A bar whose name means ‘uproar and commotion’? Could there be a more fitting venue for a night of cocktails, dancing and partying in Hong Kong, Asia’s ultimate wild child city? But this is uproar and commotion with a sleeker, chicer, sexier edge. Think minimalist décor, high ceilings and industrial detailing; Manhattan Loft meets wild Irish shindig. This is the venue to hit up when you’re looking to switch the night up a gear - there’s plenty of space on the dancefloor to showcase your Gangham Style and a list of space-age style, molecular shots to fuel your smooth moves. Make sure that you try the genius Jäger Balls – jelly encased shots of Jägermeister served floating in a glass of Red Bull, AKA liquid Michael Flatley - one shot and we guarantee you’ll to be the Lord of the Dance …

58-62 D'Aguilar St., Central, Hong Kong
+852 2179 5225
Google map: bit.ly/WIyBBV

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Had enough of bright lights and buzzing streets? How about transporting yourself far away from the skyscrapers and honking taxis of Hong Kong and saying Aloha to a Polynesian Paradise at Honi Honi. Tucked away in an unassuming building on Wellington Street, this little cocktail den feels like a dessert island haven among the neon and vodka jelly of the streets below. Grab a high stool at the bamboo bar or head out to the leafy terrace and prepare to be blown away by some totally tropical cocktails. Whip up some trouble with the Tropical Storm - Grey Goose, passion fruit, elderflower, guava nectar and fresh strawberries - or go for some group re-hydration courtesy of the Around the World – the king of cocktails, made up of five different rums some obligatory soft, fruity stuff and a whole bottle of Tattinger Champagne – this probably doesn’t end prettily …

www.honihonibar.com/
3/F 52 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
+852 2353 0885
Google map: bit.ly/ZDV4jz

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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If you’ve headed down to hot Peruvian restaurant, Chicha, but can’t get a table, don’t feel bad, we’re all in the same boat. Literally actually – we’re talking the boat themed bar, The Roger Room, right across the road of course! But this isn’t some awful themed bar, this is Chicha’s naughty, rum-swigging, buccaneering little brother – fresh out of the box drinking spot and the place all the cool kids are heading for strong drinks and Peruvian bites. Decked out like a very chic pirate ship, with killer cocktails for the thirsty and tacos for the peckish – peg legs and parrots are optional! Go classic with a Pisco Sour or really shiver those timbers with the bar’s namesake tipple, the Jolly Roger – Pisco, muddled berries, sparkling wine and a spike of chili. Several of those and it’ll be cutlasses at dawn…

G/F, 39 Peel St., Central, Hong Kong
+852 2561 3336
Google map: bit.ly/Y3mvEv

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Looking for a little respite from the rowdy crowds on Wyndham Street? How about a little well-heeled refinement and a strong Gin & Tonic? Origin sounds right up your street. This brand new drinking spot specialises in the stiff upper Brit’s favourite tipple, gin. Whet your whitsle with a gin-based cocktail or tickle your fancy with a nip of home-infused gin, think: basil, grapefruit or lemongrass. Like it’s sister bar, The Quinary, lots of new fangled wizardry and some serious science lab-esque equipment, is used to whip up Origin’s menu of delicious concoctions. So hop up onto a tartan-topped stool at the elegant arched bar and watch the mixology magic commence.

G/F, 48 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong.
+852 2668 5583
Google map: bit.ly/ZDVztY

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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For a little slice of Cuba in the very heart of Lang Kwai, zip past the lagered-up crowds doing jelly shots and head up to Havana Bar’s huge 4th floor terrace where the atmosphere’s much more Caribbean Carnival. If the Latin beats don’t get you in the party mood, the mind-boggling array of rum is guaranteed to have you salsaing on the tables quicker than you can say Daiquiri. Nab an alfresco cushioned corner seat under the colourful reclaimed shutter wall art, and get the drinks flowing. The Luxury Mojito is a delicious but deadly twist on everyone’s favourite Cuban cocktail – it’s a classic Mojito topped up with champagne.

