Drag & I: A look at Hong Kong's hottest club, the famous and infamous dragon I

Words: P Ramakrishnan


It bordered on the tragic. She was a well cropped mop of hair, standing next to, what could have very well been, the stunt double from the Incredible hulk, as she requested the bouncer in the private enclave of Dragon-I to let her in.

Hong Kong’ most notoriously hip Chinese dim-sum restaurant by day, that morphs into an über-club at night, Dragon-I has more star dust and celebrity sightings than your average ream of Hello! mag. The place where both the Brazilian and Manchester footballers partied the day before their match in Hong Kong two years ago (much to the chagrin of the managers when they failed to turn up the following day for practice), where Kanye West dined and jived after his one-night only concert, the guardians behind the velvet ropes of the club are to be feared and loved and, as the case was that night, to be genuflected over.

“Please let me in, I’m the friend of the DJ,” she squeals but it can be debated if her pitch reached the ears of the bouncer, four foot above her. The DJ had a name, but it wasn’t the pseudonym that appeared on the gigantic posters littered across the cavernous room. His “real” name was code to let his “real” friends in.

“You’re not on the list ma’am,” says the bouncer in monotone, clearly having seen this song and dance oft enough to know better.

Having graduated from the first round of velvet ropes where “the door bitch” let her in, she was emboldened enough to believe the VIP room was just a matter of conviction over credit… card.

All that fuss as Dragon-I celebrated its fourth anniversary with a host of the who’s who of Hong Kong (with a good dose of ‘who’s that?’ thrown into the mix). And yes, even I was dragged in on behest of the very able event coordinators, the wily minxes who promised free drinks (um, no!) and models teeming about (ah yes!). As the Centrium, apart from housing the club, two bars (the minty new “Solas” and “Waagu”, a pricey Aussie restaurant/bar with excellent wine) was also an aegis for two modeling agencies and a fashionable hair salon.

Oh and need I mention that Mischa Barton and entourage were there too? The 20-year-old OC starlet was expected under a shower of awaiting flashbulbs. Invited by Christian Dior to attend the charity gala premier of Hong Kong Ballet’s latest production, Barton’s mug had dotted every paper and magazine in town all week. As predictable as the social circuit is, bright sparks had long figured out that the young pout would swish into the club once her Dior duties were over. And lo and behold, with the entourage of the luxury brand, with a new outfit (and we believe new boyfriend) in tow, the princess walked in just after the clock struck midnight. Defrocked from her earlier, middling gown, the outfit she donned was far more paparazzi friendly. Still Dior of course.

Caked in like sardines in a vacuum sealed can, the VIP room already had 500 people (around 1,000 invitations were sent out in total but about triple as much lined up), 1000 others in the outer rim, it was a rare sight when the “haves” who didn’t in fact have invites, had to pay an entrance fee to get in. Wonders never cease.

So who else was there apart from the beauteous Barton? Well, the usual harem of luxury brand PRs, the pseudo-celebrities (models, one-pop wonders…) other club owners (from all the major HK clubs like Finds, Drop, Kee etc) who came to wish Gilbert Yeung, owner and famed playboy/partier, the best for the years of unprecedented success.

Hot clubs are a dime a dozen in the concrete jungle and, like organic milk, curdle within a short period of time. Somehow, every few weeks, with the right event, right personality, hype and hooplah, Dragon-I rises from the ashes of tedium and remains Hong Kong’s only place to be obscene and heard.

Dragon-i
The Centrium 60 Wyndham Street
Hong Kong,
Telephone: + 852 3110 1222
www.dragon-i.com.hk

Zuma

Location, location, location. When you’ve got Gucci on one side, The Mandarin Landmark hotel on the other, as we stepped out of the cab, tailing a navy, chauffer-driven Bentley, I knew that the opening night of Zuma was going to be a hot one.

With Nobu being across the pond (its no secret that Hong Kong islanders HATE to cross the ocean to Tsim Tsa Tsui – even if the tunnel ride is but 20-minutes away), Japanese restaurant/bar Zuma’s going to be the new place to be caught by the paparazzi.

