Hong Kong's Jean-Pierre Nails the Paris Ambiance With Bistro Favorites
Everyone wants to be a bit Parisian, from Cincinnati in the US to Tromso in Norway and Pondicherry in India and, well, results will vary. It's even a bit of a self-deprecating joke in my home town. So how close can Hong Kong get, under the scrutiny of its lively French community?
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Travel + Leisure
2 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Tiny Island Is the 'Las Vegas of Asia'—and It's Also a Foodie Paradise
If you've heard of Macau at all, it's probably because of gambling; the casinos in this special administrative region of China, about an hour's ferry ride from Hong Kong, pull in 25 percent more annual revenue than Las Vegas. But food-focused travelers should also have Macau on their radar. For nearly 500 years, the territory was a colony of Portugal. That legacy led to a mixed-race population known as the Macanese, who created a fusion cuisine of the same name. One of the most prominent people cooking Macanese cuisine today is Antonieta Fernandes Manhão—a Macau native, Iron Chef Thailand contestant, and author. In March, I visited Macau with Chef Neta, as she's known, who showed me a side of the territory that didn't involve a single casino. From left: Belos Tempos restaurant; salt-cod fritters at La Famiglia restaurant. Her interest in cooking was inspired by her grandmother, a native speaker of Patuá—a mix of Portuguese, Cantonese, and other languages found along the Portuguese trade routes—who was tasked with feeding a family of 14. I met Neta at Universidade de Turismo de Macau (UTM), where she offers a cooking course. 'I saw that Macanese food was disappearing,' she told me, describing her motivation to start teaching. In addition to a hotel, Pousada de Mong-Há , the compound is home to two dining outlets. The one we ate in, the casual UTM Café , features Macanese specialties such as minchi, minced pork and beef fried with soy sauce and topped with a fried egg. (This year, Neta published a cookbook, Receita di Casa —with text in Chinese, English, and Portuguese—that contains her recipe for minchi and 18 other dishes.) One day, Neta and I crossed Macau's Outer Harbor to Taipa, where La Famiglia serves both Portuguese and Macanese dishes. 'I'm trying to re-create the taste that I have in my memories,' said the restaurant's owner, Florita Alves, who is of mixed Chinese-Portuguese ancestry. It was a great place to try the various savory snacks that form a cha gordo (fat tea), a traditional Macanese feast that includes rissoles (a type of savory pastry), samosas, salt-cod balls, croquettes, and hand pies. Originally opened as a gathering place for senior citizens, APOMAC is one of Macanese cooking's more traditional outposts. 'This is homestyle food,' said Neta of the dishes in front of us, such as capella, a meatloaf studded with olives and topped with melted cheese, and xarope de figo, a jelly made with fig leaves. Ana Manhão, Neta's cousin, is the ebullient chef behind Belos Tempos . Manhão, who had a background in Portuguese folk dancing, told me that before opening the restaurant she reached out to Macanese relatives for recipes and feedback. 'They knew the tastes. I didn't. They'd say, 'Add more vinegar, more turmeric.' ' Order in advance for specialties such as porco balichão-tamarindo, pork ribs and belly in a sweet-tart funky sauce, or batatada, a dense, moist cake made from potatoes. From left: A quiet corner at UTM Café; digging in at APOMAC. 'I love that you can find these things here,' Neta said as she led me to our last stop: the lobby of a hospital in Macau. Hidden in plain sight at Centro Hospitalar Conde de São Januário is a café that serves Portuguese and Macanese sweets and snacks such as serradura, layers of pulverized Maria cookies and whipped cream, and pãezinhos recheados, tennis-ball-size rolls stuffed with turmeric-spiced meat. 'We should do a tour, the route of Macanese food. It would stop in Malaysia, Thailand, Japan,' Neta said. Perhaps she was just thinking out loud, but her words left me wondering where I could sign up. A version of this story first appeared in the September 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Mixing It Up ."
Skift
4 hours ago
- Skift
8 Out of Top 10 Countries for U.S. Tourism Showed Declines in July
Tourism to the U.S. from overseas has declined for 5 of the past 6 months. Higher visa fees and other restrictions could make it worse. Overseas visits to the U.S. dropped 3.1% in July, extending a slide that began earlier this year, according to preliminary government data released Monday. The National Travel and Tourism Office reported that arrivals from Western Europe fell 4% year-over-year, driven by a steep 14.7% drop from Germany. Other major declines came from China (down 13.8%), Switzerland (down 12.7%), the Netherlands (down 7.2%), and India (down 5.5%). Visits have fallen in five of the past six months, with April the one exception, when there was a 1% gain. The data excludes arrivals from Canada and Mexico, the two largest inbound markets for the U.S. In June, air travel by Canadians to the U.S. dropped 22% and car crossings dropped 33%, the sixth straight month of declines, according to Statistics Canada. Overall, eight of the top 10 overseas markets for U.S. tourism saw year-over-year declines in July. The only gains came from Japan and Italy. UK: – 0.4% India: -5.5% France: -0.2% Japan: + 9.1% Germany: – 14.7% Brazil: -1.7% South Korea: – 0.8% China: – 13.8% Italy: + 6.3% Colombia: – 0.3% The declines have coincided with increased global tensions related to rhetoric from the Trump administration and tough negotiations over tariffs. In addition, there were several isolated but highly publicized reports of tourists being detained at U.S. checkpoints and the U.S. has resurrected travel bans and other travel restrictions. The recently passed tax and spending law – 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' – includes an 80% reduction in federal funding for Brand USA, which markets the U.S. abroad as a tourist destination.
Skift
5 hours ago
- Skift
How Premium Economy Became the Most Profitable Part of the Plane
Korean Air's decision to add premium economy was sluggish, but the math is irresistible. For many airlines, this mid-tier cabin is where passenger comfort meets cash flow. For decades, the airplane was split into two tribes: those who could afford the luxury of business or first class, and everyone else. But there is another way. Last week, Korean Air confirmed that it will be the latest big-name brand to join the premium economy club. What started in the early 1990s as a quirky differentiator at Taiwan's EVA Air has gone hyper-mainstream. Why? A premium economy seat can command between 1.5 and three times the yield of standard economy, but often takes up marginally more real estate and service cost. The result is a mid-tier cabin that's quietly become a rockstar profit center at many airlines. For its part, Korean Air will roll out the new cabin from September as part of a $215 million overhaul of its Boeing 777s. Offering an insight into its pricing strategy, the Seoul-based carrier told Skift that tickets for its 'Premium Class' will be around 110% of regular economy fares. Passengers can look forward to perks such as Armani tableware, ergonomic headrests, and fine wines. Small Tweaks; Big Business But look beyond the fluffy comforts, and you'll find a tangible business impact. In an earnings call last month, Andrew Nocella, United A
