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Culture on Demand: It's Party Time
Painting the town PINK in Hong Kong
By STAN STALNAKER
September
8, 2000
Web posted at 10:00 p.m. Hong Kong time, 10:00 a.m. EDT
In case you haven't been out in Hong Kong lately, there's some good news: the old days of global dominance by Asia are returning, at least in this little pearl of the orient, and the city is whistling a new tune of prosperity and (finally) style. Everywhere you look there are new restaurants popping up, catering to increasing numbers of well-heeled locals and just-in, jet-propelled business types who just can't resist a little color in their lives.
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Top of the list is Song, a new Vietnamese place tucked into the western part of Central, near the burgeoning "SoHo" (South of Hollywood Road) area of town. Song is what I would call sleek Vientiene -- a modern, glass-walled place with big wooden tables and a bar that is so simple it must be complicated. It features big slabs of rough-grained wood, set in well-lit, clean and contemporary surroundings.
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Never mind that the place is tucked behind a construction site where another new high-rise looms, or that inside it's so cozy that the word cramped comes to mind. But the beauty of Song is the food. Chef Duyen Hackett has created a mouthwatering list of tempting items that range from yummy fresh spring rolls (not a drop of oil) to healthy prawn salads and other delicious fare. Duyen says everything is prepared fresh the moment you order it, ensuring that the food arrives steaming and perfect -- even if it does take a few minutes longer back in the kitchen.
Moving on! Just down the road is Aqua, a new 1980s-ish restaurant featuring (surprise!) water-toned themes. Lighting in this place was a real consideration -- and it is beautifully done. The place has jumped from rants to raves in just three weeks: initially the dinner-party set reported mixed results on the food and service, but now the reviews are improving daily. A note of caution: The grand table at the corner is so well lit next to such big windows that everything shows to passersby out on the street. Darlings, avoid it if anything on you is see-through.
After dinner, the groovy are trekking to the far side of Hong Kong island to PINK, a new nightclub of sizable stature that recently opened to "rave" reviews, thumping tunes, and a big drug squad crackdown that kept the party kids quiet for at least a little while. Things seem to have simmered down, however, with Christian Dior's Fall/Winter Show a huge hit last Thursday night. Guests fought off the paparazzi to check out the latest and greatest from Dior -- the general consensus being the show was a hit. Personally, I don't think it was as interesting as the event Dior hosted last spring, which featured accidentally bursting fish tanks and a run on champagne that ended in disaster for the fainthearted.
Anyway, PINK has great music, average acoustics, no flopping fish on the floor, and plenty of room. Combined with Christian Dior's guest list, how COULD anything go wrong? Bottom line at PINK: it depends on the night, and if you go, head straight to the Moet & Chandon chill-out room, where you can hang just inside the doors and pop out for a dance when Groove Armada hits the airwaves.
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