Hot new Hong Kong openings: December

Alzina Spanish Asador

Specialising in Spanish grilled feasts, the new Alzina Spanish Asadaor takes its name from the Spanish word for oak and indeed, the humble acorn which stars in many of chef Juanjo Carillo’s dishes.

The perennially popular paella comes in a riot of colours from ‘The Green One’ (with green peppers and cod) to ‘The Black One’ (with cuttlefish and Iberico pluma pork) and cheese lovers will certainly plump for Manchego and smoked Idiazabal which is made with raw milk from the Laxta sheep in the Basque country.

Before landing in Hong Kong, Carrllo trained and taught at the Hofmann culinary school in Barcelona and worked alongside Andoni Luis Aduriz at the two-Michelin starred Mugaritz in northern Spain.

Carrillo also ran two restaurants in Barcelona so we’re hoping some of the city’s sunny, effervescent charm can transform this busy corner of Tsim Sha Tsui.

Alzina Spanish Asador, G/F, 29-31, Chatham Road South (or Hart Avenue), Tsim Sha Tsui, 2723 9833

Bizou

Staid Pacific Place has gone through quite a restaurant revolution in the last six months – Continental, Operetta, Commissary, Plat du Jour and Apinara for example – and with all the hype that JIA Group’s southern Californian eatery Commisary has received, is there enough room for yet another American restaurant (especially with veteran Ruth’s Chris steakhouse at nearby Lippo Tower)?

The second Dining Concepts opening after Spiga, Bizou is at least varied with the likes of the Middle Eastern-style grilled octopus salad, roast Norwegian salmon and short ribs in red wine.

The chef is Swedish export and renowned pastry expert, Magnus Hansson who has worked across South and North America and North Africa before settling in Hong Kong where he champions local, organic ingredients.

Joseph Boroski, the man behind one of 2016’s cool openings, J.Boroski has also created the extensive cocktail menu in the adjoining bar and happily, there is talk of a terrace opening, too, which will immediately attract anyone within a mile-radius.

Bizou, Shop 132,  L1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, 2871 0775

Cassio

Eating tapas in Hong Kong often comes with a certain amount of heartache – deliberately small dishes commanding astronomical main-course prices is sadly becoming more and more prevalent as rents are driven ever skywards.

So it’s with some anticipation that the retro-named Cassio (is anyone else thinking of our old-school calculators?) has now graced Wyndham Street in partnership with London’s phenomenally popular and fairly un-pricey Spanish hangout, Barrafina.

With a distinctly, lounge-verging-on-clubby atmosphere (it’s part of the same flock as Dragon-i after all), Cassio at least dishes up sensibly priced Baraffina bites such as the Iberico pork ribs, Gambas al Ajillio and Iberico Sobrassada, plus a plethora of cocktails and all in a cool urban terrace.

Cassio, 2/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong, 3792 0129

Greyhound Thai-pas Bar

An expansion of the Gaia Group and still under its Greyhound Cafe brand, this latest Greyhound offering has raced, panting to Tang Lung Street, all bright eyed, tail wagging and eager to serve up Thai street food until the small hours.

No fine dining pretension here, so expect an extremely casual atmosphere, ‘Hoptails’ made from Heineken, punchy cocktails and un-fussy bar bites.

The official info states that Greyhound emulates Pattaya’s buzzing nightlife, which – judging by various dubious late night tales we’ve heard – perhaps it doesn’t need to. Raucous Causeway Bay is enough.

Greyhound Thai-pas Bar, G/F, Midtown, 1 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 2383 4038

Hungry Lobster

What’s not to love about this name? Yet another addition to the increasingly gastronomic Tang Lung Street, the Hungry Lobster is a buzzy surf ‘n’ turf eatery, specialising in bounteous lobster and premium beef dishes.

Lobster, lemon and butter must be one of the better inventions ever to come out of the kitchen so we’re eyeing up the lobster roll with lashings of lemon butter dressing, otherwise the half-and-half combo for two featuring half lobster, 8oz steak, fries and salad all for the wallet-friendly HK$338 is definitely worth plumping for.

Hungry Lobster, Shop 3, G/F, V Point, 2 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, 9330 5378