NYC Invasion in Hong Kong!

So looks I'm not the only former New Yorker making moves in HK (ok, so I'm not making any moves yet but one can hope!). There have been many restaurants cropping up in Hong Kong these last couple of years with NYC chefs at the helm. From 208 to to Lily and Bloom, parts of Central are starting to become more and more like my former home. Below are three restaurants that I've recently dined at and found worth visiting:

Bless you, Yardbird, there is finally a little slice of NYC in Hong Kong! Lily and Bloom have come close to recreating a Nueva York vibe but Yardbird hits the nail on the head, with its hipster music selection, minimalist wood and steel decor, distinctly LES-looking waiters and of course, food that is a pure expression of its natural ingredients.

It's unusual that I like EVERYTHING sampled at a restaurant. Although the menu at Yardbird isn't vast and it's primarily chicken, I thoroughly enjoyed the small plates, yakitori, and mains. I've listed some of the highlights below:

Corn Tempura

Fried Chicken that reminds me of so so much of New York. Perfectly fried, not greasy and served with a tangy mayo dipping sauce.

The delicious meatball served with a raw egg dipping sauce

KFC: Which to me tastes like a General Tso's inspired Korean cauliflower

I would also highly recommend the Caesar salad (I love how garlic-y it is and the addition of shredded seaweed to give it a pleasant maritime crunch) and the "oyster" yakitori. Who knew the thigh meat of a chicken from New Territories could be so succulent?

And what about DRINKS?! I love the whiskey lemonade here, a refreshing solution to the still warm weather of Hong Kong. My good friend Michael is a fan of the Rob Roy, which he says is one of the best in town. If you want a shandy with a punch, try their hitachino version. Lastly, their house sake is very easy to drink and I recommend sharing a bottle over all their tasty nibbles.

Located at 33 Bridges Street, Sheung Wan (next to Oola, behind Centre Stage).

Al Molo.

I wasn't particularly impressed with the food offered at their grand opening but I decided to give Al Molo another try. Thankfully, NYC celebrity chef Michael White did not disappoint. Although I doubt I will be rushing to go back, I was definitely satisfied with the quality of ingredients and the overall taste of all the dishes (even at the buffet!)

The lunch buffet spread was a good value, which included incredibly fresh burratta (which you rarely find in HK!), beetroot salad, braised artichokes, and delicate mini-desserts. The salad buffet alone is $138, and for $40 more, you can add a entree of pasta or pizza. The mushroom risotto, spicy clams pasta, and prosciutto pizza were all excellent. I would even go far as to say that the risotto tasted like one that I would get at Risotteria in West Village: unpretentious and full of flavor; not an over-stirred glue like mess, which is often what is served in Hong Kong. Just make sure they don't undercook the rice, we had to send ours back the first time around, but it came out perfect in the end.

Parma Ham and arugula pizza, very tasty and one of the better pizzas in TST

Spicy semolina cavatelli pasta with clams

Dinner at Al Molo is a lot pricier so try it out at lunch if you're in the Harbour City area.

Doppio Zero.

Since I clearly have an overeating disorder, before I even ate at Fusion Gourmet, located in the same building, I decided to scope out Doppio Zero, a casual bistro serving up fresh pastas by the NYC chef that ran BLT Burger since it's inception in Hong Kong two years ago.

The decor was a bit stark and I felt like I was sitting more in cafeteria than a warm trattoria BUT the food to me saved the day. I only tried two starters and pastas but apart from the calamari spaghetti, everything was delicious. You must come here for their tagliatelle bolognese---it is the BEST one I have had in Hong Kong. I don't often eat fried seafood but the fritto misto was well done as it was cornmeal batter crusted which is a nice change from the tempura style batter we often get. If you're in the Sheung Wan area, check it out for lunch as it's a reasonable value at approximately $100 per head including a starter, pasta/panini, and a drink. The portions are small though so order accordingly.

Located at the Pemberton, Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan