Where to eat on Valentine’s Day in Hong Kong – steak, oysters, lobster and decadent desserts. Better book that table for 2 soon
- If your plans for Valentine’s Day include a romantic dinner, an afternoon tea or a dessert to share at home, here are some of the options available in Hong Kong
- Indian, Spanish, French, Italian, fusion – take your pick. Dine alfresco if that’s your thing. Expect lashings of chocolate desserts, even sweets to take home
Love is expressed in many different ways on Valentine’s Day. Some folks shower the target of their affection with gifts, from jewellery to lingerie and red roses. Others embark on romantic getaways.
But for many, food is the language of love: the best way to make the heart happy is to first satisfy the stomach.
The Meat Co. Hong Kong’s (Shop 6, LG/F, Eaton HK, 380 Nathan Road, Jordan) Valentine’s Day feast includes a half-grilled lobster with lobster claw, two lamb chops, a heart-shaped beef tenderloin, fries, grilled vegetables and a strawberry cheese mousse cake.
It comes with “Bubbles of Love” – a rosé sparkling wine with strawberry, popping candy and cream. The set meal for two is available from February 1-18.
Japanese Peruvian fusion favourite TokyoLima (G/F Car Po Commercial Building, 18-20, Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, tel: 2811 1152) has embraced the red thread of fate, the idea in Eastern philosophy that two people connected by such a thread are destined to be lovers, regardless of place, time or circumstances.
Its “Red String Night” menu (HK$780 per person, additional HK$248 per person for drinks pairing) celebrates this by taking guests on a sensory journey: oysters and hot scallop ceviche, grilled Aji lobster and its signature rib-eye steak. End with a heart-shaped brownie with rose chocolate mousse and strawberry gelato.
Rounding off the meal is a heart cake blending the floral and fruity flavours of rose, raspberry and lychee.
Frites (various locations) is known for mussels and fries, but for Valentine’s Day it has a four-course feast (HK$1,295 for two) that starts with “ravio-love” pasta filled with braised short-rib beef, creamed porcini and truffle. It ends with a cannoli, the sugar-snap tubes filled with lush pistachio custard.
Up the romance volume with a rooftop terrace table.
Dine under the stars at The Peak Lookout (21 Peak Road, The Peak, tel: 2849 1000) and enjoy its February 14 menu (HK$888 per person). The four-course meal ends with a Lovers Platter: feuillantine, raspberry stracciatella, macarons and doughnuts. Each couple gets a gift from South Korean skincare brand Kuoca.
Harbourside Grill (Shop OTE 401, Level 4, Ocean Terminal Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2619 9100) is dishing up some smooth jazz tunes to accompany its five-course dinner featuring seared duck foie gras with sweet and sour passion fruit and pineapple sauce, Scottish scallops with samphire and seaweed beurre blanc, and line-caught sea bass with artichokes and shellfish vinaigrette.
End with a plain chocolate crèmeux garnished with chocolate brownie.
Afternoon delights
The Sky Lounge (18/F, Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, 20 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2369 1111) has joined forces with artist Leon Lai (@LeonLollipop) to create the Purrfect Afternoon Tea.
Inspired by the artist’s Gloomie Cat creation, it is available from February 14 to March 17 and includes pretty pink treats such as raspberry chocolate tarts, strawberry macarons and lychee raspberry rose choux.
Woobar’s (W Hotel, 6/F, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 3717 2889) February 14 afternoon tea (HK$728 for two) features treats such as orange raspberry macarons, hazelnut espresso cupcakes and cranberry trifle.
Balance it out with savoury bites such as foie gras terrine with chilli plain chocolate and Spanish ham truffle sandwich.
Hit the sweet spot
If you are looking for sweet treats to share at home, we love the cool chocolate and raspberry heart-shaped choux (HK$40 per piece, HK$200 for six) from The Baker & The Bottleman (various locations). Available to order from February 1, with in-store pickup on February 13-15.
We are also loving The Cakery’s (various locations) vegan-friendly Vintage Love Cake (HK$598), inspired by the ornate French Rococo style of the 1700s, and its bite-sized Love You Cookie Pops (HK$90 each) made with decadent fondant. Available for pickup until February 15.