The Hotel Nikko isn't exactly at the top of everyone's list of favourite hotels -- I can't even remember the last time I went -- but if there's anything that can convince a gal to trek across a harbour, it's chocolate. And when you throw a bit of booze into the mix, it usually only increases that powerful, body-of-water-crossing aphrodisiac. Just make sure you have a ride home. (We blog like no one lives in Kowloon. That is the sad and sheltered life we lead. Sorry Kowloonies, we know you are regular people too, just "location-impaired.")


First off, speaking of location, the perks of going to Kowloon include the fact that you get to look at Hong Kong island. So the Sky Lounge at Hotel Nikko, with its harbourside spot, is an apt place to sip fancy cocktails as you watch the sun set and transition from day to glittering night.

The new roster of choco-cocktails kick off with the Chocolateini, a mix of vodka, crème de white cacao and dry vermouth.

There's the Choco Dance, which combines vodka, crème de dark cacao, crème de banana, fresh milk and banana.

The rosy-hued Sweet Cocoa throws together vodka, crème de white cacao, fresh milk and raspberry purée.

And the final in the quartet, the sinful Melting Kiss is made up of crème de white cacao, Bailey’s Irish cream, green peppermint liqueur and fresh milk
Full info on Hotel Nikko here.

Learn to cook like Alain Ducasse (above) at one of Intercontinental Hong Kong's monthly cooking and wine appreciation seminars. Whether or not you've learned to boil water, you can sign up for a "behind-the-scenes" experience in the Spoon by Alain Ducasse kitchen, where executive chef Philippe Duc will guide you through a food and wine lecture complete with cooking demonstrations and a wine appreciation luncheon.

Can't hurt that Philippe Duc is a total cutie:


There's one class per month, each under a different theme, but all including a three-course menu demonstration, including a starter, main and dessert, with wine pairings.

Themes for each month and menus included are:

HARVEST SEASON Saturday, October 23rd


- Home made duck foie gras terrine, apple raisin condiment (pictured)
Paired with Riesling from Alsace
- Pan fried Beef fillet, Porcini mushrooms, natural jus
Paired with Grenache/Syrah from the Rhone Valley
- Chocolate, hazelnut entremets
Paired with a Sherry from Spain

TRUFFLE SEASON Saturday, November 20th


- Steamed Organic egg, potato-truffle-spring onion, Perigueux sauce (pictured)
Paired with Chenin blanc from the Loire Valley
- Pan seared sea scallops, lettuce cream, Tartuffi di Alba
Paired with Grenache blanc/Clairette/Bourboulenc from the Rhone Valley
- Truffle macaroons
Paired with Dry white Port

FESTIVE SEASON Saturday, December 11th



- Marinated SEA SCALLOPS, lemon condiment, caviar (pictured)
Paired with Asyrtico from Greece
- SPRING CHICKEN from "Bresse" with white truffle, vegetables cooked in a broth
Paired with Chardonnay from Burgundy
- CHOCOLATE - passion fruit Christmas log
Paired with Sauternes from Bordeaux

Inclusive with each Seminar:
A SPOON kit with the cooking demonstration menus and recipes
Continental breakfast with fresh bakery items and coffee/tea
Soft drinks during the class
A 3-course lunch featuring the cooking demonstration menu with selected wine

Price: HK$1,280 per person +10% service charge per seminar
(with a maximum number of 10 persons per class)

To register for the SPOON cooking & wine appreciation seminars, contact
SPOON by Alain Ducasse Tel: 2313-2256
E-mail: spoonbyalainducasse.hk@interconti.com

If you can't break a shopping embargo... divert your cash instead to branded tea sets, like this Chloe-inspired afternoon tea at MO Bar at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental. The meal is created by the famed chef Richard Ekkebus (who calls me "Princess," teehee, I think because he doesn't remember my name) based on flavours and scents in the Chloe fragrance, which include lychee, honey, rose, pink peony, freesia, magnolia and lily of the valley. Scones, pastries, finger sandwiches and pastries are all on the menu, as well as a cupcake buffet, which is sure to slay me, the cupcake whore. Yes, I am not ashamed to admit, I am a cupcake whore -- I will have dirty sex with you in exchange for cupcakes (for red velvet ones, I'll do gosh-darned unspeakable acts). But not finger sandwiches, because they sound like sandwiches filled with fingers, and creep me out.

