China Tee Club

Address: 101 Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central
Tel: 2521 0233

Until last month, the cosy China Tee Club had been exclusively for members only, serving lunch and afternoon tea. Its private nature was seriously robbing the rest of the Hong Kong public and tourists of its charming setting, situated one floor above ground overlooking the busy streets of Central. It has finally opened up to non-members for dinner, offering East-meets-West cuisine in an authentic colonial atmosphere.

Located in the historic Pedder Building, which was built in the 1920s, the China Tee Club started as a golf club house. All the architectural and design elements are original, from the chinoiserie floor tiling to the antique wooden fans to the oval mirrors on the booth seating. A mezzanine level was removed, essentially doubling the ceiling height and giving the restaurant an open and airy feel.

The food is a fusion with many of the dishes using European cooking style with Southeast Asian flavouring. For example, the deep-fried stuffed mushrooms incorporate spiced crab meat and sour plum sauce (surprisingly flavourful with all the spices, crunchy but not greasy), and the oriental gravlax is cured salmon marinated in lemongrass (very refreshing and light).

For mains, the baked king prawns with mushroom pilaf cake comes highly recommended – its golden saffron sauce makes the dish. The grilled filet mignon with coconut crust is also excellent; the US beef is juicy and tender and accompanied by asparagus, pomme frites, some pretty roasted tomatoes and Indonesian rendang sauce. Also available are some popular Asian classics that are western only in presentation: Hainan chicken rice, nasi goreng and laksa.

One of the signature desserts is mango sticky rice in sago soup. Again, presentation is non-traditional in a martini glass, and berries are added to the mix. But truly, the setting is perfection enough – good food is just a bonus.

The Peak Lookout Address: 121 Peak Road, The Peak Tel: 2849 1000 You haven’t really visited Hong Kong until you’ve experienced the Peak – riding the Peak Tram, getting a glimpse of the city from up high, buying tourist-trap souvenirs. While on this classic excursion, you might as well also dine in the historic, colonial building that has been transformed into the Peak Lookout, a casual restaurant serving a variety of cuisines. The small building, still sporting grey stone walls and exposed rafters, is believed to have been erected in 1898 to serve as a shelter for coolies who carried residents up and down The Peak in sedan chairs. The overall vibe is homely but grand. All along the walls are old photographs of the Peak (every nail into the walls government approved), and Chinese ceramics and accessories add an air of old Hong Kong. The outdoor terrace is especially beautiful at night when the little lights dangling from trees are switched on.

The Pawn

Address: 62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
Tel: 2866 3444

The Pawn is housed in a unique cream-coloured colonial building with deep-covered terraces. Wan Chai’s hottest pub is located on its first floor, while the second floor is the dining room which serves English fare. There is also a rooftop garden that is for private functions only.

The building is so named for an obvious reason: it used to be a pawn shop. Although most of the interior was gutted and rebuilt, its legacy explains the unusual narrowness of the stairwell from the ground floor. It was made this way to help prevent theft, as it would be a bit of a squeeze for crooks to get away with a large amount of loot and they would be easier to catch.

Inside, the surroundings are unpretentious and comfortable. The design concept is a combination of rustic and edgy, incorporating unfinished wood panels on the ceilings that were salvaged from piers, modern light fixtures and wall panels with funny wording that looks like quaint embroidery from afar. For those warm spring days, there is also an outdoor terrace that overlooks the trams, those other still-functioning relics from a bygone era.

The cuisine is traditional English on the high end, which is appropriate considering the colonial setting. One popular starter is roast bone marrow with parsley salad, which is flavourful and melts in your mouth. Another signature starter is the very British salad of ham hock, prunes and English mustard sauce.

Mains are served in very large portions. The fish and chips is a safe bet. The roast duck breast is the restaurant's other recommendation. The duck is from France and is served with baked cauliflower with cheese and blackberry gravy. For dessert, try the apple and blackberry crumble with custard sauce. And the best part: after-dinner drinks in the cool pub downstairs.