When award-winning designer Ashley Sutton settles on a theme for a venue, he completely transforms it into a different world, from Samurai-inspired Yojimbo to butterfly-filled Iron Fairies. His new Parisian-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar Dear Lilly on the fourth floor of the IFC is all about love, and the twinkling fairy lights in the trees of the seating area outside perfectly set the tone for a romantic evening. The love notes on the floor and dried roses whimsically moving up and down from the ceiling like clockwork are two standout features inside. The ceiling and walls are covered in dried flowers, intricate metalwork can be seen everywhere, and if you run your hand along the edges of the tables and chairs, you’ll find delicate charms hanging down.
Sutton’s spaces are not known for their health and wellness benefits, but Dear Lilly does have some great options if you’re into vegetables, lean protein and clean cocktails like me. Everyone is gluten-free, dairy-free or something-free these days, and the lunch and dinner menus make it easy to stick whatever diet restrictions you may have. Here are a few healthy dishes that are delicious and won’t make you want to blow off your gym class the following morning.
Curly Kale Salad (HK$128)
I am obsessed with kale. I put frozen kale into my smoothies every day and am always on the hunt for the perfect kale salad. This filling rendition of the classic consists of delicious quinoa, dry seeds, red radish, and orange vinaigrette.
Mezze Platter (HK$178)
Sharing food is always fun when you’re out with friends or on a date, and it means you get to sample different things on the menu. The mezze platter at Dear Lilly is generous and perfect to enjoy pre-dinner or with a signature cocktail. It includes hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, falafel, marinated olives, grilled halloumi, and pitta bread.
Slow Cooked Octopus (HK$128)
I love octopus because it’s a lean protein that’s low in fat and calories. I’ve recently started inputting my macros into the MyFitnessPal app and I’m experimenting with different seafood protein sources and octopus is a new favourite. This dish comes with roasted pepper salsa, seaweed hummus, and rocket.
Cornfed Chicken (HK$168)
This clean and straightforward dish is perfect for fussy eaters who want something simple without any additives or fancy sauces. Call me obsessed (I am) but I find it really hard to keep my diet in check while eating out because of all the oil and butter that’s used in restaurant kitchens. Plain main courses like this make eating out and staying healthy easy.
Seafood Platter (HK$248 small/HK$488 large)
My favourite dish in the world is the passé prawn cocktail which no longer enjoys the fashionable status it did when I was born in the eighties. The next best thing is a seafood platter, and Chef Bhupendra Singh’s version includes mussels, prawns, crab, oysters and other fresh seasonal produce – which sans mayo, is light and delicious.
See the full menu at diningconcepts.com/restaurants/Dear-Lilly.
