Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Cafe Causette

Cafe Causette is located on the mezzanine floor of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, offering an informal, contemporary yet elegant all-day dining. There is a wide variety of international cuisines, from Asian delights such as Hainan Chicken Rice and Nasi Goreng, to western dishes including burgers, pastas and fish & chips.

Tonight the restaurant was not particularly busy, and we were seated close to the kitchen looking out to Des Voeux Rd Central, where one can see through the 'windows' to glimpses of activities inside. A cozy and comfortable environment accompanies our meal, creating a nice, warmth and relaxing atmosphere.

I ordered the Summer Lobster Sensation Menu ($768) while my wife opted for a la carte. There are four choices of appetizers, and I had the Lobster Cocktail. Very beautifully rendered, there are plenty of lobster meat on top of the shredded iceberg cabbage, finishing with Marie Rose sauce. A great feast of taste, the sauce has a great balance of sweet and sourness which is highly appealing. The lobster is wonderful too, firm on texture and flavorful, refreshing with the seasoning of lemon juice. There are a few pieces of mango and avocado to further provide a contrasting soft texture, reinforcing the theme of summer for the dish. A really nice starter.

My wife had the Salmon Carpaccio to begin ($288). Again presenting in a mouth-watering appeal, the salmon are supremely fresh, seasoned beautifully with dill and olive oil to highlight the original flavors. Equally impressive for this starter.

There are five choices for main course in the lobster menu, with me going for the pasta, a Lobster Spaghetti with Garlic and Chili. The spaghetti is really great on texture, offering a good bite, while soaking up the sauce prepared with tomato, garlic and chili. Again there are a generous amount of lobster, and the chopped basil added wonderful complementary flavors. A filling and tasty dish.

The main course chosen by my wife was Grilled Lemon Sole ($408), paired with black pepper sauce and mixed green salad. The fish was quite sizable, grilled to a perfect golden color. I should have reminded my wife but her choice of sauce was not correct in my opinion, and in fact on its own the fish was already very good, with plenty of flavors and seeping with a nice buttery note. I would recommend just squeezing some lemon juice to the fish and that would already be an amazing dish.

Included in the lobster menu was a choice of three desserts, with me going for Ile Flottante, with a meringue sphere on top of summer berries and vanilla cream. The meringue is soft and puffy, not too sweet, and paired wonderfully with the fragrant vanilla cream. The summer berries added a nice tartness to balance the sweetness of the cream, and overall a very nice finale to the course for me.

My wife decided to follow and ordered Seasonal Fresh Fruits and Berries ($138). A very big plate of fruit indeed, with a wide range of fruit including watermelon, melon, mango, dragon fruit, pineapple, strawberries and blueberries. Fresh and sweet, it is a healthy alternative to the other more indulgent options.

The service was impeccable, with the staff friendly and welcoming, and throughout the evening we had a wonderful time. With a bottle of water ($98), a cup of espresso (included in the lobster menu), the bill was $1870. Considering the quality of the food and the total dining experience, it is a great place to enjoy some nice moments.