Introducing Renowned Japanese Brands nana’s green tea, Uogashi Nihonichi, and Kyoto Katsugyu Alongside its Latest Ventures – AIRSIDE Cafe and AIRSIDE Pâtisserie
Hong Kong hospitality pioneer Cafe Deco Group presents a host of dynamic dining experiences at the AIRSIDE mall in Kai Tak as it opens in mid-September 2023, including celebrated names debuting from Japan as well as the launch of a spacious contemporary European restaurant and its sister boutique cakery.
In total, gourmands can relish 4 exciting new brands – the landmark AIRSIDE Cafe together with AIRSIDE Pâtisserie; modern Japanese teahouse nana’s green tea; and trendy standing sushi bar Uogashi Nihonichi – as well as a third Hong Kong outlet of Japan’s beloved fried steak cutlet specialist Kyoto Katsugyu.
Bolstered by this diverse array of enticing eateries from one of the city’s most respected hospitality groups, AIRSIDE is set to become an immediate and vibrant destination for all-day grazing, sipping and sweet sensations.
nana’s green tea – Matcha magic from Japan’s premier teahouse
Epitomising the Japanese new wave of contemporary tearooms and cafes, nana’s green tea makes its Hong Kong debut after sweeping its homeland with 76 outlets since launching in Tokyo in 2006, then landing in North America, Taiwan, and Singapore.
Hailed as the country’s leading Japanese cafe brand, its success stems from vitamin- and antioxidant-rich matcha green tea powder that infuses delightful drinks and sweets as well as selected items on a deliciously comforting food menu of Japanese staples like donburi, udon and salads.
Bowing to the centuries-honoured tea ceremony spirit of omotenashi (hospitality and mindfulness), it vows to regale guests with exceptional service and premium, healthy offerings. Their headlining matcha – christened ‘Japanese espresso’ – is sourced from historic Kyoto tea studio Yamamasa Koyamaen, dating back to the early Edo period, to ensure genuine flavour, and is joined on a fascinating tea menu of hot and cold sips by the superior green brews of hojicha and genmaicha.
Sun-dried agar from Kozushima island is a fragrant, wholesome substitute for sugar, and rice is organic, grown in partnership with Japanese farmers. Their famed desserts include luscious soft-serve concoctions, handmade matcha pudding, hojicha jelly and creations starring Hokkaido’s distinctive red beans. Among the house-speciality parfaits, the dazzling Matcha Gold Leaf Nama Chocolate Parfait has been created exclusively for Hong Kong.
The brand’s Hong Kong outpost in AIRSIDE reflects its signature modern tea-ceremony aesthetic, seating up to 60 people in bright, airy interiors of more than 1,600 sq. ft canopied by tall, open beams that nod serenely and playfully to minka (traditional Japanese wooden houses).
Located at B128, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong, nana’s green tea will operate daily from 12:00 noon to 9:30 p.m.
Uogashi Nihonichi – Standing up for super-fresh seasonal sushi
Offering a casual, convivial take on sushi, fresh-fish specialist Uogashi Nihonichi prepares authentic, perfectly cut, and shaped Edomae morsels to enjoy standing at the counter. The first Hong Kong outlet for a brand that boasts a sushi bar and auction rights at Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market among a 29-strong stable across Japan is a cozy space of almost 700 sq. ft swathed in attractive light-toned wood with room for 15 people to mingle at the commanding central bar.
Reintroducing the two-century-old tradition of a sushi stand that instantly satisfies cravings for Japan’s most popular delicacy, Uogashi Nihonichi presents its fresh fish in seven ways – freshly caught, grated, boiled, baked, fried, cooked, and squeezed – and skilfully pairs it with seasoned rice at lightning speed for “simple, pure and firm” sushi fun.
Ordered by the piece or as an exceptional omakase parade, the seasonal catch may include Botan Ebi (shrimp), Hokkigai (surf clam), and Japanese oysters as well as Kinki (channel rockfish), Iwashi (sardine), Sanma (mackerel pike) and Buri (yellowtail). Donburi sets will also be available.
Premium sake-pairing options and sake Happy Hour promise to be top draws. Featured labels include Daimon from the pioneering Osaka craft brewery where pure mountain water and slower low-temperature fermentation combine for medal-winning pours. For those eschewing alcohol, curry-flavoured soft drinks are a novelty.
Located at G001, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Uogashi Nihonichi will operate daily from 12:00 noon to 9:30 p.m.
AIRSIDE Cafe – Statement creative all-day dining for all
Cafe Deco Group’s innovative new all-day dining restaurant, AIRSIDE Cafe, takes prime position in the AIRSIDE atrium, providing an inviting sanctuary to dine, wine and unwind bathed in natural light – or the twinkling evening lights – streaming through its attractive glass roof. It presents creative yet affordable modern European cuisine using prime produce and ingredients.
