This restaurant is located inside the Fine Wine Experience shop in Sai Ying Pun, a unique and great concept allowing customers to enjoy a nice meal together with wines from their wide selection in the shop at the retail price. Very popular and difficult to book, with reservations open at the beginning of each month and quickly filled up, especially on weekends.
Entering the wine shop, the staff led us through a side door before going into the small restaurant, with a rather simplistic setting and dim ambience. What got my attention was the empty bottles of some of the most expensive wines in the world on top of the serving station, phenomenal to think how much its patrons had spent on wine in this place.
Taking advantage of its concept, I went to pick a bottle of Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2009 ($900). Having visited the region and this producer a few years back, I like the versatility of Chablis, as I found it easy to pair with food, good to go with most seafood and white meat. This wine has a delicate aroma, good citrus and pear, white flowers, and minerality, and I am amazed how the staff can quickly chill it down from its storage at room temperature, to serve properly.
We ordered the Tasting Menu ($1,200 per person), and the first course was Kyushu Island Cherry Tomato. The chef has prepared the very sweet cherry tomato into a jelly format, with a refreshing and fragrant Basil Sorbet on top. On the side is Pimiento puree, providing a touch of spiciness. When everything is mixed together, the result is a very delicious, complex sensory enjoyment. A great starter.
The second course was Fatty Tuna, with the chef chopping up the Japanese medium-fatty tuna tartare, complementing with some Bafun Uni and pickled cucumber for different texture. The Dekopon Orange Vinaigrette dressing has a nice sweet and sour combination, really appetizing. While the Hokkaido sea urchin is very fresh, it got a tiny, weird note often found in such, but overall, still good in taste.
The optional third course ($390 additional each) was Cold Angel Hair, serving with a luxurious amount of prized Kristal Caviar on top. Drizzled with truffle oil and Kombu sauce, the al dente texture of the pasta is fantastic, and the great harmony between the savory of the caviar, the umami from the seaweed sauce, and the aromatic truffle oil are very delicious, and I am impressed how the chef managed to have the truffle oil not masking the other flavors as it typically is over-dominating. Recommend trying it out.
The fourth course features Morel Farci, with the morel mushroom stuffed with minced chicken mousse, rich in the fragrance of the mushroom, with some crispy buckwheat on top to give a contrasting texture. The Petit Pois, or small peas, are good in taste and poppy on the bite. The rich and flavorful Sauce Madeira brings everything together, with the essence of the beef broth beautifully permeating. Another of my favorite in the evening.
The fifth course was Charcoal Grilled Sawara. The skin of the Japanese Spanish mackerel has a crispy texture, with the moist, soft fish fillet grilled to perfection, seasoned very well. The staff also pours a delicious Jura Wine sauce on top, added with some ikura, or salmon roes, as well as fresh Herbs to give umami and fragrance. The sauce also has good acidity to freshen the palate and balance with the cream. The pieces of celtuce on the side has been briefly grilled as well, impeccable on the overall result.
For the main and sixth course there are two choices, and we picked Batard’s Signature Roast Chicken. After showing how beautiful the local three yellow chicken was roasted to a gorgeous golden-brown color, the staff helps to carve the meat, which is succulent and very delicious. With half a chicken for two of us, it is the right portion size. Served with warm Pilaf Rice, with the tasty rice fully absorbing the flavors of the chicken broth, and I can understand why this remains the signature dish of the restaurant.
Before dessert, I order a Cheese Plate ($280) to share. The cheeses are sourced from The Cheese House, a local company founded by cheese enthusiast and expert Antoine Zaruba. Picking four different types from the trolley, including hard, soft, and blue cheese, all are really nice and the pairing with quince jelly is the perfect combination for me. Not to be missed if you are a cheese lover.
The final course was Uchiyama Farm Strawberry tart, with the chopped fruit, mixed with strawberry jam and Elderflower, not too sweet to our likings. Topped with Chantilly Cream, with milk and strawberry chips on top, it is a nice dessert and concludes the wonderful meal, and I also manage to finish the bottle of wine with satisfaction as well.
The Final Sweet was Canele, a traditional French pastry covered with a thick caramelized crust while having a soft and custard center. It is good and a perfect complement with coffee in my opinion, but interestingly the staff did not ask whether we would like to order a cup. Not sure the reason why.
The service was good, with the staff nice and courteous. Being so focused on wine, the attention to details for the wine was very good, from the glass to serving temperature and portion. The food is also fantastic as well. Honestly, I was a bit skeptical about the restaurant operated by a wine merchant but after this visit I have completely removed that perception. The bill on the night was $4,862 and is good value for money. Definitely worth to pay a visit whether you like wine or not.
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