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HOW TO BE A RESTAURANT REGULAR: PRO ‘MOVES’ FROM OUR TEAM

We all know what makes a fantastic meal—delicious food, engaging conversation, and quality drinks to pair—but what takes your meal from great to truly memorable? After all, there is a reason why regulars return to the same restaurant over and over again: becoming intimately familiar with one place empowers you to be a confident diner, knowing just when to visit to nab your favourite empty booth in the corner, what off-menu special to order, and how to have your favourite drink magically appear with a simple nod to the bartender.

But with Hong Kong’s diverse dining landscape, it isn’t always easy to revisit the same haunts, no matter how great they are. At our restaurants, we like to grab every chance we get to make that unforgettable impression, whether you are a guest walking through our doors for the first time or the 100th time. Of course, we always make sure to keep a few special surprises in store for our return guests. So how do you become a regular at your favourite Black Sheep Restaurants? Here’s how to fake it until you make it with our team’s top recommendations and go-to “moves” for dining like a pro with us on every visit.

Jonathan Leung, Operations SoHo
If you are in Chôm Chôm, make sure to ask Chef John Nyugen to make you something special; he’s a super talented chef and always has something off-menu up his sleeve to surprise guests with. The birthday move in Taqueria Super Macho speaks for itself: imagine the whole restaurant dancing to the beat of the track “Tequila” and you get the picture. Finally, the shotski at The Last Resort, for those nights when you need it most. It’s a fun thing to do with your buddies or with people you just met at the bar!

Tony Ferreira, Operations Wan Chai
If you’re lucky, get the grilled fish collar with peperonata at Osteria Marzia—we only get to sell these if we have the right fish for it and it doesn’t always happen. During Souvlaki Weekends at Artemis and Apollo, if you time it right, Chef Kevin makes a delicious roasted leg of lamb that’s always a hit. Finally, there’s nothing more refreshing than the homemade limoncellos by Chef Luca at Motorino.

Chef Palash Mitra, New Punjab Club
Guests tend to already have their favourite dishes—the tandoori cobia, the chicken tikka, the keema pau—but one special item I always recommend trying for dessert is the mango kulfi. The traditional Indian dish is our version of ice cream: a creamy, frozen dessert that we make with mango pulp of the glorious Chaunsa and Anwar Ratol varieties from our Founder Asim’s orchards back in Punjab, scented with saffron and buffalo milk.

JJ Quintero, Fukuro
We always get questions about the Katsu Sando; to clarify, this is not on the menu, it’s a daily special that we have. It’s a Wagyu cutlet sandwich, breaded and fried and served on Hokkaido milk toast with a miso mayo and bulldog sauce. We currently have under 10 portions every day, meaning that by 6:45pm (we open at 6pm), we are usually sold out. Fukuro is walk-in only; we only seat complete parties and are very lucky to be full almost every night. So if you are coming to try the Katsu Sando, I suggest asking the host if it’s still available and if so we will try to save one for you!

Here’s a tip for getting in early: we give strong preference for guests who arrive before or when we open. Because the wait can be upwards of an hour on weekends, we always suggest waiting inside or outside so we remember you; the waitlist can be over 30 groups some nights and not all guests come back so sometimes space can be ready before the quoted wait time. Truthfully, the more patient you are, the worse we feel!

Chef Josef Gallenberger, Buenos Aires Polo Club
Pro diners know that the go-to move at BA Polo Club is to drop by on weekends when we are serving up our giant Tomahawk steaks—the ultimate meal for meat-lovers (tip: you’ll want to bring a friend or two). This bone-in ribeye always turns heads in the dining room, and is seared in the ‘asado’ tradition on the grill to pair alongside our Argentinian sides.

Chef Luca Marinelli, Osteria Marzia
I think the secret behind the menu at Osteria Marzia is the knowledge to ensure that each piece of fresh seafood is kept at its best; for example, some fish are good to eat ASAP and some are good to be aged a couple of days, particularly when you work with wild fish. Many diners just order the fish they’re familiar with, but our team is always eager to share more information on the variety we have on hand, their different flavour profiles and where they’re sourced from. So the next time you dine with us, ask us for recommendations or the catch of the day—and you may discover something new!

Chef Joshua Stumbaugh, Associazione Chianti
Truffles are a major part of Tuscan cuisine in the fall and winter months, and are usually available at the restaurant from the end of October through the end of the year. If you are planning to visit soon, we have just entered white truffle season, and you can now order by the gram to elevate everything from fresh pasta to truffle polenta and our Italian-style steak tartare for a truly special treat.

Chef Kumaran Balaji, Rajasthan Rifles
Most guests don’t know that we are open for breakfast on weekends and public holidays. We have an amazing breakfast menu that includes some Anglo-Indian favourites such as Bhurjee Pau, The Full Hazry, and my personal favourite, the Rifle Rolls (naan bread stuffed with your choice of fillings with spicy tomato chilli chutney and cream cheese). It is a great way to start your day with a hike up one of the many trails, followed by breakfast on our terrace overlooking the amazing views of Hong Kong.

Chef Billy Otis, Taqueria Super Macho
If you’re going to visit us only one day of the year—make it your birthday! We put a lot of thought and effort into our classic birthday moves. Each Black Sheep Restaurant does a birthday move and each one is unique. From the birthday song in French at La Vache!, to all the waiters at Carbone surrounding your table singing as loud as possible, to the tequila song at Taqueria Super Macho with an oversized Margarita, we make every birthday a night to remember!

Amy Stott, Guest Operations
Happy Hour at Chôm Chôm is my favourite time of day: grab a spot on the stoop from 5pm and you can enjoy an entire bucket of wings for just $88. It’s the best place in SoHo for people watching while sharing a beer with friends. If you’re lucky and it happens to rain whilst you are dining then simply hop inside and you can enjoy 50% off bottles of wine—when it rains, we pour!

After Chôm Chôm be sure to head around to Hotal Colombo and find a spot at the kitchen counter. Chef Gizzy and the team are always cooking up a storm and if you arrive early, you are guaranteed front-row seats. My go-to order is shrimp Kothu; if you ask her nicely, she may even add a cheeky fried egg on the top.

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