Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Restaurant Petrus

To celebrate CNY, we have decided to go to a Michelin-starred restaurant, and since our last visit to Restaurant Petrus was already back in 2020, today we come again to Island Shangri-La to experience the French cuisine, under the helm of Executive Chef Uwe Opocensky.

Located on Level 56, the décor has not changed, with lush carpet, high ceiling with crystal chandelier and murals, and traditional European royal setting offering a posh dining ambience, with also the amazing harbour view looking out from the large windows.

I have decided to take the 8-course menu ($2,988) while my wife has the 6-course version ($2,288). After starting with a glass of Krug Grande Cuvee ($560) as aperitif, I have the Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 2015 ($4,000) for the night. A fantastic wine without a huge mark-up.

The Amuse Bouche is a Tuile made from dried vegetable including baby carrot and onion, made to a wafer-thin crisp that is paired with a tartar dipping sauce. The other snack is Smoked Salmon Tartlet, with the salmon tartare adding a bit of caviar on top. A nice start.

The first course features Oyster, from the famous French producer Ostra Regal, with rich, buttery flavours and delicate texture. The chef has thoughtfully cut into pieces to facilitate eating. It is added with cucumber oil, buttermilk, and a puree with hints of sweet and spice. Refreshing.

The second course is Foie Gras, presented in a great way. From the famous producer George Bruck in Alsace, the foie gras are stuffed inside a wine-poached pear and sliced, so it fully recreates the pear in shape, with some pear powder on the side. There are also brioche toasts provided to allow us to spread the foie gras on top to consume. Delicious.

For the third course we both select Red Prawn ($388 supplement). Signature of the restaurant, the carabinero is large in size and grilled perfectly. The meat is sweet, paired with homemade garum for touch of savoury. The sourdough on the side is thoughtfully arranged to soak up the essence in the prawn head. Phenomenal.

The fourth course features King Crab from Norway. Underneath the delicious and meaty king crab leg is some Japanese-style steamed egg, or chawanmushi, at the bottom. The yuzu kosho helps to provide seasoning, and the dish finishes with a crustacean sauce that enhances the flavours of the delicate crab meat. Delicious.

The fifth course is Turbot from France. The fish fillet is pan-seared beautifully, with the surface slightly crisp while the flesh still remains moist and tender. On the side is a piece of celeriac providing contrast in texture, while the horseradish puree to give a bit of spiciness. The dish finishes with a fish sauce infused with oyster to give a wealth of seafood flavours. Delicious.

For the sixth course we have both chosen Beef Calotte. The beef comes from a famous family farm called Brandt in Southern California, with the cut being lean but also soft. Nicely grilled, it is added with some shaved truffle to give a slight earthy note, along with a truffle beef jus. On the side is tarte tatin made from onion and pulled beef cheek with some cheese sauce, plus an onion puree. Another phenomenal dish with great taste and flavours.

The seventh course features Donabe Rice. The Hokkaido Koshihikari rice is cooked in the earthen pot with chicken broth, with a perfect texture, neither too hard nor too soft. With some finely chopped spring onion to give fragrance, supplemented with the earthy note of truffle on top. There are also some grilled cauliflowers on the side which adds sweetness to the rice. Delicious.

The eighth and last course is Souffle, and the interesting twist is that the main ingredient is actually potato. Added to the fluffy souffle is a potato vanilla ice-cream, and then the staff shaves a generous amount of black truffle on top, to give the earthy tone to the dessert. Delicious.

The Petits Fours includes Orange Chocolate Peel, Chocolate Truffle, Madeleine to go with cream or mandarin jam, and Elderflower Jelly. All nice treats and adjusted to the local palate so not too sweet. A satisfying conclusion to the wonderful meal, especially over a cup of nice espresso.

Service is very good, with the staff attentive and friendly. The bill on the night is $11,878 but mainly it is driven by the bottle of wine I ordered. Considering quality of food and the whole dining experience, this remains one of my top picks of local French restaurants, especially if you like wine.