Ashley Sutton is on a roll. After making his Hong Kong debut nearly two years ago with Ophelia, he has since opened successful establishments J.Boroski, Iron Fairies and Yojimbo in partnership with Dining Concepts. It looks like the man has got a winning formula to answer the often-fickle tastes of 852 denizens. Let’s take a look at his latest venture Dear Lilly, which Gafencu visited last week on its soft opening.

The Setting

Dear Lilly’s glass-walled saloon replaces the former Zentro Loft on ifc mall’s rooftop. We were first impressed by the stunning view as we approached the spot, and then inside, by the the elaborate interiors. It was a bit difficult to reconcile the two at the beginning, as both compete for your attention with equally-matched charm.

Sutton obviously tapped his romantic side when coming up with the theme here: prints of love letters from times gone by serve as placemats to your meal (ahem, Dear Lilly). Countless bouquets of dried flowers take up the whole ceiling space. You can even make like Alice in Wonderland climbing into a super-sized jewellery box: that’s the effect you get when getting into the intimate booths housed inside the heart-shaped steel structures. (Fun fact: It apparently took Sutton over two years to recreate his cousins’ old metal jewel boxes large enough to fit people into).

Eat and drink

We began with cocktails: all pretty as a picture, but some teetering dangerously on the sweet side. 1920s French tipples are the stars of the show here, featuring spirits and liqueurs the likes of lillet blanc and swizzled calvados. 

Food – contemporary European cuisine – was surprisingly well executed compared to the fare at Sutton’s other bars. The Tuna Poke (HK$138) won our palates with its laudable mix of sweet onion vinaigrette, avocado and scallions. The 12-hour Slow Cooked Octopus (HK$128) and honey-glazed Prime Beef Short Ribs (HK$138) are also excellent starter choices.

Vegetarians won’t feel left out with Dear Lilly’s textured Curly Kale Salad (HK$128) and wholesome Mezze Platter (HK$178). The former comes in a rainbow of guilt-free ingredients: quinoa, dry seeds and red radish with orange vinaigrette. The latter features delicious Middle Eastern staples: hummus, baba ganoush, tzatziki, falafel, marinated olives, and grilled halloumi with pita bread.

Of the mains, the unanimous favourite was the Wild Mushroom Risotto (HK$178) of black truffle and parmesan. Personally, however, I loved the Puttanesca Pappardelle (HK$188) as I have a weakness for anchovies. If you’re really hungry, don’t hesitate to get the hefty Grill Cornfed Chicken (HK$168) at seriously good value. 

The verdict

Sutton and Dining Concepts decided to make a gamble when they prioritised aesthetic over potential profitability in this ambitious project – a rare and brave decision in Hong Kong’s cutthroat F&B scene. Rather than packing the space with as much dining area as possible, they decided to go with outrageous design elements that aligned with the artist’s vision. Bravo, we say to that.

Dear Lilly definitely got the right mix in for the food menu, but we’re afraid so much going on might detract from the nuances that would otherwise be highlighted. The drinks, meanwhile, need a bit more refining; cocktails look beautiful, but taste-wise, the team could use a hand from the folks at J.Boroski. Other than that, we can’t complain; rather, we’ve made a note to come back and check it out in daylight. We certainly want to see the place again in all its light-washed glory. 

Dear Lilly, Shop 4010, Podium Level 4, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong. 

 

Words: Julienne C. Raboca