Never too late as W52 throws party after five months
Should there be a cut-off point when a new restaurant can throw an opening party? How about two months or three at the most? Luckily for the Wyndham Street joint, W52 Restaurant & Bar, there's no such restriction.
The four-storey Italian eatery has been in operation for about five months but they only got around to hosting an official launch on Friday night.
Given it was the start of the weekend and the party was starting smack dab during happy hours, the street-level bar was swamped with guests looking for a free drink and a taste of the snacks. Its elevator was also kept busy by those looking to escape the crowd on the less suffocating second floor.
The understated dining establishment seems to have found its niche among the row of loud and noisy competition though. Much of the talk at the opening wasn't about whether folks have tried the restaurant yet but how many times they have patronised it already.
Part of the appeal is, of course, the return of former Va Bene chef Ernesto Tonetto to Hong Kong.
As proof that W52 isn't so new to the scene, Tonetto has already revamped the menu.
Another possible reason for its success is that the place is run by former Gaia Group partner Benjamin Lung (above), who has returned to the scene.
'I got bored in retirement,' he quipped about life after Gaia. 'The fact is I love anything and everything having to do with food and wine.'
