Melody is a new multi-sensory music and dining destination in Sai Ying Pun, where great cuisine is married with an ever-evolving soundscape.
Hidden away in an innocuous spot once occupied by Hong Kong’s outpost of Potatohead, first impressions of Melody House of Food & Music as yet another neighbourhood eatery will betray you as a spacious patio leads to five rooms – a Kitchen, Dining Room, the vinyl-lined Music Room, a Bar Lounge and the Garden Room – each with its own design persona and vibe. Instead, the new Sai Ying Pun destination – part restaurant, part club lounge, part event space – is just the innovation the neighbourhood sorely needed.
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It’s mid-week and we kick off on the patio, soaking up the cool, quiet evening air with signature cocktails devised by bar manager Kaan Gilmour that include the silky Deconstructed White Russian, a perfectly balanced take on a classic dessert-style cocktail, and the Rhubarb Old Fashioned, another riff on an old favourite that’s tangy yet mellow.
Slipping inside, we make for a perch at the kitchen counter, the perfect position from which to observe Jamie Draper, one of the city’s most popular chefs, in his element. At Melody, the former Mr Wolf chef draws from his classical culinary training with the likes of Michel and Albert Roux to create dishes – many of which benefit from the kitchen’s impressive Josper oven – that are imaginative and accessible.
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The result is refined seasonal comfort food at its best – think crunchy, soul-hugging Alsace bacon croquettes; lightly cured cubes of tuna dressed in fermented chilli mayo, fennel and jalapeños; and fried pig’s head terrine with black pudding and braised white beans, a contemporary departure from the cold classic of Roald Dahl boarding school tales that falls apart like braised short ribs at the slightest suggestion of the fork.
We fortify from the first winter chills with earthy porchetta, porcini and parmesan sausage given a touch of texture from a smoked apple caramel herb crust; and a still-sizzling pork chop topped with pork rinds and given a flavourful lashing from tangy apple puree that’s like a touch of pure Provence.
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The star of the show, and a recommendation from infinitely elegant general manager Giammarco Sai, is the medium-rare chateaubriand, which benefits from the eye-watering heat of the Josper and, when sliced, reveals a perfectly charred crust complemented by meat the hue of ripe Iranian pomegranates. It’s a hefty slice of heaven and perfect for pairing with drops from the 150-label strong wine list and retro-esque playlists curated by Melody’s music maestro Johnny Hiller.
With a roster of visiting talents throughout the year that will ensure the soundscape stays as refined and intriguing as the food menu, Melody offers something truly unique in Sai Ying Pun: a space where you can explore, indulge, reminisce, and shelter from the world beyond.
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