Hong Kong’s hottest new openings, from steakhouse Don Pedro to modern Chinese haute cuisine at Joyn

Don Pedro

From butcher’s shop to steakhouse, Don Pedro continues the meaty legacy of its Second Street location, following in the footsteps of erstwhile occupant Bones & Blades. In this iteration, the address channels the charisma and warmth of an unpretentious Argentine grill. Dry-aged rib-eye and tenderloin are sizzled on a traditional flat-top plancha griddle, and served with such starters and sides as pork terrine with apricot and pistachio, beef empanadas, chorizo flambé and patatas bravas with generous pours from a range of malbec wines.

Shops E & F, G/F, Tung Cheung Building, 1 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun

Yakiniku Yama Oku

In a modest 400 sq ft space seating just 12 diners, this kappo yakiniku restaurant makes immersive barbecuing its calling card. Chefs Koji Takazono and Koichi Kuga, the dynamic duo behind Yakiniku Yama Oku, demonstrate their “cut-and-cook” expertise at the open-kitchen grill station, complementing the moreish omakase experience with flame-licked theatricality. On the menu are cuts of premium Omi and Oita Wagyu, chicken, pork and seasonal game meats such as venison and wild boar.

3/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay

Joyn

Inspired by the pomp and parade of traditional banquets, Joyn marries live seafood sourced from global waters with meticulous craftsmanship for a creative, modern take on Chinese haute cuisine. Under chef Francis Chong Wui Choong’s leadership, the menu emphasises technique and control, from the 48-hour-aged smoked Peking duck’s laborious multistage preparation to the careful infusion of the drunken giant river prawn with caviar in a two-decade-old Huadiao wine blend. Joyn’s playful side is expressed in its dim sum creations, through whimsical, delicate presentations.