Hong Kong gets a taste of Indonesian design and flavours with a twist
A joint venture between Indonesian entrepreneur Ronald Akili and Hong Kong restaurateur Yenn Wong, quirky Potato Head project in Sai Ying Pun combines retailing, dining and a music room
With so many new restaurants opening across Hong Kong, it takes something special to stand out from the crowd. But Indonesian entrepreneur Ronald Akili, 34, is used to pushing the envelope, and his latest venture, an 8,000 sq ft restaurant-bar-music room project in Sai Ying Pun, doesn’t disappoint.
“A great restaurant is more than just food,” he says. “For us, it starts with finding a good location … and it is very important to deliver authenticity.”
The ground floor of the building – which has been overhauled with a design by award-winning Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto – has a retail space selling a collection of handcrafted local and Indonesian artisanal products; a modern Indonesian dining space called Kaum (meaning “tribe” in Bahasa Indonesia) with chef Antoine Audran and gastronomy activist Lisa Virgiano at the helm; an all-day café and bar; and the company’s branded “I Love You So” coffee counter.
Tucked away at the rear of the building is a listening area called The Music Room, which the owners hope will become a destination for vinyl collectors and audiophiles.
