A new dining hub is sprouting beside Knutsford Terrace in Tsim Sha Tsui, which promoters have dubbed 'Kowloon's only answer to Lan Kwai Fong'. By the time it is completed in October, the development will have 30 restaurants and cafes.
The 18,000 sq ft, $20-million Knutsford Steps project is being opened in stages, after two years of planning and renovation. A tunnel conveniently links the existing Knutsford Terrace to the new 'steps' being developed by the Miramar Group.
The first 10 eateries will be less expensive than the average in Lan Kwai Fong, with a meal costing about $200. A restaurant specialising in skewered food, a Vietnamese eatery and a wine cellar have already opened. A cigar shop will open next month.
Located where the Miramar Cinema used to be, the Steps has been refurbished with burnt orange walls, arched doorways and Mediterranean-style terraces. There are also plans for outdoor food kiosks and live gypsy music.
Peter Yu Tat-kong, general manager of the Miramar Group, said there was a demand in Tsim Sha Tsui for places where executives and tourists could relax.
'In Kowloon, there aren't any major clusters of restaurants and bars,' he said. 'But there is a demand as there are 29 hotels in the area, with an annual tourist flow of about 3 million.'