‘Old school’ dim sum, late-night street food, Italian brunch: a Hong Kong music entrepreneur’s go-to places to eat
- Johnny Hiller, music director at a Hong Kong restaurant, is Eurasian, and seeks out diverse cuisines and record shops with equal passion
- He has eaten Peking duck in the same place in Hong Kong for decades, and shares his Japanese lunch go-to and a Latin American restaurant that always impresses
Music entrepreneur and DJ Johnny Hiller is the music director at Melody – House of Food and Music (100 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong). He spoke to Andrew Sun.
I’ve been into food since I was very young. I learned to cook at the age of eight out of necessity as my mum was bedridden.
She gave me play-by-play instructions on how to prepare a traditional Cantonese bak chit gai, or white poached chicken, which produces a nutritious clear broth.
One of my favourite things was watching both my grandmas in Germany and Hong Kong cook elaborate family meals, from Cantonese dishes to European-style roasts and stews.
I tend to mostly stay local when it comes to dining. For me, that’s Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighbourhood. For a Japanese lunch, I like Sushi Masa (105 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2886 9009).
Another place I take visitors to Hong Kong is Peking Garden (various locations including Shop B1, Basement, Alexandra House, 16-20 Chater Road, Central. Tel: 2526 6456). Most people like Peking duck and I’ve been going there for over 30 years. The chefs know what they are doing.
I’ll always return to Yardbird (G/F, 154-158 Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan. Tel: 2547 9273) for its consistency and excellent service.
Outside Hong Kong, I have a few favourites in London. I always visit Hawksmoor (various locations including 5A Air Street, London. Tel: +44 20 7406 3980) for a steak. I also like Ottolenghi Islington (287 Upper Street, London. Tel: +44 20 7288 1454) for a casual bite.
Brat (1/F, 4 Redchurch Street, London) in Shoreditch is a culinary gem that shares Melody’s passion for cooking with fire, and it’s exceptional. With a focus on Spanish cuisine, particularly with a heavy Basque influence, it delivers an unforgettable dining experience.