Not so long ago, Guangzhou‘s accumulated wealth was exclusively evident downtown, but with the local economy continues to go full steam ahead – mind you, the Pearl River Delta already is China‘s leading economic zone – it spills over into adjacent neighbourhoods. Situated on the south bank of the Zhujiang river, the residential area of Kecun has also seen a gradual transformation in recent years, and it’s once that has resulted in an increasing number of cool and sophisticated places where locals can wind down after a busy day at the office or during the weekend. One of the spots that has caught our eye is Hello Miss Rong – or Ni Hao Rong Xiaojie in Cantonese – a gourmet restaurant along Xingang Zhong Lu, the neighbourhood’s most important thoroughfare. Occupying a fully revamped, 140 sqm. (1,507 sq.ft.) ground floor unit of a 1960s residential building, the restaurant’s interior, created by local practice Infinity Mind, offers a bold futuristic contrast.
The backdrop of Hello Miss Rong comprises walls clad in white concrete tiles, engraved with N, H, R, X or J, the initials of the diner’s name when transcribed in Pinyin, and surfaces covered in electroplated stainless steel. The visual effect of the latter adds oddly-shaped patches of colour to the setting. Furnishings comprise of sturdy tables with a built-in gas heater and matching benches. Attached to each table is a partition with shelving which provides guests some privacy when dining. Hello Miss Rong is concepted as a hot pot restaurant, a way of cooking originally from Sichuan province that has become hugely popular nationwide, and offers an elaborate menu of skewered meat, chicken and fish, a slew of complementary side dishes and sauces, all catering to a Chinese palate of course, in addition to plenty of pastry options for sweet tooths.
Hello Miss Rong
388 Xingang Zhong Lu (Kecun)
510310 Guangzhou
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
