Beo*
Text by Joy Kingan
Billing itself as the first fully-organic restaurant and lounge in Hong Kong, beo* —meaning ‘beautifully organic’ — is the creation of a relative newcomer to Hong Kong (three years), Joana Kalfa. Formerly a banker, Joana left that behind to pursue her life-long passion for pure cuisine. Being French, and raised in that famously food-oriented culture, Joana has strong feelings about what’s good — and what’s not — and what fine cuisine should be. As a ‘green’ consciousness grows on us, vegetarian fare seems to be on the upswing as a way of striving to live closer to the land. But beo* is not one of those increasingly ubiquitous ‘organic’ vegetarian restaurants serving both mains and desserts made of tofu.
“Organic doesn’t mean vegetarian,” says Joana. “It has been many years now that I’m into organic cuisine, but not as a fanatic. I still enjoy dining out with my friends, it’s just that when I can choose, I go for organic.” Healthy eating was of course a motivating factor, but Joana says, “being also a woman who loves to enjoy the small things in life, food is part of it — I always appreciated food, and how family life plays a role in that, too…” The menu reminds us that many of us are, at heart, still meat eaters too; offering Grilled Scallop with Pomegranate Reduction and Mushroom Quinoa, Mustard-Crusted Alaskan Halibut with Warm Fennel-stewed Tomatoes, and Grilled Strip-loin with Lemon-roasted Garlic condiment, for example. There is a vegetarian trio on offer: Quinoa Salad, Roasted Eggplant with Fennel, and Puree of Tomato and Chickpea with Roasted Crunchy Vegetables. Desserts range from Caramelised ‘Tower of Apples’ to Espresso Mousse with grapes, and Roasted Black Mission Fig Risotto. Being fully organic, the beo* menu follows the seasons; the set lunch is changed weekly and the a la carte menu is changed every six weeks.
beo* is a multi-level venue, and includes a café, a dining/bar area, a cozy lounge, complete with round bed and stuffed sofas, and a ‘stage’ area, perfect for private or corporate functions, launches, etc. It is a unique venue —and a surprisingly quiet one—right in the middle of Hong Kong’s Central Business District. Stepping through a curved white-curtained entranceway from Arbuthnot Street, just above Hong Kong’s nightclub in the Lan Kwai Fong area, you emerge in the quiet and elegant dining/bar — all windows and trees. It is almost as if you have come to dine in a chic urban ‘treehouse’.
American-born Chef Michael Rickman has come to Hong Kong by way of a three-year stint in Rome, and with 20 years of experience influencing his choices. His culinary journey began after graduating from the famed Culinary Institute of America in 1990. From a traditional American steak and chop house, to the world-class hotels of Washington D.C., and with several years as a professional chef instructor, Michael has a wide perspective on the possibilities that food can bring to people. His culinary style can be categorized as simple, vibrant, and respectful of the natural flavours of natural ingredients, and influenced from the cuisines of Southern Europe, the Americas and Asia.
Lunch starts at noon and dinner goes on till late. Brunch is on every Sunday from 10:30 until 5pm. Joana invites you to “relax, slow down and enjoy the birds’ ‘song-and-dance’ from the trees by the balcony.”
beo* Hong Kong
16 Arbuthnot Raod, Central Hong Kong.
For reservations or enquiries, please contact (852) 2868 0625
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