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Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007

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With the opening of Nobu the Intercontinental becomes the first hotel in Hong Kong to offer its guests not one but two restaurants helmed by an international celebrity chef. The hotel is already the home of Spoon by Alain Ducasse. The double whammy created by Nobu's unveiling means that discerning diners are going to face a tough choice when they stride through the hotel's thick glass doors.

Although Nobu Matsuhisa operates restaurants in 13 cities around the world, this is the first to open in Asia outside of Japan. Patrons of the Hong Kong Nobu can expect the signature dishes that have made their creator famous — yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, broiled black cod with miso — as well as those devised to suit local ingredients. If this isn't sensory stimulation enough, floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of the Hong Kong island skyline and Victoria Harbour — a body of water that has partially inspired the interior design. Over 7,000 black river stones cascade around a driftwood-style bar, and ripples run across the terrazzo flooring at the restaurant's entrance. Reservations can be made on tel: (852) 2313 2323, which is also the number to dial for Spoon. Torn? You could always flip a coin.

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  • LIAM FITZPATRICK
  • Diners are spoilt for choice at Hong Kong's Intercontinental, where two restaurants are helmed by celebrity chefs