Though having unlocked the doors a few days ago, Zuma’s official mega-bash opening was just somethin’ else! With Pansy Ho, eldest daughter and heir-apparent to Asian billionaire Stanley Ho, leading the way, society staples like Mira Yeh (I’m not sure what exactly she does, apart from “being fabulous” as one of the PRs said that night), Hong Kong’s illustrious Indian family, the Harilelas, and the usual faces that litter Hong Kong Tattler and the Forbes rich list attended in full force. With Oscar nominee-Coco Lee (the ϋber-hot chanteuse best known for singing the tracks of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) sauntering in with her latest beau, everything about the evening was coated with stardust. The drinks flowed freely (Crystaaaal no less) at the open bar, but the canapés pirouetted around the duplex restaurant-cum-bar were difficult to reach; they may be in diamonds and mink but send a penguin suit with a tray full of delectables, and suddenly vultures descend.

No idea what the food’s like, but having seen the skeletal socialites clacking their six-inch Manolos up and down the luminous stair-case, perhaps that’s the general idea.

Zuma
The Landmark Atrium
Level 5 & 6
15 Queens Road
Central
Hong Kong
www.zumarestaurant.com


798 Unit & Co


Food editor at South China Morning Post, Susan Jung, once said to me, “Pasta is really cheap,” in her deliciously crisp voice. “So if you go into a great Italian restaurant but the portions are ridiculously small, then it isn’t that great a restaurant.”

To walk into this “open” restaurant at the 12th floor of Times Square (the one in Hong Kong, not New York! This city manages to make copies of famous monikers too), you might get lost trying to find the place as there’s no billboard or sign indicating the name of the restaurant/bar as you step out of the lift. Encased in a glass case, well, glass walls, I hate to reveal this un-hidden gem to anyone; its just so damn good.

The house red is alarmingly affordable and alarmingly good. The simple menu with its succinct selection is reasonably priced (otherwise a contradiction of terms in this city – you can pay HK$92 for a cup of tea if you’re not careful in this dang place) and its complete lack of pretension – be it in its décor, food, service, style – makes it worthy of a Michelin. A great place to sit and munch after work, the ties are loosened under the soft-glow of this new hangout for some severely designer-clad folks (the main offices of many luxury brands are floors above). Where else can you find a HK$6,000 LV belt-clad babe buying a $60 cup of vino?

798 Unit & Co
12/F
Times Square
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong
www.798unit.com
Tel: (852) 2506 0611
Opening Hours: 12-12


Pop Bites


Although I’m deeply suspicious of how long this latest venture will last, Pop Bites, conceived by celebrated Hong Kong restaurateur and designer Calvin Yeung, has a certain buzz going for it, among the esoteric and eccentric folks that trade in urban chic.

In collaboration with dance and music maven Yvonne Siet-Wong and the celebrated spinner/cable TV star DJ Wong Chi Chung, the idea behind the latest eatery/drinkery is to “eat, drink and make merry music” till the cops come home! Which shouldn’t take long, as the old Central Police Station is right across the road from this restaurant/ice-cream parlor/fine wine hub/music & DJ haunt.

A much more sedate alternative to Lan Kwai Fong, which is a sweaty street below, with thematic parties and events (Bjork Nite! Abbey Road evening and so on), this little place is definitely for music lovers, who can chat with the visiting DJs while sipping a fine Merlot from the extensive stock of Yeung’s private collection.

With the lords of folly and follicle (what? You can’t be a DJ with ‘normal’ hair) ambulating about, there’s a vestige of cool (that’s ‘kwl’ for those inclined to text lexicon) in the lair, the air… I just didn’t fit in! Anyhoo…

Its, its… well, for the lack of better word, cute. Ice-creams are labeled Strawberry Fields Forever (a pink berry flavoured dessert), Aloha Paradise (Coconut Almond Fudge Chip) and U2 Rocks (Dublin Mudslide) and so on, there’s soothing mint-tea specially concocted for Pop Bites served on Balinese platters. Stylist Kristin Flanagan once said to me, judge a wine bar by how good their glasses are (apparently they have to be large, voluminous goblet-like crystal and not paper-cups or Ikea samples) so the place got marks immediately for their selection of cutlery and China.

Said Yeung at the opening party, “I wanted a place that was different from others around Central, a place where I myself would like to come and eat – and this is the place where you’ll see me from now on.”

The idea of a harmonious environment – aided with top DJs spinning tunes, a CD station where shoppers can listen to their own selection, a Technicolor video wall, its an entertainment venue as much as it is a restaurant.

Its hard not to be taken in by Yeung’s contagious enthusiasim, “The venue will be a place for creative exchanges”, he says. “We’ll invite pop singers to share their latest work, and we’ll host art-related events. The major difference between Pop Bites and our two previous concepts is that this place offers a channel for people to enjoy creative talents.”

