Following an extensive two-month renovation, The Pawn has reopened under the culinary direction of Michelin-starred British chef Tom Aikens. Wan Chai's landmark dining institution closed late July and will welcome guests for dinner from Wednesday, 29th October with a refreshed menu, design and direction. The first-floor 'Botanicals Bar' opens Monday, 27th October from 6pm. From Wednesday 29th October, drinks will be served daily from 12pm.

The Dishes

“The menu is a strong mix of casual and high-end cooking,” explains Aikens. “Our intention is to serve dishes that not only appeal to local diners, but also travellers and foodies. Above all, we want to create a fun dining experience and a relaxed, informal environment. Building on The Pawn's long-standing reputation, we offer guests a dining experience unlike anything else in Wan Chai.”

Aikens's new menu reflects his ingredient-driven creativity and talent for innovative combinations. Meat lovers are likely to target the pig's trotter packets with sorrel and red wine egg or the 12-hour spiced lamb shoulder with dried fruit and chickpeas.

Seafood offerings include confit salmon with vanilla tapioca, grapefruit and pomelo, soy marinated tuna tartare with sesame crushed avocado and the razor clams paired with mitsuba and black garlic with pickled white radish. Following the launch period, The Pawn will introduce a weekend brunch menu.

The Design

“To mark the new chapter in The Pawn's history, we wanted to give the venue a fresh start,” explains Press Room Group co-founder Alan Lo, who oversaw The Pawn's chic-sleek design. Each level of the three-storey building serves a unique function and evokes a different mood.

On the first floor, guests are greeted by a leafy oasis in the 'Botanicals Bar' and adjoining balcony area where they can enjoy a selection of inspired cocktails.

“We've created an all-day dining counter with a backdrop of hundreds of potted plants,” adds Lo. “As guests enter via the narrow stairs, the greenery is their first visual reference. The historic architecture of the first floor provides many challenges so we've divided the area into individual sections where each space serves a different purpose but contributes to the overall design.”

The separate 'Bar 1908', open daily from 5pm for after-work drinks, resembles a chic private club with leather couches and dark wood panels, which add an old-world charm. An intoxicating choice of cocktails will stir the imagination of casual drinkers and shake cocktail connoisseurs out of their complacency. Complementing the cocktails, an enticing menu of bar snacks includes spiced pork ribs with paprika yoghurt and barbecue sauce and beef tartare with juniper, coriander mayonnaise and pickled maitake.

The upstairs dining room, thoughtfully designed to host both casual gatherings and intimate celebrations, boasts an open-plan layout, a central private dining room and balcony. “The dining room's concrete floor and white oak wooden finishes were chosen to create a sense of warmth and order,” adds Lo. “We wanted to keep the design simple so guests can focus on Tom's cooking.”

The Pawn's rooftop has also been transformed to serve as an urban garden. As a longtime advocate for sustainable, locally-sourced ingredients, Tom Aikens will be incorporating the harvested produce in his cooking while the homegrown herbs will be part of The Pawn's cocktails.

Since launching in 2006, Press Room Group has distinguished itself as a local brand with an international outlook. While serving cuisines from around the world, each venue celebrates Hong Kong's heritage, championing homegrown artists and designers. Continuing this tradition, The Pawn represents a creative collaboration between international and local talents.  

“Our vision is to provide a platform for people from different creative disciplines to contribute,” adds Lo. “We have Tom Aikens overseeing the kitchen, his team cultivating the rooftop garden, bespoke tailors Gieves & Hawkes designing the managers' uniforms, resident bar manager Liam Baer creating unique cocktails and Stanley Wong returning to create The Pawn's art programme.

“At a time when Hong Kong developers have stripped away the soul and character of many original neighbourhoods, The Pawn will focus on the Wan Chai community, becoming a creative hub for local and international creative talents.”

Address:                                62 Johnston Road, Wan Chai
Reservations:                       (852) 2866 3444 or info@thepawn.com.hk
Dining Room:                        Taking reservations from Wednesday, 29th October
Botanicals Bar & Bar 1908: Open from 6pm starting Monday, 27th October
                                              Open from 12pm starting Wednesday, 29th October
Website:                               www.thepawn.com.hk


For media enquiries, please contact:
CatchOn Marketing Communications:
Nicole Koo | Miki Koo
Tel: (852) 2807 0233 | 2807 0087
Email: nicole.koo@catchonco.com| miki.koo@catchonco.com

About Tom Aikens:
For over a decade, Tom Aikens has been hailed as one of the UK's most innovative chefs. After honing his skills in kitchens alongside Pierre Koffmann and Jöel Robuchon, Aikens was named Head Chef at London's Pied à Terre. At 26, he became the youngest British chef to ever earn two Michelin stars. Inspired by Robuchon's attention to detail and Koffmann's emphasis on provenance, Aikens has earned a reputation for his culinary innovation and technical skills. Tom Aikens Restaurant, his Michelin-starred eponymous fine-dining restaurant in Elystan Street London, ran for over a decade, from 2003 until 2014. In 2006, the celebrated chef opened Tom's Kitchen, a modern British restaurant in Chelsea serving comfort food. Since then, he has expanded the concept to five other locations, including London's historic Somerset House, Canary Wharf, St Katharine Docks, as well as Istanbul, which opened in 2013 Aikens has also authored three books: Cooking (2006), Fish (2008) and Easy (2011).

About Press Room Group: 
Founded in 2006, Press Room Group's portfolio currently counts thirteen restaurants throughout Hong Kong.  Classified is a collection of neighbourhood cafes, which has garnered rave reviews and was named Time magazine's Top 5 Restaurants for Cheese Lovers. The Pawn, launched in 2008, quickly earned a reputation as a favourite destination for locals and has become a “must-see” for tourists. The following year, the founders introduced another revolutionary concept, SML, followed by The News Room, which was transformed into the American-styled News Room Diner in 2014. Press Room Group launched The Principal on Star Street in late 2011. Headed by Executive Chef Jonay Armas, the restaurant has been awarded a Michelin Star in the Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau for two consecutive years. Press Room Group owners, Alan Lo, Arnold Wong and Paulo Pong represent the next generation of Hong Kong restaurateurs – lauded for their knack of creating highly successful food and beverage concepts that blend seamlessly with heritage, art, and culture.