Andō offers more than an array of creative dishes, it serves stories from the gastronomic journey of chef Agustin Ferrando Balbi.
The always intriguing culinary scene of Hong Kong has just welcomed a new addition. Andō is Chef Agustin Ferrando Balbi’s first restaurant, presented in partnership with JIA Group, a Hong Kong-based hospitality firm established by Yenn Wong.
The intimate 34-seater restaurant is something very personal for Agustin. The name on the sign is derived from Agustin’s Latin surname Ferrando. Adding depth to the philosophy, Andō implies a sense of contentment in Japanese, and is the equivalent of “-ing” in Spanish, a verb participle describing the act of doing in the present.
The multi-layered sense of identity in the moniker continues in the essence of the menu, personally crafted by Agustin. The spectrum of his cuisine pays homage to his ancestral roots in Italy and Spain, as well as to Japan, which has played a large role in the honing of his skills. In Andō’s modern tasting menus, Agustin takes diners on an exploration of unique flavour juxtapositions crafted from the finest produce sourced from Japan, Spain and Italy.
Get ready to have your palate enticed with signature dishes such as Todo Diferente (all different), a curious starter showcasing elaborate textures and flavours, comprising yellow pineapple tomato, sea salt, shio kombu-infused extra virgin olive oil, Japanese tofu and burrata cream.
Partir (departure) is inspired by Agustin’s journey to Japan, aged 24, to learn how to treat and cook seafood. The seasonal selection of sashimi dons the ikejime method, where each fish is meticulously paired with other ingredients that highlight the distinct characteristics of the fish.
Diners can find many more stories from Agustion’s life in the dishes. For example, Risas del Jardin (garden’s laugh) is A5 Kumamoto wagyu inspired by the chef’s childhood Sundays, when his family used to have asados (grilled meats) in the backyard with friends. Sin Lola (without Lola) is caldoso rice cooked in three stocks (chicken and chorizo, clam and abalone), a tribute for the chef’s late grandmother who used to cook this for lunch after school and inspired Agustin to pursue his culinary career.
Andō is open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday, opening at 12 with last seating at 2.30pm, and for dinner Monday to Saturday from 6 to 9pm.
Andō
1F Somptueux Central
52 Wellington Street
Central, Hong Kong
T: (+852) 23809007