4/F, The Plaza, 21 D'Aguilar St., Central, Hong Kong
+852 28514880

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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On the fishing island of Cheung Chau, just 45 mins by ferry from Hong Kong there is a harbour bar named Moroccos. Its location and name hide its Indian background. Ice cold Kingfisher on tap is the order of the day, although the regulars love their bottles of Blue Girl, a perfectly respectable local brew. There is also a list of fine traditional curries and naan breads to munch at the bar as you watch the footy on TV. You can even order by phone from the ferry so it's hitting the bar at the same time you are. Lovely service (bottles kept in the ice cooler until you need a top up) and the sound of the local fisherman clicking and clacking their Chinese chess pieces together at furious corner table games provides the atmosphere in this amazing, noisy life exuding bar.
Or simply sit outside in the cool quiet and watch the world go by along the harbour walk.

Cheung Chau harbour, take ferry from Hong Kong pier 5.
Google map: bit.ly/Vt4hvW

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Hong Kong’s newest, gastro-opening, Wild Grass, brings simple, nose-to-tail, home-cooking to our bustling metropolis. If you’ve had your fill of dim sum and Peking duck, this is the perfect spot for a great big plate of hearty, comforting sustenance.
Head up the brightly tiled staircase and make yourself at home around one of Wild Grass’ big communal dining tables. The light, airy, whitewashed dining space is given an air of French farmhouse, eco-chic with plenty of warm wood and reclaimed, recycled rattan furniture dotted between recipe book stacked shelves and copper pot filled dressers.
Serving up simple but flawlessly executed dishes, Wild Grass sources the best organic ingredients for its hearty, seasonal menu. Head chef, Jean-Paul Gauci focuses on traditional recipes (many passed down from his grandmother) - roasts, stews and nursery food favourites with a little sprinkle of French je ne sai quois. The restaurant’s specialty is beef of the wild, grass-fed variety – think cattle who’ve spent their days romping across the Australian outback. We guarantee that you can taste the difference. Not a meat lover? Wild Grass has Pescatorians covered with sustainable fish options and vegetarians catered for with inventive, farm-fresh vegetable dishes.
A word of warning - ensure that you leave space for dessert. Crème brulee served custard tart style in a crumbly pastry case is devilishly delicious and simple delights like apple turnover with whipped cream and rhubarb oatmeal crumble with dairy frozen cream will have you licking the plate clean.
The bill? Surprisingly very reasonable, with the set three-course lunch menu priced at just HK$220 and the three-course dinner menu coming in at a very wallet friendly HK$390.

1/F, 4-8 Arbuthnot Road, Central,
Hong Kong
+852 2810 1189
Google map: bit.ly/UpjnR1

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Anything even vaguely Latin American is super hot in Hong Kong right now. Perhaps it’s not entirely surprising - who doesn’t love the winning combo of tacos and tequila? The latest Latino opening is brand new tequila bar, Ted’s Lookout.
Part slick, New York-style cocktail den, part favela chic dive bar, Ted’s is gritty glam with a generous side of cool. Nestled in a deserted corner at the end of Moon Street, exposed light-bulbs spelling out the bar’s name beckon you in with whispered promises of debauchery and ill-advised dancing.
Sip your liquor alfresco, propped on a high stool by the hurricane lantern illuminated bar hatch, or head inside and settle in to a leather banqueted booth while you watch the barmen shake up what’s sure to be the first of many liquor-laden concoctions. Feeling peckish? Keep the cocktails flowing while you chomp on a round of bite-sized Chorizo tacos and nibble on a plate of prawn ceviche.
Very clearly designed with misbehavior in mind, there’s even a ‘Hiding from Wife’ telephone affixed to the wall. And when naughtiness is expected then you’d better behave accordingly, after all it would be a waste for the night to end before the tequila bottle’s empty…