Any place that offers alternatives to the vocal stylings of canto-pop, Aqua (hasn’t the song I’m a Barbie girl died everywhere else? Apparently not in HK clubs) and Bee Gees remix (ok its cool after some… er… herbal electives), gets my hard-earned-dollar.

Pop Bites
Opening Hours: 8:30am till 11pm, daily.
Location: UG/F, No. 3-5 Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong.
Tel: (852) 2525 4141

Eating Out: TGI Friday's: Restaurant Review:

2.5 out of 5 stars. 

At TGI Friday's there's more to be said about the atmosphere than the food but on a Friday night, perhaps that's just what you're looking for. Music, lights, sports, beer and uncomplicated meals that require no explanation. The formula has worked - ever since opening its first store in New York in 1965, it has expanded to 650 branches in 52 countries. It was launched as a singles' bar for the partying 20-somethings from the swinging 60s, but times have clearly changed, even if the furnshings have not.

With balloons, multicoloured fake Tiffany lamps over red-and-white striped tablecloths, walls festooned with relics (some might view them as varnished trash, others, interesting curios) and brightly attired waiters - with suspenders holding big pins - Friday's screeches "theme restaurant", a humble ode for nostalgic Americans yearning for the golden days. \

The menu is huge, but there's nothing that's not available elsewhere - usually at a fraction of the cost. Grilled steaks, seafood, burgers of all kind, fajitas, pastas... it's the place to go to when you don't want any surprises. 

For our starter, my friend and I chose to share the vegetable fajitas ($88), which turned out to be the best dish of the evening. It might sound healthy, but it really wasn't - the fried, mixed chunky veggies (carrots, zucchini, peppers, onions etc) tasted amazing once in the fresh tortillas and smothered with guacamole, sour cream, cheddar cheese, tomatoes and salsa. 

For the main course, my friend chose the Jack Daniel's salmon steak ($168). The ample steak was surprisingly sweet and seemed to have been dippd in mild sugar water rather than Tennessee bourbon. My chicken alfredo ($128), a tasty, sliced grilled-chicken breast on a bed of creamy pasta, was pretty good - definitely more chicken than pasta, although the massive portion bordered on the ridiculous. 

We bypassed their famed Oreo-cookie delight and decided to share the mocha mud pie ($78) - a decadent serving of coffee ice-ream crusted with chocolate crumbs, almond slices and hot fudge. 

Dinner for two came to $620 (10 per cent service charge included). 

4-5 Floor, Oterprise Square, 26 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui 

Tel: 2368 2800 Open: Sunday-Thursday, 11:20am-midnight; friday and Saturday, 11.30am-1am. 

$$$ 

Published in South China Morning Post's short-lived weekly magazine;24/7. This was obviously written when TGIF first opened in Hong Kong. 

All prices in HKD - not to alarm the reader!

Eating Out: Cat Street Cafe: Dino's: Jhankar: Restaurant reviews for 24/7: South China Morning Post

Cat Street Cafe

Cat Street Cafe is split into two sections, the karaoke bar and restaurant. Unluckily, we arrived at 9.15pm - just after the karaoke kicked off and just before happy hour ended. Warbling wannabes screeched Canto-pop at the top of their voices while we sipped pre-dinner drinks that failed to pack a punch ($25 during happy hour, $40 at other times).

After that our waitress couldn't find a wine list, so we looked over laminated strips of paper that constituted the main menu and the waitress indicated which items were "sold out" - most of them.

Our starters arrived, soaked in grease, with shrivelled, shredded onion slices lurking at the bottom of my onion soup ($38). For the main course, we ordered a 10-inch pizza capricciosa ($98), which surprisingly came with pineapple (not listed in the ingredients ), which I am allergic to.

Our grand finale was the steak, with a side order of borderline sauce. The large slab of meat was rubbery, while the accompanying heavily oiled fries and florets of broccoli weren't worth wasting calories on.

Our bill came to $530 for two - a lot of money, considering the quality. At the end of the day, this is more karaoke bar than restaurant.

14-18 Laura Road, Wan Chai.
Tel: 2865 1008. Open:11.30am-3.30pm, 6pm-11pm, karaoke 9pm-late.
$$$

May 18 - May 24, 2001



Dino's

As it's part of the Harbour Plaza Hotel, you might expect this Italian eatery to be an impressive suit-and-tie affair. It's not. The convivial restaurant has two painted circus tents for the ceiling that shade just a few tables, while others are left victim to local weather conditions.

