When private kitchens became all the rage in Hong Kong during the long dark days of SARS and a recession at the start of the new millennium, many predicted that these small eateries would fall out of fashion quickly as the economy recovered. However, these doomsayers have been proved wrong as more and better private kitchens such as TBLS and Liberty Private Works continue to open. Here is Asia Tatler Dining’s round-up of the private kitchens which have stood the test of time, as well as some of the new ones that we have fallen in love with.

Gong Guan

While anyone can satisfy their xiao long bao cravings at cheap and cheerful eateries such as Crystal Jade and Din Tai Fung, it is a sad but true fact that the very best Shanghainese food in town is found behind closed doors at members-only clubs such as the Shanghai Fraternity Association. The one exception to this is luckily to be found at Gong Guan, a private kitchen specialising in Shanghainese cuisine in Sheung Wan. Located on the twelfth floor of an unassuming commercial building on Des Voeux Road, Gong Guan consists of private rooms that seat tables of a minimum of eight. The menu is decided on the day depending on what is available and in season, but bring your appetites as the offerings include at least six appetisers, one soup and five hot dishes. There is a minimum spending of HK$350 per person and bookings are required one week in advance.

12/F, Fung Woo Building, 279 Des Voeux Road Central, Sheung Wan. +852 2577-9789.
Ta Pantry

One of the best aspects of going to a private kitchen is the sense of intimacy and cosiness that are missing from even the best of bigger fine-dining restaurants. One of our favourites is Ta Pantry in Wan Chai, a small private kitchen that seats just a single table of up to 10 guests. Ta Pantry is run by chef Esther Sham (whose nickname was Tata as a child), who also moonlights as an intern at the Landmark Mandarin’s Amber once a week. In addition to the dining room, Ta Pantry consists of a small balcony, a living room area, an open kitchen and visitations from her puppy sometimes, adding up to a very homely experience indeed. Chef Sham has four different set menus for dinner, named Japanese, Shanghainese, American and “Le Menu de Luxe”, each offering a different take on traditional French cuisine which range from HK$500-$800 per person. Our favourite dishes include the foie gras tamago custard and a spaghetti topped with uni, both from the Japanese menu.

Flat C, 1/F, Moonstar Court, 2D Star Street, Wan Chai. +852 9403-6430.
Commune Lab

Commune Lab is opened by Robert Spina and Todd Darling (the men behind Posto Pubblico) and manned by executive chef AJ Bellarosa, a gregarious chef who has worked in the best kitchens including Jean-Georges and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in New York. Guests who have dined at Commune may have gawped at the steep prices, especially for a private kitchen, but they also can’t help but be impressed by the dedication and enthusiasm Bellarosa has for his cooking. What we’re also impressed by is the private kitchen’s environmentally responsible attitude. Bellarosa uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients (vegetables are mainly from organic farms in the New Territories) and is disdainful of ingredients whose main selling point are their exotic provenance.

1/F, 28 Elgin Street, Central. Tel: +852 2577-7160. Read our in-depth interview with AJ Bellarosa here.
Red House Macau

While many may think of private kitchens as a strictly Hong Kong culinary experiment, the concept has also spread to our sister SAR, Macau. One of the most famous is Red House Macau, opened by chef Benny, a chef specialising in Japanese cuisine who also has a full-time job in a five-star hotel in Macau. The private kitchen serves both Japanese and French cuisine, using the highest quality produce such as live lobsters and A5 wagyu beef from Australia and white pearl oysters from France. Due to the fixed date of these jet-fresh deliveries, the Japanese menu is only available on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday while the French menu is available on weekends and public holidays. Red House is open only to one party (from 10 to 20 people) per night and guests can only choose from either the Japanese menu (MOP400 and up) or the French one (MOP 430 and up, includes an appetiser, a soup, a meat or seafood main, a pasta and dessert). The private kitchen is open from 5pm until midnight and guests are encouraged to make themselves at home and take full advantage of the karaoke machine, Nintendo wii and mahjong tables.

109-C B, Avenida Conselheiro Ferreira de Almeida, Macau. Tel:+853 6633-6033
TBLS

Opened by Vietnamese-American chef Que Vinh Dang, previously of Duke’s Burgers, TBLS – short for tablespoon – is a small intimate private kitchen that offers comfort food, taken to haute cuisine levels. The dining room only seats about 15 guests and like the best private kitchens, there is no a la carte options, only a tasting menu of what the chef feels like preparing that month. The open kitchen also allows plenty of interaction between guests and the friendly chef, making the whole experience akin to a dinner party. Some of our favourite dishes from the ever-changing menu include the bacon and egg risotto with smoked bacon and a poached organic egg; and the apple and caramel dessert of a cinnamon and apple financier with salted caramel ice-cream. Fans of TBLS’ desserts will be pleased to hear that there is currently a rumour going around about a sister dessert restaurant, TSP (short for teaspoon), opening soon.

7/F, 31 Hollywood Road, Central. +852 2544-3433. Closed on Sundays. Read our full review here.