Cocktails @ The St. Regis Bar [The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central], Macau

Last month we flew my mum over to Hong Kong for a week, for a well-deserved break from caring for my dad full-time. We spent a weekend in Macau, because it had been her unfulfilled wish since she first visited us in HK about five years ago. We brought our capable nanny along to help with the kids, and each night after we put the kids the bed - a long process with three kids that involved older sibling(s) waiting for the younger sibling(s) to fall asleep before they could enter their room for their bedtime(s) - hubby and I would drop my mum off at a casino for a couple of hours while we enjoyed some drinks at a nearby bar. We were based in Cotai Central, and the first thing that I was surprised at was the lack of bars in the vicinity. On the first night, we went in search for The St. Regis Bar because I'd seen an advertisement card on the hotel room table, and it turned out to be a lovely experience. It was nicer than the only bar at The Venetian we went to on the following night. We liked the selection of cocktails available at The St. Regis Bar, and the atmosphere was more cozy and intimate than at Spirito Lounge in The Venetian. The drinks were delicious and beautifully presented, and the prices are far lower than in Hong Kong. Service was super-friendly too!

This was brought to our table shortly after we ordered, and it was unstacked to reveal more snacks:

How cool is that container!

St. Regis New York claims to have invented the Bloody Mary in 1934, and each St. Regis has its own version of the Bloody Mary. All versions are available here, and I ordered Macau's version, Maria do Leste (Mary of the East) which has tomato juice spiced with cinnamon, black vinegar, pink peppercorns and black pepper. Mini bottles of Grey Goose vodka, tabasco sauce, lemon and additional spices were served on the side to add your own touches. I loved it!

The Mario do Leste Bloody Mary also came with a chorizo and a savoury egg tart for a Macanese flair:

Hubby's first drink was the Ammolite - Scotch whisky , ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and homemade oolong syrup. Whipped cream and oolong tea leaves were served on the side:

Second drink was Citrine - gold rum infused with mints, fresh pineapple, pineapple juice. Such a bright and refreshing drink, and so easy to drink:

The St. Regis Bar is worth a visit if you're in the area in search for some evening drinks, especially for Bloody Mary fans.

The St. Regis Bar [The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central]
Level 1
The St. Regis Macao
Estrada Do Istmo. S/N, Cotai
Macau
Tel.: +853 8113 3700

Date night @ OZONE [Ritz-Carlton], Hong Kong

Hubby and I had a bit of a fun date night recently, at Ozone in the Ritz Carlton, which is literally next door to us, making it a lazy but fancy choice. We hadn't been out on a date night for a while, so we decided to splurge a little - staying out a little longer, spending a little more. Both of us noticed Skyline Cocktail on the drinks menu, and while hubby was interested in the mix - Zacapa 23 Years, Absinth, Imperial Oolong Syrup, Pink Grapefruit, Lime Juice, Dom Perignon Foam, Chocolate Stones and Apple Wood Smoke - I must admit that the first thing that stood out to me was the hefty price. Being a bar at the swanky Ritz, everything at Ozone is generally quite a lot more expensive, but the Ozone signature cocktail, the Skyline (HK$295!), has to be the most expensive I have ever seen. It was also prepared with a certain flair and finesse, no doubt mostly for the visual benefit of those who order it (watch this cocktail process video to get an idea of how it's made). After a brief discussion with hubby, we decided to give it a try, with no special occasion to celebrate other than the fact that we'd put the kids in bed and we were out without the kids at the highest bar in the world.

The smoker dome being lifted off:

I really liked the smokey flavour in the foam. An easy cocktail to drink:

Hubby's Choc Negroni (HK$188) was also delicious:

OZONE
118th Floor
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
International Commerce Centre
1 Austin Road West
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel. +85 2 2263 2263

ZUMA experience menu @ Zuma, Hong Kong

Last month, hubby had to go to New York for a work trip for two weeks, which was a long period of separation for us. The last time we were separated for a lengthy period was almost nine years ago, when we had to work in two different parts of Japan for two months. This particular trip would have meant three weekends without going out on a date as a couple without kids (weekly dates are very important for married couples with kids - take it from someone married for more than a decade!). On the Friday before his trip, we went out for a dinner date to Zuma, which had launched a new izakaya-style tasting menu called the ZUMA experience (HK$490 per person). Any excuse to return to Zuma again! Although we've been to Zuma twice before, this was our first time in the lounge upstairs from the restaurant dining area. The lounge had a different atmosphere to the dining area below, one that is decidedly more for grown-ups - great for after-work drinks, friends meet-ups and dates (i.e. no kids!). It was nice to connect with my husband after a long week, and before a long separation. And the food was delicious!

Zuma lounge:

Seared beef with yuzu kosho-ponzu. Quite nice with the zesty and slightly spicy citrus sauce:

Seared salmon with lime shiso and soy sauce - I loved the little crunchy balls that gave a lovely textural contrast to the creamy salmon flesh:

Tokusen nigiri sushi and hamachi (yellowtail) roll - sushi and sashimi are exceptional at Zuma, and these were of excellent quality:

Asparagus with wafu dressing and sesame:

Australian spicy beef tenderloin, sesame and sweet soy sauce:

Black cod wrapped in hoba leaf - this was no doubt hubby's favourite course (black cod is his favourite fish). Succulent and fresh cod with a lovely soy sauce-based marinade:

Matcha banana cake with coconut ice cream and peanut toffee sauce:

Vanilla pudding with Japanese clementine, pomelo and rice cracker:

Zuma has yet to disappoint. We'll no doubt be back!

[The price quoted above does not include the 10% service charge.]

Zuma
Level 5 & 6
The Landmark
15 Queen's Road
Central, Hong Kong
Tel. +852 3657 6388

Date night @ Sevva, Hong Kong

As I mentioned recently, hubby and I are making more of an effort to go out on our scheduled date nights. Scheduling regular date nights seems so planned and non-spontaneous, but such is the life of a couple with kids. We've had to postponed a few dates in the last couple of months due to super early wake-ups by the kids, but for the most part we do try to go out and have fun even if it does mean accumulating more sleep deficit (I had long since given up on even trying to catch up on lost sleep, maybe five years ago!). On a recent Friday night, hubby brought me to Sevva, a cool and chic restaurant and bar on the 25th floor of the Prince Building. The main draw of Sevva is the breathtaking 360-degree view of the harbour and the city, and the city lights were so pretty at night. I'm sure there is quite a different vibe during daylight hours, and I do intend to revisit to try out Sevva's famous Afternoon Tea. We only had drinks, so I cannot comment on the food. (Please don't mind the quality of my phone camera.)

A welcoming mural art to greet people as they step off the lift on the 25th floor. A cake cabinet full of beautiful sweets (in the background of the photo) is adjacent to the lift:

On the terrace, we could enjoy sweeping views of the harbour (visible also is the ferris wheel and the Great European Carnival):

And views of the cityscape with sparkling lights:

We both got Sevva custom-designed cocktails to sip and chat. Hubby ordered the Kama Sutra, a sweet and sour cocktail with fresh passion fruit, mango and lime with dark rum. I got Sex In The City, a pink sangria with slices of fresh fruit. Both were yum, and handsomely priced at HK$168 each:

Sevva is definitely one to save for special occasions or out-of-town visitors

Sevva
25th Floor
Prince's Building
10 Chater Road
Central, Hong Kong
Tel. +852 2537 1388