May Pick: Rhoda, Hong Kong

The uber-cool and chicly designed Rhoda, is a restaurant focused on offering fresh and seasonal family-style dishes centered around grilled meats and seafood. Paying homage to family, the inspiration for the name came from Head Chef Nathan Green’s grandmother, who influenced him to cook and become a chef. The sheer emphasis on traditional family values in turn translates over to the food, providing diners with unpretentious and uncomplicated dishes that is all so comforting on the palate.

Rhoda Exterior

Rhoda

Rhoda Chef Counter

Chef Counter

Tucked away behind a beautifully designed raw metal façade, the entrance to the restaurant may be a little inconspicuous, so do keep your eye out for it as you may just walk by without noticing it. The interior space is every designer’s dream, with high ceilings, a magnificent mix of concrete surface, warm and dim lights and the creative use of upcycled pieces such lamp shades made from washing machine drums. The epitome of cool and brainchild of award-winning designer Joyce Wong. For the very best seats in the house, we suggest sitting at the communal counter table where you get to experience the chef and his team in action as they prepare and plate all the delectable dishes on offer.

Hereford Ox Heart Tartare with Japanese egg yolk puree and crisps

Rhoda Chef Nathan Green thinly slicing Komamoto Tomatoes

Chef Nathan Green thinly slicing Kumamoto Tomatoes

At Rhoda, the menu changes daily to ensure diners get the freshest and most beautiful ingredients with every meal. The fresh produce is sourced from all over the world and sustainability is something the chef and his team strongly believe in, hence the ethical use of entire animals for their various dishes. For the adventurous sort, the wild Hereford Ox Heart Tartare with Japanese egg yolk puree and crisps is a great way to start the meal. The heart has a slightly gamey texture and is sourced from Brisbane where the animals roam freely in their habitat eating naturally to ensure nothing is processed, mix it with the egg to add an overall creaminess and the crisps for crunch. A very unique and bold dish that works amazingly on the palate. For absolute simplicity, the thinly sliced Kumamoto tomato topped with Arbequina olive oil from L’ Albagés is worth a definite try, the natural sweetness of the fruit is paired perfectly with the slight saltiness of the olive oil, rated one of the very best of its kind in the world.

Rhoda Mangalica Pork Loin

Mangalica Pork Loin

braised Wagyu short rib with potato puree, sturia caviar and egg

Braised Wagyu Short Rib with Potato Puree, Sturia Caviar and Egg

Meat lovers can rejoice as the menu is packed full of amazing cuts to savour, an interesting fact to know is that Chef Nathan used to be a butcher therefore trust him to know his way around meats. The Mangalica pork loin comes highly recommended, with 80% fat and is shipped in every 3 weeks, the buttery pork is marinated soy, chilli and garlic and absolutely melts in your mouth with every bite. The braised Wagyu short rib with potato puree, sturia caviar and egg is carefully put together to encapsulate the chef’s innovative take on the classic shepherd’s pie. A signature, the Brinks farm free range chicken is ideal for sharing, slow cooked for 3 hours on top of heat with no direct contact, a combination of Asian influences are present in the dish, topped with ginger and spring onion to give it a nice overall tanginess.

Rhoda_Brinks_farm_free_range_chicken_spring_onion

Brinks Farm Free-range Chicken

Drinks: A family affair at Rhoda, the wine list is curated by Chef Nathan’s brother, Nathan Green, founder of wine specialist, Bottle Shock. The restaurant offers a wide selection of atypical wines as well as craft beers, whiskies, port, Madeira and Calvados.


ADDRESS:
Ground floor, Upton, 345 Des Voeux Road West, Hong Kong
OPERATING HOURS:
Lunch:
Monday-Friday: 12 noon – 2:30pm
Saturday: 12 noon – 3pm
Sunday: 12 noon – 4pm
Sunday: 4pm – 6pm (drinks and light bites)

Dinner:
Monday-Thursday:  6pm – 11pm
Friday-Saturday: 6pm – midnight
Sunday: 6pm – 11pm
RESERVATIONS: Recommended
PHONE: +852 2177 5050
EMAIL: ask@rhoda.hk 
WEBSITE: rhoda.hk/