Located on 11/F World Trade Centre in Causeway Bay, this restaurant has become a popular hotspot because of its special design, which creates a feeling of dining inside a library, with rolls of bookshelves on the side. The use of wood on the walls and ceiling, its warm lighting, and plush leather seats and banquettes offer diners a comfortable and cozy ambience.
Arriving at 6:30pm, we were seated at the window side, looking out to the Victoria Harbour and Kowloon side across. On the two sides construction is still on-going, and we wonder how the previous Excelsior would become in future. We have pre-ordered the Tasting Menu ($1,388 each), and on the night I also have a bottle of La Ferme du Mont La Truffiere ($528).
The first course is Cecina de Wagyu Beef Carpaccio. The 12-month cured Spanish Wagyu beef slice reminds me of Iberico ham but using beef instead of pork, with some edible flowers on top to make it more vibrant in appearance. With caramelized onion balsamic and a foam made from shishito pepper and French chive on the side, the flavours are quite good.
The second course is Spanish Red Prawn Carabinero. The raw red prawn carpaccio has good sweetness and umami, with a thin jelly on top made of squid ink, giving a bit of extra savoury notes. Underneath is a passion fruit dressing seasoned with citrus oil, with an appealing acidity to provide a refreshing and appetizing palate to the carpaccio. Nice.
The third course is Hokkaido King Scallop. The raw scallop tartare, with some caviar on top, is matched with a jalapeno sorbet, which gives a spicy kick balanced with sweetness to highlight the delicate taste of the scallop. Sandwiched between the two is a kombu gelatin to give an umami note, with a green asparagus sauce to provide additional colour and taste.
The fourth course is Bouillabaisse. The steaming lobster bisque is poured tableside on to the plate full of seafood, including sous vide abalone, fresh clams, and grilled prawn. There are also some diced vegetables to provide a contrast on the bite, with a bit of Cognac and cream added to further increase the aromas and also give a velvety mouthfeel to the flavourful soup.
The fifth course is Spanish Sardine Confit. Using two different types of sardine fillets, one is the Spanish smoked sardine while the other is fresh from Japanese. Paired with some Hollandaise sauce with paprika, the sardines are very flavourful and while on its own it might be a bit salty, together with the artichoke and fermented white asparagus the taste is really good.
Before going to the pasta dish, we are served the palate cleansing Riesling Lime Sorbet. The sorbet has a nice sourness, helping to remove the residual flavours in the mouth and also wake up the appetite again. Underneath is some jelly made from Riesling wine, having a delicate taste and also giving a contrast in texture with the sorbet.
The sixth course is Smoked Fresh Eel Pasta. The house handcrafted spaghetti is cooked with a sauce prepared using Japanese egg, Pancetta oil and Parma ham broth. Taste is good, with the pasta having nice al dente texture, though it quickly becomes sticky, not sure whether due to insufficient sauce or other reason. The grilled eel helps to rescue some marks though.
The seventh course is Charcoal Grilled A5 Miyazakigyu Rib Cap. Cooked to medium rare per my preference, the sliced rib cap was seasoned well, very flavourful and tender, having appropriate fatty level. The side dish of carrot and potato was trimmed to the oval shape, with caramelized onion balsamic and green chili as condiments. Another of my favourite.
The eighth and final course is Mango Mousse Pandan Cake. Beautiful in presentation, the mango mousse is wrapped inside a mango jelly casing, with Pandan cream on top. On the side are some pandan sponge cake and meringue shards to complement with different texture. Not too sweet, everything is balanced and in harmony. A good finish to the meal.
Service is decent, the food is fair, however the bill on the night is a bit pricey at $3,797. Noticing how well the business is, with diners enjoying live music in the background and many people celebrating special occasions, we start to understand how they garner popularity. While many people say the local dining industry is failing, this maybe is a good example of how to do it right.
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