Alright, it's been a long week. Back to reality and the thesis of this post, the Chloe tea set. It being a tea set, it also comes with... wait for it... tea. Or coffee. And a special Chloe gift set, which I'm sensing will include a trial-sized Chloe fragrance. The set is priced at $190 or $360 for two, and is available between 3-530pm daily until the end of September. For reservations, please call MO Bar on + 852 2132 0077.

As more and more brands hop into the luxury hotel bandwagon, the impact of staying at one of them lessens. But the trend is here to stay and the latest label to house a ‘pet project’ as referred to in the press release is Moschino. Joining the likes of Bvlgari, Armani and Versace to name but a few, Moschino recently opened a hotel property in Milan that boasts of being the “home and place of enchanted fairytales”. With 65 rooms to its name, a restaurant headed by acclaimed Chef Moreno Cedroni, a spa, and of course, a Moschino boutique, Maison Moschino is situated in a neoclassical building that was once Milan’s first railway station. Sixteen designs have been chosen for the rooms, and all are based on fairytale, such as” Alice’s Room” and “Red Riding Hood”. Check out more of the interiors after the cut.

The Geeks enjoyed their last week of freedom (we both started new full-time jobs this week) by dining out at the three Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants at the Four Seasons Hong Kong, Lung King Heen, stuffing our tummies to the very brim with decadent dim sum. Along with our favourite Four Seasons gal pal, we savoured juicy tidbits (gossip and dim sum) and generally tried to play "ladies who lunch" with uptight hairdos and the whole shebang.

And I've since decided that is the best place to do the gossip girl lunch. Dim sum is normally a family-friendly but kind of sordid affair, thanks to the tacky spectacle of lazy susans and shared chopsticks (I'm not hating, I'm just saying). But at LKH, at least for us, they did it in a sort of European teatime manner, serving the bite-sized pieces to each individual on platters in three rounds. Make sure to ask them to do it that way, it was all very civilized and classy, and the fact that dim sum is by definition small meant we could nosh and chat without every having to reapply our lipstick. Yeah, it didn't hurt that we were eating at the city's only two-time Michelin three-star winner, at the hotel that boasts the only two three-Michelin-star restaurants in Hong Kong. Wow, read that sentence aloud three times fast. It's harder to swallow than a mouthful of dim sum. Mmmmm.

If you've forgotten to order your turkey and fixin's, never fear, the Sheraton is here! There are several options for you to pick from, depending on your mood and budget: try the Oyster Bar set dinner, which is HK$728 a head featuring the traditional turkey and punkin pie, as well as fresh oysters and a duo of crab cakes. My family spends every single occasion at the Oyster Bar, and I can tell you, if there are five people at the table, there are usually five orders of crab cakes, they are SO good. The Cafe is doing a dinner buffet for HK$398 a head, and the Lobby Lounge is doing a two- or three-course set dinner for HK$298 or HK$348, accompanied by live music.

Full menus and contact details available after the cut!

SET DINNER AT OYSTER BAR

Freshly shucked Oysters from Oyster Display $118 (3 pieces)
Or
Baked US Oyster Rockefeller (3 pieces) $ 127

Duo Of Crab Cakes $ 265
U.S Lump Crabmeat, Louis Sauce, red pepper Aioli

Traditional roasted Butterball Turkey $330
Sausage Stuffing, Brussels Sprouts, glazed Carrots, Giblets Sauce

Old Fashion baked Pumpkin Pie $108
Dulce de Leche Ice-cream


BUFFET AT THE CAFE

SEAFOOD COUNTER
Freshly shucked Australian Oyster, black tiger Prawns, Yabbies & spotted Crab on ice
Condiments with Cocktail Sauce, Lemon Wedges & Tabasco Sauce

JAPANESE COUNTER
Five kinds of Sashimi: Salmon, Tuna, Butterfish, Swordfish & Yellow Tail
Assorted Sushi & Sushi Roll
Chilled Soba Noodles, Cucumber, Crabmeat and Tobiko

APPETIZERS & SALADS
Bowl mixed Salad Leaves
Caesar Salad (tossed in large display bowl)
Roasted Beets, Bacon and Goats Cheese Salad with aged Balsamic
Pumpkin, Artichoke and baked Feta Cheese Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
Smoked Trout and new Potato Salad with Tartar Sauce
Borlotti Bean, Tomato and marinated Mushroom Salad
Scallop, Asparagus and Egg Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Roast Turkey and sun-dried Tomato Salad
Chicken Tikka Salad with Cucumber & Dahl Ddressing
Grilled Vegetables, Pine Nuts, Parmesan Cheese, Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumber, Tomato, sweet red Onion rings, Corn Kernels, pickled Garlic
Smoked Salmon with Artichokes, Chive and Sour Cream
Home-cured Gravadlax
Black forest Ham with sweet Melon
Condiments: Bread Croutons, chopped Bacon, Anchovies, grated Eggs, Parmesan Cheese and
Pumpkin seeds
Dressing: Thousand Island, Blue Cheese, Caesar, French Dressing & Italian Vinaigrette

