gróa

been pushing back on writing this post for a while now, as i feel this deserves some proper thought and reflection. opening a restaurant was never part of any plan. it has always looked impossibly intricate on the outside, and crucially amongst us four partners, only jas had honed her home cooking skills at manteca in london for a year. the rest of us? all vibes, zero experience. many asked why we still did it - it was love at first sight when we first met this coastal corner early 2024. the place brought so much irrational excitement that even when our families and friends told us to exercise serious caution with starting a business here, it didn’t stop us from dreaming of what memories we can make here. they had every right to worry about us. why wouldn’t they when four people with virtually zero hospitality experience decide to take down a spot that sits up to 60 people to open their first ever restaurant in a remote spot within a remote area? it all sounds completely insane, but only and only if you were in my shoes and you get to know my partners then you may understand why i still took the plunge with them. growing up i’ve always been obsessed about teamwork. in a good team, you experience all the great things from being human. the unique satisfaction you gain from creating something great with others, the incredible relationships you make from spending so much time with one another, the staunch support you feel in moments of challenge, the warm empathy you receive when shit happens in life. with jas, judith, and nelson, i deeply feel they’ve taken all of this to a whole new level. no words do it justice, but i know i can count on them unconditionally just like my blood family. (find the rest of the caption in comments)

scallop crudo, green apple, dill new spring dish and it’s a celebration of good ingredients. we cut up some beautiful japanese scallops and toss them with crisp green apples and tsubozuke juice. if you put that on a bed of nice olive oil and a drizzle of fresh dill oil, you have a delicious dish full of freshness and real flavours.

house umeshu coming through soon in a seasonal cocktail. how would you make it deliciously special? all ideas are welcomed.

if we had to paint a day at gróa

weekdays feel different at the restaurant. life is just an extra touch slower, when we can savour our sense of time, space, peace.

dry-aged hamachi, white soy, ponzu, blood orange, shiso chimmichurri whole hamachi filleted in house, with any remains going into a stunning stock for our signature baby squid tagliolini. the fish slices are dry-aged for a few days to pronounce its flavours, then served with fresh blood orange, ponzu jelly, splash of white soy and a shiso-based chimmichurri.

wild garlic tagliatelle, citrus kosho, pine nuts, nori, basil a wildly seasonal dish to celebrate a short season of spring in hong kong. we take a rare supply of fresh wild garlic, a milder ingredient with a herbaceous character, to blend with beautifully fragrant pine nuts for a special pesto. then we stir fry with tagliatelle and a house citrus kosho made with leftover citrus peels. the vibrantly green dish is topped with nori furikake, roasted pine nuts, a drizzle of basil oil (and a few wild garlic flower petals if you’re lucky). all humble ingredients, but a great harmony and depth of flavours. beyond this we’ve put up a lot more newness onto the spring menu. see you all around.

fun week coming up. we’ll be making plenty of new dishes and drinks to bring spring to full swing fyi we’ll be open throughout the labour weekend

black olive infused whisky, upcycled blood orange oleo saccharum, upcycled aquafaba, black pepper caramelised black olives to infuse a whisky of sharp salinity and deep sweetness. candied and citrus oleo saccharum from leftover blood orange peels (from the hamachi crudo). pure aquafaba (from the chickpea salad) to act as emulsifier and give a lightly aerated cocktail. finished with a touch of black pepper and olive oil to accentuate the savoury notes of this delight. proud to make this our most circular cocktail to date. cheers to another good week everyone.

an early evening at gróa. the feels that got us into opening a restaurant at the first place. our hidden corner of magical nature, warm hospitality, and a rare moment of peace. p.s: due to holidays next week we’re open mon tues and *closed* wed thurs. also sadly due to the constant last minute cancellations, we had to start implementing a card guarantee for weekend and public holiday bookings. we wish for your kind understanding.

charred flatbread, vegan white wine garlic butter, grilled zucchini and shimeji mushrooms, pickled shiitake, sheep pecorino and fresh oregano. a dish showcasing real depths of umami with humble ingredients p.s: we’re open throughout easter, so please book away to experience the last moments of our winter menu.

thoughtfully designed by @naro.archive to house our signature flatbreads, so you can enjoy them down at the beach. p.s: we have some ideas for a new flatbread already, but we’re always open for better ideas. if it were you, what’d you love to put on it next?