HONG KONG. Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has revealed plans to diversify its food & beverage offer, with a series of ambitious new openings to follow some recent innovative introductions.
A pioneering new concept from Caviar House & Prunier opened recently in the Terminal 1 East Hall, Level 7. The Swiss brand had a Seafood Bar presence at the airport previously, but returns now with the striking Lobster & Oyster Counter on the main dining floor.
According to Caviar House & Prunier, the concept was specifically developed for this airport opportunity. It aims to deliver a culinary experience around the selection of the best oysters and lobsters, enhanced with a modern and creative way of presentation and dressing.
Unlike the Caviar House & Prunier Seafood Bar, the Lobster & Oyster Counter offers neither Balik salmon nor caviar, instead focusing exclusively on its dual shellfish offering of oysters and lobsters. The restaurateur has developed a long counter fridge that allows the lobsters and oysters to be displayed in front of every seated customer.
In a location adjacent to Caviar House, cake concept Lady M New York will open in early 2018. This popular concept will feature a store and seating, and offer cakes and other desserts.
Close by will come another key opening, gourmet burger bar Beef & Liberty. This concept, led by former Mandarin Oriental Executive Chef Uwe Opocensky, is a popular recent addition to the dining scene in Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong area, and this outlet will mark its first unit at Hong Kong Airport.
Crucially, it will also feature a strong craft beer offer targeting drinkers who are seeking something new; this is a partnership with Kowloon craft brewery Moonzen and will feature brews made specially for HKIA.
Elsewhere, in arrivals a new Ramen restaurant will take the popular Japanese noodle concept to HKIA in a stand-alone format for the first time, and will open before Christmas this year.
A highlight of the new-look dining offer in arrivals will come in late 2018, when a new concept from French chef Joël Robuchon (the most awarded Michelin-starred chef in the world) will open. Robuchon will make his debut in the airport business through this new venture. His café concept will offer a menu based on light and fresh ingredients and takes up space currently occupied by a McDonald’s outlet.
McDonald’s in turn will take up a new space in the landside Departures Hall in Q3 2018. This unit will house its latest restaurant design and some new elements. These include table service and offering travellers the opportunity to customise their meals (including creating their own burgers) for the first time.
In other developments, one of the biggest F&B projects is the tender for space at the soon-to-be-expanded food court in the East Hall (departures). As reported, six outlets are being tendered, with a deadline of 30 November. A further three will be put out to the market in early 2018, taking the number of concepts to nine. At least one of these concepts (likely to be a dim sum outlet) will feature an open kitchen that will add a fresh sense of theatre to the environment.
Importantly, the food court will be redesigned by well-known architect and interior designer Ronald Lu. It will take the theme of ‘Lion Rock spirit’, which is said to epitomise the spirit and values of the Hong Kong people. Renovation will begin in Q2 2018 and take around one year until all new concepts are in place. The project will extend seating capacity from 900 to 1,200.
Finally, submissions from a recent bento tender are under evaluation with a winner to be revealed soon. This concept addresses demand for a premium takeaway concept, noted HKIA.
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