We started off with warm "Mama's minestrone" ($45) while sipping a well-priced red Montepulcianod' Abruzzo ($185 bottle). Olive oil lovers might relish the greasy bruschetta ($45) - warm bread topped with tomato, basil and garlic flavour.

My friend had a creamy roast cod steak ($110), delicious and perfectly cooked, but it came with a few bland potatoes and vegetables devoid of flavour. My Verdure pizza with a topping of grilled seasonal vegetables ($70) was also a disappointment, a textbook creation that tasted too plain. We skipped the deserts on offer 0 tiramisu, panna cotta and frozen sabayon (all $50).

Still, the marquee restaurant is popular - the fantastic view of Victoria Harbour is reason enough to keep Dino's busy. The bill for two came to $594, including service charge.

Address: Harbour Plaza Hotel, 20 Tak Fung Street, Hunghom.
Tel: 2621 3188.
Open: Sun-Thur noon-1am; Fri-Sat noon-2am.
$$$

Jhankar

Jhankar is yet another eatery in the overcrowded streets between Jordon and Yau Ma Tei. Serving mostly south Indian food with a few Thai dishes as well, it's easy to miss as it occupies the second floor of Double Set Commercial Centre, but even on a rain-lashed week night, the restaurant had a good turnout.

It's surprising because the interior isn't impressive; the stained and decrepit carpet, cheesy postcard-plastered walls, garish pink tablecloths and the Christmas-light festooned windows had my friend wanting to head for the exit. But by the end, we were glad we stayed.

We stuck with Indian dishes. A plain naan bread ($10), followed by a buttered one ($12) while we sipped our beers ($18), was a great way to start what became a feast. Our helpful waitress suggested a simple vegetable curry ($35) with the bread. We were glad she did, as it was the perfect accompaniment.

Patience is called for because as the menu indicated, each item is individually made and there's a time lag between dishes. Another serving of bread was in order so we tried the fantastic khurmi naan ($12). Warm and slightly charred, it was filled with garlic, tomato, chilli and served with a spinach yoghurt dipping sauce. It was a finger-licking delight and the highlight of the meal.

The main course - chicken biryani in basmati rice ($35) - was, unfortunately, a bit of an anti-climax. The rice and chicken were dry and bland, so we spiced it up with a delightful chicken korma - boneless meat marinated in seasoned yoghurt and curry ($48).

This is a backpacker's paradise. With generous portions at cheap prices, it's a winner when strapped for cash, starving and craving curry. The total with two beers and two soft drinks came to $149.

Address: 2/f Double Set Commercial Centre, 37a-37b Jordan road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.
Tel; 9206 4134. 

Open: Monday-Friday 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-midnight.
Saturday and Sunday 12.30am-midnight.
$

Eating out: Next River: Restaurant Review published in 24/7 by South China Morning Post

Next River
***

Good Japanese food is a delight, affordable Japanese an event greater one. With Japanese food, you need value for money, not just décor. Next River is surprisingly satisfactory and as “River Salmon Pro-shop” (the other name on the sign) indicates, this is the place for salmon lovers. With about two dozen seats, the tiny sushi bar is easy-to-miss at the World Trade Centre. Without a room or walls there was absolutely no privacy.

As we mulled over the lengthy menu (a degree of repetition of salmon-based options withstanding), a waitress placed two glasses of steaming green tea, in earthenware cups and two small dishes of complimentary appetizers. We dipped our chopsticks into the sumptuous slices of aubergine marinated in a sweet soy and vegetable sauce and covered in bonito flakes. It was love at first bite and we were ready for the main affair.

Not only did the menu describe what was in the food, there were corresponding pictures that made decisions easier. From a long list of standard Japanese delicacies, we opted for the salmon sushi platter. Aesthetically decorated, it offered a few novel twists. There was a buttery avocado slice pasted between the rice and fish, another one of the fresh rolls had a tiny dab of caviar crowning it and yet another was topped with green herbs. We devoured them within minutes, abandoning our chopsticks as we went for seconds with our hands.

For the main course, the “salmon sushi pizza” caught our eye immediately. Expecting a large, crusty pizza base covered in cheese and slabs of salmon, we awaited an east-meets-west horror. However, a long tray with a large, circular heap of orange mush was placed on our table.