Highlights of the menu include the stunning AIRSIDE Seafood Platter – embracing oyster, uni, prawn, scallop, abalone and lobster chawanmushi alongside luscious chickpea miso mayonnaise and yuzu kosho. There is a double star-showing of premium beef, which appears as Wagyu Tartare on flax-seed cracker with jalapeno and miso; and Date-glazed Tongue dressed with smoked yoghurt and chilli. Charred Lobster, Kombu Butter, Chive; and Strozzapreti Lump Crab, Preserved Lemon, Bottarga, Chive are two further highlights of an inventive menu bursting with freshness and flavour.
Seating 116 people within sleek, contemporary and spacious interiors of more than 1,600 sq. ft, AIRSIDE Cafe will lure those seeking a tranquil lunch or dinner away from the urban noise, as well as families and groups of friends eager to tuck into scrumptious signatures and exciting plates for sharing. Handcrafted cocktails and mocktails and a curated wine list from the Old World and the New will elevate merriment.
Located at Shop 322, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong, AIRSIDE Cafe will operate daily from 12:00 noon to 9:30 p.m.
AIRSIDE Pâtisserie – Artistic sensations to satisfy sweet cravings
A boutique cakeshop dedicated to the sweet art of handcrafted confectionery is housed within the AIRSIDE Cafe domain. AIRSIDE Pâtisserie proffers over 20 mini cakes and 10 large celebration cakes daily for purchase, whether as a spur-of-the-moment splurge or ordered in advance for collection. Incorporating a sprinkle of creativity while staying true to time-honoured pastry techniques, they are freshly crafted each morning by expert bakers in Hong Kong using premium ingredients like French cream, Valrhona chocolate, Madagascan vanilla and exotic seasonal fruits.
Treats lining the Pâtisserie’s gleaming counter may include Blackcurrant & Mascarpone, Mango Mont Blanc and Early Grey Crème Brûlée mini cakes and sumptuous 8-inch rounds of Sacher Cake, Gâteau Forêt Noire and Chestnut Cake.
Located at Shop 320, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong, AIRSIDE Pâtisserie will operate daily from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Kyoto Katsugyu – Gyukatsu at its most refined and flavoursome
The beef quality and refined panko of Kyoto Katsugyu have spurred an international chain of more than 50 restaurants across Japan, East Asia and onto Canada in less than 10 years. The leading exponent of gyukatsu – tender beef cutlet coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried – Kyoto Katsugyu, it now celebrates a third Hong Kong branch under the auspices of Cafe Deco Group, following the success stories of outlets opening in Causeway Bay in 2021 and Tsuen Wan last year.
The Kyoto Katsugyu masterstroke is the thin coating of fine bread powder and white pepper that locks in the juices of the meat as it is immersed in sizzling Japanese soybean oil for a mere minute, emerging medium rare on the inside and crispy golden on the outside. Additional grilling at each table and an array of 8 condiments – the likes of Onsen Egg, Kyoto-style Curry, Sancho Pepper Salt, Gyukatsu Sauce, Kyoto Pepper Miso, and Carrot Citrus Sauce – individualizes each gyukatsu experience, imparting fun and flavor.
The AIRSIDE restaurant presents two new choices of wagyu for selection: superb marbled Tokachi wagyu from Hokkaido raised on pasture grass, straw and a concentrated vitamin C-enriched feed; and Satsuma Fukunaga wagyu from cattle in Kagoshima whose rice diet yields sweet and tender meat. These premium beef cutlets star in satisfying sets including a sweet finish at lunch and dinner, and curated a la carte where Wagyu Sando, featuring the snowflake-like marbling of premium Miyazaki beef, and US-sourced Ox Tongue are highlights.
Traditional Japanese umbrellas and fans dress the colorful restaurant, where up to 80 diners can be seated in spacious environs totaling more than 1,600 sq. ft to savor an authentic Kyoto ambiance.
Located at B129, AIRSIDE, 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Kyoto Katsugyu will operate daily from 12:00 noon to 9:30 p.m.
These five new hotspots reflect the ambition of the Cafe Deco Group. Having merged with Igor’s Group in 2011, it now operates more than 25 restaurants and bars in Hong Kong and Sydney and supports sustainable practices in the industry. The Group is proud to bring its culinary flair and expertise to the AIRSIDE commercial and lifestyle hub, which has been developed by Nan Fung Group in a manner to steer the city towards a sustainable future.
Located just minutes away from Kai Tak MTR station and near the Kai Tai Sports Park, this new landmark in the revitalized Kowloon East district is the first building in Hong Kong to earn the world’s five most recognized green-building certifications.
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