Chef Blair Sweet with a plump lobster imported from his native New England

The fishing port of Sai Kung in New Territories, Hong Kong, has for decades been famed for its classic Cantonese seafood but when Blair Sweet opened Anthony's Catch three years ago, he decided that his eatery would offer seafood with a different flavour.

"I love Cantonese seafood but I wanted to show that there's more than one way to cook fish," says the native of New Hampshire.

He's certainly succeeded. These days, the stylish 22-seat restaurant with a 40-seat outdoor extension under a bright scarlet awning is a culinary landmark. Not only are village residents tempted to try grilled swordfish from Australia or orange roughy from New Zealand, but gourmets drive out from Hong Kong and Kowloon for his version of bouillabaisse, the classic French seafood stew.

"All my seafood is imported," Chef Blair explains. "We carry certificates of origin of our fish with the date of capture and when they were shipped. All our fish is served without bones or skin.

But why Hong Kong? Why Sai Kung?

"It's an international community," he said. "Hong Kong is cosmopolitan, with many expatriates. And don't forget all the Hong Kongers who have been educated abroad and come back with a taste for international cuisine.

"I've got fish from the South Pacific, wines from Italy and Chile and California, flour from Canada, waitresses from the Philippines, furniture from China and I'm from New Hampshire.

"So it's a typical Hong Kong operation: we're local and global at the same time."

Mr Sweet achieved this ambitious operation after a professional career that began at the renowned Culinary Institute of America in New York. He worked in the famed Fishermen's Wharf area of San Francisco and honed his skills at five-star hotels like the Sheraton in Long Beach and the Hollywood Hyatt.

But the lure of Asia called him, and he started cooking at the Dan Ryan's chain outlets in Hong Kong where the culinary heritage is traced to the hearty appetites of the Mid-West.

The call of the sea

Settling in the Sai Kung area was obvious.There's blue sea, green hills and the garden suburb is a dormitory for many expatriates who live mostly in Chinese villages. "I love the atmosphere," says the restaurateur.

It's also a district with a well deserved gourmet reputation. It boasts Italian, Thai, Shanghainese,  Japanese, Indian and Malay outlets, as well as a challenging array of cafes and British-style pubs.

Competition is tough but Mr Sweet rises to the challenge. He insists on fine quality provisions.

"People these days worry about health and pollution," he said. "That's why all our fish is sourced from the cleanest waters and even the flour that we use to make our own pasta is imported."

He takes pride on a busy Sunday afternoon when all seats are taken. "I really feel that's a testament to our service and prices. Here's a place that's famed for its Cantonese seafood and people believe that Anthony s Catch is a good place to eat. I think that's a compliment."

One popular feature is the weekly New England clam bake. Every Thursday, a local resident Canadian folk-rock singer provides music and Chef Blair gets out the fresh French bread and roast garlic, prepares the corn on the cob and gets ready to bake mountains of clams and mussels and to cook Maine lobsters.

"It shows that Hong Kong is a city with an international palate," he says.

Related links:
Anthony's Catch www.AnthonysCatch.com
Culinary Institute of America www.ciachef.edu
Dan Ryan's www.danryans.com/dans