i’m back, but will need a long time to recover from the taiwan trip. there are 600+ pix that need to be uploaded and organized. it’s daunting.

for now, behold the captivating charm, elegance, and novelty of hong kong’s china club. it exudes the sexy old world allure of a shanghai art-deco restaurant/club and the sophistication of an art gallery with its kitschy, compelling, and/or beautiful contemporary art. many of the furnishings and decor are authentic pieces from a romantic bygone era.

the menu is extensive, the food is good enough (i’ll be damned if the bbq’d pork didn’t melt in my mouth in an explosion of flavors), there’s a chanteuse (might as well have been shu qi), AND AND AND…originals from the lao fu zi (“old master Q”) comic — a childhood favorite. that pretty much sealed the deal for me before i even sat down.

real letterpress coasters bearing the club’s insignia. classy

retro menu design

one wall – note the interesting painting in the middle

another angle of the dining room

more

restaurant entrance with moody lighting

majestic but somber painting in the restaurant doorway

you take the elevator up and step into this foyer / waiting area before entering the restaurant

the view looking up the staircase

YES YES YES. how great did it feel to see these all over?! ohhh nostalgia

i really love this. talk about conversation piece

the walls lining the staircase boast an impressive art collection. this isn’t the best example but i liked it

the reading room is on another floor, housing games and literature on all things chinese. oddly reminiscent of league of extraordinary gents

the piece de resistance — the terrace on the top. cushioned seating along the wall, and bar service i believe. these weak photos don’t do the view any justice

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008 at 11:09 pm and is filed under asia, comics, design, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.