Chateh and Sungai Wang — Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong designer Nelson Chow, has pared back the look of traditional Asian dining spaces to create a crisp, minimalist aesthetic for a Malaysian-Chiu Chow Chinese restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui. ‘We embrace tradition, but interpret it in a new, modern, more casual way for a younger crowd,’ explains Chow. The dining area is divided into two main spaces: Sungai Wang, dedicated to Malaysian cuisine, features a wall wrapped in sinuous dark wood that morphs into an open-kitchen counter with stools that reference traditional drums. Centrally located, over-sized abstract fishing ‘baskets’ double as semi-private dining booths while creating a dedicated entrance to the adjacent modern Chinese Chateh. Here, wooden screens – a contemporary nod to the classic courtyard house – frame casual communal tables and walls flanked with generously sized banquettes with star-like clusters of pendant lighting overhead. Happily, the menus remain reassuringly nostalgic with timeless favourites like Beef Rendang or sliced goose meat with tofu.