The Aubrey is a Feast for the Senses

Dubbed an ‘eccentric Japanese izakaya’ and channelling the Georgian mansion of a worldly aesthete, The Aubrey — sitting on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong — offers guests a visual feast, not to mention the choice of three bar concepts

The Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong is more than a landmark, it’s an icon. Changes are closely watched and highly anticipated by its fans, so when the hotel announced it was replacing its fine dining restaurant Pierre and popular M Bar on the top floor with ‘eccentric Japanese izakaya’ The Aubrey, it caused a stir.

Adding to the intrigue, the hotel partnered with hospitality group Maximal Concepts — best known for its Mott 32 Chinese restaurants — to run the all-day venue. The transformation by Singaporean interior architecture firm Silverfox Studios is dramatic: gone is the contemporary glitz, replaced by a clubby, throwback style meant to channel the Georgian mansion of a worldly aesthete. It’s as if the more mischievous and glamorous cousin of the hotel’s beloved institutions, The Chinnery and Captain’s Bar, showed up.

Guests enter via a dark, wood-panelled corridor adorned with ukiyo-e prints and impressionist paintings. It takes time for the eyes to adjust to the visual feast that awaits in the sprawling network of rooms, a lavish interplay of colour, texture and materials sure to spark social media frenzy. According to Matt Reid, co-founder of Maximal Concepts, in keeping with the theme of a home, the space was broken up into ‘kitchen, drawing room, curio lounge and dining room, each with its own distinctive character and feel’.

One of the most surprising elements is the loss of the panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the city skyline. ‘We found that most rooftop and high tower venues have a tendency to design for the view, but we wanted the experience to be internal, where the view compliments the design,’ Reid explains. ‘It took some confidence to actually reduce the window size and focus the consumer inwards, while using the windows architecturally to build a structure and symmetry to the space.’

Japonisme, a term from the 19th-century used to describe Europe’s fascination with Japanese art and design, dominates with an eclectic mix of whimsy and beauty. A display cabinet houses bespoke ceramics, lacquerware and first-edition books, while new and antique woodblock prints and commissioned oil paintings cover the walls. Portraits of British illustrator Aubrey Beardsley, the venue’s muse, can be found throughout, as can Tiffany lamps, plastic potted ferns and richly upholstered armchairs and banquettes in shades of mustard, rust, sage and claret.

Although The Aubrey may not have been designed for the pandemic, its intimate nooks are well suited to the times, affording social distancing and privacy. With a choice of three bars, including a champagne and oyster counter and an omakase bar, which can be booked for exclusive use, it’s a lovely spot for a cheeky cocktail or a celebratory meal.

Text / Kee Foong
Images / Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong