Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Le Pan

This French restaurant is located in Goldin Financial Global Centre in Kowloon Bay, offering French fine dining created by Chef Edward Voon. Arriving before 6:30pm, we were shown to the waiting area, which prompted me to think of a hotel lobby, before the staff showed us to our table.

The décor is pristine, with marble columns and walls plus a white ceiling offering a relaxing and premium ambience. There are plenty of space between tables, providing good privacy for diners. The leather seats and large tables provide a comfortable dining experience. 

We ordered the Menu Degustation ($1,580 each) with wine pairing ($900). The Amuse Bouche was Egg Royale, with the chef creatively using Japanese organic egg to prepare a silky-smooth egg custard, and then placing a layer of jelly made from century egg and teriyaki sauce, with salmon roes on top, along with some century egg yolk puree, plus some yuzu shavings and spring onion. This can easily be served as one of the courses, with the umami flavours from the teriyaki sauce matching well with the salmon roes, and surprisingly complementary also to the century egg. The egg custard was very soft too. A very nice appetizer. 

The first course was Oscietra caviar. Very beautifully presented, there were three layers, with the bottom one being watermelon marinated with lemongrass, the middle layer being a jelly made from cucumber and mint, and on top the caviar, mud crab mixed with curry powder and avocado puree. The staff then poured a cucumber and Thai fish sauce bouillon. A creative combination of French techniques with Asian ingredients, the watermelon had a fragrant note and refreshing. The caviar was good and I also liked the seasoning of the crab meat with curry note. The sauce was another highlight with the savoury taste of the fish sauce matching well with the caviar. Another nice one. The wine paired was Maison Mumm RSRV Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru. 

The second course was Leopard Grouper. The chef had put mollusc on the grouper fillet and made a fish roll, placing thin slices of zucchini on the outside, before steaming. On the side was a piece of seared potato with haricots beans salad on top, together with a puree made from spinach and miso. The staff then poured in the butter sauce which had added lemongrass and shrimp. The mollusc had added an interesting umami taste to the delicate flavours of the fish fillet, the potato and beans created a contrasting texture for the side, and again the chef put in an interesting twist to the sauce. The wine paired was a Chassagne-Montrachet from Fernand & Laurent Pillot.

The third course was Duroc Pork Belly. The Spanish pork belly was nicely charcoal-grilled, enhancing the intense flavours. The portion of fat and lean meat was just perfect, without making one feel excessively fatty. Placed on a potato rosti with a nice crunchy texture, the chef had prepared a sauce adding kimchi, tobiko and balsamic vinegar to the traditional beurre blanc, giving a bit of spiciness to the buttery note. To pair with the complex flavours the sommelier had chosen a sake, Yuki no Bosha Junmai Ginjo from Akita Prefecture, which matched well with a balancing sweetness. 

The fourth course was Carabineros Prawn. The Spanish red prawn was lightly grilled, with XO sauce on top to give some savoury flavours to the sweet taste of the prawn. On the side was some risotto cooked with the prawn yolk and stock, plus some deep-fried prawn legs scattered as piperade, together with an emulsion from the essence of the prawn heads. Very rich and flavourful, the wine paired was a Pommard from Domaine Michel Arcelain. 

For the fifth course both of us had chosen Imperial Pigeon in Master Stock. The pigeon had been brushed with some master stock before charcoal grilling it to medium rare, and the chef also had sauteed some cordyceps with butter to put on top. The staff took out a preserved plum, and shaved some on top of the pigeon, to match with the savoury taste from the master stock and the gamey notes of the pigeon. On the side was some black garlic puree and a piece of celeriac. My favourite in the evening, the dish had a range of different flavours which were harmonious. The pigeon was also very tender and juicy. The wine paired was Uccelliera Rosso di Montalcino.

For dessert, my wife ordered The Orient, with Valrhona Opalys 33% white chocolate, while I went for Cheese by Xavier L’esprit du Fromage. There were three types, including Mimolette, 24-month Comte, and Brie de Melun. The cheeses were all delicious, of different textures and characters, and the wine paired was a fortified wine from Mas Amiel Millesime 85. The nutty and caramel taste in fact matched very well with the cheese. 

The Petits Fours included Banana Cake, moist and with salted caramel on top. The Chocolate Truffle also got an interesting twist, with some chili powder inside. The Purple Sweet Potato Tart was nice with a bit of chestnut puree on top, while the Raspberry Marshmallow got a soft texture. We also had a cup of coffee to finish the wonderful meal. 

Service was very good, with the staff friendly and explained each course in good details. The bill on the night was $4,565 and considering the ambience, food quality and overall dining experience, this is a restaurant I would certainly recommend.