If there were a restaurant equivalent of a speakeasy, Bibo would fit the bill perfectly. Tucked away in Sheung Wan opposite Man Mo temple, it would take a fair bit of investigative skills to firstly locate the restaurant and then to actually get the door open – if one is given to flights of fancy, the experience may seem something like entering Ali Baba’s cave from Arabian Nights.
Once you’ve successfully crossed the initial hurdles, there’s one more to go: there are two staircases, one going up, another going down – which one do you choose? We followed our instincts and took the path oft travelled and that led us – wonder of wonders – to the right destination, a cosy restaurant and a well-stocked bar – a welcome sight, indeed!
But the surprise was not yet over. In a city where every eatery is desperate to outbid others by bolder, glitzier, more glamorous decor, Bibo goes on a different path altogether. With contemporary art lining literally every surface – from street artist Invader’s ‘notorious’ pixel art to American artist Kaws’ iconic cross-eyed installations, every nook and corner has a cool chic vibe, perfect for an urban crowd ready to forsake ostentatiousness.
At the helm of this urban cuisinary is new executive chef, Nicholas Chew, who gives the classic French menu at Bibo an Asian makeover. The result in an French-Asian fusion cuisine with a modern flair, that tips its hat to French techniques, while exploring its Asian roots through premium indigenous ingredients.
The first dish itself – squid cheong fun – lays testimony to Chef Nick’s vision. The humble rice noodle rolls have been replaced with squid, that has been lightly steamed to simulate the consistency of the traditional cheong fun. To be fair, it’s a dish that’s perhaps more to be applauded for its inventiveness than its actual flavours, but it sets the tone for the next course which is a sustainably sourced Hamachi yellowtail with apple ceviche. The fish was fresh, buttery, but nothing extraordinary; it is the citrusy apple jus, however, that convinced us of the chef’s skills. The citric – yet mildly sweet – flavours of the jus bound every element of the dish into a surprisingly harmonious creation.
However, we were in for another surprise as we took the first spoonful of the celeriac risotto. The name should have been a giveaway but we didn’t fully appreciate its aptness until we realised that traditional rice has been replaced by finely chopped celeriac, giving the dish a refreshing acidic bite. Coupled with mango and truffles, this is an item that one can gorge on, without feeling guilty about calorie intake. The next course that greeted us was Wagyu Miyazaki. With Wagyu beef, it’s difficult to go wrong and in the hands of the talented chef, it reached a poetic perfection. The succulent meat – tender on the inside, crisp on the outside – was paired perfectly with scallops, chanterelles and cherries, and was as impeccable a creation as any. Our only grouch? It finished too soon!
With our expectations already sky-high, it was time to dig into the desserts duo – strawberry dacquoise and passion fruit cream. However, maybe because we were expecting nothing short of maverick genius by this time, the desserts left something to be desired.
Well, if the desserts fell slightly short, the wine pairings more than made up for it. Throughout the tasting, we were treated to one liquid gem after the other from the vineyards of Italy and France. Special kudos to the sommelier at Bibo, for his extensive – yet carefully handpicked – wine collection that could easily be the envy of any bar in the city.
With a winning combination of French-Asian cuisine, extensive wine selection and artsy interiors, Bibo brings the best of both worlds – fine arts and fine dining – into one creative space. At the end of the day, it’s a mighty fine experience, we say!
Reservations: www.bibo.hk
Address: 163 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
Phone: +852 2956 3188
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay