New Chilean Grill Restaurant Astra Opens on Wyndham Street in Central
New Venue, New Taste and Excitement for Lunch, Happy Hour and Dinner Parties for the Upcoming Festive Season
Astra, a stellar new Chilean grill restaurant which has just soft opened on Wyndham Street, Central, introduces a sumptuous meat and seafood menu helmed by consulting Chef Francisco Araya, a Chilean national with a distinguished culinary history. Chef Francisco spent his formative years at Michelin and World’s 50 Best eateries such as El Bulli and Mugaritz, before heading to Tokyo, Japan, to open his first restaurant, 81 Restaurant. After a short hiatus in Chile, Francisco came back to Asia to helm restaurants in Shanghai and Beijing, and now offering a taste of his hometown and creations for Hong Kong during this exciting season of the year with Astra.
With a very spacious restaurant size of 5,000 sq ft offering 70 seats, the very centrally-located Astra focuses on the “asado” grilling technique which originates from the Basque Country in Spain but is widespread across South America. The menu is largely inspired by the Chef’s native Chile and especially by the produce and flavours of its most Southern region, Patagonia.
Under the guidance of Chef Francisco, Astra takes pride in sourcing the finest meats and freshest fish from various culinary cities and prepare them in a traditional Patagonian style grill, using oak charcoal and vine shoots.
“When the owners of Astra came to me with the project of a space combining a restaurant and late night drinking destination, I immediately suggested for a char-grilled menu with Patagonian accents from Chile – my native hometown – as it embodies the combination of fun and soulful food that I have always wanted to introduce to Hong Kong,” says Chef Francisco.
The heat of the grill adds texture to the taste of the ingredients and gives them a note of smokiness, which helps to concentrate the aromas and flavours of the meats and fish. Vegetables, roots and potatoes are also cooked in the juice of the grilled meat, which is given a final kick by fresh herbs and Chef Francisco’s own secret recipe for chimichurri.
The signature asado grill items include a showstopping Rubia Gallega “Chuleta” 400-gram Ribeye which has been dry aged for 50 days ($998), a whopping 1kg Argentinian 21 days Wet-aged T-Bone ($1,098), a 900g Spring Lamb Shoulder ($698) as well as a 350g Iberian Pork Shoulder “Secreto” ($428). All are made for group sharing between 2 – 4 diners and this is the best time to start planning those upcoming festive dinners with heartwarming and jaw-dropping dishes!
In addition to grilled meats, guests will find a selection of typical Chilean dishes such as scallop ceviche with tooth fish cheeks and homemade empanadas for appetizers, or succulent grilled seafood platters to complement the meats.
At lunch, Astra offers great value three-course lunches starting with a choice of ceviche, soup or beef empanada, followed by a variety of generously sized main dishes for customers of different palates and dietary preferences, such as Argentinian Rib Eye (10 oz) or Sirloin Steak (12 oz) ($288), Roasted Chicken ($220), Line Caught of the Day with Butter Lemon Sauce and Croutons ($158) and Orzo Pasta, Pomodoro Sauce and Grana Padano ($128).
Astra is located within Space on Wyndham Street, which by late night transforms to one of Hong Kong’s hottest new clubs, packed to the rafters with the city’s young high rollers. As such, great music from the venue’s HKD$1million sound system and a fantastic selection of cocktails are all part of the allure.
In addition to sumptuous food offering, Astra also makes a great place for after work drinks serving a variety of Chilean style tapas and free flow drinks offering. Just order one of the snack selections and you can get 90-minutes of free flow single mix cocktails for $138. The Chilean snack selection includes Trio of Mini Empanadas (Beef, Chicken and Veggies) ($118), Assorted Dry Meats, Homemade Pickles and Artisan Cheese ($158), Seafood Platter: Tuna, Scallop and Shrimps, Octopus Ceviches ($168) and Seasonal Fresh Oysters with Chimichurri Sauce ($298 for 6 pieces). Astra is certain to bring guests new taste and excitement for the upcoming festive season!