7 of the best places to eat in Sheung Wan

Aside from its hip Cat Street location, Blue Supreme, which only opened in December 2017, stands out for its food and beer – live and bottle-conditioned beers only. Both given equal attention, every dish on the constantly changing menu of new American cuisine is expertly paired with an excellent and interesting beer. The food is also excellent, creative, and fine dining quality. 

The talented chef in charge, Leonard Cheung understands flavours, and his impressive fine dining background, including Bo Innovation and Eleven Madison Park, is obvious with each delicious plate. A standout, sure to be on the soon-to-be-launched brunch menu was the buttery, crème fraîche-rich, soft scrambled egg served with salmon roe and crispy prosciutto. Others include Hokkaido scallops served with a trio of spring greens, vibrant spring green purée and a lemon verbena dashi, the decadent duck confit burger with fennel and pomegranate salad, and the inspired beetroot dessert with its marigold milk and oil.

ChaChaWan is a lively, intimate restaurant, as you would expect from a bustling Thai street food spot. It focuses on the regional cuisine of Isaan, in northeast Thailand, and its flavours are authentic. The restaurant is known for its intense flavours and sour, salty and spicy dishes, such as larp moo – an enticing mix of chopped pork, pork skin, shallots, spring onion, mint and coriander with a spicy sour dressing. The dish is served with crisp, cold lettuce leaves that negate some of the heat. Another highlight was the yam hua plee – a banana blossom salad with chunky prawn pieces that were perfectly cooked and combined well with lime, mint, coriander, garlic, coconut milk – and chilli with a sweet and sour dressing served with deep-fried perilla leaves. The khao pad, fried rice with lashings of tender crab was also good. 

Exquisite, sums up the fare at UMI, a 10-seat Omakase restaurant with master sushi chef, Yukio Kimijima, at the helm. This fourth-generation sushi chef selects sensational seasonal seafood at its peak, preparing each individually. The focus is on traditional Edomae sushi with a tasting menu that changes daily. Standouts include the truffle rice, made from aged rice, and tender baby squid brought to life with a vibrant combination of yuzu and miso. 

Ten sushi followed, each a delicate preparation that involved measured fresh wasabi and creative sauces painted on seafood with a gentle hand. Every bite enjoyable, and each a testament to skill and freshness. A signature is the indulgent trio of tuna that ends with fatty tuna, so flavourful and as decadent in the mouth as wagyu steak. A generous uni hand roll, clam miso and house-made pickles complete the show, with a sensational strawberry mochi and matcha chocolates for dessert.

OKRA is two restaurants, the Kitchen a buzzing and quirky sake bar that serves Japanese-inspired sharing plates and Bar (upstairs) all hushed tones, white tiles, and the meditative slicing of seafood by urbane chef, Max Levy. He presents his view of Japanese cuisine at this Omakase restaurant that serves eight. While all items – menu changes daily – have roots in traditional flavours and Omakase presentation, many have a modern ethos.