First Look: Jay Khan and Ajit Gurung of Asia’s Best Bar, Coa, Launch The Savory Project

When your earlier venture is ranked first on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list and your walls are studded with accolades, opening a new drinking spot comes with “grape” expectations.

Acclaimed Hong Kong bartenders Jay Khan and Ajit Gurung have a welcome challenge on their hands before the official launch of The Savory Project, a new bar teetering near the edge of Staunton Street: how to rise beyond their multi-accolade-filled Coa. That little square space in the basement of Wah Shin House is so beloved by the industry, let alone its prolific customer base, that it won first place on Asia’s 50 Best Bars twice—in succession.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Note: First met Jay when he was working in Galaxy Macau, but sadly can't find the feature or shoot from 2012... ish. He was a rising star then, a supernova now. You can't get a table at Coa now for love nor money. 

Island Shangri-La Opens Yun Wellness, Where You Can Recover and Rejuvenate in Elegance

 Eschewing the cosmetic and getting to the root of the problem, the “urban oasis” is no mirage.

Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong parted the sealed lift doors on the eight floor of its storeyed building to launch Yun Wellness, a spa, gym, and poolside venue that’s been one of the most anticipated openings and new ventures in the city since we last wrote about it. 

Post-pandemic and a stellar renovation later, we’ve heard the phrase “urban oasis” so many times over the past few days as writers and purveyors of the spa and wellness industry, curious to see what the long-awaited project would look like, turned up in full unmasked force to bear witness to the launch—and to hear the notable and erudite team behind the comprehensive programme and menu talk passionately about wellness. 

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

Four Plates at the Regent Hong Kong: Inside The Steak House, Harbourside, The Lobby Lounge, and Lai Ching Heen

A dining destination in a city studded with options, the chefs at The Regent Hong Kong are in fine form across four incredible locations.

Following the most extensive transformation in its history, the restaurants and eateries at the Regent Hong Kong are poised to make a magnificent return to Hong Kong’s dining scene.

Over the course of as many weeks, we had the onus to sample four of its iconic restaurants on location: The Steak House, Harbourside, The Lobby Lounge, and the legendary (and, as we go to publish, Michelin-star-studded) Lai Ching Heen. 

It’s a difficult job, but someone had to buckle up and eat the veritable smorgasbord of dining options. Since we launched Robb Report Hong Kong in the grand ballroom of the Regent, so much has happened so quickly at the iconic venue, it’s a race to the finish trying to keep up. But first, we feast. 

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong. 

Lorenzo Antinori’s Bar Leone Roars into Hong Kong’s Bar Scene

The Italian mixologist has a winner on hand—as expected.

When we heard Lorenzo Antinori had opened a new drinking spot in Hong Kong, we knew—even before we found the place off the beaten path—that this was not going to be a dive bar. Hiking up to Bridges Street in that odd area between Sheung Wan and Central on a balmy evening (there is no other kind for the next six months), a chilled yuzu Negroni awaited on a platter—lighter than the classic, perfect for the season.

A relaxed, unpretentious venue serving fine bites and bubbles, Bar Leone certainly does not look or have the feel of the mixologist’s past gigs when he worked at The Savoy, or his long tenure with the Four Seasons group (where he led a winning trifecta—Charles H, Caprice, and Argo—to fantastic press and critical acclaim). Bar Leone is the sort of affable bar you’d find walking down cobbled streets of Rome (where Antinori is from), off tourist-heavy detours and distractions.

It’s a quintessential Italian bar, really—warm, inviting, and of a certain vintage (funny, because the bar opened just this past June)—with archival pictures, signage, and accoutrements studded on wood-panelled walls and cosy booths. Bright sunlight segues into a warm glow as stellar bar snacks are doled out of hand-painted ceramics filled with piattini and spuntini, small dishes and snacks ripe for the picking.

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

A Year of Argo: The Coolest Bar in Central, Hong Kong

Originally published BY P.RAMAKRISHNAN  |  JULY 22, 2022

As Four Seasons Hong Kong’s signature bar, standards were set pretty high from the get-go. Here's a winner.

As we go to publish, Argo’s just celebrated its first anniversary with near-universal praise and great press painstakingly collected over what’s been a difficult year for the industry. Pandemic-induced lockdowns, restrictions, and wide social distancing measures meant more bars and restaurants shut shop over the period than any other time in recent history—as tourism fell by a whopping 98%.

