This French restaurant is managed by chef Hideaki Sato and has been awarded Michelin 2-star status. Located in The Pottinger Hong Kong, we came on the Boxing Day for lunch, as the dinner service is not available with the government's current restriction measures on social gathering.
Greeted warmly, we were shown to our table. The décor is very comfortable and relaxing, cleverly using live plants and details on the decoration and setting to create a cozy ambience. I like how the dated texture of the wooden floorboards and cabinet giving me a feel of visiting a place with history.
We ordered the special Winter Festive Season Menu ($2,180 each), with me also going for the wine pairing ($1,280). The restaurant also offers a wide range of wine, as well as sake too. Even the bottled natural water Azumino ($88) is special, coming from Nagano in Japan.
The first course is 'Crab House Sandwich'. Very interesting on the presentation, the crispy buckwheat crepe has a crab shape, and underneath is Hokkaido kegani (horsehair) crab salad. The crab meat is very delicious, and together with avocado, tomato, thin radish slices and a nice dressing which blends all the flavors together, with a perfect acidity to make this a wonderful starter of the meal. The wine paired is Paul Bara Reserve Brut Champagne NV with the crisp acidity refreshing and complimentary.
The second course is Duck Consommé. The delicate yet intense soup is certainly mind-blowingly delicious, and there are also house-made ravioli contained duck meat, as well as a poached oyster from Hokkaido Akkeshi of silky texture. The flavors are further enriched by the black truffle strips on top. The wine paired is Famille Plageoles Vin de Voile 2008, with the oxidative aromas and taste matching well with the consommé.
The third course is Deep-fried Lung Guang Chicken Wing. A signature of the restaurant, the chicken wing has the bone removed and then stuffed with Jpanaese burdock and white truffle rice, before deep-fried to give a crispy skin. Underneath are some pea sprout which is right in season, and added with an intense Shaoxing wine sauce. With a few shaves of truffle on top, this is another great dish which is a must-try in my opinion. The wine paired is Domaine de Montille Beaune 1er Cru Greves 2015. The earthy notes are a good match with sauce.
The fourth course is Pan Seared Langoustine. Another of my favorites, the langoustine is wrapped with a thin puff pastry to reminiscent of a crispy edible shell. The langoustine itself is very good, fresh and very tasty, great in both appearance and flavors. There are also the seasonal parsnips which added a different texture to the dish. The wine paired is a wine from Yamanashi, Adega d'Arvga Bosque 2017 made from local variety Koshu with good mineral notes to match with the langoustine.
The fifth course is Wagyu Beef 'Rossini', with a piece of nice Nozaki Wagyu beef as well as a piece of foie gras wrapped in a brioche, paired with red wine sauce and some black truffle. Both of us always are shy of the fatty meat, but I found it amazing that both the beef and foie gras did not show any oiliness, simply perfect on how they are cooked. Wonderfully done, the wine paired is also beautiful, with the 1995 Clos du Marquis offering a nice savory development to the dish.
Before transitioning to dessert, we are given a cup of home-made hibiscus beverage, which helps to cleanse the palate. It is very refreshing and I wonder whether the chef can share the recipe as I want to make this at home as it is so good.
The sixth course is Fresh Japanaese Pear 'Le Lectier', with a sponge cake soaked with pear liqueur on the bottom, with the fresh and juicy pear on top, on top with a fresh cheese ice-cream and beautiful garnish. A piece of art, it also delivers on the flavors, with the pear liqueur strong but balanced with the sweetness from the ice-cream, and the delicate of the pear is not suppressed interestingly. The wine paired is spirit from Capovilla Distillati, using Decio di Belfiore apples.
With an Indonesia Coffee (dripped by French press) to wrap up, the restaurant also provided a chocolate mousse dessert to pair which is highly complementary. A very good meal, and the portion size is also appropriate, making us full but not overly so, enabling us to really savor all the dishes to the complete extent.
The service is very good, with the staff attentive to our needs without asking and able to remain 'invisible' most of the times to allow a good privacy on the conversations. Chef Hideaki Sato also came to introduce a couple of dishes himself, and both of us were amazed by his young and handsome look. Definitely the quality of a celebrity chef.
The bill was $6,301 which is a bit expensive but considering the quality of the food, the choice of wines, and the overall dining experience, I would say it is worth the price tag. As chef Hideaki Sato personally written on the menu, his motto is 'pure, simple, seasonal' and I truly can relate to that through his dishes. It is one of the most pleasant meals I had for a while and for that, I wholeheartedly recommend the restaurant.
沒有留言:
張貼留言