The Hong Kong-based brand Ask for Alonzo is making its debut in Poland! Not long ago, the restaurant opened in Warsaw’s Varso Tower. Its creators maintain that their concept goes beyond the traditional model of a dining venue and is designed to meet the needs of modern urban life, business and socialising.
Ask for Alonzo: from Hong Kong to Warsaw
The story of Ask for Alonzo began in Hong Kong with an intimate trattoria seating 14 people. Over time, the brand expanded to six venues across Asia, gaining recognition thanks to its relaxed approach to urban dining. Now, the Deadly Rabbits Concepts group is bringing its expertise to Warsaw. From the outset, the founders emphasised that they were not interested in opening yet another Italian restaurant. Their aim was to create a space where guests would go after work, for important conversations or pleasant dinners.
A restaurant in tune with the city
It is no coincidence that Varso Tower was chosen. According to the creators of Ask for Alonzo, this is precisely the ideal location for a venue that caters for everything from business lunches to evening gatherings. At first glance, it might seem like just another typical restaurant in an office block. Not this time. The concept is based on creating an urban lounge.
“Many restaurants today simply try to be a trendy place to have dinner. We’re more interested in creating a place where people naturally return: after work, with clients, with their team, for a long chat or simply for an evening that starts with an aperitivo and ends a few hours later,” says Bart Szyniec, founder of Deadly Rabbits Concepts.
Experience gained on global markets
Behind the project is Bart Szyniec, who, after studying in Dublin, gained professional experience at Hong Kong’s Aqua Group. He then founded Deadly Rabbits Concepts, developing premium casual dining concepts for the Asian hospitality market. Importantly, the Warsaw restaurant draws on the expertise of specialists who have previously worked in Poland, Ireland and Hong Kong. A team led by Jolanta Gerbatowska is responsible for the day-to-day running of the restaurant. She is known internally as the ‘golden eye’ because she oversees the consistency of the guest experience and the quality of the restaurant’s operations.
Ask for Alonzo: more than just Italian cuisine
The foundation of Ask for Alonzo is contemporary Italian cuisine; however, the founders aim to develop a venue that fosters relationship-building and longer gatherings around the table. It is not without reason that they emphasise the importance of face-to-face conversations at a time when many interactions have shifted to online messaging apps and video conferences. Furthermore, the opening of the Warsaw venue marks a new phase of expansion for Deadly Rabbits Concepts. The restaurant in Varso Tower is the group’s first venture in Central and Eastern Europe, and company representatives are already announcing further projects in this market.
source: press material fromAsk for Alonzo
photos: whiteMAD
See also:Restaurant|Warsaw|Interiors|Recommended|whiteMAD on Instagram