sunday, 19 March and we’re already salivating at the idea of sampling all that great food. Step away from your basic brunches and usual haunts and get ready for a three-day nosh fest. With 10 Michelin stars on the line up, there’s no other place you can sample the most impressive collection of creations all in one venue. From truffle to lobster, and from Wagyu to caviar, there truly is something to tingle every taste bud.

This year’s festival sees the return of some of the city’s most beloved restaurants –  back with exciting new menus – as well as the addition of a few of HK’s popular newbies on the dining scene, plus a visiting restaurant all the way from Paris. The concept of fusion food is being elevated, as festival-goers are invited to design their own bespoke menus – from a choice of over 50 dishes – including some festival exclusives.

Who’s on Show?

The crème de la crème of the culinary crowd will be at Taste, and each will offer a choice of four dishes. Premium establishments like Serge et Le Phoque, Yardbird, Amber, Arcane, Café Gray Deluxe, Tosca, Zuma, Duddell’s and Tin Lung Heen will all be on show. This is the perfect opportunity to sample top picks from these high-end eateries, or enjoy trying them for the first time at a lower price than dining in-house. More contemporary hot spots like CHINO, Kaum at Potato Head, Mercato, Okra and Rhoda are also taking part and will be serving up some seriously scrumptious fare.

What’s Cookin’?

Some of the most popular dishes from the inaugural Taste of Hong Kong are back by popular demand, including Tin Lung Heen’s succulent, sticky barbecued Iberian pork, Duddell’s pan fried Australian wagyu, drizzled with wasabi soy sauce and Yardbird’s moreish sweet corn tempura.

And, girls, get ready for a super indulgent cheat day treat.  CHINO’s uni truffle lobster tostada or Duddell’s baked lobster stuffed with garlic and cheese are two worth ditching the diet for! Mercato will be on hand to dish up a variety of scrumptious Italian classics like rigatoni and meatballs with smoked chili tomato ragu, and black truffle lobster carbonara. Top tip: do not leave without trying their salted caramel ice cream sundae with candied peanuts, popcorn and fudge – it’s sensational (as if the description alone didn’t tell you that!).

For lighter options, you can grab a plate of Brittany scallops by Café Gray Deluxe, quail tatsuta by Okra or the decedent winter oysters by Amber. Stop by Arcane, on Sunday, for its Japanese tomato salad with samphire ricotta extra virgin olive oil or, the hamachi carpaccio with a salad of jicama and fennel, soy and ginger dressing.

International Arrivals

Kei Restaurant  – a renowned gastronomic restaurant set in the heart of Paris – will be brought to HK by Taste the World with Etihad Airways. I predict its gnocchi with black truffle and Iberico ham will be a huge hit.

Grab A Glass

A cool, crisp glass of Laurent-Perrier or a tumbler of organic wine will compliment your food choices perfectly. For an extra special experience, splash out on a VIP ticket, where you can kick back in the lounge with a cocktail from the JIA Bar. Here you can enjoy bevvies crafted by master mixologists Marek Vojcarcik, Ryan Nightingale and James Barker.

There is so much being offered at Taste of Hong Kong  – delectable dishes, flowing drinks, a soundtrack of live music, and the stunning setting of Victoria Harbour – it’s the ideal way to spend a day with a date, your mates or all the family.

When: Thursday 16 March – Sunday 19 March
Where: Central Harbourfront, Central, Hong Kong
How much: Advanced price tickets start at $138 (weekday) and $168 (weekend). VIP tickets are priced at $598 (weekday) and $648 (weekend). The VIP pass will entitle festival-goers with fast-tracked festival entry, exclusive access to the VIP enclosure, $300 worth of Taste currency and three complimentary premium beverages.

Tickets are limited in availability so book early to avoid disappointment! Tickets available here.

Ladies, we’ve got you covered and managed to secure our Sassy readers another discount of up to 26% off advance general entry weekday and weekend tickets with the code “Sassy2017” when booking through Ticketflap.

*Discount applies to advance price General Entry tickets only (subject to availability) and is based on door prices for non-Standard Chartered cardholders. Booking and transaction fees apply. Expires on Sunday, 19 March 2017.

Join the conversation by using the hashtags #tasteofhk #standardcharteredhongkong