Argo not only threw open its doors during the thick of the pandemic, it maintained a degree of quality and success like no other. A cocktail bar that explores the world of fine beverages, its name is inspired by the myth of Jason and the Argonauts and their journey of discovery and exploration. The debut cocktail menu celebrates six staple ingredients; honey, cacao, vanilla, coffee, rice, and apple. So meticulous is their attention to detail and quality control, Argo has its own beehive located in Mai Po, New Territories! 

Read the entire feature here at Robb Report Hong Kong.

TBT: Tech meets style as Loro Piana takes a swing at The Ryder Cup

Sports uniforms are often slick, performance gear always has a dash of style stitched in the seams, the athletic silhouette is a happy mélange of form, function and indubitably, a sense of style. But when it comes to this sport, good lord is there a reason why the gear in golf has historically been so shockingly…what’s the polite word… lacklustre? 

Lads and ladies, Loro Piana has entered the chat.

Loro Piana announced the renewal of the brand's collaboration with Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup. The sportsmen will be dressed in the finest fibre, timeless colours and high-function design to enhance, not interrupt a swing. If ever a sport needed a touch of elegance--considering the vast money that's at play and global audience on view--Loro Piana has stepped into the greens with intelligent-design and its famed craftsmanship. And we’re not alone in this praise-the-lord hankering. 

“Since the partnership began in 2016, the quality of Loro Piana’s fabrics coupled with their specialist design and production knowledge have made them the ideal clothing partner for Team Europe,” says Luke Donald, captain of Team Europe.

Indeed for the past seven years, since Loro Piana first stepped into the game, the brand re-designed the official uniforms for Team Europe with state-of-the-art fabrication to suit atmospheric conditions, providing a sense of comfort and style. What’s more, 3D technology was used to simulate how the material moved when a golf swing was in full action, which led to small changes made for greater impact; allowing the performer utter ease in movement and no chaffing courtesy of their impeccable new uniform.  

The latest signature collection includes six looks, featuring a short-sleeved polo with a shirt-style collar, crease-resistant, waterproof fabrics and lightness of material to let the golfer play seamlessly. The advanced technology used in fabrication is next level; the team will be provided with clothing with heat-regulating capacity that enhances ergonomic performance. For that subtle sense of style, there’s a refined colour palette, using Italian tones, the European flag and of course, the sports team’s official logo. 

“Loro Piana’s iconic outfits have become synonymous with Team Europe and we are delighted that Captain Luke Donald’s team will become the fourth successive group of players to don these exceptional products,” said Guy Kinnings, Ryder Cup Director. “Since our partnership began at the Ryder Cup in 2016, the quality of Loro Piana’s fabrics coupled with their specialist design and production knowledge have made them the ideal fit for Team Europe, ensuring that the players look and feel the part both on and off the course. I am delighted that we are working with a symbol of Italian excellence for the first ever Ryder Cup in Italy.”

If you’re thirsting to grab a full look from the collection, there’s good news and bad. Only a selection of the Team Europe uniforms, will be available at the maison’s boutique in Rome during the weeks of competition. Will it be available in Hong Kong? No. But variations of the colour scheme, similar silhouette will still be in the offing to golf lovers as Loro Piana’s extensive wardrobe is on sale at stores studded around Asia.

by

P.Ramakrishnan

Feature for Robb Report Hong Kong from Sept 2023

The best in Jewellery: Pomellato

Nudo Rivière Necklace 

There’s a youthful, exuberant, and dare-we-say candy-shaped and -hued vibe to the latest Nudo Rivière collection presented by Pomellato. As the name implies, the pieces are based around “nude” stones: bare blocks of colour with minimal settings. This latest series in the Nudo family comprises four necklaces with the sophistication of the clessidra cut: gemstones seamlessly set back to back and circled at the centre by a band of gold, giving rise to its name, which translates to “hourglass” in Italian.

The Nudo Rivière necklace in rose gold with sky-blue and London-blue topaz is our pick of the year from the Milanese brand. A dazzling mix of seven topazes with more than 300 white diamonds sprinkled across the chain, it’s a statement necklace that’s sure to draw the eye. The asymmetric arrangement of the different-sized stones is deliberate, to evoke the vision of drops of colour flowing over skin with the sensual ease of water.

In keeping with Nudo’s philosophy of minimalist elegance, the piece offers an understated way to wear more than 80 carats of precious gemstones and 3.1 carats of white diamonds.

pomellato.com
Image courtesy of Pomellato.

Read the entire feature on The Best of Jewellery here at Robb Report Hong Kong.