(Bloomberg) -- This review was originally published on Oct. 10 as part of the Hong Kong Edition newsletter.
Famous for its wooden facade under a dark green cover, 22 Ships made its name on a Wan Chai street, literally, but it just moved to a much larger location in Soho.
After over a decade, the tapas bar left Ship Street for a spot in the charming and historical compound of PMQ. Adorned with high ceilings, walls painted in dark tones of red and green, and elegant taverna decor, the restaurant by JIA Group — also in charge of Duddell’s, Louise and Leela — quickly transports patrons to a very Spanish atmosphere.
I visited on a Tuesday at 6:30 p.m with a guest (and fan of this newsletter!) who was used to the original location. He described the new one as “very chic and more lavish.” We managed to get one of the four tables on the terrace, which I highly recommend.
Madrid-born chef Antonio Oviedo continues to run the kitchen, and the menu has been expanded. Some additions include the oyster salpicón, the marmitako (Basque stew) of Spanish mackerel with smoked red pepper and the gambas al ajillo, or red prawns in garlic oil, according to our waiter. Patrons can also choose from a selection of cheese and Iberico hams, and two paellas options. Don’t think you can get a lot more Spanish than that.
Our bill came to HK$1,194 — without service fee, which you add at your discretion when paying. That included one glass of white sangria for each of us, five beautifully presented tapas and one shared main.
The vibe: Very relaxed. The space is great for a post-work happy hour with colleagues, a drink with a visitor or a catch up with friends. The main area inside has large tables that allow for team dinners or a year-end office gathering.
Who’s is next to you: Several tables had mixed groups of professionals who looked to be getting together after a long day of work. The table next to us had four ladies who were happily enjoying their cava with tapas. They were lucky enough to get a visit from chef Oviedo, which made us slightly jealous.
Can you conduct a meeting here? An informal one, for sure. The tables are big, with plenty of room between them, and it wasn’t noisy when we visited.
What we’d order again: I enjoyed the fresh and tasty blood orange and requeson salad (HK$98) and the signature chorizo croquetas (HK$98) that had just the right amount of creaminess. My guest loved our main, the grilled turbot bilbaína (HK$428) that came with some big and delicious chunks of toasted garlic on top.
Need to know: The restaurant opens for dinner at 6 p.m. from Tuesday to Sunday, so lunch is not an option during the week. The bodega is open slightly earlier, at 5:30 p.m. Weekend brunch will start at noon from Oct. 19 onward. The restaurant can be accessed via PMQ’s Staunton Street entrance.
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