Celebrity chef and restaurateur Akira Back has won over taste buds around the world with his empire of restaurants, and now, his sights are set on Hong Kong.
Back’s first venture in the city—the eponymous Akira Back—is now open at The Henderson, marking the first of three culinary concepts to open at the architectural icon in Central. Japanese-Korean-American cuisine is the name of the game at Akira Back, and the oft-awarded chef presents a bold philosophy that sees tradition and innovation woven into an artistic array of dishes, inspired by life and memories.
As Back dips his toes into a new market with this latest opening—this is, after all, still terra incognita to the chef in terms of audience, reception, and preferences—the restaurant’s initial launch menu is safely puzzled together from the tried-and-tested, the well-received, and the best-selling. Hong Kong diners, those familiar and unfamiliar with the quintessential Akira Back table, can encounter his culinary concept in a nutshell through signatures popularised at his other restaurants, such as the delicate AB cucumber salad, painstakingly constructed by folding slivers of the vegetable into a dome-like shape reminiscent of playground climbers. Back refers to his cuisine as Korean-Japanese with American flair—a reflection of his own personal background, from Seoul to Aspen to the world—and the lines between the food cultures certainly blur when you peruse the menu. It’s “comfortable food, it looks simple, but it takes a long time to make,” Back says, and his compressed watermelon carpaccio is one such creation, where first impressions belie the dish’s true nature. What appear to be slices of roasted red bell peppers are, in fact, neat piles of watermelon marinated in paprika vinaigrette for 24 hours, crumbled over with feta and candied walnuts. Back’s meticulous preparation provides a positively mind-boggling dish with a surprising twist.
From a moreish grilled avocado with garlic butter and togarashi to a miso black cod with Akira Back’s signature yuja sake foam and shishito, and a nuanced, gujeolpan-inspired toro tartare folded with a blend of condiments and toppings, crowned with Oscietra caviar, drizzled in wasabi soy sauce, and served with wonton chips, the menu is artistic and creative, balancing innovation with precision and a degree of comfortable familiarity. Back’s 48-hour Wagyu short ribs are a straightforward but impressively exemplary take on the classic Korean galbi-jim braised short ribs, and, together with the AB tuna pizza and Brother From Another Mother sushi roll, should not be slept on.
Akira Back’s apple harumaki dessert is highly accomplished and unexpected. It presents the nostalgic flavours of a comforting apple pie in the form of a deep-fried Japanese spring roll bursting with a delightfully sweet, mouthwatering filling of cinnamon cream cheese and caramelised apple, but the most remarkable part about the dish is it perfectly maintains its structural integrity and superbly crisp texture well after it’s been served. Meanwhile, the tart, light, and bright yuzu shiso—featuring a melange of confit citrus fruit, lime madeleine, yuko yuzu sorbet, and green shiso cream—refreshes the palate with a zesty punch, capping off the meal.
Finding a home within a design-forward landmark penned by none other than Zaha Hadid Architects meant the restaurant interiors had to be appropriately striking. AB Concept rose to the occasion, mapping out a space that matches the dynamism and sophistication of Back’s genre-breaking cuisine, while respectfully balancing the building’s original design concept. A soft energy permeates the dining room, influencing shape, material, and colour—a decision that “was absolutely intentional,” shares AB Concept associate Rex Wang. “Our primary goal was to create a chic and serene dining oasis that stands in stark contrast to its setting within an office tower.” Standing in the Akira Back restaurant, the workplace atmosphere is easily forgotten. Gentle curves, undulating lines, and spherical elements evoke a sense of femininity, with dark swathes of colour and finishing standing in contrast to bring drama into the picture.
“Our design DNA directly draws inspiration from […] The Henderson,” Wang tells Robb Report Hong Kong as he explains how his team used parametric design tools to create the restaurant’s organic interior forms. “For instance, the ceiling’s intricate lattice features individually unique panels, reflecting the tower’s own innovative structural language. […] Elements like the undulating mirrors are a direct homage, mimicking the iconic curving facade of the building itself.” Petal-like shapes throughout the custom-designed furniture pieces echo The Henderson’s Hong Kong orchid concept.
Notably, Back’s mother’s art is everywhere—in the ceramics, on the menu cover, on the walls. It’s a constant companion for the chef, and AB Concept seamlessly melds Young-hee Back’s abstract motifs into the greater interior canvas. Wang shares that “the artwork of Back’s mother is indeed the heart and soul of the brand, as her cooking was the original inspiration for his culinary journey.” As a tribute, her paintings play prominent roles as large-scale statement pieces in the private dining room and above the sushi bar, “ensuring her creative spirit is part of every aspect of the dining experience,” says Wang. Book out the private dining room, if only to ooh and aah at the whimsical “marshmallow” ceiling—it’s Back’s favourite space in the restaurant because of his mother’s artwork, but it’s our favourite because of the superb views.
5/F, The Henderson, 2 Murray Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 9733 8988
All images courtesy of Akira Back.
