Chef Nicholas Chew is from Singapore, but he’s arrived in Hong Kong the long way – with professional pitstops at foodie meccas such as Melbourne and London, where he has led Michelin-starred kitchens. As a result, he delivers quite the international accent, via both his lips and his plates! Bibo by Le Comptoir is Chef Chew’s latest undertaking, and here he’s infusing classical French dishes with Singaporean influences. They refer to the experience as haute Singaporean-French cuisine – think fancy food with a bite.
The location
The restaurant sits on the corner of Cat Street market (Upper Lascar Road) and Ladder Street. For anyone new to Hong Kong, this is a great destination to take visitors. It’s right near Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road.
You enter BIBO up on Hollywood Road and descend into the restaurant, which looks out through glass walls to Ladder Street. The dining room and bar work double time as a mini art gallery, with the works on display rotated regularly. This venue has a great vibe with lots to explore before and during dinner.
The food
While the location and the setting are fab in themselves, the true star of Bibo is the food. As I mentioned, this is French cuisine with a Singaporean twist, and trust me, it’s delicious. One option for dinner is the Chef’s Imagination menu, and I highly recommend you bypass the à la carte options and submit to Chef Chew’s whim for the evening.
Ours was the six-course Chef ’s Imagination menu (you can choose to go for a wine pairing option with each course, too). It opened with an incredible watermelon with lime caviar amuse-bouche and closed with, of course, delicate petits fours. In between, the highlight was the grilled Hokkaido scallop with barley, truffles and kaffir. This course was served with a tangy sauce that lifted an already distinctive dish. Another winner was the Miyazaki A4 beef, a highgrade Japanese beef, which was done in two ways. The star of the two – if I have to choose – was the first way, where the Singaporean influence was presented through a rendang flavour profile. The beef was served together with cucumber on a fun bite-sized brioche.
Fans of Asian seafood favourite abalone will also love Chef Chew’s Abalone dish, which is served cold with udon noodles. The addition of chorizo gives it a nice kick. It’s one of many nice kicks and twists you get with the enjoyable Bibo experience.
Why you’ll love it
The Chef ’s Imagination Menu is a ride for your taste buds. Surrender your decision-making for the evening and experience this delicious fusion of flavours from opposite sides of the world.
This restaurant is perfect for:
Special Christmas or Chinese New Year dinners, or brunch with good friends. It’s also an interesting venue for a special date night.
Bibo by Le Comptoir
163 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan
2956 3188 | bibo.hk
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This article first appeared in the Home Décor issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
