Scandi Casual: With The Flying Elk, renowned Swedish chef Björn Frantzén opens his second location in Hong Kong, bringing modern, casual Scandi fare to the heart of Lan Kwai Fong.

Look & Feel: Taking Fish & Meat’s former location along Wyndham Street, the restaurant is moody and intimate, and ever so slightly rustic. Thing gastropub chic rendered in chic Scandi style. You’ll want to  make yourself at home thanks to light woods, brightly colored tiles, and dangling pendant lights.

On the Menu: When it comes to food, The Flying Elk blends the classic Scandinavian styling of its original location in Stockholm with inspiration from Hong Kong. Think roasted beetroot ($125), home-smoked Norwegian salmon ($135), and Veal schnitzel “Björn Frantzén ($280). The Smörgåsbord brunch offering is a surprisingly affordable — and mightily delicious — brunch offering that’s basically a sampler of the full a la carte menu. Choose from either three or five starter dishes, tuck into a main, and for dessert, we highly recommend the Swedish coffee & Tahiti vanilla crème brûlée finished with toasted hazelnuts. Cocktails are equally well-thought-out and delicious.

Jeng: The food is creative, fun, and doesn’t take itself too seriously — a breath of fresh air on Hong Kong’s crowded culinary scene. Plus, the restaurant is surprisingly spacious and relaxed, and staff are genuinely friendly.

Not so Jeng: We had nothing to hate on here!

Meet the Chef: The concept might be Frantzén’s, but Jim Löfdahl is the one running this joint day to day. Löfdahl learned his trade in Sweden before becoming Frantzén’s first hire, and later managed their three-month Enigma pop-up at Dubai’s Palazzo Versace before heading the brand’s foray into Hong Kong.

FYI: There are some delightful off-the-menu dishes available – be sure to ask your server what’s the kitchen’s cooking up, and if lobster rolls are on offer, order them quick smart.

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.

[Updated April 2019]