New Finds In Hong Kong For 2017

Foodies should make a beeline to 12000 Francs, a new French restaurant helmed by chef Conor Beach, formerly of Indonesian restaurant Tri in Repulse Bay. The restaurant is a temple to preserved foods where seasonal menus feature primarily pickled, salted and smoked dishes, including house-made charcuterie, sour dough bread and terrines. The restaurant was named after the cash prize Napoleon Bonaparte offered to anyone who could preserve food best for his army in 1795.

12000 Francs, G/F Elgin Building, 43A Elgin Street, Central, +852 2529 3100, 12000francs.com.hk

Dress to impress and book a table at Cassio – a new Spanish restaurant and lounge concept backed by the cool clubbing crowd behind Dragon-i and Tazmania Ballroom. The menu comprises of tasty Spanish tapas while the focus is, of course, on well-crafted cocktails. There’s a roster of international DJs spinning on different evenings, so pre-plan your date night according to who’s hitting the double decks.

Cassio, 2/F LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central, +852 3792 0129

The latest addition to the Castelo Concepts stable of restaurants – which over the years has brought us Jaspas, Oolaa and Wagyu, to name a few – is Sai Ying Pun's The Winery, serving up a selection of small bites, perfectly accompanied by picks from a drinks list of great wines. Choose from tapas-style dishes that call in influences from around the world – there are California Sushi Rolls, Mr. Fu's Tofu, Texas BBQ Chicken Lollipops, Chicken Tikka Nachos, Bahn Mi Sliders and much, much more.

The Winery, G/F Kwan Yick Building State 3, 271 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong +852 2517 0288 winery@casteloconcepts.com http://www.casteloconcepts.com/our-venues/the-winery

Want more date night finds?

Little Creatures, https://littlecreatures.hk

URA, http://www.urajapan.com/

Plate Culture - New Site To Find Restos, https://plateculture.com/

For families who simply can’t get enough of this bright red crustacean, start with Hungry Lobster’s savoury lobster bisque, then move onto their grilled whole lobster, lobster roll, and lobster pasta for mains. They also have a surf and turf platter if you simply can’t decide. The communal tables and casual, sea-themed interiors make it a hit for families.

Hungry Lobster, Shop 3, G/F, V Point, 18 Tang Lung Street, Causeway Bay, +852 9330 5378, Facebook Page

This new restaurant is kicking butt with its original Kung fu academy theme and a menu featuring classic Cantonese favorites. Junior is sure to be mesmerized by fresh, hand-pulled noodles and you’re bound to enjoy the delicate dim sum and Peking duck surrounded in interiors recalling Old Hong Kong. Conveniently located in Central, be sure to invite the whole gang for a memorable Cantonese meal!

Dragon Noodles Academy, Shop G04, G/F, 68 Des Voeux Road Central, Central, +852 2561 6688, dragon-noodles.com

Grab your novel, some crayons, coloring books and pack up your little one for a fuss-free afternoon at this café. Get your caffeine fix from the newly opened Coffee Academics in LKF, a go-to for specialty coffees for mom and dad, and hot chocolates for the kids. Plus, there’s also a full menu of international dishes, sweet treats and snacks that will satisfy your picky eaters. This location features large communal tables and plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the day.

The Coffee Academics LKF, 24 D’Aguilar Street, Central, www.the-coffeeacademics.com

Want more family-friendly restaurant finds?

Atelier Vivanda, www.ateliervivanda.com.hk

Cali Mex In Sai Kung, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/play/cali-mex-sai-kung

Top Kid-Friendly Restaurants In Hong Kong, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/play/top-kid-friendly-restaurants

Many parents in Hong Kong have searched high and low for a donut shop. Good news, J.CO Donuts & Coffee has arrived bringing with it a delicious culture of pairing premium soft, buttery donuts with quality brewed Italian coffee. Based in Indonesia and already taking Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore by storm, J.CO Donuts & Coffee has made its Hong Kong debut on Hennessy Road, Wan Chai.

J.CO Donuts & Coffee Shop 1 & Shop 2 G/F, 55 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong, +852 6982 8282, hello@jcodonuts.com.hk ,www.jcodonuts.com/hk/

One of our favorite green grocers has opened yet another outpost in Harbour City. Big and bright aisles stocked with organic, 100 per cent plant-based goodies and eco-friendly cleaning and bath products. Their canteen offers a menu of fresh, vegetarian food and comes as a welcomed break from the mall’s other restaurant options.

