A Modern Italian-Japanese Restaurant: Those who are familiar with Chef Ken Lau will be no strangers to his popular restaurants in prime Kowloon locations, Pano in West Kowloon and Palco in Ocean Terminal. Joining the sister restaurants under the Lubuds F&B Group is Pleka, situated in one of the most iconic architectures in Hong Kong – the IFC. With its soft launch in October, Pleka is now officially open, offering lunch, a la carte dishes, and even comprehensive tasting menus. Gourmands can expect to experience Chef Ken’s culinary creations against the backdrop of the beautiful and unobstructed panoramic view of Victoria Harbour.

Look & Feel: Pleka is designed to extend Pano and Palco’s concept of “Chef’s Table” by showcasing the cooking process in front of esteemed guests. The interior of Pleka is one of the highlights that accentuates the overall dining experience, with a high ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows that enlarge the dining room with the panorama sea view. Together with an outdoor alfresco area serving a variety of wines and finger foods to guests who wish to enjoy a breath of fresh air for a refreshing afternoon or evening.  

On the Menu: Pleka’s most popular menu, an 8-course Tasting Menu, showcases a gastronomic journey inspired by Chef Ken’s travels around the world. Starting with the amuse-bouche, to seafood, artisanal handmade pasta, meat, and dessert, every dish uses top ingredients from Japan and Europe, with rich and decadent flavors and creative presentations that demonstrate Chef Ken’s extraordinary cooking skills and creativity.  

To welcome the arrival of the glorious Spring weather, Chef Ken has upgraded some of the dishes on the Tasting Menu. Following an amuse bouche that changes regularly, customers are presented with the first appetizer which is the Sicilian Red Prawn Tartare with Caviar with Celeriac Puree. One of the highlights of the Tasting Menu is Spaghetti with Hokkaido Sea Urchin which uses a variety of shellfish, lobster, and fish; and is simmered for long hours to create a rich base for the sauce. Another popular dish is the Charcoal Grilled Miyazaki A4 Wagyu Beef Tenderloin with Port Wine Sauce. Committed to sourcing only the best ingredients, Chef Ken uses Miyazaki beef, a name only given to cows raised in Miyazaki which meet strict quality standards and are of the highest rank.

Every good meal should end on a sweet note. The dessert in the Tasting Menu changes regularly to match the seasonality of the ingredients. Following the very Instagram-able deconstructed frozen Pina Colada that was inspired by the traditional cocktail, the newest dessert is a Pink Grapefruit yogurt which is very refreshing for the arrival of the Spring weather in Hong Kong.

Great for: Gourmands looking to try something different. Also a great date night choice. 

Where? Shop 4010, 4/F, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central

For bookings, visit the website.

This write-up is a news piece and was not based on a restaurant visit. See our editorial policy here.