Perched high on the 25th floor of a towering skyscraper, Sevva (25/F, Prince's Building, Central, tel 2537 1388), is the hottest place in town for sunset cocktails and tapas, where a glittering fashionista crowd gathers on the penthouse terrace as millions of lights illuminate the skyline. This is the perfect introduction to 21st-century Hong Kong Island, with its chic gourmet restaurants, funky clubs and haute couture boutiques. But the island brims with unique contrasts, and far below, down on the streets, you can jump on to the antiquated tramway and travel back to a world of exotic food markets, mystical medicine shops, bustling street stalls and hole-in-the-wall eateries that has hardly changed in a hundred years.
The tram, known nostalgically as "Ding Ding" to locals, is ideal for a colourful hop on/hop off culinary tour. First stop should be Causeway Bay, by the Sogo department store on Hennessy Road. Escape the hubbub and disappear down a quiet sidestreet, Jardine's Bazaar. Here is a buzzing, traditional wet market and a host of specialist restaurants such as Mak's Noodle (44 Jardine's Bazaar, 2895 5310), where both local afficionados and international celeb chefs like Anthony Bourdain squeeze in for the famed wonton noodles and beef brisket soup.
The tram then moves into Wan Chai, once home to the saucy World of Suzie Wong, today transformed into the island's hippest neighbourhood. Amid all the bright, modern architecture stands a wonderfully preserved 1888 heritage building, originally a pawn shop. The name is the same, but The Pawn (66 Johnston Road, 2866 3444), is now a hot restaurant, with luxurious colonial-style salons and a Brit chef serving tasty dishes such as veal liver, mash and bacon, or spotted dick with custard.
If you don't feel like a fix of comfort food, then on the ground floor a completely different dining experience awaits in the elegant Ovologue (2527 6088), owned by interior designers who complement creative Chinese cuisine with avant garde Asian art. One address in Wan Chai that has never changed or followed trends is Fook Lam Moon (35 Johnston Road, 2866 0663), which locals insist is one of the finest classic Cantonese restaurants in town, where many of today's famous chefs have started out in the kitchen.
The tram is soon weaving between the skyscrapers of Central district, the financial, fashion and fun capital of Hong Kong Island. During the day, wander past the antique shops and cool art galleries on Hollywood Road, take in a dim sum lunch at Maxim's City Hall in the shadow of Norman Foster's landmark HSBC Building and IM Pei's China Bank, but save some energy for the nightlife which kicks off with early evening cocktails.
Begin in the bright lights of the Lan Kwai Fong quarter, maybe a frozen vodka in the ice room of Balalaika (2312 6222), then grab the moving escalator to the Mid-Levels, which zips you up to SoHo, a Bermuda triangle of bars and clubs that will keep you out till the early hours.
Like the tramway, the Peak Tram is a throwback to another age, as this ancient funicular climbs up to the highest point on Hong Kong. From here, the views unveil a panorama of the island, stretching to the sandy beaches at Repulse Bay, historic Aberdeen harbour and the famous market at Stanley. The tram won't take you that far, but nothing here is really far away, and a taxi whisks you right across the other side of the island in only half an hour.
Puddings and cakes
Sweet tofu pudding Traditionally made in a big wooden bucket, served hot with sweet ginger or cold with clear syrup.
Coconut pudding Made from coconut paste; rather than pudding, this is more a wobbly, gelatinous white cake, served cold.
Ginger milk curd Subtly sweet dessert of mild naturally curdled milk with ginger juice.
Egg tart Bite-size shortcrust pastry tarts traditionally filled with egg custard, can be flavoured with ginger, honey or even green tea.
Gingko nuts and beancurd skin with egg dessert Soup of boiled gingko nuts, barley, crushed beancurd skin, traditonally served with a quail egg.
Tong shui The common name for sweet, warm soups served as dessert. Popular ones are flavoured with black sesame, sweet almonds, mung beans and fresh walnuts.