CHEESE STATION
Selected of two hard Cheese & two soft Cheeses
Condiments: dried Apricots, Biscuits, candied Wwalnuts, Grapes

SOUP
Cream of roasted Pumpkin with Ginger and Crabmeat
Daily Asian Soup
Served with assorted Breads and Rolls

CARVERY AND FROM THE OVEN
Roasted Butterball Turkey with Stuffing, Cranberries and Giblet Jus
Roasted grain-fed Australian Prime Rib
Served with black Pepper Sauce, Béarnaise, Mushrooms Sauce
Buttered Dutch new Potatoes and Garlic Mash

FROM THE GRILL
Sea Prawns
New Zealand half shell Mussel
Sauce: Thai red Curry Sauce & red Chili Soya Sauce

HOT DISHES
Grilled Veal Fillet with Cumin Lentils and whole Grain Mustard Sauce
Herb rubbed Duck Breast with black Cherry Cinnamon Sauce
Pan-fried Sole Fish Fillet with Lemon Capers Sauce
Grilled sweet Potatoes and root Vegetables
Chinese BBQ Platter
Wok-fried mixed Seafood flavored with black Bean Sauce
Beef Short Ribs flavored with Garlic
Wok-fried seasonal Vegetables
Steamed Rice
Whole steamed spotted Garoupa
Chicken Curry
Tandoori Fish
Dal Tarkka
Pappadums
Assorted Naan Bread

DESSERTS
Pumpkin Pie
Carrot Cake
Tofu Mousse
Vanilla Panna Cotta
Raspberry Yoghurt Mousse
Chocolate Truffle Cake
Crème Caramel
Mango Mousse Cake
Strawberry Mille-Feuille
Assorted fresh Fruit Platter
Tiramisu
Chocolate Pecan Pies
Pear Crumbles
Baked Mango Tart
Baked Cheesecake
Haägen Dazs Ice-cream Selection

LIVE STATION
Made to order Pancakes with assorted Condiments

SET DINNER AT LOBBY LOUNGE

Gourmet dishes include Oysters Rockefeller, roasted Butterball Turkey, Roasted grain-fed Prime Rib and Baked Pumpkin Pie and so on.

Looking forward to checking out Hullett House which is now officially open (although getting my lazy ass over to TST is going to be the biggest hurdle). History class was a nightmare for me, after having my high school history teacher wrote that I responded to questions "like a deer in headlights", on my report card. The parents were not happy. I am, however, on board with learning about the past of our culture via food and hospitality. I wrote about the opening in a post back here, but now we have full details on the various citizens that will populate the building.

First up, there are 13 unique suites, totalling 800-1100 ft in size, each. Every room follows a different theme in China's past, from Imperial China (red lacquer galore) to 1930s Shanghai (jazzy and moody). Then there are five restaurant-bars, including:

- The Parlour, for ye olde English afternoon tea by day, lounge by night.
- Loong Toh Heen, for Chinese.
- Stables Grill, for casual tapas and grilled food.
- St George, for western fine-dining done by Philippe Oricco, protege of Pierre Gagnaire.
- And finally Mariner's Rest, serving up cold beers and British gastropub fare, paying homage to the seamen who once populated the address decades before (and you can even grab a drink in what used to be the jail cells).




The whole affair is helmed by Aqua group, so you are guaranteed flashy interiors (the pictures say it all) with fairly decent food. I'm travelling again next week but I'll hopefully get a chance to test-drive on return.

Hullett House is at 2A Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, tel: 852 3988 0000.

We've been kind of lax with posting restaurant news lately; that's because I've been living in a black hole called work and haven't had a chance to go out and experience what Hong Kong has to offer. (I did visit SML though so will review that later...) A much more pressing issue now is this set of offers that dropped into my inbox this morning from the Grand Hyatt, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary next month. It seems kind of weird that the Grand Hyatt is only 20 years old, it seems much older.

