Mei Ume Restaurant

Internationally acclaimed, Hong Kong-based design firm AB Concept recently completed its first London project, Mei Ume Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel on London’s Ten Trinity Square.

Internationally acclaimed, Hong Kong-based design firm AB Concept recently completed its first London project, Mei Ume Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel on London’s Ten Trinity Square. The restaurant, located in the 1922 headquarters of the Port of London Authority, features a balance of Eastern and Western design styles, though its name is firmly Eastern, deriving from the Chinese and Japanese words for plum blossom. In addition to the fusion of cultural designs, the firm incorporated into the narrative as much of the building’s rich history as possible. Originally built for traders from the East, the building gave the team an opportunity to ‘keep its legacy alive’ but to ‘reinvent it with new spirit and purpose’, said AB Concept co-founder Ed Ng.

On entering the restaurant, guests will immediately notice the colourful plum blossoms painted on a glass screen at the reception. The strategically placed screen works to invite guests to notice the other restaurant decor, from the main dining room’s bold red accents to the metal motifs constructed on the original 1922 columns. One can’t help but feel transported by the unique blend of Orient and Occident, which continues throughout the restaurant, bar and private dining space. Fittingly, the kitchen, run by chef Tony Truong, will feature authentic dishes from China and Japan accompanied by a contemporary cocktail menu inspired by the four key elements of Chinese astronomy.

Text / Kristy Kong