G/F Moonful Court, 17A Moon St, Wanchai,
Hong Kong.
Google maps: bit.ly/YKwj6U

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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22 Ships is a brand new, modern tapas restaurant brought to us by Michelin starred chef, Jason Atherton (protégé of Gordon Ramsey and El Bulli's Ferran Adrià).
A cosy 35-seater restaurant tucked away on the strip de jour in Wanchai (from which it takes its name), Ship Street, 22 Ships is the perfect pit-stop to refuel and refresh before heading out for the night. Whitewashed exposed brick walls are hung with framed black and white photographs and big blackboards with the day's specials chalked across them. The atmosphere is laid-back but buzzy; a neighbourhood restaurant with a bit of sparkle.
Settle on high stools at the bar, for a front row view of the blur of action in the open kitchen or bag a table by the open front - ideal for spilling out onto the pavement with a group of friends while tapas grazing and working your way through a couple of bottles of wine.
Once you're settled, go ahead and order up a storm, with this menu you really can't go wrong. Stand outs include the DIY tuna tartare, the scallop ceviche and the mindblowingly awesome char grilled Iberico pork and foie gras burgers (heaven in a bun).
Sweet tooth? Finish off with the peanut butter ice-cream with blue fruit sorbet and salted peanut caramel. Positively ambrosial!

www.22ships.hk
22 Ship Street, Wanchai, Hong Kong.
(+852) 2555 0722
Google map: bit.ly/RRmBbZ

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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It’s a common misconception that Hong Kong is all skyscrapers and bustling, neon-lit streets. So if you’ve arrived having only packed for a city break, what do you do when you discover that Hong Kong is actually home to some beautiful beaches and you’re in dire need of a bikini? If you’d asked me a year ago, I’d have said you were in a bit of a tricky situation. Hong Kong oddly seems to lack good swimwear shops, but that all changed when bikini and beachwear boutique, Itsie Bitsie, opened up last March.
For the uninitiated, Itsie Bitsie may be a little bit of a puzzle to reach. Although the shop window, giving a tantalising peek of Itsie Bitsie's wares, is slap bang opposite the Central-Midlevels escalator, to crack into the shop you need to navigate back down to street level, head through a gated doorway and up a grubby staircase in an old Chinese walk-up building. Believe me though, it's more than worth the effort.
As you enter the little boutique space, you're greeted by rail after rail of gorgeous bikinis, one pieces, kaftans, and maxi-dresses - a veritable Aladdin's Cave of all things beachy. Coming in an eye-popping kaleidoscope of colours with a cut and style to suit every body type, each piece is designed to be as flattering and comfortable as possible. Owner and designer, Cristina Wilkinson is usually on hand to help you find your perfect beach essentials and having lived in Hong Kong for several years, she's been on enough junks, beaches and exotic holidays to know exactly what she's talking about.
Have a mini-me in tow? Itsie Bitsie has recently also added super-cute baby Kaftans to the range. And as Victoria Beckham and Harper have taught us, its very important for Mummy and baby to match - better pick up the full-size version while you're there too...
So, if you're heading to Hong Kong shortly, I suggest that you sneakily go and remove your bikini and kaftan from the case and what a coincidence to find when you arrive that there's a whole shop worth of Itsie Bitsie gorgeousness just waiting to fill the gap!

www.itsiebitsie.com/
1/F, 45 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
+852 6871 0201
Google map: bit.ly/U40O0X

