Hung Hom isn’t home to too many bars. There’s a wealth of restaurants, sure, but watering holes are thin on the ground. We often hit the booze at the ferry pier’s V King and we’ve also been known to frequent the local bars up towards To Kwa Wan. But classy hotel drinkeries with harbour views and reasonable tipples? Not too many options. Until now.
The Harbour Plaza Metropolis’ alfresco bar just got a makeover and is now The Patio Bar, sporting top harbour views from its ample space outside the hotel’s famous buffet eatery, Promenade. Neon is the key, particularly the glowing LED furniture which is placed around the area, itself boasting plenty of greenery, palm trees and a gushing water feature to give the venue a super-chilled ambience. Tables and chairs are neon and even the lamps and menus glow once nighttime arrives. The colours change, too. You may find yourself trying to guess the next hue...
As jazz and blues play, we hit up happy hour, between 5pm and 8.30pm, to enjoy 30 percent off most tipples, including the cocktails. A Jacky Cheung concert rages at the Coliseum next door and the buffet rages inside. But here, the scene is tranquil so we try one of four signature cocktails, the Patio Pudding ($85). Rum, advocaat, Kahlua, Grand Marnier and an egg combine, making for a silky, creamy concoction that tastes like a sweet pud. The Harbour Sunset ($85) is also ace, with gin, blue curaçao, tonic, lemon juice, syrup and raspberries. A G ‘n’ T with sweet ‘n’ sour tones.
As for snacks, we love the pan-fried avocado and black truffle nuts bread toast ($98), four sandwiches that mix well with the accompanying sauerkraut. So, great food and drinks. But, for sure, the real draw to this patio is its neon serenity. Hung Hom now has a bar to chill in.