In the annals of history, the Salon des Refusés was famously known as an exhibition of Paris Salon rejects, a collection of works considered too avant-garde for the conservative tastes of the time. Its legend of nonconformism and attitude of experimentation now lives on—at least in spirit—in the unlikeliest of places: a quiet corner of Bridges Street in Hong Kong’s Soho, at an eponymous eatery under the Black Sheep Restaurants hospitality umbrella.
Except for those who know what a Black Sheep restaurant normally feels like, Salon des Refusés presents decidedly as the opposite of that. Intimate, understated, and restrained in personality compared to its loud, larger-than-life siblings in town, Salon des Refusés walks a different path, one set by Luca Marinelli, formerly of Osteria Marzia at The Fleming hotel.
Hailing from the landlocked town of Varese in the north of Italy, swaddled by hills and gardens, a deep love for the ocean’s fresh bounties and salted breeze was nonetheless instilled into Marinelli from a young age, bolstered by frequent family excursions to coastal regions. It eventually sent him on a journey of culinary exploration and skill-honing that took him to Italian gastronomy pioneer Gualtiero Marchesi, Mauro Uliassi at Uliassi, and Jesús Sánchez Sáinz at Cenador de Amós. In 2010, Marinelli made his way to Hong Kong—a city that was meant to be temporary, good for a seasonal stint, but fate had other ideas in mind.
“Salon des Refusés” evokes a rich history, harking back to a celebration of works rejected by the mainstream. In the culinary realm, Marinelli embraces this concept of rejection as a catalyst for creativity. “As chefs, we end up falling in love with the ‘no’s’ because they keep us hungry,” he muses. It’s this spirit of defiance that permeates the restaurant’s offerings. From the dishes that light up each table to the immersive dining experience that unfolds every night, Salon des Refusés is a celebration of cuisine that refuses to conform.
Much like the unorthodox art that defined the exhibition that lent the restaurants its name, the maverick cuisine of Salon des Refusés is not straightforward to pin down. “Mediterranean” is too generalised; “French-Italian-Japanese” doesn’t roll off the tongue. For simplicity’s sake, we must settle, then, on defining it as Marinelli’s unique interpretation of la cuisine du soleil, where the sun-kissed flavours of coastal France and Italy are reimagined through the use of fresh seafood from local and regional markets and the influence of Japanese ingredients.
“On the surface, la cuisine du soleil is a type of cuisine that celebrates flavours touched by the sun, from sea to land. My mentor, chef Mauro Uliassi, taught me how pristine seafood needs little more than sea and sun to shine—a sprinkle of sea salt here, a drizzle of olive oil there. It encompasses not only the vibrant tastes of the seafood we source but also the feeling of warmth and community that comes with sharing meals and discovering something new,” Marinelli shares with Robb Report Hong Kong. “Each night is an opportunity to showcase the beauty of this cuisine, offering a unique dining experience that evolves with the tides.”
Located in a city that thrives on its coastal identity, Salon des Refusés draws a powerful parallel between Hong Kong’s rich marine tapestry and the Mediterranean’s time-honoured fishing traditions. “It is a very specific part of the Mediterranean that we draw our inspiration from, but this connection to the sea is fundamental to both their world and ours here in Hong Kong, and we emphasise this at Salon des Refusés by sourcing our seafood daily from the markets,” Marinelli states. Each day, he and his team, including protégé Gabe Chan, venture to the bustling seafood market in Ap Lei Chau in pursuit of the freshest catches. His daily pilgrimage is more than routine; it is an essential ritual that informs the ever-evolving menu. Marinelli elaborates that “this practice allows us to honour the sea itself, showcasing ingredients that reflect the local identity while embracing traditional Mediterranean techniques.”
His culinary philosophy pulses through the menu, which features dishes designed to highlight sun-drenched ingredients. In Marinelli’s hands, the concept of la cuisine du soleil transforms into more than mere culinary technique; it embodies a feeling of warmth, community, and discovery. At the heart of this is the emblematic Hokkaido scallops, seared to perfection and topped with Sicilian pistachios. It captures the ethos of Salon des Refusés: a commitment to celebrating freshness while showcasing seafood in its most radiant form.
Among the concise but diverse offerings on the menu, Marinelli’s personal favourite is the wonderfully simple iwashi sardine on toast. “We serve it with aioli, confit Japanese fruit tomato and Cantabrian anchovies, which provides a wave of umami,” he explains. It’s a dish that transports him directly to the coast; the textures and flavours unite seamlessly, representing a journey through Mediterranean influences infused with local, vibrant ingredients.
At Salon des Refusés, dishes adhere to a small form factor, so expect bite-sized enjoyment, allowing for the sampling of more offerings. Order the Hokkaido uni on brioche toast, with a hint of lime for brightness and moreish seaweed butter, and the creamy cod tarama with French radishes and toasted croutons to start as a toe-dip into the world of this eccentric restaurant. Next, the Petrosian caviar spaghetti “alla Marchesi” with chive and Menton lemon zest is a quiet, elegant tribute to the late Marchesi, father of Italian nouvelle cuisine, while the ma yau threadfin fish, prepared in “alla tuba” style with capers, anchovy, and brown butter, speaks much louder with its crisped skin and tender meat, atop a bed of lightly acidic, tomato-led sauce vierge. A spiny lobster tagliatelle, dressed in tomato and preserved lemon, or the special of red prawn carbonara continues the symphony of indulgent flavours, and finds a sweet finale with the golden-coloured, powdered-sugar-dusted torta “Aurora” sponge cake.
Is it challenging for Salon des Refusés to maintain the authenticity of Mediterranean flavours while adapting to local seafood catches? Marinelli embraces this as a happy problem, viewing it as an essential part of the restaurant’s narrative. After all, Salon des Refusés, in nature, disregards conventionality. It’s a delicate balancing act between respecting Mediterranean traditions, sourcing hyperlocal ingredients, and resisting conformity. “While we honour Mediterranean traditions, working with freshly caught local seafood allows us to create dishes that resonate with both cultures,” he says. Every dish is crafted to tell a story, weaving together the rich culinary heritage of the Mediterranean with the vibrant flavours of Hong Kong, and the restaurant is a bridge between these two worlds, inviting diners to explore the nuances of both.
Salon des Refusés’ atmosphere and interiors, too, defy stereotypical characterisation. Marinelli might even say that being contrarian is the cornerstone of this new restaurant concept: “As the Salon des Refusés, we were always going to be different.” Designer Melissa Collison was instrumental in creating a space that communicated that divergence. Collison and Marinelli wanted to capture the essence of coastal life, and the result is a dramatic, nostalgic dining room that feels like a moment frozen in history, a snapshot captured in amber. Kitchen notes are liberally scribbled on the cocoa-coloured wall tiles, checkered marble flooring and mosaics evoke Art Deco inspirations, and everywhere you turn, the seashell motif is embedded. Marinelli shares that “the seaside tones are there, you have dark wood and plush velvet, [and] the idea is to create a warm and intimate space with a focus on connection and hospitality.”
One distinct feature of the restaurant is the “beautiful bar counter,” an inviting focal point that allows for direct interaction between chefs and diners; this dynamic invites guests into the culinary process, creating an intimacy that enhances the dining experience—something Marinelli cherishes. As a chef, it is really special to have that connection, he affirms.
9 Bridges Street, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 2154 6106
All images courtesy of Salon des Refusés.
