Private dining has become increasingly popular in Hong Kong over the last few years as more people in the city are opting for private kitchens to celebrate an event or to have a more intimate dining experience (no doubt thanks to the size of most flats in the city, making hosting near impossible). While there are a few private kitchens that have been around for a number of years, I went to a newer raw, plant-based private dinner the other week at Masalas and Olives. I’ve never been into the whole vegan/raw eating, but I’ll admit I was really impressed with the food and atmosphere.

Vibe at Masalas and Olives

Masalas and Olives is a private kitchen run by raw vegan chef Kanch and is located in her home in Mid Levels. The large dining area offers fantastic views of the city (which will likely leave you feeling quite jealous) and gives off a homey feel that is welcoming and comfortable. Kanch’s mission is to “connect people over a delicious raw plant based meal”, which I think she was quite successful in doing while I was there.

Course 1 – 3

We began with the masala cheese platter made with tree nuts, okra, and papaya. I’d be lying if I said I preferred vegan cheese to real cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. My favorite was the kimchi cheese on dehydrated pineapple – a perfect pairing of spicy smooth cheese on a slightly sweet chewy pineapple. Next up were the kimchi dumplings made with spinach, beetroot, and ginger foam. We were all quite surprised at the kick these little dumplings packed. We finished up the starters with a creamy saag made of naan chips, spinach, and mung salad. This dish was definitely a highlight for me – the smooth saag paired perfectly with the cirsp naan chips.

Course 4 – 5

Next up was the smokey pho made of zucchini noodles, tamari mushrooms, and vegan tofu. Everyone around our table couldn’t believe that there wasn’t meat in this dish and I absolutely loved how apparent the smokey flavor was. To wrap up our dinner we had a chocolate cake with passion fruit ice cream.  While I did enjoy the chocolate cake, it was the ice cream that really stole the show. The passion fruit was surprisingly pronounced, and the texture was creamy and dense.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a private dining experience that’s a little bit different, I would recommend checking out Masalas and Olives. All of their menus are raw vegan and there’s a variety of cuisines to choose from including Asian, Indian, Mediterranean, and Japanese. The menu takes Kanch five days to prepare, which just goes to show how much time and effort is put into each dinner she hosts. Masalas and Olives hosts dinners from 4 – 16 people with menus ranging from HK$580 – $600 (extra for an additional wine pairing, or you can BYOB).

Masalas and Olives 
Mid Levels (address provided after booking)

Tel: 5944 4971