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Tucked away in a grubby walk-up on Hollywood Road, you wouldn’t find TBLS unless you were looking for it. But this is a little gem of a restaurant that I definitely suggest you go looking for.
A private kitchen with well-deserved rave reviews and a two month waiting list, TBLS does comfort food with a gastro twist. The TBLS philosophy is simple enough, a seasonal, fixed six-course menu of trusty favourite dishes created using the best quality ingredients and a dash of haute cuisine magic. It’s HK$650 a head (just over £50) but when you factor in that you're guaranteed an evening of pure, unabashed indulgence, it’s actually great value. Plus you save on astronomical wine list pricing as it's BYO.
The restaurant itself is pretty basic - a cosy (read small) space with minimalist décor (read bare white walls and standard issue black tables and chairs) leading out to a large terrace perfect for a pre-dinner drink or alfresco eating during the cooler months of the year. The real thought and creativity has been invested in the food which is whipped up by Vietnamese-American chef, Que Vinh Dang and his team in the large stainless-steel open kitchen in the centre of the room.
When we finally managed to bag a table and were informed that the evening’s menu was themed ‘American Supermarket Foods’ I couldn’t help but feel that perhaps we’d been slightly shortchanged. A massive misconception.
Our six courses of decadent deliciousness kicked off with a soup and sandwich. But this wasn’t any old soup and sandwich, this was TBLS’ indulgent, gourmet soup and sandwich – a punchy, earthy mushroom soup with sautéed shitakes, roasted garlic and rosemary oil with a miniature sloppy Joe sandwich – all buttery brioche and juicy beef smothered in a tangy, spicy sauce. Next up mac and cheese, so good that one of our party ate it twice (feigning an allergy to one of the ingredients in another course to ensure a double serving). Following swiftly after, two further dishes of beautifully presented morsels of heaven on a plate, apparently inspired by a fish sticks TV dinner and tinned pork and beans.
And then it was time for dessert.
No matter how near to burstingly full you may feel, skipping dessert would be criminal. As we loosened our belts, out came ramekins of Banana Moon Pie - an ambrosial creation consisting of baked bananas, chocolately crumble, homemade vanilla bean ice-cream and a wicked little dash of bourbon. Spooning up the last of the boozy, sticky bananas and declaring ourselves completely defeated, yet another dessert, the pièce de résistance floated into sight – a macaroon sandwich. Two semicircles of the palest mint coloured macaroons, homemade and just the right mix of crisp and chewy, sandwiched together with a thick round of creamy mint choc-chip ice-cream and a layer of unctuous raspberry jam. We all suddenly seemed to find a second wind and gobbled up every last crumb with relish.
TBLS really is something a little bit special; an insider's secret not to be missed. My advice? Spend the day of your booking working up a proper appetite - say, hiking up perilously steep hills or shopping like your life depends on it. Better yet, engage in full on starvation. This is a feast and a half which warrants a monumental appetite.

www.tbls-kitchenstudio.com
TBLS, 7th Floor, 31 Hollywood Road, Central,
Hong Kong Island
+(852) 2544 3433
Google map: bit.ly/NQJijN

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Lang Kwai Fong - neon-lit tourist trap, home to kebab shops, purveyors of vodka-laced jelly and hawkers selling flashing glasses and glowing devil horns. Prefer your vodka unset and a slightly less lads on tour crowd? Once you’ve had your photograph taken under the Lang Kwai Fong sign, I’d suggest hastily darting down an unmarked alley a little further down the hill. This dank and dirty back street may look like the sort of spot that only cockroaches and thugs would lurk, but persevere and you’ll emerge, Alice in Wonderland like, in the middle of Mexico-City.
Well not quite, but the nearest thing that Hong Kong has to Mexico-City - bar-restaurant, Brickhouse.
Perennially packed and with a strict no-bookings policy, if you spot a spare perch make sure that you grab it immediately. The favela-style décor is the perfect mix of gritty cool – graffitied concrete walls, chunky church candles, mish-mash furniture and sunny, bright murals. Drinks taste dangerously non-alcoholic - the raspberry and chili Diabla is as deadly delicious as it sounds and the pineappley Brickhouse Margarita is a great twist on a classic. Soak up the alcohol with some South American snacks. The chips with five salsas are a total winner - super salty, crunchy tortilla chips with home-made guacamole and an array of other more unusual dips. Follow up with pulled pork tacos, tuna tostadas and Mexican Street Corn (chili mayonnaise slathered BBQ-ed corn on the cob sprinkled with cheese and coriander).
And the best news? Several cocktails later, when you fall out of the alleyway back into Lang Kwai Fong, no one will bat an eyelid, they’ll just assume you’ve had one too many vodka jellies.