Green Common Harbour City, Shop OTG61, G/F, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 3102 1220, www.greencommon.com

The new MTR station links the south island to Admiralty and it is officially open. This will help to connect all 18 districts of Hong Kong. The fare for the four-minute journey from Admiralty to Ocean Park will be HK$5.30, while that for the 11-minute journey to South Horizons will be HK$6.70.

MTR, http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/tourist/index.php

Some of our favorites in Wong Chuk Hang:  Click here for the ultimate guide!

A giant fun castle rising to the sky, singing lessons for your kiddos led by a former cast of Disney singers and a cool cafe for parents to chill out and have a latte while they waits… Yes, please! Baumhaus has opened its second location in Harbour City with the same great Kindermusik classes and activities as its original Wan Chai location.

Baumhaus TST, Suite 614-615 Harbour City, World Commerce Centre, 11 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2321 5898, baumhaus.com.hk

For even more options in Tsim Sha Tsui, there’s The Little Gym at Harbour City – a playroom offering a variety of activities for your active tykes. They have Kindermusik classes for parents and babies aged four-months to three years can, meanwhile tots aged 3-6 have a choice of preschool gymnastic classes. Older kids aged 6-12 can choose from advanced gymnastics, karate and dance.

The Little Gym Hong Kong, Suite 601, 6/F, World Commerce Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, +852 2368 8777, www.thelittlegym.com

Want more indoor playrooms for kids?

Top Indoor Playrooms In Hong Kong, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/play/best-indoor-playrooms

Top Government Free Playrooms In Hong Kong, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/play/top-10-public-playrooms-hk

There’s more to Scandinavian design than simply Ikea! And for those who want some bits and bobs to remind them of Northern Europe, they can find the brands and home wares they’re looking for at Lagom, a new Scandinavian home store opened by two Nordic design lovers here in Hong Kong. Think pastel tones and pared-back designs that can easily brighten up any pad, including cutesy designs for your children’s bedrooms.

Lagom, 3/F, 212 Prince Edward Road West, Mong Kok, +852 2295 3122, www.lagom-hk.com

Fab sends top professionals to your desired location so you can look and feel fabulous whenever and wherever. You won’t believe how easy it is! Select the services you want, then enter the date, time, and desired location of your appointment. Perfect for busy moms who need some pampering at home.

FabPro, www.fabprosapp.com/en/how-fab-works

Lots of talk around these programs for kids in 2016 and Hong Kong is offering even more in 2017.  From robots to coding, there are camps, after-school activities, and now many toys catering to this growing trend for learning.

First Code Academy, http://www.firstcodeacademy.com/hello

Coding For Kids, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/learn/coding-classes-kids

To make maternity booking more convenient, Matilda International Hospital has waived the deposit for booking a maternity bed for all maternity patients, effective January 1, 2017.  Apart from waiving the maternity booking deposit and listing maternity packages on the website, the hospital has introduced a maternity price calculator online that enables couples to easily obtain a price estimate of the hospital charges.  (https://www.matilda.org/en/maternity-fee-calculator).

Matilda International Hospital, https://www.matilda.org

UberEATS is a new food delivery platform that makes getting great food from over 100 local restaurants as easy as requesting a ride. Enjoy free delivery on orders of HK $300 or more.

UberEATS, https://about.ubereats.com/en/hong_kong/faq/

Hit the cinema with the kiddos and enjoy some of the hottest blockbusters of the season. Need help finding family-friendly movie theaters? Check out our guide here:  www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/play/best-family-cinemas.

Moana Opens, www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/events/moana-movie-opens-hong-kong

Movie Openings In 2017 For Kids, www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/events/holiday-movies-kids

Getting the kiddos outside to learn more is becoming quite the trend in Hong Kong!  What's more?  There are a number of new schools and outdoor programs to make it easier for parents to get their kids involved.  Wilderness Kindergarten has opened in Kennedy Town, Malvern College is opening their Forest School, and more on the way!

Wilderness International Kindergarten, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/learn/wilderness-international-kindergarten

Malvern College Pre-school, https://www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/articles/learn/malvern-college-pre-school-hong-kong