HONG KONG

Beer and pizza

Any fan of a pina colada knows that pineapple and coconut are a match made in heaven. Ciao Chow takes that savvy one step further in one of its five new beer-and-pizza pairings, matching its Ananas pizza (San Marzano Tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto cotto, grilled pineapple) with its house-crafted toasted-coconut porter. The combo, priced at HK$227 ($29), wraps the smooth vanilla notes and bold chocolate character of the beer around the casual eatery's Italian twist on a classic Hawaiian pizza. Four other smart pairings, selected from the restaurant's more than two dozen craft beers and 15 pizza offerings, have also been on the menu since Wednesday.

G/F, California Tower, 30-32 D'Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central district. 852-2344-0005.

Melting-pot master

Award-winning New York City based chef and restaurateur Marc Forgione will be at Lily & Bloom for a pop-up later this month, showing his trademark bold flavors in his steakhouse classics and some creations using his favorite international flavors. Look for his Chili Lobster with Texas toast, an homage to Singapore's coveted chili crab, with a rich and fiery sauce. "Hong Kong and New York's food cultures may seem worlds apart, but the melting-pot mentality is prominent in both cities," says Forgione. His menus will be served March 22-25, priced at HK$880 for a five-course menu (6 pm till 8 pm) and HK$1,280 for a seven-course menu (8:30 pm till 11 pm); each menu is accompanied by a welcome glass of grand cru Champagne.

5 & 6/F, LKF Tower, 33 Wyndham Street, Central district. 852-2810-6166.

BEIJING

Tastes of Bali

A Bali food festival, co-hosted by the embassy of Indonesia and Garuda Indonesia, kicks off in Beijing on Friday at JW Marriott's Asia Bistro. Guest chef Billy Octorina will present a variety of typical Bali desserts, while other experts will prepare other foods and Bali cocktails. Cost is 398 yuan ($58) per person; free-flow beverages additional.

6-10 pm, March 10-26, Lobby Level, JW Marriott Hotel; 83 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang district. 010-5908-8511.

Mixing it up

One of the most respected cocktail gurus in Asia, John Ng, comes to Beijing on March 23 and 24. Ng will showcase his signature drinks, preparing six special cocktails for Beijing's Ritz-Carlton Bar, including Golden Rolls Royce, Newton Apple Fallen, and two versions of Penicillin. He will also host a 5:30 pm mixology salon (168 yuan per person) on those days, for guests who want to learn how to make the drinks themselves. If you miss the show, don't worry: the bar will offer Ng's cocktails for the next two months. Ng has won awards in 10 international cocktail competitions since 2012, including Hong Kong Asian Cocktail Championship 2010 and the Bacardi Cocktail Competition 2014.

7-10:30 pm, March 23-24, 83A Jianguo Road, China Central Place, Chaoyang district. 010-5908-8131.

China Daily