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The Sassy Mama Guide to Christmas Dinner in Hong Kong: Eating In

EatPost Category - EatEatChristmasPost Category - ChristmasChristmas

The countdown to Christmas is well and truly on, and while we all know those people who prefer to decamp to a sunny beach, we think that to abscond from the crazy Hong Kong social whirl would be to miss the spirit of the whole thing!

So whether you’re planning something small with just the family, or a larger celebration with friends, Sassy Mama has festive eating in covered from starters to dessert (with a tipple or two too!) with our one-stop guide for Christmas Dining At Home in Hong Kong!

TURKEY & ALL THE TRIMMINGS
Unlike other cities where people’s kitchens tend to be larger, Hong Kong apartments don’t always lend themselves to cooking a super-sized bird… But that’s where our fabulous hotels and online delivery services come in, as most offer ready-prepared birds with all the trimmings, hard-to-find gourmet festive treats and organic veggies delivered direct to your home. Here’s our pick of the bunch!

The Hotels

christmas turkey The Mandarin Cake Shop hk

The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
The Mandarin Cake Shop, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2825 4008
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Hong Kong’s beloved landmark doesn’t disappoint when it comes to food. Locals in the know order their pre-cooked Christmas turkeys plus extra trimmings, while joints of honey-glazed ham, Christmas pudding, rose petal jam, and every bakery treat known to mankind complete their festive lineup.

When: Just remember to order 3 days in advance.

Four Seasons Hotel
8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, 3196 8708
The glitzy glamour gal of Hong Kong hotels has so many delicious goodies from the kitchens of Caprice, Lung King Heen and the Lounge on offer, that it’s hard to know where to start! Alongside turkey complete with all the trimmings, ham and Nordic salmon, we’ll be picking up winter nougat, Galette des Rois, festive jam and mulled wine spices. Yum!

When: All items need to be ordered 48 hours in advance.

Island Shangri-La
Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2820 8551
With roast Vermont turkey in two sizes, honey-glazed ham and a wide selection of holiday hampers, the ‘Shang’ more than covers Christmas. Hampers are bursting with homemade Christmas stollen, cookies and chocolates, plus other goodies such as caviar, nuts, black truffle paté and champagne.

When: Last date to order 23 December 2013. Last date to order turkey and ham, 31 December 2013.

The Langham
Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, 2375 1133
The Langham offers everything you need for a feast at home, with huge turkey-to-go menus plus plenty of side dishes. Sassy Mama will be picking up winter nougat, Galette des Rois, festive jam and mulled wine spices!

When: 48 hours advance booking is required.

homegrown foods hong kong

The Internet

Homegrown Foods 2671 2771
Why not get your veggies this holiday season from local organic farms? Select individual vegetables, or choose a basket plan for regular delivery.

Golden Goose Gourmet 2372 0981
Run by James Fortier (the former General Manager of Morton’s Steak House at the Venetian Macau), Golden Goose boasts not only turkey, spiral cut ham, French duck breasts, sausages and sage stuffing, but also prepared foods, herbs and spices, sauces, vinegars and wines and champagnes.

Il Bel Paese 2868 1300
For those of you who perhaps don’t go in for a full-on English or American style Christmas, this is the place to pick up cheese, pasta, sauces and condiments and cured meats.

Jett Foods 2428 7832 or 2428 7891
A whole turkey, prime cuts of USDA beef, organic chicken, Spanish Duroc pork, New Zealand lamb and even all the herbs and spices you’ll need to go with them, Jett Foods has you well and truly covered for a meat feast!

Meatmarket 8135 1394
Meatmarket have a wonderful selection of meats for those who don’t want to do turkey this Christmas. Ham comes either cooked or uncooked, while they are also one of the few places offering duck, goose, quail and a variety of game including venison.

Pacific Gourmet 2137 9985
Get clicking on Pacific Gourmet for super-fresh Aussie and Norwegian imported meat and seafood, as well as a good selection of turkey, stuffing and ham. Delivery times vary – check out the detailed delivery page for all the info.

South Stream Seafoods 2555 6200
South Stream Seafoods specialise in jet-fresh imported fish and shellfish, all safely produced and minimally packaged to offer the most sustainable possible alternative to store-bought fish. But there’s more here than the catch of the day – they have turkeys too, as well as smoked meats and an organic selection that includes milk and cheese.

Tai Tai Pie Pies 2413 8877
These are Sassy Mama’s go-to pie guys! While pies are more traditionally associated with Thanksgiving, we love Chef RJ’s homemade recipes and his Christmas mincemeat bites are just perfect for the holiday season. All pies are made to order so allow at least 2 days from your order for delivery.

Tenderloin Fine Foods 2877 2733
For beautiful terrines, hard to find cheeses, caviar, lobsters and speciality sausages, this is the ultimate in fine Christmas food.

