Into the Woods: Sister restaurant of the opulent Epure in Harbour City, Arbor is one of the first restaurants to open in new art and lifestyle hotspot H Queen’s in Central, offering fine French-Japanese fusion dishes in soft, airy surrounds.

Look & Feel: Created by renowned American design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the interiors are split into the dining room and the bar area. Light floods the dining room through large picture windows showcasing a bird’s-eye views of the city, while the floor and ceiling are done up in light oak, and fresh shades of teal and green are seen throughout the furnishings. The bar, on the other hand, is millennial pink with luxurious metallics and stately arches. A private dining room seats up to  20 people, and can also be divided into two smaller spaces with a curtain divider.

On the Menu: Chef Eric Raty brings together Japanese ingredients and French culinary techniques to create a strongly seasonal menu inspired by nature — hence the restaurant’s name. Throw in Raty’s Scandinavian background and experiences of creating recipes by foraging for wild ingredients, and you get a unique fusion concept. The menu consists of sets decided by the chef with an omakase offered at lunch — no a la carte options here. The bar offers up a selection of wine, champagne, and pure spirits.

Jeng: It takes a lot to stand out amidst Hong Kong’s ever-evolving fine-dining scene, and Arbor’s dishes — torched Icelandic langoustine with sharp Fuji tomatoes and – unexpectedly – crushed candy, for instance, and a savory-yet-sweet dessert of soy milk ice cream, sheets of crispy yuba, black beans in soy sauce, and salted egg yolk combined with pieces of white chocolate — definitely do that.

Not So Jeng: With no less than four courses in each set menu that aren’t brought out at what one would call a quick and snappy pace, Arbor is not the place for a power lunch — but then why make a reservation if you’re not looking to linger?

Meet the Chef: Formerly a pastry chef, chef de cuisine Eric Raty crafts the entire menu, from appetizer to dessert. He was most recently head chef at The Upper House’s Café Gray Deluxe.

Great For: A leisurely, sumptuous meal after perusing the artistic offerings throughout the galleries of H Queen’s.

FYI: Venture into the restaurant’s wine cellar — sequestered behind a door at the back of the bar area — and you’ll find plenty of rare French bottles from the restaurant owner’s personal collection. Perusing the restaurant’s wine selection requires the presence of both the owner and the wine director, however, who unlock the cellar’s high-tech security with their fingerprints.

Check out Hong Kong’s newest restaurants and bars here.

This writeup was based on a complimentary media tasting. The Loop HK doesn’t guarantee/sell restaurant review coverage. See our editorial policy here.