Polished
chrome at
Ammo.Joyce Wang’s
bespoke touches
light up Rhoda.bar area that is a curious rendition of fluorescent tubes.
At her latest project Rhoda ( fb.com/rhoda
hongkong; dinner for two HK$500) in the up-and-coming
district of Sai Wan, she transformed washing machine
drums into a dazzling upcycled chandelier. Of course,
knowing exactly where to shine the spotlight is at the
heart of the work and here she decided, “Rhoda is all
about Nate,” Wang says, referring to Rhoda’s chef Nathan
Green. She took inspiration from Green’s style of cooking,
which is about creating modern comfort food using
everyday ingredients. Her dedication to customization is
seen in an area nicknamed “Nate’s Den,” an intimate
corner filled with details that speak of the chef ’s
passions, from beard grooming to tattoo flash art.
DESIGN FIRM: CHARLIE & ROSE
SPECIALTY: HIP BUT HOMEY
A hallmark of a good restaurant is one that you’d easily
return to. Often, these are places that help us relax—
where you can turn up after work or on the weekends
wearing shorts, ready to knock back a beer. Behind most
of Hong Kong’s venues that enjoy a large repeat clientele
is Australian designer Ben McCarthy, founder of Charlie
& Rose. “Growing up in Queensland really helped me
develop a relaxed approach to design and an affinity with
the outdoors,” McCarthy says. Case in point: Limewood
(limewood.hk; dinner for two HK$700), a beachside
restaurant in Repulse Bay that wouldn’t be out of place in
Byron Bay. Local yet global, modern but familiar, this is
an example of how the best balancing acts look effortless.
charlieandrose.com.hk.
TAC T I C 1 : KEEP IT PLAYFUL
From the laid-back beachside shack feel at Limewood to
the vintage, Sherlock Holmes-inspired interior at Mr &
Mrs Fox (mrmrsfox.com; dinner for two HK$800), each of
his restaurants has a tongue-in-cheek edge, with
interiors chock-full of witty touches that encourage
interaction. “Our design for Mr & Mrs Fox includes a lot
of fun details,” McCarthy says, “enough, in fact, that
there is plenty for visitors to discover upon return visits.”
From the taxidermy squirrel lighting to the secret room
hidden behind a bookshelf, there’s no shortage of clever
details to populate your Instagram feed. What to try next
at this popular bar and restaurant? “We are looking
forward to sampling the beer at Little Creatures,”
McCarthy says, “crafted in-house at their brewery, which
sits proudly front-and-center to the main bar.”TAC T I C 2 : RESPECT THE FOUNDATION
Subway tiles, exposed ceilings and metal furniture: a
fail-safe formula that has been adapted by so many
restaurateurs that it’s almost a design default. Some may
pigeonhole McCarthy as an industrial-chic designer
given that he was able to execute several spaces in this
manner—Fish & Meat ( fishandmeat.hk; dinner for two
HK$800) is a good example—but he stresses that the
unfinished aesthetic has more to do with the space’s
provenance. “The raw look you see in some of our work is
a result of aiming not to overdo things. We like to
acknowledge in some way the space that was there before
us or celebrate the inherent character of a building,”
McCarthy says. At Fish & Meat, the simplicity of the
interiors relates to the restaurant’s mandate of
uncomplicated, ingredient-focused cooking./ beyond/DESIGN
Polished
chrome at
Ammo.
Joyce Wang’s
bespoke touches
light up Rhoda.10 MAY 2017 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF AMMO; COURTESY OF RHODA