Duddell’s Club in Hong Kong

We arrived at Duddell’s Club in the early afternoon. Hong Kong’s favourite art-infused boutique food & beverage playground had us licking our chops. That morning the city smiled, blue skies and warm rays of sun as we snapped photos from Victoria Peak. Jaw dropping views of the cities harbour and plunging skyline.

Founded by three of Hong Kong’s most influential young minds who share a deep passion for developing the city’s creative landscape, Duddell’s is a cultural and social destination for people who have an active appreciation for the arts. Duddell’s offers a stylish two floored interior by Ilse Crawford which curates art exhibits and features Cantonese cuisine by renowned Chef Siu Hin Chi. A more glamorous Drake Hotel for those Torontonians that require a frame of reference.

Upon arrival we were whisked to the second floor where I immediately did a wee happy dance through a fantastically decorated dining room and relaxed lounge which spills out onto a 2,200 sq ft garden terrace overlooking the heart of Central. We were joined at the table by Hong Kong’s renowned food blogger Janice Leung the founder of e_Ting who chit chatted with us over lunch about the current state of affairs in Hong Kong’s always evolving restaurant scene. She acted like our Cantonese cuisine spirit guide as each dish arrived at the table, thoughtfully describing each dish as they steamed under our noses.

While the food was one delightful bite after another, I became most fascinated by the spaces attention to detail, artful eye candy. Everyone at the table seemed to develop the same penchant for Duddell’s vintage fashion meets surrealism illustrative coasters. Whenever one of our glasses was replenished a new coaster from the collection was dropped at the table. Chinese bodies dressed to the nines with the head of a fresh flower, vino decanter, hammer and tea pot.

Interestingly enough, just as Ai Weiwei takes the stage in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario, Duddell’s showcases the first ever curated exhibit of the controversial artists work in Hong Kong. The show curated by Ai Weiwei, brings together 13 Hong Kong artists in a conceptual collaboration which reflects the absurdity of HK’s colonial past.

Highlights of our feast included decadent dumplings, melt-in-your-mouth beef with wasabi soy sauce, fried rice with bbq’d honey pork, classic fried noodles with bok choy and spicy singapore rice noodles. A spoonful of sweet almond cream thickened with egg white had us all waddling out the door in a mid-afternoon food coma.

The Feast:

Dim Sum

Fried Beef Cube, Wasabi Soy Sauce

Poached Chinese Kale with Soup

Fried Rice with Barbecued Pork in Honey

Fried Noodles with Bok Choy

Steamed Mushroom Dumpling with Black Truffle

Singapore Rice Noodles

Almond Cream with Egg White