Dining news: Leela welcomes Jhol from Bangkok, David Lai collaborates with photographer David Leung for an exhibition, and more
This week’s table leans towards the indulgent, the inventive, and the quietly subversive. There’s talk of rare cuts behind the butcher’s counter, Indian spice crossing borders, and a cheese spread that borders on the excessive.
Even the city’s leftovers are getting a second look, as chefs and diners question what we throw away. The season’s appetite feels restless, hungering for craft, conscience, and a bit of theatre. From smoke to salt to soft cheese and sharper ideas, the conversation at Hong Kong’s tables is only getting richer.
See also: Hong Kong’s newest restaurants to visit in October 2025
Art Meets Appetite
Chef David Lai and artist David Leung bring their creative worlds together for 'By Chance. By Luck'
Leung’s photographic works, printed on folding stools and metal plates, capture Lai’s wet-market finds and smoky charcoal moments
Curated by Sidespace, By Chance. By Luck pairs chef David Lai of Neighborhood with photographic artist David Leung for a cross-disciplinary riff on wet-market finds and charcoal fire, complete with folding-stool installations and a rooftop BBQ that doubles as dinner theatre. Collectors who purchase an artwork can book a 5 to 6-course charcoal-grilled seafood feast. Think market-fresh catch over embers with special desserts by Amanda S, paired with PJ blanc de blanc, Belle Epoque blanc 2015 and three natural wines, on October 31, November 3 and November 5 for HK$1,880. The opening reception at Sidespace – Artist Residency at 4/F, 18 Observatory Road, Tsim Sha Tsui is on October 30, with RSVP by email.
Spice Trade Returns
Leela welcomes Gaurav Gupta of Jhol Bangkok for a two-night coastal Indian takeover
Chef Manav Tuli sets the stage for a two-night takeover celebrating heritage and creativity
Leela is swapping harbours for shorelines this November as it welcomes Bangkok’s Jhol for a two-night culinary exchange from November 9 to 10. Led by chef Gaurav Gupta under the creative direction of chef Hari Nayak, the pop-up brings Jhol’s modern coastal Indian cooking to Hong Kong with a tasting menu priced at HK$988. Expect crisp avocado achu murukku, Bengali-style dim’er devil with caviar and Berhampur fried chicken stuffed and glazed in the restaurant’s signature hot sauce. Larger plates run to ghee roast crab with kanchipuram idli, Alleppey prawn curry with kappa and ghee rice, and a rich Malabar lamb shank with salli and kallappam, before a tropical semiya payasam closes the night. It’s a short but flavour-packed visit from Bangkok’s coast to Hong Kong’s skyline, a two-night holiday in spice and spirit.
The Grand Cheese Extravaganza returns from October 23 to 25, featuring more than 300 selections from Les Frères Marchand
The Grand Cheese Extravaganza returns to the Grand Hyatt’s Tiffin from October 23 to 25 with a spread worthy of its name: over 300 cheeses from Les Frères Marchand, paired with Bakehouse’s cult-favourite artisanal breads. This year’s edition ups the indulgence with a French Charcuterie Corner by Jauffrey Mauvigney, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, showcasing limited-time cold cuts, pâtés, and sausages, including select creations from Maison Loste. It’s a three-day ode to the art of fromage—best enjoyed with a glass in hand and no regrets.
Feeding Hong Kong tackles the city’s food waste crisis with new research showing how confusion over date labels drives daily waste
Feeding Hong Kong is taking aim at the city’s growing food waste problem with a new awareness campaign and recipe series led by chef Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room. The initiative follows research showing that confusion over ‘Best Before’ and ‘Use By’ labels is causing thousands of households to bin perfectly edible food each day, amounting to 3,200 tonnes of waste, or the weight of 213 double-deckers. Lau and a team of local chefs will release practical recipes and tips for using items nearing their ‘Best Before’ dates, turning stale bread into breadcrumbs, freezing milk for later use, and making the most of so-called “ugly” produce. The campaign coincides with Feeding Hong Kong’s latest report, created in partnership with YouGov and Hong Kong University, which calls for clearer labelling and smarter household habits to cut waste and costs alike. The full report and recipe series are available on feedinghk.org, along with resources to help households reduce food waste and save money.
Cuts Above All
Carna’s first Butcher’s Secret Cut: a full-blood Wagyu short rib-eye from Australia
Carna by Dario Cecchini at Mondrian Hong Kong is taking nose-to-tail dining one step further with the launch of its Butcher’s Secret Cut series this October, a four-night showcase of rare, globally sourced beef cuts served in true Tuscan style. Limited to just 10 portions per evening, the series opens with the Full-Blood Wagyu Short Rib-Eye from Australia (HK$1,988 for 1kg), flame-grilled over charcoal and served with bone marrow, smoked eggplant, and beef-infused carrot purée. From October 30, the spotlight shifts to the Australian Pardoo Tri-Tip (HK$788 for 300g), prized for its firm texture and buttery umami depth. Available only on select Thursdays and Sundays (October 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 and November 2, 6, 9), the series honours Cecchini’s philosophy of craft, sustainability and generosity—where every cut tells a story, and no seat stays empty for long.
CarnaAddress: 39/F, Mondrian, 8A Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
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