From brand spanking boutique hotels to fresh fine diners and new artisan retailers, On The Radar is all about spotlighting LUXE’s latest finds.
Mixed heritage has a tendency to birth absolute stunners – get yourself to Brazil if you need proof – and the world of cuisine is no different. Hot-right-now TokyoLima in Soho-Central is the Pirata Restaurant Group’s attempt to bring the fusion flavours of – well, the name says it all – to Hong Kong.
Tucked inside a sterile-looking office building, beyond the nondescript (read: easy to miss) wooden-door entrance lies a sensual, clubby vault vamped up with a long parquetry bar, showy light fixtures and wall screens blending Japanese and Lat-Am motifs.
Nab a spot in the lounge and warm up with some sake and small share plates while you wait for your table – keep in mind this is the sup spot du jour so even pre-booked seats may not be ready on arrival.
Once you’re whizzed into the restaurant, settle in for a feast of inventive mash-ups like stir-fry-stuffed tacos and ki-mo-chi fried chicken, which sit alongside more familiar fare such as sea bass maki sushi and smoked chicken yakitori. And while some of the sharable dishes are slightly underwhelming – skip the chewy calamari – the buzzy atmos, flutter-bug crowd, stellar service and killer soundtrack more than make up for any menu missteps.
What’s that you say? Delish eats are top of your agenda? In that case, dash over to Pirata Group’s other recent, albeit more low-key arrival in Wan Chai’s St Francis Yard, Italian osteria Pici. This no-res neighbourhood corner nook with in- and outdoor counter seating is the perfect mid-retail refueller with a limited selection of carb-tastic handmade pasta plates and vinos by the glass or carafe. A word of mouth success, so go early or late to avoid the queue.
TokyoLima, G/F, Car Po Commercial Bldg, 18-20 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong. +852 2811 1152
Pici, 16 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. +852 2755 5523
– Published 16 March 2016.
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