Spanish Taverna ‘Rustico’ Welcomes New Chef, White Truffles and Refreshed Menu for Autumn Showcasing Mediterranean and Basque Country Vibes

Spanish taverna Rustico is thrilled to welcome a respected new chef, prized white truffles from Alba and sumptuous a la carte additions to its authentic menu at Lai Chi Kok dining destination D2 Place One, all in tandem with the arrival of the autumn season.

Head Chef Javier Gomez Barajas, a well-travelled Valencia native, brings gravitas and fresh creative vision to Hong Kong, and will excite with a commitment to traditional Mediterranean flavours and classic Basque Country influences prepared with contemporary finesse. Putting his spin on the taverna’s popular menu from the get-go, he creates an array of new autumnal dishes that celebrate Spain’s rustic culinary heritage with a unique contemporary refinement.

Drawing inspiration from his mother’s cooking, the 41-year-old chef seamlessly blends home-style favourites with his own creative flair. With over two decades of culinary exploration in Spanish and Mediterranean kitchens, he has left his mark in San Sebastian, Tenerife, Madrid, Valencia, Colombia, Scotland, Nigeria and Ho Chi Minh City. Along the way, he has embraced Basque cuisine, championed fresh fish, perfected new-age tapas, and incorporated Asian flavours into his classic Spanish repertoire.

“After travelling the world for 20 years, I am excited to be newly settled in Hong Kong and present my original interpretations of Spanish classics,” says Rustico’s Head Chef Javier Gomez Barajas. “As seen in the new dishes I have introduced from my heart this autumn, I like to enliven familiar tastes with new elements from the varied culinary cultures I have been immersed in – but always with a respect for Spanish tradition and the memories of my youth beside the Mediterranean Sea and in the Valencia and Basque countryside. Another autumn passion for me is Alba truffles, so I’m delighted to share a special menu of these with diners, too.”

Occupying 2,000 sq. ft and seating 80 people, Rustico is named for its traditional rustic Spanish taverna decor modelled after typical Catalan restaurants – complete with wooden beams, an open kitchen with hanging jambon and pots and pans, red brick and tile mosaic flooring. In true ‘taverna’ style, the intimate venue enables diners to interact with the kitchen team and observe Chef Javier Gomez Barajas’s culinary flair. A semi-outdoor area offers the romantic countryside vibe of dining al fresco under grapevines.

For more information, please visit www.rustico.com.hk/; for enquiries or reservations, please call (852) 2743-4511, Whatsapp (852) 5308-5702 or email rvs@rustico.com.hk.

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