There seems to be no better signifier of an F&B industry in revival than the creation of not one, but two hospitality groups in the month of May alone. Hot on the heels of Shane Osborn s The Arcane Collective, restaurateur Nelson Htoo of Club Rangoon has taken the wraps off of Common Abode, co-founded with partner Elin Fu and set to encompass two new openings this summer.
Deriving its identity from an ethos of family and the importance of bonding, morals and codes, the creation of Common Abode precedes the imminent opening of Candour, a bar and lounge space that takes over the former confines of the 65 Peel gastropub in Soho. The all-day concept will place an emphasis on its cocktail programme, headed by beverage consultant Chanel Adams (formerly of Doubleshot by The Cupping Room), as well as a music curation centred around hip-hop. Meanwhile, Club Rangoon chef Karisa Cheque has created a food menu for the bar that ranges from small bites to themed brunches.
The authenticity of the food is important to Htoo in representing Myanmar. Even within Asia itself, it’s harder to find Burmese food around compared to other Southeast Asian cuisines; Myanmar has often lacked representation across the world and across different industries.
In times such as these, however, the restaurant finds itself in the uneasy space between balancing politics and staying open for business as usual. For the most part the restaurant has operated as normal, with Htoo remaining aware of the desire of diners to come to Club Rangoon as a form of escapism. At the same time, he has also implemented avenues for those interested in learning more about the movement in Myanmar, most notably in the restaurant s Order for Peace menu.