6 Hong Kong restaurants with new chefs and menus, from dim sum spot Duddell’s to La Rambla and The Optimist

Several established restaurants in Hong Kong have switched things up in the kitchen and brought in chefs that are adding their own flavours to the menu

La Rambla sees the return of Rafa Gil, Victor Caballé Molina has taken over at The Optimist, Cary Docherty brings Canadian flair to Salisterra, and more

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From left: Victor Caballé Molina, Rafa Gil and Edwin Guzman Navarro. Six established restaurants in Hong Kong have switched things up in the kitchen and are well worth a revisit. Photo: SCMP

Published: 12:15pm, 20 May 2022

Hong Kong is a city where dining out is something of a national pastime. While foodies in town have resumed trying new restaurants at breakneck speed since the lifting of citywide Covid-19 restrictions, a lot of older favourites are worth a revisit – especially when they’ve taken on a new chef.

A newcomer taking the helm at an established restaurant is every bit as exciting as a fresh opening, as the chef brings with them new dishes while popular items usually stay on the menu. As a result, they offer the best of both worlds: the familiar feeling of comfort and something new to be excited about.

Several restaurants in town have switched things up in the kitchen, and here’s what we’ve found out about what’s happening on the pass.

La Rambla – the return of chef Rafa Gil

Catalunya was one of those restaurants that could transport you to the streets of Spain, and chef Gil was the one who conceived the original menu with spherical olives and one of the best paella brunches in town.

After more than half a decade away, chef Rafa Gil returns to La Rambla. Photo: La Rambla

Gil departed Catalunya in 2015 and, two years later, the restaurant was relocated to a sea-view space in IFC Mall in Central on Hong Kong Island and renamed La Rambla by Catalunya.

After more than half a decade away, Gil returns to La Rambla with a renewed verve, reviving the menu with innovative tapas as well as upscale versions of beloved dishes from the original Catalunya. One of these is the legendary truffle bikini – Gil reimagines this crowd-pleaser with the introduction of a new seafood trikini, a luxurious bite of Japanese king crab, tuna and caviar crème fraîche.

Seafood trikini at La Rambla. Photo: La Rambla

The popular bomba de la Barceloneta has also returned, now elevated with smoked butter infused mashed potatoes, giving extra depth to these aptly named flavour bombs. Gil has also brought back Catalunya’s pulpo gallego, a rich and savoury combination of octopus, potato foam, torreznos (strips of fried pork belly) and piquillos pepper salsa.