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Hong Kong-Based Aqua Restaurant Group Debuts Second U.S. Location with Occasionally Fiery Northern Chinese Cuisine and Chic Design
Contemporary Northern Chinese restaurant and bar Hutong is now open in Miami at 600 Brickell Avenue. From its home in Hong Kong, Hutong brings a fresh take on Chinese cuisine with its occasionally fiery Northern Chinese dishes, served in a chic space inspired by the vibrant Miami art scene combined with traditional Chinese design elements. From Aqua Restaurant Group’s international collection of award-winning dining concepts, and with restaurants in Hong Kong, Beijing and London, Hutong comes to Miami as the second U.S. location following the New York City opening in 2019.
Upon entering Hutong, guests are welcomed in front of a row of copper Zhejiang teapots displayed among columns of stacked Chinese clay roof tiles. Around the walls of the triple-height room are 35,000 grey antique bricks, hand chiseled and transported from an architectural salvaged 1930s building in China. At the far end of the dining room stands wooden dynasty lattice screens hand-carved by Chinese craftsmen and embellished with intricate designs. The traditional Chinese elements are beautifully offset by dashes of vivid pop-art colors – bright fuchsia, turquoise and lime green chairs.
Inside the main room and towering above diners and drinkers, unique to the Miami location, lies Hutong’s version of China’s famous “Great Wall”. The 70-foot long wall of hand-carved Chinese wood doors and panels start to pulsate as night sets in to an amazing display of color and light – with the doors opening and closing in front of your very eyes.
“We’re honored to introduce Miami to Hutong’s authentic and occasionally fiery Northern Chinese fare and exotic cocktails that have delighted guests in Hong Kong, London and New York,” said David Yeo, founder of Aqua Restaurant Group. “Each Hutong restaurant shares the same DNA but offers a slightly different menu and design. For Miami, I was inspired by the amazing art scene here so vibrant pop-art colors offset traditional Chinese design elements creating a real feeling on Chinese ‘yin’ meeting Miami ‘yang’.”
Hutong offers Northern Chinese cuisine with gastronomic influences from surrounding provinces – Beijing’s roast duck, Sichuan’s fiery and famous chili peppers and Shanghai’s fresh seafood. Hutong offers dinner with a menu divided by starters, dim sum, fish, seafood, meat, barbecue, tofu & vegetables and rice & noodles, made to enjoy and share with the table.
Hutong’s menu incorporates signature dishes from Hong Kong and London as well as new dishes created exclusively for the Miami restaurant. The signature Red Lantern is served to the table in a traditional Chinese wood basket overflowing with red Sichuan dried chilies. Crispy pieces of soft-shell crab nestle between them, infused with spices and lip-numbing chili essence. The Halibut Red Star Noodles are served in a clear spicy broth. The red pepper star is opened at the table to reveal the aromatic halibut, noodles and crunchy gong choy.
No Northern Chinese menu would be complete without Peking Duck. Hutong’s Roasted Peking Duck is delicately carved at the table. The whole duck is carefully prepared for 24 hours using a traditional recipe said to have been developed over one hundred years ago for the Emperor, making the duck crispy on the outside while the meat remains moist, tender and flavorful.Hutong serves lunch with its dim sum as a main feature. Hutong’s chefs have taken traditional recipes and introduced innovative ingredients such as Rosé Champagne and Lobster. In the Wagyu Beef Millefeuille, tender Wagyu beef is beautifully encased with flaky “millefeuille” pastry that melts in the mouth. Hutong’s famous Dim Sum Platter comprised of Sichuan Peppercorn Prawn, Marlin Fish, Prawn & Black Truffle and Wild Mushroom & Spinach is also served for lunch and dinner.
Among the dishes created specially for the Miami restaurant include the Sichuan King Scallops topped with crunchy and fiery red chili, peanut and sesame pieces. And for dessert, Ma La Chocolate Mousse – a smooth rich South American chocolate mousse infused with a heady note of fiery Sichuan chilies.
Guests can continue their experience in the adjoining bar area and outdoor garden terrace with exotic cocktails and libations that take inspiration from Chinese herbs and spices. Signature cocktails include the Comfortably Numb made with vanilla vodka, lychee liqueur, Sichuan pepper-infused honey and ruby coated with a rim of dried Sichuan peppercorns known to create a bittersweet numbing effect when sipping. The Ancient Old Fashioned is another classic cocktail with a base of two whiskeys Roe & Co and a sesame oil-washed Johnnie Walker Black combined with Sichuan pepper-infused honey, caramel syrup and chocolate bitters for a sweet and spicy kick. A selection of cocktails feature a twist on Miami including the Emperor Qin made with mezcal reposado, dried green Szechuan peppercorns, pomegranate juice, lavender essence, citrus and egg white. The bright purple-hued cocktail resembles the lavender shade used to decorate pottery during the Qin and Han dynasties. In addition to the cocktail program, Hutong offers an extensive wine and champagne list to pair with the dishes.
Hutong is located at 600 Brickell Avenue Miami, FL 33131. Hutong is open for dinner daily from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday; 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar is open daily until 2 a.m. A ‘lite lunch’ is served daily from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Weekend brunch is soon to come and will be served from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Hutong welcomes large parties in the private dining room. For more information or to make reservations, please visit www.hutong-miami.com or call 786-388-0805.
