New To K11 Musea, Dab-pa Artisan Makes Peking & Sichuan Cuisine Palatable To The Instagram Generation

Words by Gavin Yeung

September 28, 2021

Cover Sous-vide sea bass with pickled cabbage and chilli (Source: Taste Gourmet Group)

Smoke, espumas, and desserts resembling makeup are the order of the day at this new opening under the Taste Gourmet Group

Spread across five locations in Hong Kong, Taste Gourmet Group's Dab-pa brand—named after a picturesque region in Sichuan—opens its flagship restaurant in K11 Musea today.

Building on Dab-pa's melding of Peking and Sichuan cuisines, Dab-pa Artisan elevates the dining experience by refining the cooking techniques and incorporating experimental elements of molecular gastronomy, all within a setting of feminine pastels designed with full consideration of its Instagram potential.

Foams, smoke, and sprays look to feature prominently in the menu devised by head chef and Bo Innovation alumnus Lo Ka-ki, bringing in various trends from the past two decades in fine dining to enliven the dishes for tastebuds and smartphone camera alike. Sous-vide sea bass with pickled cabbage and chilli is submerged in a mushroom and asparagus foam topped with flower petals; while a dollop of prawn foam crowns a dish of fried king prawns with a puree of cauliflower, onion, white wine, black mushrooms and heavy cream.

Above Shanghai smoked salmon (Source: Taste Gourmet Group)

Above ‘Yanzhi’ hawthorn mousse with raspberry gelée (Source: Taste Gourmet Group)

Meanwhile, a dessert of ‘Yanzhi’ hawthorn mousse with raspberry gelée is made to resemble makeup, served as it is alongside a large makeup brush, a vaporiser filled with a citrus and floral scent with which to spritz the dish, and a raspberry powder 'rouge' that the restaurant says "enables guests to contour, highlight and flavour their dessert".

Afternoon tea is also a key offering at Dab-pa Artisan, comprising six savoury bites and two sweet morsels. The mocktail menu is designed for maximum impact on social media, with elaborate garnishes of saffron and rose petals, brightly-hued liquids, and attention-catching glassware utilised throughout.

Dab-pa Artisan, Shop No. B111, B1/F, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong; +852 2327 2218