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Hong Kong’s hottest openings, from Toni Au’s Ébauche to the Hilton’s new Motto hotel
The team behind Mt. Yotei launches high-level izakaya Kyanbasu, while Dieci serves thoughtful Italian cuisine in a space reminiscent of a 1970s trattoria
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Kyanbasu by Mt. Yotei
The team behind Causeway Bay lamb grill Mt. Yotei has descended on SoHo with Kyanbasu, a “fine izakaya” devoted, boldly, to all things ovine. Living up to its name (Japanese for “canvas”), the art-filled space frames lamb as the medium, offering everything from dry-aged skewers and rare cuts to a rich fish maw and lamb brisket broth. With bespoke Yardley Brothers sour beer and Nagano wines on offer, it’s a spirited, if unconventional, ode to the flock.
40 Gough Street, Central
Ébauche
At Ébauche, former Écriture chef Antonio “Toni” Au trades the rigidity of fine dining for a personal “sketch”, as the restaurant’s name translates from French. This intimate, counter-dining spot in Causeway Bay melds French rigour with Hong Kong nostalgia – think beef tendon beignets spiked with fermented red bean curd and charcoal-grilled threadfin with lemon leaf butter. It’s a confident, kitchen-forward debut where the eight-course menu feels less like a performance and more like a conversation.
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18/F, Aura on Pennington, 66 Jardine’s Bazaar, Causeway Bay
Dieci
On a quiet Central street, chef Paolo Olivieri channels the spirit of his central Italian upbringing into a tight, confident concept. True to its name, the menu features just 10 seasonal dishes that rotate monthly – think wild boar ragù or puntarelle with anchovies – served in a space evoking a 1970s trattoria. It’s “Osteria Futura”: a stripped-back, rustic experience designed by Sean Dix that swaps white tablecloths for genuine hospitality and memory-laced, regional cooking.
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