This French restaurant is located in Four Seasons Hotel, awarded Michelin 2-star status and headed by Chef Guillaume Galliot, who came from Loire Valley. Spacious with classic decor showing both elegance and chic, there are many tables with a majestic Victoria Harbour view which further adds to the wonders for the dining experience.
We ordered the Menu Carte Blanche ($2080), which changes daily depending on the availability of the best in-season produce, with my wife requesting adjustments as she had some dairy allergy. Not an easy task given a lot of the dishes got cream or cheese, the chef did his best to accommodate, and we were happy for the changes made to meet our needs.
Ordering a glass of champagne ($260) as aperitif, we were served an Amuse Bouche which included a Smoked Salmon with Caviar, Cheese Toast with Fresh Tomato, and a Puff with Curry Cream Fillings. All of them were good in taste and stimulate our appetite for the coming dishes.
The first course was Gazpacho and Tomato Consomme Jelly, with Tomato Variations and Creamy Burrata. The tomatoes came from Loire Valley, with the jelly showcasing the freshness of the tomatoes. The different tomatoes on top added different texture to the bite, some crunchy and some soft, and the burrata further enhanced the overall experience with the creaminess and savory. I also liked the basil leaves which gave an extra fragrance to the dish. The wine paired was Domaine Ostertag Pinot Blanc 2015.
The second course was Foie Gras Terrine from Vendee, with Duck Jelly and Medjoul Date. It had an interesting presentation, with the terrine looking like a mousse with duck soup jelly on top. Eaten together with the toast, the duck soup jelly added the flavors to the already rich foie gras, and the date provided a sweet balance to the savory, making it well-balanced and delicious.
The third course was Lobster with Artichoke Variation. A beautifully rendered dish, the poached artichoke was cooked perfectly and giving a great contrast to the deep-fried crispy pieces, and they were complemented with the blue lobster, very fresh and seasoned well to highlight the delicate flavors, and for me this was one of my favorites in the evening. The wine paired was Roagna Solea 2015.
The fourth course was another interesting creation. It illustrated the chef's journey in Singapore, being a Laksa with King Crab and Sudachi Lime. The crab meat is put inside the glass bowl and surrounding them are a laksa sauce, with pieces of toasted nut to add the crunchy bite and the Japanese lime giving the acidity and freshness to enhance the overall experience. It is great seeing how the chef integrated the flavor of the signature food in Singapore with Japanese local ingredients and presenting in a French manner. Another of my favorites in the evening.
The fifth course was Racan Pigeon from Maison Bellorr, with Beetroot and Natural Jus. Maison Bellorr is a renown producer in France providing high quality products for professional chefs around the world, and coupled with the perfect cooking really gave us a wonderful culinary experience. The meat was so tender and juicy that we couldn't stop eating, and the beetroot and meat juice, though look simple, showcased the most important elements of a nice meal in my opinion - quality of the ingredients in its true flavors. Another recommendation. It was paired with Montevertine 2014 from Chianti.
The sixth course was the Australian Beef Tenderloin with Celeriac Gratin. The beef was cooked to my required level, seasoned well and juicy, with the sauce rich and full of flavors. Personally I am not a big fan of the celeraic gratin however, even though celeraic is in fact good for health. The wine paired was Chateau Fontanes, from Pic St-Loup in the Languedoc.
The seventh course was the Caprice Cheese Cellar, in which the restaurant did offer a wide variety of different cheese for me to choose. The selection was nothing inferior to most of the restaurants I visited in my earlier trip to France, and I ended up choosing four types of cheese. I really like the sheep cheese which was creamy and mild, and am quite sure for those cheese lovers this would be like a dream comes true with the big assortment.
Coming to dessert, the eighth course was Figs and Port Wine Custard. Again very nicely put together, the custard was smooth and silky, and the port wine on top gave a touch of sweetness while not overpowering the more delicate pudding. The figs are now in-season, fresh and marinated beautifully, with the crumbles giving a contrasting bite. The touches of the mint leaves further added the freshness. The wine paired was Kracher Beerenauslese Cuvee 2015.
Finally it was Coffee and Petit Fours, with each snack very nicely prepared and each a piece of art itself. And to wrap it up the chef also treated us an additional signature, an apple tart which we all could only eat a small slide because we were so full already. It was indeed very good in taste, with the tartness and sweetness in great harmony making it so appetizing.
The services throughout the evening were wonderful, with the team coming over to explain each course when serving, and also having some conversations explaining to us some special features and backgrounds of the dishes, making the overall experience highly enjoyable. If I have to criticize I would say the wine pairings were not particularly impressive, and also considering the flight of wines the prices were also expensive.
The bill on the evening was $6418, rather costly if I compare the many Michelin restaurants I just visited a few weeks ago in my trip in France, but again, this is HK and we were in such prime location... Still a memorable dinner which I would come back again.
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