Kym’s — London, UK

Following the success of Pimlico's A.Wong, which won a Michelin star last year, chef Andrew Wong has opened a second, more laid-back restaurant, this time located in Bloomberg Arcade, London's new culinary and cultural destination – also the site of Bloomberg's European headquarters – designed by Foster + Partners.
Called Kym's, after the original restaurant that Wong's parents owned for 27 years, this iteration slots nicely into its contemporary setting, thanks to international firm, Michaelis Boyd, which has created a stylish interior layered with subtle Chinese inflections.
The two-floor space features a mix of dark woods, speckled terrazzo flooring, natural plaster walls and decadent furnishings, which include crushed velvet banquettes and leather ‘Utility’ dining chairs by Neri&Hu, in blush pink and deep plum tones.
The highlight is the semi-circular copper-topped bar – clad in reclaimed turquoise roof tiles – that sits beneath a dramatic cherry blossom tree, but the best seat in the house is at the bar of the open kitchen, where you can watch the chefs in action as they meticulously carve slabs of deliciously crisp roasted pork belly and plate up pretty dishes that Wong says: ‘hark back to the nostalgia of original Kym's menus, with sweet & sour elements and more rice-based dishes’.
With a focus on a wider, more relaxed menu than at A.Wong, here, small plates like the silken tofu and century egg topped with garlic soy; sticky sweet & sour ribs; and light french bean fritters are followed by sharing options such as the delicious crispy duck pancakes. Don't miss out on the classics – like the slow poached soy chicken or the tender Iberico pork char sui – that are based on the ancient craft of Chinese 'roasting' meats.
Meanwhile, the bar offers intriguing Asian-influenced cocktails such as the Sichuan Sours and a Yuzu Negroni of yuzu-infused sake, rose vermouth and Campari.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
ADDRESS
19 Bloomberg Arcade
Lauren Ho is the Travel Director of Wallpaper*, roaming the globe, writing extensively about luxury travel, architecture and design for both the magazine and the website. Lauren serves as the European Academy Chair for the World's 50 Best Hotels.
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spot
Heritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
Discover midcentury treasures in Marylebone with Álvaro by Appointment
London is full of sequestered design havens, and Wallpaper* knows them all. Allow us to point you in the direction of Álvaro González’s shop window on Nottingham Place, home to a bonanza of beautiful 20th-century antiques
-
Beach chic: the all-new Citroën Ami gets an acid-tinged, open-air Buggy variant
Citroën have brought a dose of polychromatic playfulness to their new generation Ami microcar, the cult all-ages electric quadricycle that channels the spirit of the 2CV for the modern age
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spot
Heritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
One Club Row is London’s answer to the Lower East Side
Located at the site of the former hotspot Les Trois Garçons, One Club Row brings back noughties glamour with 19th-century interiors, gourmet bites, and jazz nights
-
Marylebone restaurant Nina turns up the volume on Italian dining
At Nina, don’t expect a view of the Amalfi Coast. Do expect pasta, leopard print and industrial chic
-
Wallpaper* checks in at Treehouse Hotel Manchester: you may not want to leaf
Treehouse Hotel Manchester offers a nature-infused biophilic sanctuary amidst the city’s ever-growing architectural canopy
-
Dining at Pyrá feels like a Mediterranean kiss on both cheeks
Designed by House of Dré, this Lonsdale Road addition dishes up an enticing fusion of Greek and Spanish cooking
-
London restaurant Tatar Bunar puts Ukrainian heritage front and centre
Family recipes and contemporary design merge at this new east London restaurant by Ukrainian restaurateurs Anna Andriienko and Alex Cooper
-
Corner Corner may be London's most unique entertainment destination yet
The newly-opened venue combines food, jazz and—yes—urban farming beneath one sprawling roof
-
For a taste of Greece, head to this playful new restaurant in London’s Chelsea
Pachamama Group’s latest venture, Bottarga, dishes up taverna flavours in an edgy bistro-style setting