[Ethereal]

We are moving to HK by the end of Aug and are going to live in Taikoo.
Since HK is new to us, wanted to know if someone can give us a general idea how that area is to live in. We booked in a hurry.

Are there any restaurants that offer good food at reasonable prices? Any breakfast bistros? We went into a couple of chinese eat-outs there cos we like Chinese food but we could barely order anything as the menu was only in Cantonese!

One more question - any nice bars in Taikoo that offer draught beer?

[stargirlshines]

I would divide Taikoo into 3 smaller areas

1) Taikoo Place.
Pubs, restaurants, eateries.
Hehehhe... so no worry abt draught beer. Check out East End Brewery which has the same parent company as Inn and Out in causeway bay. Check out their food menu and specials too... I like their nachos :P Also, there is free flow of peanuts and u can throw the shells freely on the floor... (big thing for me cos i m fr singapore where littering anywhere means a fine!!! hehehee )

Other pubs are Cafe Einstein (happy hours fr 5-8pm, buy 1 get 1 free for beer and house pours) and Thai Orchid. If you prefer to drink at home, then u can visit Watson wine cellar near the pubs and get your own wine For cigars, there is a private cigar shop in 1 of the buildings nearby where u can hv a puff in private.

the crowds are mainly the pp working in the area which includes offices for Citibank and PCCW... So food is mainly more for westerners.. like grappa, pizza express, pret a manger, cova cafe etc... Of there are chinese restaurants too (with english menu!) like Choi wan Hin (on the 2nd floor of the citibank building), Crystal Jade Kitchen and a nice Vietnamese restaurant next to Crystal Jade.

2) City Plaza and Jusco
The malls... CityPlaza is a huge mall with local + western brand names and also has nice restuarants and foodcourt. they also have a japanese supermarket UNY that also sells some western produce. And if you like to ice-skate, you can also do so in CityPlaza! Yea, tht's how big CityPlaza is! Jusco is a japanese supermarket + department stores. There is also a japanese bookstore within the department.

*** Interesting that taikoo is such a big neighbourhood, there isn't that many bookstores. there is 1 Commericial Press in Kornhill (mainly chinese books), 1 magazine store in CityPlaza and the other is jap bookstore in Jusco. Dun place high hopes on the neighbourhood library for english books... So the nearest bookstore would be Pageone at times Square, causeaway bay.

3) Soho East
It a stretch of pubs and restuarants near the harbour where u can enjoy al fresco dining and the seabreeze. People also go there or a jog/ walk cos there is a big park in the nieghbourhood. There is also a film archive nearby to go for old movies...

In a nutshell, Taikoo is a cool neighbourhood if you like to stay in a residential area. If you like partying, then LKF is where all the actions is!

Hope you would enjoy TaiKoo as much as I do!

[Ethereal]

Oh my God! You are one hell of an organised informant. I think I am going to like it there, and I am so restless to move to HK. Thank you!
That's so many things to explore. Since I'm not really an every-night-want-to-party kind of person, Taikoo sounds just great. It would be nice to sometimes walk over to a pub in complete casuals, is all. So the bars you mention sound fine.
LKF is fun to party but Im not sure living there wud be fun.

We should meet up in Taikoo sometime next month.

[ashzz]

Hello Stargirl

Where is this East End Brewery? Sounds very interesting if its like inn side out of Causeway Bay.

I have to check this one out.... let me know pls...

cheers...ash

[Netfiend]

East End is in Quarry Bay ...
On or arnd Ho Wan Street ..

[freeier]

get out of quarry bay mtr station from exit A i think (the exit you can see from the turnsile), turn right walk maybe 30m and u get to see a crossing to the other side the road. cross the road and u wld be at a hsbc bank/petrol station junction. just walk into the street with the hsbc bank.

keep walkin in and u will see the few restaurants gave by starger.

[PhilE]

Can't miss the EEB - come out of QB station, cross the road, walk down past Taikoo Place (corner with HSBC) and its about 1/2 way down on the left. You'll recognise it as the pub with the peanut shells all over the floor Cafe Einstein has tables outside though and the happy hour mentioned above.

Stargirlshines - great post. Never knew about Soho East - will have to check it out.

[Netfiend]

I have already decided that Taikoo is where am gonna be after my current lease is over

Can LKF shift towards Taikoo ?

[freeier]

try grand promenade or le sasson..
away from the big cramp at taikoo, near the sea, just beside the relax soho east, within walking distance/shuttle bus services to taikoo mall...

u even have one or two pubs around i think... at soho east.

[TaLL|dUdE]

very informative stargirlshines!

must check out those places