It’s not so much a line as it is a mob. Scores of people—tourists, locals, blind daters, socialites, more tourists—are clinging to the entrance of Yardbird, waiting for their fix of unpretentious, largely un-messed-with skewers of chicken parts grilled over Japanese binchotan charcoal. All you can do is hope against hope that they don’t run out of chicken oysters by the time you get in. If so, a few whiskey-filled highballs will make you forget they ever existed. Old Town Central is packed with the next generation of Hong Kong restaurants—the spots striving for innovation over tradition, and casual-cool over glitz and money. Little Bao is stuffing its signature steamed buns with tempura fish and slinging funky small plates like lamb tartare with tofu chips. At Ho Lee Fook, where dim lighting and a giant wall studded with golden maneki-neko cats makes the space feel like equal parts nightclub and kitschy acid trip, shrimp toast is combined with okonomiyaki to create tour de force munchie food. Conveniently, there’s no shortage of cocktails to soak it all up with. Gin and Yakult, anyone? And if ridiculously impressive digs (just try and count all the chandeliers here) and Peking duck are your thing, there’s no better place in the world than Mott 32.
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Travel