Cafe Kowloon promises to serve up both innovation and tradition in celebration of the bustling city that inspired it.
It is hidden through an arch at the back of sister restaurant Wonton Charlie’s, which opened in Mentmore Terrace, London Fields in early November, serving bowls of classic noodle soup.
Now Cafe Kowloon opens on February 4 under railway arches next to London Fields overground station.
Taking inspiration from Hong Kong’s dim sum houses and cocktails bars, it will have 10 counter seats in front of the open kitchen cooking up the likes of rotisserie chicken and whole fish on the custom charcoal grill.
The main dining room features seating for 55 with intimate booths, that Chinese restaurant staple a lazy susan – with a jade-coloured bar, neon, and moody candlelight completing the atmosphere.
The menu includes grilled curry fish ball skewers, steamed scallops with glass noodles, wok-fried monkey head cheung fun, smoked half chicken with spring onion and ginger oil, Iberico secreto char siu with bitter leaf and grapefruit salad, and for those with a sweet tooth Hong Kong French toast with peanut butter crème pâtissière.
Meanwhile there are wines by the glass and inventive cocktails including the crisp, sharp Bo Lai Gimlet, the smooth, layered Kowloon Classic with cognac, vermouth, banana and chocolate absinthe, and the creamy Pocari Sweat Milk Punch with tequila, yuzu with a foamy milk wash finish.
On January 6, Cafe Kowloon posted a teaser on Instagram with the message: “The countdown begins. Serving our modern Cantonese menu from February 4th.
“Hidden behind our noodle bar Wonton Charlie’s in London Fields, Cafe Kowloon is a modern Cantonese kitchen inspired by the way Hong Kong likes to eat and drink.”
Frank Yeung and Abhinav Malde are co-founders of 6 of 1 who opened their first Mr Bao in Peckham in 2016 to share the Taiwanese flavours of Mr Yeung’s childhood.
They have since launched Daddy Bao, Master Bao in Westfield London and Stratford, and Good Measure cocktail bar in Tooting.
They said: “We’ve been working and developing Cafe Kowloon for a very long time and can’t wait to see all the development finally come to life on Mentmore Terrace.”