www.brickhouse.com.hk/
Brickhouse, G/F, 20A D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong,
+(852) 2810 0560
Google map: goo.gl/maps/CoeU1

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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By night Dragon-i is home to the rich and the beautiful. Models prowl in packs, the finance boys compete to buy ever bigger bottles of ever more expensive champagne, the It Girls lounge at tables resting their Louboutin clad feet while they sip grey goose poured from a bottle so big that it makes them look the size of Borrowers... By day though, Dragon-i is a whole different story. Book for lunch for a table full of not Dom, but dim sum. If it's cool enough to sit outside, bag a table on the large terrace perched just above Wyndham Street which you share with a flock of twittering birds housed in a giant black birdcage. If the mercury's rising, seek sanctuary inside the sleek, glossy restaurant decked out with sunken leather sofas and red Phoenix print lanterns - the perfect fusion of East and West.

Then for the main event, time to get stuck into the dim sum... For the bargain price of HK$188 you get as much dim sum as you can manage and unlimited tea. And we're not talking low grade, buffet eat-all-you-can, this is little parcels of deliciousness ordered straight from the a la carte menu. Don't miss the Shanghai Dumplings with Ginger Vinegar, the Baked Barbecued Pork with Sesame Puff or the Steamed Rice Paper Rolls with Fresh Prawns. Dragon-i is the ideal stop off to refuel after a hard morning's antiques shopping on Hollywood Road giving you the sustenance to tackle an afternoon's sightseeing or an excuse to do nothing but lie by your hotel pool like an overstuffed dumpling.

Be sure to return after dusk to see all evidence of dim sum swept away, and the Jeroboams of Champagne being wheeled out complete with sparklers to a soundtrack of cooing models and thumping music spun by the best DJs in town.

www.dragon-i.com.hk/
UG/F The Centrium,, 60 Wyndham Street,
Central, Hong Kong.
+(852) 3110 1222
Google map: bit.ly/MLFcHM

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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Applying El Bulli-style food science to cocktails in a bid to engage all five of your senses, the Quinary shakes up some pretty impressive concoctions. This brand new temple to cocktails is Located on Hollywood Road, right in the middle of Central. The decor juxtaposes comfy leather sofas with a never-ending, sleek, black bar and padlocked, mesh-fronted shelving units crammed with a menagerie of trophies, books and knick knacks.
Mixologist magician, Antonio Lai, whips up his sensory drinks using an arsenal of high-tech kit including a rotary evaporator and a centrifuge which are proudly displayed in a science lab area at the end of the bar. I highly recommend the Quinary take on the Earl Grey Martini which comes topped with a swirl of bubble bath-like foam and laden with petit pois sized spheres of Earl Grey infused 'caviar' (much nicer than they sound). The Touch of Rose and the Oolong Tea Collins are also delicious - my memory of everything after that gets a little bit hazy though. The truffle fries are apparently incredible, maybe an order of those next time will help to make my head a bit less fuzzy the morning after ...

www.quinary.hk/
56-58 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong Island
+(852) 2851 3223
Google map: bit.ly/OqulDy

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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The perfect little black dress of restaurants: works for any occasion from brunch to business meeting, always makes you feel great, and the one that you know you can rely on if all else fails.

