Hong Kong restaurants celebrate Art Basel’s return with artsy menus inspired by Banksy, Dali and more – a feast for the eyes and palate
- March is art month in Hong Kong, and restaurants and bars are celebrating with art-inspired menus to excite the eyes and taste buds
- From dishes inspired by international artists and an ancient Chinese poem to art-themed tea sets and surrealist cocktails, here are our picks of what’s on offer
Art Basel Hong Kong may only run for three days, but for the whole of March, people in Hong Kong live and breathe art. Not to be left out, restaurants and bars have curated special menus that provide a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. We round up some of the best.
Castellana (UG & 1/F, Club Lusitano Building, 16 Ice House Street, Central), in Hong Kong’s Central neighbourhood, is celebrating with a five-course art week menu by chef Romeo Morelli.
The meal begins with a prawn tartare served in a cold bisque, followed by roasted Italian Mantovana pumpkin soup. Tajarin pasta with Japanese sea urchin and hazelnut has a delicate balance of sweet and savoury flavours, while seared Fassona beef is served on a bed of grapes.
To finish, diners can enjoy Castellana’s signature Piedmontese Kiss, inspired by the traditional Piedmontese dessert Bacio di Dama, meaning “lady’s kiss” in Italian. The menu, priced at HK$1,380 per person, is available from March 20 to 26.
In Tsim Sha Tsui, Dada Bar + Lounge (2F, The Luxe Manor, 39 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui) at The Luxe Manor is celebrating art with “The Mystery of the Subconsciousness” themed cocktails, snacks, and art activities.
The menu is designed to take guests on a culinary “journey”, with each dish reflecting the vivid colours and textures of Riya’s artwork.
From the first course of marinated beetroot, baby spinach, and pickles, to the sixth course of grilled marinated paneer, maitake, sweet makhani gravy and creamy morel mushroom risotto, each dish offers a balanced blend of flavours and artistic presentation.
The creatively presented dessert promises to give diners an artful surprise to end the meal.
For those who do not have time for a multi-course meal, there are shorter artful tasting experiences.
Island Shangri-La hotel’s Lobby Lounge (Level 6, Pacific Place, Supreme Court Road, Central) is serving an art-inspired afternoon tea set from March 21 to 31.
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The dessert features a thin buckwheat crepe paired with chocolate ice cream, chocolate tuile, and white chocolate stems and flowers.
The bold and modern approach of Banksy’s piece – which features a man with a half-covered face militantly poised to throw a bouquet – is reflected in the dessert’s presentation, with ruby red beetroot powder splashed on the plate and a stencilled white chocolate “arm” holding the flowers.
Guests can experience this limited-edition edible art during lunch and dinner from March 20 to May 14, for HK$188 à la carte, or HK$108 when ordered as a supplementary item to the dinner set.
The Mira Hong Kong hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui has curated a range of artful specials throughout March, including a chic afternoon tea at Coco (G/F, The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui) featuring four miniature desserts and five savoury finger food items presented on a painter’s palette with artful strokes.
Of course, there are also restaurants that are dedicated to art in Hong Kong all year round, where what is on the walls has equal billing with what’s presented on the plate.
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LPM Bar and Restaurant (Shop 1, UG, H Queen’s, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central) in Central – in the same building as top art galleries David Zwirner, Pace Gallery and Hauser & Wirth – devotes one section to works by 20th-century painters from the South of France.
The international restaurant brand also ensures that each branch features signature wall-mounted pans adorned with male and female faces, by artist Max Cartier.
It features works by artists Tala Madani, Matt Connors and Sam Young from the vaults of Hong Kong collectors Alan Lo, Lawrence Chu and Evan Chow.
If you are looking for quirky contemporary Hong Kong art, pay Bo Innovation (1/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central) a visit. The restaurant’s interior, designed by Monique Lee of Mas Studio, includes pieces of contemporary art, some of which are from chef/owner Alvin Leung’s private collection.
Dine next to a banana eating a banana statue, alongside graffiti of a wok-frying cuttlefish, to complement the artful fare on the plates.
