In a city that treats food almost like its own religion, Bo Innovation still manages to amaze its patrons with its innovative, molecular cuisine. Chef Alvin Leung Jr. may have trained as an engineer, but he uses those skills and infuses them into his cooking techniques, creating one-of-a-kind dishes that are sure to impress even the most discerning foodies.
Housed on the second floor of the J Residence in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai neighborhood, Bo Innovation provides stellar service from the start, thanks to a special elevator accessed on Ship Street that opens right up into the restaurant. Once you arrive, your journey is only just beginning.
Housed on the second floor of the J Residence in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai neighborhood, Bo Innovation provides stellar service from the start, thanks to a special elevator accessed on Ship Street that opens right up into the restaurant. Once you arrive, your journey is only just beginning.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- The inviting space — think an open kitchen and high ceilings — lends itself well to shining a light on the real star of the show: the food.
- While the term molecular cuisine usually affiliates with pomp and circumstance, the difference at Bo Innovation is that the food is just as good as the fancy presentation.
- A lengthy wine list features bottles from around the world, including France, Argentina, New Zealand and Italy, among other places.
- And don’t forget about the outdoor terrace when the weather is warm, too — alfresco dining is the idyllic complement to your haute cuisine experience.
- Chef Leung’s passion for food is infectious, and you’re sure to catch his zealousness, especially if you sit at the Chef’s Table where you’re personally served by the Demon Chef. He talks you through the extensive menu and even joins you for a couple of drinks—just keep in mind that you’re confined to the Chef’s Table Menu.
Things to Know
- The restaurant offers three degustation menus, the Tasting Menu, the Chef’s Menu, and the Chef’s Table Menu. The Chef’s Menu and the Chef’s Table Menu are set, but the Tasting Menu lets you pick the entrée, and has an optional add-on appetizer course featuring a seasonal ingredient such as the white truffle.
- If you’re not sure who chef Alvin Leung Jr. is, or what he looks like, not to worry as a Chuck Close photographic mosaic of the Demon Chef will greet you at the entrance of Bo Innovation.
- Each menu at the Forbes Travel Guide Five Star restaurant has an optional wine pairing for all the courses, but if you would rather limit yourself to a couple of glasses, you can order off the regular wine list.
The Food
- The menus at this Forbes Travel Guide Five Star restaurant change with the seasons, but the signature molecular xiao long bao is a staple. A flavorful pork broth is captured using a spherification technique that creates a decadent mouthful that resembles an egg yolk.
- All the menus start off with a sweet and sour shot of Mao Tai sour, a cocktail of Mao Tai rice wine, mixed with lime juice and a generous frothing of egg white. The tartness energizes the appetite and it makes for an interesting palate cleanser.
- The scallop course is a barely seared piece of Japanese scallop on a duo bed of white woba (crispy burnt rice) and sugar snap peas, swimming in a pool of Shanghainese jolo (fermented red rice vinegar) sauce.
- The organic “Long Jiang” chicken is part of the Chef’s Menu and is an entrée option on the Tasting Menu, but not offered on the Chef’s Table Menu. The roulade-style organic chicken rests on a bed of creamy risotto that’s bursting with chicken flavor.
The Design
- The interior design of Bo Innovation is as frenetic and modern as the Demon Chef himself. The chic décor features wall length Bokeh photographic prints of the bustling Wan Chai streets below, helping to transport the colorfulness of the red light district into the intimate space.
- The sleek interiors are tiled with black reflective surfaces, and illuminated with shiny copper hexagonal chandeliers.
- White marble tabletops are paired with black leather armchairs, quite possibly one of the few familiar pairings in this Forbes Travel Guide Five Star restaurant.
- The beverage menu is as artistic as the food and décor, with the inside cover decorated with calligraphy graffiti by the King of Kowloon, a celebrated local street artist.
Amenities
Business casual
Dinner
Outdoor seating
Reservations recommended
Getting There