Since Posto opened in Soho in 2009, it's become a firm favourite. I head to this open-fronted American Italian for after work prosecco with the girls, long lunches, late night suppers and morning-after, hangover busting brunches. The perfect spot for people watching, always bustling and buzzy - even if the food was average, the atmosphere would still keep me coming back. And the food’s anything but average. Creamy, homemade mozzarella (and if you get in very quickly, incredible Burrata – so legendary that it sells out almost instantly every day), crusty ciabatta served with peppery, green olive oil and rock salt, homemade pastas and slabs of mouthwatering pizza. All ingredients are organic, of the highest quality and where possible, sourced locally.

The staff are efficient, charming and always on hand to walk you through the menu and tell you exactly what bucatini is (spaghetti with a hole in the middle apparently...). Perch at the worn, dark wood bar for a couple of drinks and a quick snack (my top picks are the veal meatballs or the arancini) or nab one of the leather booths for a more languid, drawn-out affair.

The best way to eat here is family-style, so grab a menu, get ordering (inevitably over-ordering as your eyes greedily spy dish after dish that you just have to try...) and when it arrives, all dig in, tasting a bit of everything and fighting over the last chunk of mozzarella. Roll out a couple of hours later smiling and very, very full. Repeat as often as possible…

postopubblico.com/
G/F, 28 Elgin Street, Central, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2577 7160
Google Map: bit.ly/LT5p2Q

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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If you prefer your art to be edible, the Mandarin Grill + Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is offering a special art inspired lunch and dinner menu until 20th May. Michelin-starred chef, Uwe Opocensky, has spent six months creating a multimedia menu with each course inspired by a different aspect of art. I have it on excellent authority that the food is outstanding and almost too exquisite to eat (but ultimately too delicious to resist). Book early to avoid missing out!

www.mandarinoriental.com
5 Connaught Road, Hong Kong
+852 2522 0111
Google map: bit.ly/JinZU4

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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From 17th – 20th May the Hong Kong International Art Fair is coming to town. Now in its fifth year, Hong Kong Art is the leading showcase for international modern and contemporary art in Asia. Over 266 galleries from 38 countries will be exhibiting a diverse range of work from a huge range of artists from the up and coming to the well established.

www.hongkongartfair.com
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong Island
+852 3111 9660
Tickets can be purchased via: www.hkticketing.com

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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It’s a common complaint that there’s a general lack of culture in Hong Kong. While it’s undeniable that there’s less theatre and music than in London and we don’t have the range of Broadway shows and large art galleries that New York has, Hong Kong does have culture in spades, it’s just that it’s not so obvious as in other cities; you usually have to seek it out.
This month though, Hong Kong is the epicentre of culture and it’s virtually impossible to miss. As you travel along the Central Mid-Levels escalators, you can’t help but notice the red white and blue lights that illuminate the posters proclaiming that it’s ‘Le French May’.
Celebrating its twentieth anniversary, this French arts festival is bigger and better than ever before. Comprising of over 500 events (some of which run until the end of August) Le French May is dedicated to all elements of art from dance to opera, photography to sculpture and fashion to food. With all bases covered, there truly is something for everyone.
Personally, I’m most excited about Crazy About Yves: a free fashion exhibition featuring stylist, Olivier Châtenet ‘s private collection of Yves Saint Laurent clothing collected over the last fifteen years, and the Picasso Masterpieces Exhibition: an exhibition of 55 Picasso works which belong to the the Musée National Picasso in Paris and span the eight decades of his career from his Blue Period to Surrealism.

www.frenchmay.com
Various locations across Hong Kong.
Tickets can be purchased from www.urbtix.hk

