Worldwide, a growing number of seafood producers are catching and raising seafood using methods that protect our oceans for future generations. Hong Kong consumes a huge chunk of the world's total seafood produce, being the second-largest among Asian economies and eighth in the world rankings - all the more reason why we need to encourage more smart eateries to choose sustainable seafood.

In Big Bay Cafe in Kerry Hotel, Kowloon Bay, there's a catchy new slogan on the wall - "Keep clam and shuck it!" It's a way of showcasing their big new BBQ Seafood Market.

It is an all-day dining outlet serving produce from France and Norway, as well as from the nearby shores of Vietnam and Hong Kong. There's an abundance of different types of fish and seafood ready to be cooked la minute, or to order, in front of the guests.

On the terrace outside, there are charcoal barbecues and grilling stations. And plenty of showmanship too - fishmongers preparing a selection of fresh seafood before passing them to the chefs for cooking with style, for example! Guests choose their own items to be cooked as well as the cooking styles they prefer, which includes charcoal grill or wok-fried.

Meanwhile, inside Big Bay Cafe, seven individual pavilions offer specific cooking methods as well as local and international cuisines that are a perfect accompaniment to the seafood dishes. It's somewhat reminiscent of the outdoor seafood markets of yesteryear in Hong Kong, with a series of tanks containing live items as well as displays of the fresh seafood and fish.

The fresh seafood and fish selections showcase scallops, squid, prawns, and fish fillets including salmon, seabass, sea bream, whiting, tuna, and ling, while live items displayed in the tanks consist of Boston Lobster, clams, and razor clams.

The BBQ Seafood Market promotion is on at Kerry Hotel from now until April 15 from 6 pm to 10:30 pm daily, and priced at HK$628 plus 10 percent for adults, from Monday to Thursday. To accompany all this fresh produce from the sea, there are juices, beer, still and sparkling wines, including Veuve Clicquot champagne at HK$300.

Meanwhile at Tsim Sha Tsui East, from now until April 30 at Cafe on M in the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong, a seafood event of note is on. A word to the wise here - this hotel is sometimes confused with the Intercontinental by taxi drivers. The Grand Stanford is located at 70, Mody Road.

At the Grand Stanford event, spring is welcomed with an array of caviar, lobsters, clams, mussels, oysters, crabs, scallops, and more. There is a live pasta station too where chefs are showcasing a real culinary gem: truffle linguine with Avruga caviar. Highly coveted for their unique aromas, the truffles are further enhanced by the tiny black pearls of Avruga caviar.

Lobster and salmon egg laksa lemak is another highlight in a tasty Malaysian laksa. Also on offer are double-boiled conch with fish maw soup, spicy Thai mussels in a peanut sauce, braised sea cucumber with chicken and cordyceps flowers, deep-fried scallop typhoon shelter, crab and egg white fried rice, wok-fried Shanghainese clams in black bean sauce, and seafood brodetto.

Alongside the impressive range of seasonal seafood dishes, the dinner buffet also features a host of tantalizing all-time favorites, namely freshly-shucked oysters from France, Australia, and Portugal each night, Alaskan crab leg, sea prawns, Japanese sashimi and sushi, oven-roasted suckling pig as well as the much-loved Hagen-Dazs ice cream and an enticing array of divine desserts to end the dinner buffet on a perfect and sweet note. Prices range from HK$618 for adults on weekdays and HK$678 on weekends.

Across the harbor at the Island Shangri-La, for one-night only on March 29, the Lobster Bar will be featuring celebrity chef Dharshan Munidasa from Sri Lanka's Ministry of Crab, one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants which he set up in partnership with Sri Lankan cricketing legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. His iconic restaurant is housed in a renovated 400-year-old former Dutch hospital in Colombo. He is also known for his role in the popular TV series, Culinary Journeys with Dharshan.

While he is here in Hong Kong, chef Dharshan will present his signature crustacean dishes at the Lobster Bar and Grill. Advance notices say that on the evening he will be highlighting the freshest Sri Lankan seafood, such as king prawn bisque, garlic chilli prawn and pepper crab. He focuses on high-quality fresh ingredients that he often pairs with Japanese cooking philosophies. The set dinner menu is priced at HK$920 per person.

The Lobster Bar is also known for its innovative cocktails as well as seafood dishes. And every Monday to Saturday, there's an evening performance by talented jazz vocalists and musicians.

(HK Edition 03/23/2018 page9)