Latest news with #MattAbergel
South China Morning Post
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
This week in PostMag: Yardbird founders' new concept and Wong Fei-hung
I'll let you in on a little secret: I still haven't been to Yardbird. And that makes me feel … ashamed? I know, I know – perhaps that's overstating it. It is only a restaurant after all. Advertisement But it's a place that seems to have played an outsized role in Hong Kong's modern food scene. Even living in Beijing more than a decade ago, I'd heard about a fun, funky new yakitori spot called Yardbird. Much like a certain band who came through town this past week, it has its ardent fans, and its fervent haters – lending its importance a certain undeniability no matter on which side you fall. So Yardbird's on my list, but somehow I made it to Always Joy first. It's the latest concept from Yardbird founders Lindsay Jang and Matt Abergel, and based on my evening there – which was a relaxed, effortless good time – I can envision the appeal of their original venture. In our cover feature, Gavin Yeung sits down with Jang and Abergel to hear how the new restaurant came together. On the other side of the world, Victoria Burrows dives into the inspiration that chefs in the West are increasingly taking from Chinese cuisine. It makes for some tantalising, hunger-inducing dish descriptions. I never thought a flattened chicken head would appeal and yet, somehow it does? The rest of the issue weaves together tales throughout time. In Weimar, Peter Neville-Hadley explores the German city's historical highlights. In southern China, Mathew Scott dives into the legend of the elusive Wong Fei-hung, a kung fu master who inspired a legion of Hong Kong martial arts films. For someone so influential, we know strikingly little about Wong. Advertisement Back in Hong Kong, Peta Tomlinson chats with Laura Cheung Wolf of Lala Curio as she looks at the world of high-end wallpaper. The home decor brand is opening a showroom at The Peninsula Hong Kong in May where you'll be able to experience its wallpaper collection that's rooted in the 18th century Chinese craft of gongbi, or meticulous hand painting.
South China Morning Post
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
New Hong Kong restaurants, coffee shops, bars to try in April 2025 and a pop-up cake shop
With Hong Kong's weather set to cool again in the coming days, April promises some cool new flavours for the city's palates. Advertisement One of the most exciting newcomers is a cheese-focused concept by Jeremy Evrard, the city's most prominent fromager (cheesemaker) and formerly of Four Seasons Hong Kong fame, and a new coffee shop from The Arcane Collective. A Petrus alumnus has spread his wings to open a distinctly Hong Kong-themed fine dining restaurant. Japanese concepts still pepper the city's dining scene: there is a new shabu-shabu restaurant in Causeway Bay and more ramen places opening in the coming months. Read on to see what else is new. Matt Abergel and Lindsay Jang of Always Joy, their new izakaya restaurant in Sheung Wan. Photo: Instagram/lindsayjang 1. Always Joy Following the closure of their restaurant Ronin, Lindsay Jang and Matt Abergel have opened their newest venture – right next to their Yardbird restaurant on Wing Lok Street in Sheung Wan.
South China Morning Post
11-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Dish in Focus: Sweetcorn tempura at Yardbird
Yakitori restaurant Yardbird has garnered a cult following among Hongkongers since its opening in 2011. Known for its extensive menu of more than 20 types of skewers – grilling local 'three-yellow chicken' from neck to knee and tendon to tail – the Sheung Wan izakaya was once identified on weekends by its queue outside due to its walk-in-only policy. Advertisement Rest assured, tables can now be booked, but that hasn't stopped diners from spilling out of Yardbird's doors. Owned and operated by entrepreneur Lindsay Jang and chef Matt Abergel, Yardbird is a family-style neighbourhood restaurant that combines quality food with good drinks, great service, and a fun and friendly environment. Yardbird is a family-style neighbourhood restaurant that combines quality food with good drinks, great service, and a fun and friendly environment. Photo: Handout The restaurant might be centred around chicken, as its 2018 Chicken and Charcoal cookbook suggests, but for those on the hunt for veggie dishes, Yardbird doesn't disappoint. Its menu also consists of rice and noodles, soup, smaller sharing dishes (like the Yardbird caesar or eggplant salad) and bigger sides. This is where the famous sweetcorn tempura can be found, and it's a good representation of Yardbird's signature style, says co-founder Abergel. Abergel describes their way of cooking as 'using good techniques to let people taste an ingredient in its fullest essence'. This is exactly what the tempura delivers. Matt Abergel, chef and co-founder of Yardbird. Photo: Handout Using fresh sweetcorn sourced locally, the kernels are cut from the cob using a circular Japanese technique called marugiri. 'This allows us to take off the corn from the cob without too much of the juice getting out and without taking the bottom of the kernel, to avoid it popping in the oil,' Abergel explains. Advertisement Mixed and made to order, the cut corn is then simply coated in flour and combined with small amounts of tempura batter until sticky. 'We then cover our hands in flour and form about 110g of corn into a ball, and drop it directly into a 180-degree fryer. We fry for about two and a half minutes until golden brown on the outside and just cooked on the inside. We then season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately!'