Anyway, you don't care about that -- you want the breakdown of the specials, right? Let's start with October 20 at Grissini's, where you can taste a menu created by four generations of chefs de cuisine. That means GH went back to ask all their chefs to come back and work together, which is pretty amazing because it means all of them still have good relationships with the hotel. That's a pretty amazing feat, if you ask me. The dinner is priced at $1,200, but it's sure to be worth the price as it's five courses, plus wine.

Then, starting November 13, the Grand Cafe is launching a new Asian buffet, featuring appetizers and salads, a seafood bar, Japanese corner, Chinese carving, dim sum, interactive noodle station, hot Asian specialities and homemade desserts. It's $538 for adults and $269 for kiddies. Dial 852 2584 7722 for reservations.

Then on weekdays, you can indulge in special spa treatments as described here:

1) Carita Hydration Treatment Package, $2,000.
- 90-minute Cartia’s signature hydration facial
- 60-minute Carita eye treatment OR 60-minute Renovateur “Peau de Satin
2) Payot Optimale Indulgence Package (designed for men), $1,600.
- 90-minute Optimale Deep Press Massage
- 30-minute Optimale Eye Treatment OR 45-minute Optimale Body Exfoliation

Call 852 2584 7688.

And finally, I think this is the best part of the package, there's something called the 8-2-8 Weekend Local Escape. Check into your room as early as 8am, then check out at 8pm the next day. Get breakfast in the cafe or in your room, 15% off spa treatments, free parking and one of the following: two poolside sun loungers and free flow drinks for three hours; a Tiffin tea buffet or dessert buffet for two; a bottle of wine and cheese platter for two in your room. All this goes for $828 per head on Fridays or Saturdays. Call 852 2584 7038 to book.

Okay, I'm sure you all are sick of fashion week and trends that aren't gonna come into play for another six months, so I'll give you some respite with a nice trip to the spa. Did I say "trip to the spa"? Strictly speaking, that's not true, as this spa comes to you. The Fleming hotel in Wanchai has just introduced an in-room spa package for ladies, with services provided by Xi Shi Well Being, a group of mobile massage therapists.

While all women can enjoy in-room treatments, which are reasonably priced at $399 for a 60-minute head and shoulder massage, there's a "Her Space Escape" package going on right now. For HK$1,380-$2,180 (depending on room category) you get the room (duh), a one-hour massage, breakfast and a four-course set dinner at the in-hotel restaurant, Cubix. Other treats include complimentary aromatherapy oil, fruit plates a welcome mocktail, and free access to California Fitness.

Of course, you should realize that if you live in Hong Kong, Xi Shi will also come to your home for the same prices. Check out their website here. How cool would it be to have them come to your office, though, and have someone work on your knotty neck muscles as you work on that dratted Excel file?

The Fleming is at 41 Fleming Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel: 852 3607 2288, email: sales@thefleming.com

I’m not a big hype-buyer, so while everyone else is heralding the transformation of the Canton Road Marine Police station into luxury hotspot Heritage 1881, I’m standing at the doorway refusing to step foot inside, scoffing at all the watch brands and high jewelers attempting to make a buck in a receding market. I’m also fond of ridiculing this futile method of “conserving” Hong Kong history, as if retaining certain structural elements while completely commercializing the area and eradicating its former purpose can really be called conservation.

But that rant cut short (believe me, there’s more), one thing I am excited about is the soon to be opened Hullett House, a hotel-restaurant mecca that, I’ve heard, will boast a room-to-restaurant ratio of 2:1. That’s right, kids: five restaurants/bars, 10 rooms. It’s the brainchild of Aqua group’s founder, which means that the food will be at least halfway decent, and the interiors are guaranteed to be pretty sick. Hullett House’s own exterior, meanwhile, will follow the theme of “stunning heritage architecture,” which I suppose means that it will look all old and colonial, but will actually be shiny and new. Actually, it looks kind of like the big building in Stanley. No matter. I’ll be inside eating anyway. More details to come as they are revealed!

If you’re anything like me, you will DIE when you read the rest of this post. The Lobby Lounge at the JW Marriott in Admiralty is hosting an Asian Street Food Tapas buffet from this Friday until the end of August, every Friday and Saturday evening from 8pm onwards. The Marriott tea and tapas buffets have always been a favourite; buffets should always be about small portions and wide varieties, in tandem. I was at the tea buffet a couple of weeks ago and we scarfed down so much food, I was regretting it for the next two days.

