This August, one MICHELIN-starred ANDŌ welcomes guests into a new chapter. More than the launch of a new tasting menu, the restaurant reopens with a complete reimagining of the ANDŌ experience – introducing a new culinary concept, redesigned dining room, bespoke tableware, refreshed staff uniforms, an elevated new wine programme and thoughtful keepsakes for every guest.
Leading this new chapter is the evolution of Chef-Founder Agustin Balbi’s signature philosophy of “Personal Cuisine”. Since opening in July 2020, ANDŌ has reflected Agustin’s multicultural identity, weaving together the influences of Spain, Japan and Hong Kong. Now, that philosophy becomes even more intimate through a tasting menu that unfolds as a deeply autobiographical journey beneath the ocean’s surface.
Inspired by Agustin’s own path from the wide plains of Argentina to the island nation of Japan before eventually establishing ANDŌ in Hong Kong, the new menu transforms the metaphor of a descent into the sea into a narrative of curiosity, migration, growth and mastery. Each course reflects a different stage of Balbi’s journey, tracing the experiences, places and people that have shaped his cooking today.
“I was born in Argentina, where the landscape is defined by open plains and fire. The sea always represented something unknown – something I felt compelled to understand if I wanted to become the chef I dreamed of being. Leaving home for Japan changed my life, and eventually brought me to Hong Kong and ANDŌ. This new menu tells that journey through the language of the ocean. Every chapter represents a different stage of my life, from curiosity and discovery to mastery and finding my own voice. More than a new tasting menu, this is the most personal expression of ANDŌ we have ever created,” says Chef Agustin Balbi.
A Culinary Journey Through the Ocean
The new tasting experience unfolds in four distinct chapters, each inspired by a different ocean depth.
The journey begins with “Sunlight”, where bright, delicate flavours celebrate the freshness and energy of the ocean’s surface. It then descends into “Twilight”, where richer flavours, gentle smoke and deeper umami reflect the years spent navigating new cultures and kitchens. As guests venture into “Midnight”, dishes become increasingly concentrated and comforting, showcasing profound expressions of seafood and Japanese technique. Finally, “Seaweed & Salt” serves as the closing chapter – a poetic reminder of the elements that have connected Balbi’s journey across continents and continue to define his cuisine today. This progression extends beyond flavour alone. Custom-designed ceramic plates gradually transition from light to dark as the menu progresses, visually mirroring the descent through the ocean while reinforcing the immersive storytelling behind every course.
Reflecting ANDŌ’s continued dedication to exceptional seafood in which meat is now removed from the main menu but served as an alternative option, the new 5 & 8 course tasting menu presents refined expressions of the ocean through contemporary technique and meticulous craftsmanship.
The experience begins with a trio of welcome bites including Tomato Tart with Caviar, Marinated Buri with Uni, and Charcoal-Grilled Octopus with Oxalis, before moving into elegant seafood dishes such as Tuna with Capers, Pickled Red Onion and Umami Foam and Ama Ebi Tartare with Roasted Peppers, Kristal Caviar and Cava Air.
Among the signatures is Squid Caldoso Rice, a longstanding ANDŌ favourite inspired by Chef Agustin’s grandmother (“Sin Lola”), where local Yi-O rice is slowly cooked with chorizo, aromatic vegetables and layered broths before being finished with delicately sliced squid. Other highlights include Lisa Fish with Burnt Salsa Roja, Amadai with Braised Fennel and Saffron-Nori Sauce, while guests seeking an additional indulgence may choose to upgrade to premium Japanese Kagoshima Nozaki Wagyu, served alongside shiitake mushrooms, slow-cooked shallots and crisp white kombu. A comforting seasonal onion and kombu broth serves as a transition between the cold and hot courses.
Desserts continue the narrative with compositions including Chocolate, Mascarpone, Coffee and Sea Salt and Seaweed.
Available from August:
- 3-Course Lunch Experience – HK$688 per guest
- 4-Course Lunch Experience – HK$888 per guest
- 5-Course Lunch Experience – HK$1088 per guest
- 5-Course Dinner – HK$1,688 per guest
- 8-Course Dinner – HK$2,488 per guest
A Wine Journey Towards the Summit by Carlito Chiu
While the cuisine descends deeper beneath the ocean’s surface, ANDŌ’s beverage programme offers an intentional counterpoint by travelling upwards. Curated by General Manager and Group Wine Director Carlito Chiu, recipient of the MICHELIN Sommelier Award (Hong Kong & Macau MICHELIN Guide 2025) and Tatler Best Sommelier (2024–2026), the entirely new wine programme celebrates vineyards found at some of the world’s highest elevations.
The collection places particular emphasis on high-altitude vineyards, where extreme climates, dramatic day-to-night temperature shifts and mountainous terrain produce wines with freshness, purity and precision. Regions including Yunnan (China), Salta (Argentina), Tarija Valley (Bolivia), Elqui Valley (Chile), Tenerife (Spain) and Val d’Aosta (Italy) are showcased alongside cool-climate producers and pioneering Asian wineries, creating pairings that echo the restaurant’s philosophy of exploration and discovery.
Rather than prescribing a single pairing, the programme functions as a personalised experience, allowing guests to explore wines selected around the themes of high altitude, cool climate, Asian influence and limited-production producers.
A New Chapter for ANDŌ
The reopening marks a holistic evolution of ANDŌ, where every element of the dining experience has been thoughtfully reconsidered. Alongside the new interiors, bespoke tableware and refreshed uniforms, every guest will also receive a commemorative gift, extending the restaurant’s philosophy beyond the meal itself. With the evolution of Personal Cuisine, ANDŌ enters its next chapter – one that is at once more immersive, more personal and more complete than ever before, inviting guests to journey beneath the surface and experience the story that has shaped Chef Agustin Balbi’s culinary identity.
