One of the coolest features of Pentahotels in Hong Kong are their in-house restaurants and bars. Combining the hotel lobby, reception area, bar and cafe into a single venue, Pentalounge is a lively gathering place with 230 seats anchored by eatstreet@ pentalounge which offers favorite Hong Kong dishes and a variety of comfort foods and all-day drinks.

The all-day dining experience is designed as market-style food stations offering authentic local favorites and international dishes for ala carte dining, breakfast, set lunches and dinner buffets. I like how the buffet is laid out since you feel like you’re going around different food stalls, but have all the comforts of dining indoors.

Food stalls are encased in metal mesh canopies and each adorned with funky street-style light box reminiscent of local food stands and open-air markets. The venue’s brick walls, vintage-like wrought iron folding gates, quirky accents and updated dai pai dong-style tables and stools replicate the classic Hong Kong dining culture.

I really enjoyed the buffet selection at eatstreet@pentalounge during the complimentary breakfasts. Basic food stations includes a Grill, Wok Kitchen, Deli, Steam and Noodle Corners. Throughout the day, the menu includes flavorful local favorites such as Char-grilled Pork, Luncheon Meat and Fried Egg Rice, Hainan Chicken Rice, Pan-Fried Vegetable Dumplings.

The hotel was having a Summer Seafood dinner Buffet when I was staying there, which I really enjoyed. This included daily fresh shucked oysters from Australia or New Zealand, snow crab leg, Vietnamese cooked Shrimp, New Zealand Mussels and Jade Whelk aside from all the other offerings.

Buffets can be quite overwhelming and it’s hard to choose where to start. But since I’m a fan of all things seafood, I immediately went for the baked and fresh oysters and baked mussels for the appetizers. I loaded up on the salad and Roast Beef and ribs for the main course, and finished with some smoked salmon and sashimi in the Japanese selection to cleanse the palate.

Everything was really fresh and delicious that I felt stuffed in no time. Some of the seasonal drinks and desserts included milk tea, red bean iced milk for drinks, and homemade desserts and traditional Chinese sweet soups and puddings. I loved the dessert bar selection, which had delicious cakes, local fruits and with a selection of nostalgic local treats like Haw Flakes and Plum candies.

BAR

Eatstreet also has a hip bar right next to the dining area that serves staples like Carlsberg and Asahi on tap along with other beverages. It’s a nice quiet spot to just hang out with a drink and socialize with friends.

PIZZA BAR

The Pizza Bar on the ground floor is another great dining place to try out in the hotel. They serve a selection of authentic and handmade Italian-style including local-flavored pizza on-site or for takeout.

I really liked the Fried Dace with Salted Black Bean Pizza, which is topped with Fried Dace, a wildly popular canned food of Chinese origin, which tasted similar to anchovies.

They also serve pizza topped with Char-Grilled Pork, as well as regular pizza flavors, pasta, beer and ciders at the bar, which anyone can enjoy at the Pizza Bar while checked-in guests can order for room service.

While the beer in Eatstreet’s bar and the Pizza Bar were mainstream brands, you can find local craft beers in some bars and grocery stores in the vicinity. I found cans of Gweilo, a local HK craft beer (which means “White devil,” a common Cantonese slang term for Westerners) and other unique beverages in Mikiki Shopping Mall’s grocery, which was just walking distance from Pentahotel.

Thank you to Pentahotels Kowloon, WeGo and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) for hosting my stay in this hip lifestyle hotel! For travel bookings, visit: www.wego.com.ph