This Michelin 1-star restaurant is located in Central On Lan Street, at a quiet side street corner building in the busy and hustling commercial heart of Hong Kong. On this coronavirus-hit period, we came on the eve of the Easter holidays but still the place was relatively quiet, with only a few tables occupied. Before being led to our table we first had to declare the health status on a form and then got our body temperature measured for any fever.
After passing through the open kitchen where customers can opt to sit on the side to closely look at how their food are being prepared, we were seated at the dining area with a bar on the other end, as well as a terrace also serving as a herb garden. The setting of the restaurant is contemporary, and I particularly impressed by the design pattern of the oak floors, as well as the artworks on the walls. The overall mood is comfortable and relaxing.
We decided to go for the tasting menu, with me choosing the 6-course one ($1,288) while my wife option for the 5-course version ($1,088). The chef had picked the most iconic signature dishes for this menu and I recommend choosing it to best try out the different dishes. The first course is Japanese Fruit Tomato with Peppered Ricotta, Pocket Pesto, Pine Nuts and Marfuga Olive Oil. I like the wonderful balance of sweetness and acidity of the tomatoes, rich in flavors and further reinforced by the ricotta cheese giving a bit of savory. The peppers magically added a great fragrance to the mix, and the basil notes coming from the pesto with the pine nuts and olive oil created a really nice harmony. A very good starter.
The second course is Carpaccio of Hokkaido Scallops with Cod Mousse, Courgette, Yuzu and Ginger Dressing, Apple Lace. Beautifully rendered, the scallops are very fresh, permeating the natural wonders of this jewel in the sea. The cod mousse added complexity to the dish with a creamy note. The courgette offers a contrasting bite, which are further enhanced by the finely diced apple lace at the bottom with the delicate dressing made from yuzu and ginger. Truly another wonderful starter.
The third course is Sauteed Potato Gnocchi with Charred Cevenne Onion, Shiitake Duxelle, Parmesan and Black Truffle. The gnocchi are great in texture, with a soft interior, an external sauteed to give a slight crisp texture. And then the flavors came pounding on with the famous sweet onions from Cevennes in France, nicely charred to have a caramelized taste adding with the black truffle and savory Parmesan cheese, supplemented further with the finely chopped shiitake mushroom. A feast of great tastes.
The fourth course is Lightly Grilled Toothfish with Fennel Salad, Cucumber, Spring Onion and Vadouvan Veloute, which is not available if you are opting for the 5-course menu. A familiar taste when I first sampled the fennel salad with the sauce, and that reminded me immediately of curry. And indeed vadouvan is a French version of Indian masala blend of spices. Highly aromatic but without the hot spicy notes to mask the taste of the toothfish, I used my bread to scoop up every last drop of the sauce to enjoy.
The fifth course is Pan Roasted Wagyu 6+ Rump Cap with White Asparagus, Cauliflower, and Peppercorn Sauce. The beef was perfectly seared, with a caramelized, slightly crisp surface, a moist and juicy interior wonderfully seasoned, paired greatly with the peppercorn sauce to bring out the flavors. We both very much adore the lean cut of the rump cap as well. The sides of white asparagus and cauliflower are nothing inferior to the rump too. Another great dish.
Coming to the end of the meal the sixth course is Yuzu and Lemon Posset, Blood Orange and Yogurt Ice-cream, White Chocolate Tuile. The posset was refreshing with the yuzu notes, a creamy texture, and the blood orange giving an appealing citrus note and tartness, blending well with the yogurt ice-cream. A great finale to a wonderful meal.
We also ordered a double espresso ($45) and a mint tea ($50) to finish, and overall it was one of my most satisfactory dinner for a while. The portion is appropriate which made us able to eat everything without feeling hungry or overwhelmed. The highlight of the true and combination of flavors and choice of ingredients, and nice presentation but not overly complex and fancy, all resonate to me the most important element of a great meal.
Service is good as well, with each dish explained to us well and throughout the dinner the team was attentive but not intrusive. The bill on the night was $2,804 and considering the overall experience I would rate it as good value for money. Unfortunately for me I could not enjoy their wine choices on the night as I was driving, and would be good to return for another occasion to see how that perform too.
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