Post on 09-May-2017
transcript
The Corliss Group Voyage Hong Kong: Hard-
to-get reservations
To properly impress, celebrate, or indulge - and we mean once-in-a-lifetime
properly - you'll need to push the fine-dining boat out a fair bit further
than usual. Here are our recommendations and tips.
Many of the world's finest dining experiences require more than deep
pockets. A certain level of ingenuity and persistence are necessary to
garner the “impossible to get reservation”. Intensive research, some local
knowledge and foreign language skills can also help to open doors to
Michelin-star restaurants' little-known private rooms and to members-
only clubs. Some equally special experiences merely require travel to
exotic, faraway places.
Here, you'll find a handful of unique dining destinations, hidden rooms
and places of pilgrimage,that only those in the know, know about.
Noma, Copenhagen
Claims to be the most difficult restaurant in the world in which to secure
a reservation. On the sixth day of the month, every month, reservations
open for tables three months in advance. Allegedly more than 20,000
emails flood Noma's computer system on that day. One way around the
issue is to book Noma's private dining room, located above the
restaurant's main dining room and next door to the prep kitchen and
culinary "lab". The long, private space overlooks Copenhagen's
waterfront warehouses and a new pedestrian footbridge that links the
dockside with the city.
Annabel's, London
London's older clubs, like Annabel's, on Mayfair's Berkeley Square, has
been welcoming members since 1963. Established as a private member's
club, Annabel's elegant restaurant is complete with Morrocan-style
ceiling and its own starlit dance floor.
Sukiyabashi Jiro, Tokyo
Jiro Ono is the 86-year-old chef and owner of this three-star
subterranean sushi bar in Gina. Consisting of only seven seats, all of
which face the bar, it affords up-close views of Jiro at work. This
restaurant is a place of pilgrimage for sushi aficionados. The ¥30,000 per
person ($330) 20-course menu of sashimi, sushi and uni (fresh sea
urchin) can be matched with sake. The whole experience is over in an
hour, but to secure a seat you need a Japanese local (perhaps your hotel
concierge) to make the reservation.
Taillevent, Paris
One of Paris' grand dining institutions, Taillevent was awarded its
firstMichelin star in 1948 and held three stars for 34 years. Housed in
amansion, formerly the residence of the Duc de Morny, in Paris' 9th
Arrondissement, Taillevent has two private dining rooms – the Guimet,
where the Duc de Morny received Napoleon, and the Saturne, the Duc's
bedroom, decorated with Louis XVI panelling. Chef Alain Soliveres offers
a choice of four menus, starting at €120–230 ($180–$340).
Longitude 131, Uluru
At dusk, as the desert colours begin to work their magic, a table for two
is set on a private sand dune overlooking Uluru and Kata Tjuta national
park. As the light changes and rolls over the ancient rock formations, the
sun gradually sets, giving way to a dazzling night sky. A billion stars
twinkle gently above, the desert is quiet and dinner is served.
Hutong, Hong Kong
On the 28th floor of 1 Peking Road, elevator doors open to reveal
glamorous Michelin-star Hutong. Dimly lit to take full advantage of floor-
to-ceiling views across the harbour and the city's famous light show,
Hutong is wildly romantic. And the private rooms. are even more so. Its
northern Chinese dishes are fiery and beautifully presented, especially
the signature soft shell crab served with deep-fried chillies.
Kee Club, Shanghai
The sister club to Hong Kong's legendary private members' Kee Club, this
newer, Shanghai outpost permits non-member visitors to its restaurant.
Housed in two grand 1920s villas, it is also home to an impressive art
collection, and offers four private dining rooms.