We hesitantly bit into what we discovered was a crispy rice cake base topped with bright orange salmon eggs. Scrumptious. We were fooled by the size and thought we should order more, but we couldn’t’ finish the rich pizza.

There wasn’t a large variety of meat (there were one or two beef alternatives and more seafood) or drinks available, but popular Japanese beers Kirin and Asahi were available for $27. Soft drinks were only &17.

Our meal, 10 per cent service charge included, came to $186. For a quick bite of affordable, modern Japanese cuisine, this is a winner.

Shops 421-423, World Trade Centre,
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
Open: 11am – 11pm
$

UPDATE: The place shut a few years ago. } You'll find this note a lot. Legend has it 80% of restaurants in Hong Kong barely make it over a decade. 

Eating out: Restaurant Reviews of Wolf, Jah and others in 24/7 by South China Morning Post

WOLF
****
The arteries behind Mitsukoshi are always teeming as the fashionable and famished spill out of minibuses, taxis and the MTR to shop and dine it the heart of Causeway Bay.

Among the clutter of shops and restaurants, Wolf stands head and shoulders above the riff-raff and kitsch-cuisine. The shutters go up before noon and don’t come down till well after 2am, but the kitchen door closes at 10 when the bar/restaurant drops the suffix and the music turns up a notch… or two.

Mirrored walls give it a “big” look, but this little join seats 20 people at most and this has forced the establishment to provide quality service and attention to loyal clientele. Although I hadn’t been back to the Wolf for a while (the restaurant provides an excellent set lunch for $58), the staff remembered me well enough to quickly give us a table.

For appetizers, my friend Kristin chose the smoked salmon salad with avocado and crab meat ($88), while I opted for the Parma ham and spinach salad ($78). While the fine slivers of ham were quality and the spinach fresh, it was no match for my companion’s salmon salad. We bore no grudges for the extra minute it took to prepare as we wolfed down slices of salmon wrapped around clumps of crab meat and avocado.

For main course, the grilled duck-breast with orange glaze and pesto risotto ($120) was as mouth-watering as it sounds.

My friend had the grilled rare tuna with tomato and mushroom risotto that included two huge chunks of perfectly cooked tuna. It was wonderfully seared, peppery outside and was beautifully red and rare inside. The risotto was an excellent earthy accompaniment.

The small dessert menu was shortened when the waiter mentioned they were out of the blueberry cheesecake ($42), which I was hoping to try. Artfully presented, every dish we had was a delight. Don’t let the slick look, music and lighting of the place fool you into thinking its just a bar, when its so much more.

With a bottle of Penfolds 128 Shiraz ($328) and the obligatory 10 per cent service charge, the bill for two came to $911.

G/f 1 Lan Fong Road, Causeway Bay.
Open: noon – 2am (last orders for dinner 10pm)
$$$

JAH
**

Walking into Jah, the funky new restaurant opposite what was the Yellow Frog on Peel Street, we noticed how small the tables were - a sure sign this place is more about atmosphere than the food. We were told it was a cyber cafe, but with just two terminals in front of the toilets, it's not the most obvious Internet stop.

As the restaurant was promoting its imported Spanish beer, Sol, we tried the two-for-one bottle deal which was pleasing enough, and started our meal with a chicken Caesar salad ($85).

To my mind, a simple dish made well is the mark of a great chef. Clearly we were testing ours. What we got was lettuce leaves completely soaked in dressing, croutons replaced with two large slabs of garlic bread and four little tomatoes.

For the main course we chose a crispy-base pizza with our choice of topping ($85), and a Jah special - sweet and sour sauce on steamed rice, with a choice of pork, chicken or shrimp ($75-$85).

The base on the pizza was great, but the cheese topping smothered the smoked salmon, olives and pepper. The sweet and sour chicken was mediocre.

Dessert was a complete disaster. Chosen from a display case, the chocolate fudge cake had dried out and the apple pie seemed to be straight out of a box. Both proved unpalatable, but the waitress, after seeing the extent of the leftovers, decided not to charge us.

The bill came to $412 including 10 per cent service charge. Tasteful, if not tasty. Wet your lips at Jah, but skip the meals.


G/f, 20-26 Peel Street, Central.
Tel: 2581 1025.
Open: Monday-Thursday noon-1am; Friday and Saturday noon-2am.
$$

UPDATE: Since publishing in the early 2000s, both places have since shut.