The Supermarkets


city'super christmas turkey hong kong

We know that supermarkets from back home are the things people new to our city often miss the most… But you can find everything here in the ‘Kong! Often it’s just knowing where to go; just remember to note that different delivery charges apply.

City’super
See all locations here2429 8588
Offering turkeys, hams and seafood, as well as hard-to-find speciality foods from around the world, they have the most wonderful party sets, making eating in with a crowd super easy. Hampers galore and personalised wine round out their offerings.

Great Food Hall
Basement, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong, 2918 1366
Loved for its wonderful cheese counter and party foods, Great has just about everything you could ever want for a Christmas feast. There’s traditional whole turkey sets, festive glazed ham plus savoury canapés, cheese and antipasti platters, sweet treats and loads of Christmas hampers to choose from.

Oliver’s The Delicatessen
Shop 201-205, 2/F Landmark Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong, 2810 7710
For years, Christmas food shopping in Hong Kong meant a trip to Oliver’s! Aside from the traditional turkeys, the store is stocked with every festive food imaginable and offers a large selection of smoked salmon, Boston lobster, Scottish crabs, traditional German cookies, plus an extensive international range of alcoholic beverages such as champagnes, wines, whiskeys, ports and liqueurs.

When: You must order before 18 December. Christmas opening hours are: 16-24 December 2013, 7am- 9pm; 25-26 December 2013, 8am-8pm.

Park N’ Shop, Wellcome & Marketplace by Jasons
See all Park N’ Shop locations hereWellcome locations here, Marketplace locations here
You already know what these guys sell! Stock up on essentials, fresh food, frozen goods, snacks, drinks… the list is endless. We suspect we’ll get most of our Christmas groceries here.

The Speciality Stores


Classified_Christmas Hampers 2013_Merry Christmas

Classified
See all locations here; order online here or email [email protected]
The Press Room Group have come up with five epicurean country-themed festive hampers featuring gourmet delights from different countries across Europe. From traditional treats to modern delicacies, you can pick English, French, Italian or Spanish-themed goodies – and best of all – a hamper with a bit of everything if you can’t decide!

Le Canale d’Or
Email [email protected] or call 6186 2564 for enquiries
These homemade traditional French caramelised cakes are tailor-made to be eaten at this time of year. Florence Lamarlere’s bakery not only offers her regular flavours – vanilla/rum, Mediterranean orange zest/liquor and Irish coffee/whiskey – but they’ll also be creating gingerbread versions for the holiday season… definitely something the grown-ups can enjoy round the tree! Available in a few sizes, including cocktail sets of 24.

Marks & Spencer
See all locations here
Any displaced Brits or dedicated Anglophiles should make a beeline for M&S this Christmas. In addition to a range of stuffed-to-the-brim Christmas hampers, you can also pick up traditional Christmas puds, mince pies, brandy butter, chocolate boxes, biscuit selections, advent calendars… and of course, some festive Percy Pig offerings too!

Ms B’s Cakery
39 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2815 8303

This bespoke cake shop has cornered the market in exquisite cakes that taste as amazing as they look. Their famous apple cinnamon chiffon concoction, the Poinsettia Christmas cake and the chestnut cream Chester cake will be on offer again this year, alongside some delish red velvet Christmas cakelettes with themed Christmas toppers.

When: Orders should be placed 3 days in advance and will be available from the beginning of December.

Pierre Herme Paris
See all locations here
“The Picasso Of Pastry” is offering some gorgeously-packaged special Noël boxes of macarons, plus will also be launching a whole load of new seasonal flavours for December. Chocolate and foie gras? Candied chestnut cream? Lemon and gingerbread? Sounds good to us!

Robuchon Bakery
Shop 315, 3/F, The Landmark, 16 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong, 2166 9088
This is the place to buy your croissants for breakfast and French bread for your cheeseboard, while their traditional French Log Cakes (Bûche de Noël) are to die for.

Sim’s Sweetshop
To order, email [email protected]
Who isn’t a fan of the retro sweeties found in huge jars at Bookazine or inside kids’ party bags? Sim’s Sweetshop has Christmas all covered with advent calendars, multipacks of British chocolates and all the retro favourites that make perfect stocking fillers or sweet treats over the holidays.

VERO
To order, call 2559 5838 or email [email protected]
Chocoholics, look no further than VERO for some lipsmacking holiday hampers – they even do customised boxes if you get in touch!

relish kitchen catering hong kong

The Caterers
Planning a big pre-Christmas party? We say – hand over the reins (and washing up) to someone else, thanks very much!

