Happy Paradise

"Chef John Javier (previously at Sydney restaurants Noma, Momofuku Seiobo, and Master) is a neo-Chinese culinary wizard and the brains behind the fun, neon-splashed Happy Paradise. Javieruses traditional techniques as well as modern methods to reimagine Cantonese classics and forgotten dishes. HisYellow Wine Chicken is arustic Hakka-inspired dish flavored with Shaoxing wine, glutinous rice wine, and black mushroom in a chrysanthemum broth with stir-fried mushrooms, ginger, scallion, and rice. The tea-smoked pigeon is marinated in a five-spice rub, then deep fried and smoked with jasmine tea leaves. The artisanal cocktail selectionalso plays withChinese tradition—thehighly recommended Durian Painkiller blends homemade toasted coconut cream with fresh pineapple, orange, and durian-infused dark rum."

Bourdain ate: sourdough chicken-fat egg waffle with Taiwanese bottarga; sauteed prawns with pan-roasted pumpkin, dried shrimp roe, and prawn oil; tea-smoked pigeon; Hakka-style chicken; and pig brain with burnt-pear vinaigrette. Dinner dates: Jenny Suen, feng shui master Thierry Chow, and chef May Chow.

"Chef May Chow is best known forLittle Bao, a Chinese burger bar. But her new venture, Happy Paradise, takes even bolder steps into expanding contemporary Cantonese cooking. Dishes like sweet-sour pork chop and barbecued pork over rice give Hong Kong staples a little refresh, while others, like sourdough egg waffles with whipped bottarga, take a classic street snack to a whole new level. She does it all without taking herself too seriously—and I can’t either, with cheesy ’90s Cantopop blasting and neon signs reminiscent of a massage parlor hanging in the space." - ByJanice Leung Hayes

"Chef May Chow fuses traditional Cantonese dishes with modern cooking techniques. On the menu: sourdough chicken-fat egg waffle, tea-smoked pigeon, and sautéed prawns with dried shrimp roe, pan-roasted pumpkin, and prawn oil."

"Opened in early 2017, Happy Paradise is the latest eatery from Hong Kong chef May Chow, who is also behind Little Bao and Second Draft. The award-winning chef takes her neo-Chinese style to a new level with Happy Paradise, which is hidden up a flight of stairs along Aberdeen Street behind a banana-patterned door. As you enter the second-floor space, you’re instantly hit with pink and blue neon lighting, a retro-esque bar, and diner-style booths that recall 1980s America." - Kate Springer