But stomachs bounce back, and so I’m set to challenge the Asian Street Food Tapas buffet this Saturday night. Street food is a pretty integral part of Asian culture, and let’s face it, is usually the best and juiciest stuff ever. And authenticity is guaranteed, because the chefs actually traveled to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City to discover the hidden gems in the alleyways of each city. They documented their travels on a blog, Wok this Way, and if that isn’t enough to get you salivating like a fluffy puppy on a summer day, then I don’t know what will. See you there Saturday!

The JW Marriott is at Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong. Tel: 852 2841 3846.

ETA!!!! Just called to book and the buffet has been postponed until NEXT WEEK. So hold your horses on this one!

It still seems shiny and new, but the W hotel is already celebrating its first anniversary since soft-launching on August 8. (The reason it still seems new, perhaps, is that they only did their grand-opening party in January.) But who's going to quibble about dates when with the anniversary celebration comes a killer room deal for the weekend of August 7-11?

For HK$888, stay a night in one of their Wonderful Rooms (capital "W" -- it's the name of the room, not my description of it), with eight great perks subject to availability, including buffet breakfast, $100 spending credit per head, one free cocktail per head at Living Room (photo after the cut), a complimentary in-room movie, an invitiation to a champagne celebration at 8pm on August 8, free internet, a complimentary upgrade to the Spectacular or Fabulous Room (pictured below, and subject to availability) and a special anniversary gift. Not too shabby, eh?


The rest I'm just going to copy and paste verbatim, it speaks for itself, but includes upgrades to rooms and special celebratory offers at Kitchen (a Saturday buffet) and Bliss (a special massage).

Upgrades are as follows:
Cool Corner Room: add HK$88 per person
60 sqm Fantastic Suite: add HK$888 per room per night (to Wonderful Room rate)
80 sqm Marvelous Suite: add HK$888 per room per night to Fantastic Suite rate
120 sqm WOW Suite: HK$8,888 per room per night (maximum of 2 guests receive the above privileges)

Tel: 852 3717 2992; email: wreservations.hk@whotels.com


YUM
The hotel's food and beverage facilities will also reflect the celebratory weekend, with a special Saturday brunch in the award-winning KITCHEN restaurant and in the hotel's magnificent harbour view 7th floor function space. The Saturday brunch, which includes Executive Chef Curt Sassak's New Orleans Jazz brunch dishes as well as a cornucopia of Asian and Western specialties and free-flowing Perrier Jouet champagne, costs just HK$888 + 10% for 2 persons and runs from noon to 3pm on Saturday, August 8 only. Tel: 852 3717 2299.


BLISS
The W’s signature spa inspired by the New York City day-spa brand that started it all, Bliss will unveil its Blissage 60 (signature 60-minute massage) for just HK$888 + 10% all weekend. Tel: 852 3717 2797.

If there's one advantage to a flailing economy, it's that retailers and service providers will drop prices till you shop and stimulate their balance sheets, so there's always some sort of deal on the street, enticing your wallet out of its sabbatical. In this case, it's a night's stay at the InterContinental Hong Kong for Hong Kong residents, set at HK$1,999 + 10% -- still not cheap, but wait till you see the extras it comes with.

As part of the Summer in the City package, in addition to a Superior Room, the InterCon will throw in:

- Accommodations in a Superior Plazaview Room
- Pay a HK$200 supplement per night for an upgrade to a Superior Harbourview Room
- Enjoy complimentary buffet lunch for two persons at Harbourside
(not applicable for Sunday Champagne Brunch)
Sunday Champagne Brunch supplement is HK$400 + 10% per person
- Complimentary extra bed for 3rd person sharing your guest room
- Late check-out until 8:00 pm
- Complimentary use of the hotel’s Asian inspired Pool Terrace, with one of Hong Kong’s largest outdoor swimming pools and unique 3-temperature infinity spa pools overlooking Victoria Harbour
- Complimentary Tai Chi classes at the Pool Terrace (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun mornings)
- Complimentary Yoga classes (Sat & Sun)

So if you will allow your resident Geek to do the math for you, that means if you hack off, say, HK$200 a head for the lunch, HK$100 or so each for the pool and complimentary class, you're really only paying HK$1,400 for the room, which you'll get till 8pm. I will also assume that since you're in a standard room, you probably will not be inviting a third person in (or that if you are, that person won't be needing a complimentary cot... no judgement.) And yes, I've considered the possibility that someone might have a child that is staying with them. But I will also argue that if you live in Hong Kong, you're not taking your kid to a hotel room to sleep adjacent to you for no good reason.



For reservations, contact InterContinental Hong Kong at Tel: 852 2721 1211 or email:
hongkong@interconti.com