Relish Kitchen
3481 1924
Relish is a firm favourite of Sassy Mama. The talented team under the guidance of the gorgeous Taryne Hall can prepare each canapé on site, or you can try their drop-off service (which makes you look good!). Festive canapés include Stilton and onion confit oatcake with pear relish, beetroot gravlax with gluten-free zuchini bread or roast turkey with relish on hazelnut and sage bread pudding. Visiting friends? Their homemade tomato chilli jam, blood plum and balsamic, pear and raisin relish, green tomato chutney, beetroot and apple or pink peppercorn dukkah make fabulous hostess gifts.

Pomegranate Kitchen
2580 0663
Maria Bizri’s Pomegranate Kitchen is another caterer we know and love. Famous for her take on the flavours and aromas of the Mediterranean, combined with the scents and spices of South Asia and the Orient, we can’t wait to see what’s on her menu this holiday season, especially as they are catering The Space’s pop-up Rudolph Room!

Go Gourmet
2530 3880
The catering arm of Chef Lori’s private kitchen Magnolia, Go Gourmet will make sure your festive bash is as stress-free as possible. In addition to turkeys (try the special Magnolia turkey that comes rubbed with Cajun spices), hams and pies, they’re also selling fantastic canape box options for a super quick and easy way to get the party started. Contact them directly for minimum order charges and last pick-up dates.

Gingers
2964 9160
Gingers have got a whole range of different Christmas packages available to suit your needs this season, including full-on Christmas dinners, buffets (where a chef comes to finish off the meal and present it your guests!) and cocktail party options.

Delicious
2559 0144
Take your pick from festive menus like Christmas canapés, a sit-down dinner, a Christmas barbeque (including a hog roast!), office parties or even junk trips!

ETC wine

THE DRINKS
What would the holiday season be without something to drink? Be it mulled, sparkling or crisp and cold wines, or interesting craft beers – these stores stock an extensive selection of your favourite holiday tipple.

 Adelaide Cellar Door 18A Gee Chang Hong Centre, 65 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Hong Kong, 2526 0151

 Americraft Imports See all stockists here

 The Bottle Shop The Bottle Shop, GF, 114 Man Nin Street, Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong, 2791 1600

• Cellarmaster Wines 3191 2000

• The Crush Wine Store 6100 0852

 Etc Wine Shops Champagne etc, 19 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 2568 2009
; Bordeaux etc, g01, Leighton Centre, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, 2567 2009
; Burgundy etc, Unit 404, 4/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, 2812 2009

 The Flying Winemaker G/F-U/F, 31 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2522 2187

 Hopleaf See all stockists here

• SIGNATURE French Wines 3127 5677

 Soho Wines & Spirits 49 Elgin Street, Soho, Central, Hong Kong, 2525 0316

 Watson’s Wine Cellar See all locations here2606 8828

 Winerack 3484 8454

And finally, don’t forget to…

Candles
Create the look
Christmas entertaining is all about creating a feeling of abundance. Groupings and clusters of one item makes a stylish impact, so hundreds of tea lights in votives, baubles of varying sizes or multiple mini trees on tables all look great. It’s also lovely to have a Christmassy scent in the home too; try The Candle Company on Lyndhurst Terrace(free delivery on orders over $700), while Diptyque and Lane Crawford carry more expensive selections. For a homemade seasonal aroma, simmer a saucepan of water and cloves on the stove… or use the excuse to mull some wine! And don’t forget to check out our bumper Christmas decor round-up for even more ideas.

Pinata

Have a party trick or two up your sleeve
Who isn’t a fan of piñatas (especially after a couple of mulled wines)? This fun-filled game packed with sweet treats will really get the party going once the festive spirit has kicked in! Piñatas are easy to make, and you can fill them with fun prizes and Christmas-themed goodies for a laugh (the kids are sure to love it!). Alternatively, ready-made ones are available at Toys R UsP.S. Check out some of celeb party planner James Gordon’s insider tips and tricks here for making your bash go with a bang!

Create your festive playlist
You’ve got to admit, Christmas tracks are cheesy – but that’s what makes them so great! Sassy Mama is a big fan of old-fashioned Christmas soundtracks such as Bing Crosby (who doesn’t love his Little Drummer Boy duet with David Bowie?), Christmas with the Rat Pack, as well as 80s classics. So when throwing a festive party make sure you have compiled a lengthy playlist! No time to play DJ? Get the experts to do it for you – most DJs will come up with the perfect playlist to soundtrack your party.

Surprise your guests with a going-home present
This is where you can be creative, with homemade mince pies or Lebkuchen cookies. Make sure the items are beautifully packaged and personalise them if you have time. Try paper bags, hand stamped and tied with ribbon for a memorable gift.

That’s it mamas! We’re all worn out, so are off to sit down with a mulled wine and a mice pie! Happy Christmas planning!

 

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