Last Saturday I came to Reveri for a special event, a one-night only 6-hands collaboration dinner, where Chef John Law worked together with two guest, Chef Rania Hatoum of Tart by R.H. and Chef Lee ZheXi of Eat & Cook, to offer an interesting 7-course menu.
Arriving the restaurant at Mercer Street in Sheung Wan at 6pm sharp as requested, we saw the three chefs already busy preparing behind the counter, with the co-founder of the restaurant, Jessica Kesumo, greeting customers and managing the front-house with her team.
The special menu cost $1,680 each, and I also asked for the 5-glass wine pairing ($980), while my wife had the non-alcoholic Alain Milliat Jus Sauvignon Blanc ($110). For the first two courses, the wine paired was Champagne Geoffroy Expression Brut NV. Refreshing with a delicate toasty note.
The first course was Chef Lee's Signature Egg & Toast. Inspired by the Malaysian breakfast of kaya toast and egg, he prepared a sous vide fresh egg with some caviar to replace soy sauce, giving a bit of savoury flavours. Sandwiched between the toast was some pork jerky, with century egg kaya puree on top. Dipping the toast into the mixed egg and caviar provided a rewarding feast of harmonious flavours, with the rich egg yolk integrating perfectly with umami from the caviar, savoury from the honey glazed jerky and sweetness from the century egg kaya. Very good.
The second course was Chef John’s Pigeon Yakitori. The confit pigeon was perfectly cooked and served in the Japanese yakitori style with a skewer. Very tender and juicy, the pigeon was seasoned well, with some freshly shaved black truffle on top to enhance the fragrance. On the side was a piece of pickled daikon, with some minced pigeon meat on top, to help balance and freshen the palate for the subsequent course. Very good.
The wine paired with the red prawn tart was Battenfeld Spanier Hohen-Sulzen Riesling 2021, with nice stone fruit of peach and apricot on the nose, followed by spicy notes of white pepper, and good minerality in stony. The wine was refreshing, with a bit of saline finish which went well with seafood.
The third course was Chef Rania’s Red Prawn Tart with Caviar & Tomato Soup. No wonder her signature, the tart crust, using dehydrated tomato, was so well-made, uniform in thickness and had great texture. With Sicilian red prawn tartare and burrata stracciatella inside, and generous amount of Kaviari Ossetra caviar on top, it was a luxury treat with amazing umami flavours. On the side was a chilled tomato soup like a gazpacho to cleanse the palate afterwards. Very good.
The wine paired with the fish was Montonale Montunal 2022. This Italian wine was made from a local grape variety called Turbiana, with some tropical fruit and floral notes upfront, followed by mineral and fresh herbs. Well-structured and refreshing.
The fourth course was Chef John’s Amadai Fish. The horsehead tilefish had been pan-fried beautifully, keeping the flesh moist and soft, while deep-frying the scales to make them stand up and crispy, offering two different textures on the same bite. Underneath was some shredded celtuce mixed with yuzu ponzu, providing refreshing acidity. The beurre blanc sauce was creamy and infused with Sichuan pepper oil to give a bit of spiciness. Very good.
The wine paired with the lobster was a Japanese sake, 三諸杉 純米大吟醸 露葉風 from 今西酒造 in Nara. The sake was made from a special rice variety 露葉風, offering nice melon aromas initially, with rice characters and hints of mint on the finish. Good match with the upcoming slightly spicy dish.
The fifth course was Chef Lee’s XO Chili Lobster. Trying to reimagine the Malaysian sambal, the chef prepared an XO sauce from shrimp, scallops, chili, and cuttlefish, together with a French x Malaysian sauce made from lobster broth cooked with sambal, blended, and then reduced, before mixing with butter and a bit of yuzu to balance. On top was the perfectly grilled lobster claw and body, with some pearl onions on the side. Supplemented with freshly shaved black truffle ($270 for two), this was my favourite dish in the evening, amazing in taste with complex and wonderful flavours. The spiciness was also spot-on to stimulate the appetite. Excellent.
The wine paired with the pork ribs was Domaine du Chateau Philippe le Hardi Mercurey Vieilles Vignes 2020. More towards medium body, the wine had nice red fruit, with also earthy notes. An easy-drinking Pinot Noir which matched with the smoked pork ribs.
On the plate was the slow-cooked pork ribs, seasoned with the homemade paste of tamarind, lemongrass, chili, ginger, garlic, and onion. Full of wonderful flavours. On the side was some roasted apple with fish sauce, as well as pork front neck and pork intestine. Another great concept integrating Malay cuisine and ingredients with Western and Chinese cooking techniques. A feast in flavours. Very good.
The seventh course, from Chef Rania, was Mousse au Chocolat. Drawing a gasp of awe for its appealing presentation, the chocolate sphere had its core made from chocolate mousse and mikan infused with Grand Marnier. On top was a dark chocolate wheel, with some chocolate soil on the side. Good balance of sweetness, with the dessert full of rich chocolate happiness without being too indulgent. Very good.
Finishing with a cup of Coffee ($65), it was a highly satisfactory meal, with the menu showcasing the signature of the three chefs and their different styles, with each course also delicious and creative. Service was good, and I liked how the chefs (except Chef John) came to the table to introduce their dishes. The total bill on the night was $5,407. I looked forward to returning soon to further explore Chef John’s other dishes and hope we got to interact more next time.
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