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
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China Club is a private members club owned by Sir David Tang housed over three floors in the former Bank of China Building (the new Bank of China Building towers sleek and angular across the road - you can’t miss it, look for the glossy black building with criss-crossing white lights). Although you usually have to be or know a member to get a reservation, most hotels should be able to get you a booking with enough notice and Black Amex Card holders can get Amex to book for them. The grey, brightly-lit street level entrance appears unimpressive but ride the Old Master Q cartoon lined lift up to the thirteenth floor and prepare to be wowed.
As the lift doors open you’re greeted by a lobby crammed with striking modern art, dark wooden floors and a wrought iron Art Deco staircase curving upwards to your left. The extensive Chinese art collection deserves a mention in its own right, and alone justifies a visit to the China Club. From Yu Youhan’s diptych of Whitney Houston next to Chairman Mao hanging on the stairs to Liu Jianhua’s porcelain fish bowl in the lobby - home to five pairs of protruding, disembodied legs as well as several live goldfish who casually swim around the scattered limbs. The restaurant is designed to resemble a decadent 1930s Shanghai club and everything from the ceiling fans to the lamps conjure a bygone colonial era.
Start with aperitifs up on the 14th floor in the Long March Bar, a glamorous slice of art deco opulence. After you gin & tonic, head back past the shoe-shiners and an enormous pair of wooden shoes to the main dining room. Slip into one of the red leather and dark wood booths and get your chopsticks at the ready for the Cantonese feast to follow. Be sure to order the Peking duck, I think it’s the best in Hong Kong. While you eat, if the people watching doesn't keep you entertained enough (Victoria Beckham visited on her recent trip to Hong Kong), prepare to be wowed by the chef who spins ribbons of noodles right in front of your table and the waiter with the watering-can-like teapots who serves your tea with a side of drama. After dinner, decamp upstairs to the elegant terrace for nightcaps under the stars overlooking the city lights.

12/F, The Old Bank of China Building, Bank Street, Central, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2521 8888
Google map: bit.ly/IQcv85

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
She also has her own blog at: www.3badmice.com/

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Dim Sum became the noughties' sushi in the UK with the advent of fast food dim sum chains like Ping Pong. Before arriving in Hong Kong I'd eaten plenty of dim sum in London but the slightly gummy, insipid little parcels I was used to bore no resemblance to the real deal served up in Hong Kong’s dim sum restaurants. A dim sum lunch is a real Hong Kong must-do. Eating dim sum at a restaurant is known as “going to drink tea”, or “yum cha” in Cantonese. It’s customary for Cantonese families to gather at the weekend to eat dim sum together so particularly on a Saturday and Sunday, expect busy, noisy restaurants packed with large chattering groups.
While I make no claim that the Yum Cha at Maxim's Palace is the best in Hong Kong (I'm still on a quest to discover that, and will keep you posted on my findings), the dim sum's very good, you get great harbour views and it’s also one of only a handful of restaurants in Hong kong which still uses the old school dim sum trolleys. Come at lunchtime but be prepared for a wait - Maxim's doesn't take bookings and it gets pretty hectic, particularly at weekends. Queueing over, take your seat in the large red and gold dining hall and sip on Jasmine tea while keeping a close eye on the trolleys being
wheeled between the tables. Each trolley is laden with bamboo dim sum steamers. When a trolley passes by and you spot something that you fancy, stop the waitress and grab a basket. Struggling to decide what to opt for? I suggest that you try a little bit of everything but my top dim sum picks are: har gau (shrimp dumplings), char sui bau (steamed barbeque pork buns), cheung fan (rice paper rolls which come with various fillings aka Chinese ravoili), sui mai (pork dumplings), and Xiaolongbao (steamed pork soup dumplings originating from Shanghai). If you’re feeling particularly brave, try
the chicken’s feet which actually don’t taste as bad as they look but are not the easiest thing to eat if you’re a little inexperienced with chopsticks. Lunch over, leave City Hall with a tummy full of dumplings and the clatter of the dim sum carts ringing in your ears and head for a stroll along the harbour front to work it all off.

City Hall Maxim's Palace
2/F, City Hall Low Block, Hong Kong Island.
+(852) 2521 1303
Google map: bit.ly/JZ2YQ6

* Natalie is our local for Hong Kong. You can read all about her here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/hong-kong-local-natalie-robinson.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/natalierobinson
She also has her own blog at: www.3badmice.com/

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