Ashley Ng checks out this “hidden” dining scene.

Gough Street, just a few steps down the hill from Hollywood Road, is in the midst of becoming what foodies have dubbed "NoHo," a new extension to the famous SoHo dining scene. Here is but a sample of the standouts.

Gough 40
This little gem adds class to the small cluster of restaurants in NoHo. Owner Jimmy Yip was the wine steward at the Mandarin Oriental for 11 years before opening this tiny spot with chef Linda Wong. While the dinner price tag can be steep, the lunch set is fantastic value. It's a casual atmosphere but the food is better than in many five-star hotels. Wong keeps the menu small and shops daily, sometimes twice daily, to ensure all the ingredients are market fresh. The lobster salad, cracked claws and tail grilled with roe on a bed of mixed greens was extremely fresh. Less expensive, but just as good, are the mussels cooked in fish broth with pasta - it works well as a main or appetizer. If it's on the menu, go for the roast beef with beef stock and red wine sauce, which is rich, meaty and infused with wine. Also great is roast lamb shank with rosemary sauce and seasonal vegetables such as French beans and zucchini. Yip rotates French and New World wines for variety; ask for his expert advice. G/F, 40 Gough St., 2851-8498.

Lot10
LOT 10 Bar & Restaurant is a cosy and relaxing dining place - cheerful and flooded with sunshine by day, cozy and candlit by night. While regularly rotating the menu and concentrating on seasonal dishes, it serves primarily French- and Italian-inspired Mediterranean cuisine. The signature dishes - pan-fried foie gras ($188), char-grilled beef tenderloin ($238) and baked chocolate cake ($78) - reflect the flavors of the Med.
G/F, 34 Gough St., 2813-6812.

Ngau Kee
Ngau Kee, a Staunton Street resident of nine years, has relocated to cafe-oriented Gough Street, where it serves up delicately cooked home-style dishes with an experimental flair. It plays with new flavors, stir-frying Italian zucchini with shrimp paste for a crunchy and delicious taste, and reinventing the classic stir-fried beef in black pepper by seasoning it with cracked pepper instead of  pepper sauce. It’s a good cheap place to experience a neighborhood family diner, a vanishing breed in these parts. G/F, 3 Gough St., 2546-2584.

Mark One
If you're one of the types that can't seem to make a menu decision, head to Mark One, where the only thing you'll find to eat is the chef’s daily favorite. You’ll find classic Italian and French dishes like goose liver, angel hair pasta, king prawn, spring chicken and pan-fried duck breast, or incongruously, you can try the Korean Roasted Beef and Kimchi Rice in Stone Pot ($63 for set lunch), popular among regulars. It's true gourmet food at Gough Street prices (read: less than SoHo) and the service is swift and friendly. For true fish-lovers, reasonably priced market-fresh seafood is also available if you request it a day in advance, or they may call you to suggest what's freshest in the wet market that day. G/F, 41 Gough St., 2512-1111.

Gingko House
A lot of buzz surrounds this place as there's a slight catch in their hiring policy: you have to be a senior citizen to work there. But that's only part of the House's mission; it's also a high-quality French-Italian fine-dining restaurant. The chef worked in a five-star hotel and prefers to use organic products whenever possible. They serve a mean Australian Angus rib-eye ($218), Norway salmon ($68) and roasted lamb shank ($208). G/F, 34 Gough St., 2813-6812.

Qing
Just a few steps up the stairs is Qing, easily spotted from the street, courtesy of its blazing red decor. Qing originated in Vietnam and harkens back to the French colonial era in both décor and cuisine. Sitting in the French dining room or the two elegant open areas, you can enjoy fusion food and exclusive wines at reasonable prices. How global is it? They serve Korean spiced salmon on kimchee blinis, wasabi cream cheese ($63) and Vietnamese rice noodle soup with chicken or beef ($63), as well as baked barramundi fillet Italian style ($125) and vegetarian dry curry ($95). Vegetarians are well served here too. Following the mains, you can enjoy their homemade desserts or pick a glass of house wine from their diverse drinks menu. G/F, 3 Mee Lun St., 2815-6739.

Kau Kee Restaurant
One of the best-known places in the city for its beef brisket noodles; in fact it’s the only dish on the menu. The owner claims they're popular because of the "secret" broth, which they never change; the chef just keeps adding to it on a daily basis and it stews 24 hours a day. The noodles are fantastic value and you'll surely hit a line-up at lunchtime, but it’s worth waiting. Among the crowd queuing to get in, there's a very good chance you’ll be rubbing shoulders with one of Hong Kong’s local celebrities or politicians. G/F, 21 Gough St (closed Sun).

QUAY Bar & Restaurant
It claims it's the only true bar on the street but it's the pan-fried sirloin with herb butter sauce, salad bar and choice of seafood chowder or borcht for just $78 that put it on the dining map. G/F, 28 Gough St., 2815-6986.