My Tasting Dinner at Bo Innovation in Hong Kong

Bo Innovation Restaurant

In the restaurant world, to have three Michelin stars is the equivalent of being an Oscar winner or a Hall of Fame inducted baseball player. There are only 120 restaurants around the world which hold this honor. Six are in Hong Kong and perhaps the most unique, in the world not just Hong Kong, is Bo Innovation. Led by the Demon Chef Alvin Leung, the Chinese restaurant, serving “X-Treme Chinese Cuisine” as Chef Leung calls it, continues to set the foodie bar higher and higher each year.

Culinary Journey in Hong Kong

Now in a new, purpose-built space in Hong Kong’s hip Wanchai neighborhood, the restaurant really offers a true culinary journey. The experience starts with the decor and design of the space itself, with showcases full of memorabilia from Chef Leung’s life. The wall graphics (including the full-wall Bruce Lee in the bathroom), also convey a story, which is then continued in the food and menu. I had an epic, 12-course tasting dinner entitled “The Hong Kong Story.” It was designed to take you back to Chef Leung’s childhood. The dishes were his interpretations of classic Chinese food and of typical Hong Kong street food.

The tasting menu, which evolves and changes, also included an (optional) wine pairing. The wines, some of which were bottled exclusively for the restaurant, were also delicious with selections from France, Italy and Australia. The 14 courses each had titles and part of the experience was the wonderful presentation (and explanation) of each course by members of the Bo Innovation team. The food was delicious and amazing but the presentation, both in narration and visually, is just unlike anything else, anywhere in the world.

Fun Filled Evening in Hong Kong

The entire evening, it lasted around four hours, was one of the best food experiences I’ve ever had. Bo Innovation is in Wanchai, on Hong Kong Island. They’re open for lunch Monday through Friday from noon – 3 p.m. and for dinner Monday through Saturday. Monday through Thursday dinner is served from 7 p.m. through midnight and starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sundays and holidays. As iBo Innovation is one of Hong Kong’s most popular restaurants, reservations should be made long in advance.

I flew to Hong Kong in the foodie-friendly Business Class cabin of Cathay Pacific. The airline, which I fly frequently, consistently delivers wonderful food (and wine), excellent service and hassle-free flights. I stayed at the Kowloon Shangri-La, my favorite place to stay in Hong Kong. The luxury hotel is right on the Kowloon waterfront, with sweeping views across Victoria Harbour. It’s also right across the street from an MTR (subway) station making it very easy to get around the city. They have their own two-Michelin-star restaurant, Shang Palace.

Read more of Freddy Sherman’s take on travel on his Go World Travel Blog. You can also follow more of his adventures at luxuryfred.com, on his luxuryfred Instagram feed and on his YouTube channel.