Agora, the new contemporary Spanish fine dining restaurant by Antonio Oviedo opens its doors at Tai Kwun

AGORA – the concept and origin

In its name, AGORA reflects the ancient Latin definition of being the “centre of life” – a hub of socialisation and the point where ideas converge. In old Spanish, Ágora translates to “now”, which alludes to Chef Antonio’s contemporary and ever-evolving interpretation of Spanish cuisine. At AGORA, Chef Antonio together with General Manager, Anton Marquez draws on his Spanish heritage and training to deliver an authentic dining experience to guests, while aiming to surprise and delight with innovative twists.

AGORA’s Contemporary Spanish Tasting Menus

AGORA is currently serving two seasonal chef’s degustation menus: Menú Ágora with 10 courses priced at HK$1,288 per guest and Menú Gran Ágora with 11 courses priced at HK$1,688 per guest. An optional 5-glasses of Spanish wine pairing can be added to either menu at an additional +HK$850 per person.

As much as possible, the menus highlight premium seasonal ingredients sourced from the greater area of Spain, from Verdial extra virgin olive oil cultivated from centenary olive trees in Málaga, firm, plump and jumbo-sized Gordal olives that transport guests back to classic tapas bars in Madrid, choricero dried chili pepper – a dehydrated, non-spicy variety of Spanish red pepper and a classic seasoning of Basque cuisine, and Gamoneu, a fatty, lightly smoked Spanish cheese made in certain parts of the Principality of Asturias using goat, cow and sheep’s milk.

Dishes that headline AGORA’s seasonal menus include Pil Pil, a traditional cod confit dish made with olive oil, garlic, chilli peppers and Kokotxas, the stewed tongue of cod; Soccarat – which describes the most appreciated toasted bottom part of the paella – features deep-sea Carabineroprawns renowned for their jumbo size and striking red colour, and Bomba Rice, a firm, short-grained variety of rice primarily cultivated in the eastern parts of Spain; and Txuleta (pronounced “chuleta”), which translates to “meat chop”. For this dish, Chef Antonio uses the whole, bone-in rack of Spanish Rubia Gallega beef, the highly prized breed of cattle whose meat is characterized by beautiful yet subtle marbling with a traditionally spicy and slightly briny flavor.

Another notable dish by Chef Antonio includes Mar y Muntanya (a Catalan expression for “sea and mountain”), which represents the best of Mediterranean Catalan cuisine. The dish uses the insides of Espardenya sea cucumber, a coveted tear-shaped pea variety found in the coastal area of Euskadi, and Morcilla pig’s blood sausage that is mixed with a combination of different spices and onions.

For dessert, guests will enjoy Flor de Azahar, which highlights orange blossoms beloved for their beauty, aroma, and healing properties in Spain. Azahar is paired with sweet and meaty MarconaSpanish almonds and Saffron categorized under the PDO La Mancha quality seal, the only spice of this nature with such a recognition of quality in Spain.

AGORA’s menu is a true testament to Chef Antonio’s creativity and love for his homeland’s natural bounty of ingredients, a result of working alongside some of Spain’s greatest culinary minds and his recent successes helming award-winning tapas restaurant, 22 Ships.