The K-culture wave that's swept over Asia has transformed Hong Kong's dining scene, and I've had my fair share of elevated kimbaps, reimagined samgyetangs and modern sundaeguks in recent years.
O'rm, a new-ish Korean bistro in the small Sheung Wan space once occupied by the izakaya Ronin, is a cut above the rest, thanks to perfectly executed dishes and thoughtful, enthusiastic service that would be normal elsewhere but is as pleasantly surprising in Hong Kong as a cool day in June.
That delightful combo has quickly gained a following. Since its opening last fall, it's been hard to secure a table at peak time slots. Finally, three guests and I visited on a Saturday night in April at the senior citizen hour of 6 p.m. for dinner. The tight space inside O'rm, which means "hill" in the Jeju dialect, is just two rows of high chairs facing either wall, making group conversation all but impossible. But the dishes were good enough to focus on, and we soon gave up on socialization, staring straight ahead and making periodic grunts of satisfaction to one another, like four Japanese salarymen at a ramen bar.
Altogether, we happily spent HK$2,453 ($313) on five small appetizers, three carb dishes, one grilled meat platter and a bottle of makgeolli.
The standout carbs at O'rm are technically flawless. We couldn't get enough of of the bouncy bibim buckwheat noodles (HK$138), the stealthily fiery clam soup glass noodles (HK$238) and the well-textured jjajang tteokbokki (HK$128). The seafood pancake (HK$158) is the best I've ever had, thicker than the average and super crispy on the outside while maintaining a soft interior that's on the cusp of mushiness.
The vibe: It's not as comfortable or vibey as chef Choi Jun-woo's previous eatery OBP, the super-cool spot with models as waiters, but the staff more than made up for it. Our waiter suggested that we try various types of makgeolli before choosing a bottle -- and brought over a tasting platter that included a shot per person of each type. They also changed our plates quickly between dishes without needing to be asked. I can't remember the last time I had such generous and thoughtful service at this price point in Hong Kong (probably because it doesn't exist).
Can you conduct a meeting here? No, and don't bother coming in more than a pair -- we strained our necks trying to talk to one another before the food came.
Who's next to you: Lots of real Koreans, but also lots of genuine foodies who were there just to eat, and not to see and be seen (in contrast to OBP's beautiful-people-party atmosphere). The couple next to me demolished the crab seafood soup noodle (HK$168) in silence, confirming my theory that a relationship can be dated by one's level of willingness to eat shelled crab with your hands together.
What we'd order again: Pretty much everything. If I had to skip something, it would be the chargrilled meats, which, despite being served with a uniquely delicious garlic leaf banchan, seemed lackluster after all the other dishes.
Need to know: O'rm is at 8 On Wo Lane and is only open for dinner, with seatings at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
This was originally published in Hong Kong Edition, a weekly newsletter.