Interview: Angelababy opens café inspired by travels

Hong Kong's celebrity model and actress Angelababy opened Baby Café this month, her first namesake restaurant in collaboration with director Tony Chan Kwok-fai.

The place is like an Angelababy theme park, with the 22-year-old's doll-like face plastered on every surface.  

The selling point here isn't really the Japanese and European food of course (which is pretty hit-and-miss) but relies on Angelababy's star power.

Which the lady -- aka Angela Yeung Wing -- has in spades. Fans of Angelababy come in all shapes and sizes as evidenced by the diversity of diners and all are willing to queue for ages to get a table at the café.

Baby Café also benefits from location. The shrewd restaurateurs picked Hong Kong's busiest shopping mall in the busiest district for their first venture -- Langham Place. If you can't fill up a restaurant located here, there's no help for you. 

We caught Angelababy on the Beijing set of her latest film for the lowdown on Baby Café.

CNNGo: How did you come up with the menu?

Angelababy: Because I am always traveling to different places for work and I like to eat, I  soon found out that many places in the world have a lot of great dishes. 

For example, the roast chicken with red wine sauce was a dish that I tried when I was working in France. I randomly went into a restaurant there and picked this dish. It was so good and I can still remember the flavors. When I came back to Hong Kong I asked the chef to recreate this dish for me.

CNNGo: You seem to like French food a lot -- how come?

Angelababy: I always go to Europe for work and I have tried many types of food there. But French food gives me a romantic feeling. I also particularly like being in France.

CNNGo: It's your first time opening a restaurant, what is your deepest impression of this project?

Angelababy: I am really happy about it. At least now I don't have to worry about starving. I hope that I can open a second branch.

CNNGo: As a model you have to keep your body in good shape. Are the dishes at your restaurant suitable for this?

Angelababy: Actually I can eat anything and not gain weight. So I'm really lucky that I can eat a lot of good food.

CNNGo: Do you cook?

Angelababy: I don't really know how to cook. I prefer to eat. But now at the restaurant I have more chance to learn how to cook.

CNNGo: Has Wong Hiu-ming (Angelababy's rumored beau) tried Baby Café yet?

Angelababy: If he has time, I wouldn't mind inviting him to visit our café, but he'll have to pay for his own meal.

CNNGo: Who was in charge of the interior design of the café? Tell us about the concept behind it. 

Angelababy: Tony [Chan Kwok-fai] and Wing Shya first came up with the idea, then all of us gave comments on it.

Personally, I am a fan of Japanese cuisine and French romance. Thus, we have the idea of a French-Japanese fusion theme with European style of decoration and furnishing.

CNNGo: It is certainly a hot spot for Angelababy's fans. However, what would be the experience for a non-fan?

Angelababy: It would be another good dining choice. For Mong Kok, this kind of restaurant is rare. The atmosphere is cozy and intimate, diners can chat with their friends, have a drink with a reasonable price.

CNNGo: What is your recommendation from the menu?

Angelababy: The Baby Tasting Platter, which is a mix of three dishes. It is usually a platter of my favorite dishes so customers can taste three dishes at one time.

Then I would pick grilled French spring chicken in red wine sauce, as it is my favorite.

For dessert I would recommend our homemade pomelo sherbet with orange cake. We make our own pomelo sherbet, and it has a very strong flavor.

The Baby Tasting Platter: A bit disappointing with insipid spaghetti, greasy eggs and an overly fishy-tasting salmon.

Grilled Spain Berkshire pork chop with tomato sauce was great. Tender, flavorful chops and a zesty sauce.

Getting there:  Baby Café, Shop 30, 11/F, Langham Place Shopping Mall, 8 Argyle St., Mong Kok, +852 2111 1169 Baby Café on Facebook