A Hotchpotch of Hong Kong: One

After having been occupied with my tight schedule and numerous other pursuits, I'm finally back on Rumrum with a post on the local treats that I had in Hong Kong. Frankly speaking, I had to Google synonyms of "variety" to get the word "hotchpotch" (Oh dear). This definitely calls for some action on my part to brush up on my vocabulary!

Without further ado, here's a glimpse of the melange of delicacies that this thriving (yet rather inhospitable) city offers:

1. Wanton noodles at Gu Zai Ji 

Despite having heard others sing praises about Hong Kong's purportedly delicious wanton noodles, I remained skeptical about the veracity of their claims. Afterall, for such a simple and ubiquitous dish, it was hard to fathom the existence of otherworldly wanton noodles - that is, until I tried Gu Zai Ji's rendition of this commonly found dish. 

My dining partners and I opted for a bowl each of wanton noodle and three-treasure noodle (from what I remember: pork, beef ball and wanton). Other than the tenderness of the pork slices (probably due to the use of copious amounts of tenderiser), each wanton had slightly translucent wanton skin and a generous serving of meat within, setting the wanton at Gu Zai Ji apart from many other restaurants who cut corners by scrimping on filling and using rubbery and thick wanton skin. Most of all, the highlight of both dishes lay in the fluffy wanton noodle, which probably contained a higher proportion of egg than the kind of noodle I've grown accustomed to eating. Kudos to Gu Zai Ji for their 

2. Roast Goose and Tiger Prawns

Speaking of awards, few restaurants would probably have accreted more accolades than Yung Kee restaurant, whose full list of awards and well-known dishes spans several pages.

The awards just keep rolling in...

First up, we tried their all-time favourite dish - the roast goose. While the gravy was too oleaginous for my liking, the goose meat was succulent and far surpassed previous renditions I had had located in the vicinity of my hotel. 

Roast Goose

Next up, we had some tiger prawns which were of a good size, although I wished that the batter had been more crispy as I found it overly soggy. 

Look at that adorable mini crab!

All in all, while I yearn to indulge in my pleonastic pleasures, nothing much remains to be said about Yung Kee, except that their food - while good - was definitely not sui generis.

3. Snake soup at Wong Ser Fun

Last but not least, the highlight of our culinary exploits lay in the snake soup. While the prospect of consuming anything remotely reptilian may prompt one to recoil in repulsion, the snake specialties we had at Ser Wong Fun (a multigenerational enterprise) transcended our expectations and are truly worth a try for all travellers wishing to have a taste of local fare. 

Of all the snake dishes on offer, we had the snake soup and some snake meat. Interestingly, the former bore a little resemblance to fish maw soup and was rich in flavour such that we barely felt an iota of any repulsion we might have had before. 

Snake Soup

In addition, while the snake meat was chewy, it refrained from being tough, thereby reflecting the skill of the cook. Furthermore, its fragrance wafted through the air, making this a unique dish that I will definitely consume again should I return to Hong Kong in future.

One-of-a-kind

The Shopfront, located along a steep slope in the Central area

In a nutshell, I thoroughly enjoyed sampling the smorgasbord of local treats in Hong Kong, for their delicacies surprised not only with their diversity but also with the finesse with which they had been prepared. 

Michelin Medley Hong Kong 3: Caprice at the Four Seasons Hotel

I'm feeling less than inspired right now, but my burning desire (its flames more fiery than a Bardolphian hue) to share my Michelin dining experiences have compelled me to complete the last post in my recent string of degustatory divertissements. 

Having had two satisfying Michelin meals earlier on in our trip, it was with much anticipation that my dining partners and I made our way to the renowned Caprice restaurant located on the sixth floor of the posh Four Seasons hotel. Upon entry, we were greeted by our amicable servers who ushered us warmly to our table. While they had informed me earlier on that all tables with a view had already been reserved and that we were originally allocated a table on the upper deck, we were heartened that they made an effort to relocate us to the lower deck upon the opening of a slot. The picturesque view of the skyline was further complemented by the resplendent interior, which exuded an air of grandeur without being overly overbearing. 

We were first served an airy, sponge cake-like type of bread which was delightful to sample along with a dip of some extra virgin olive oil. Next, for the amuse bouche, we were presented with a trio of bite-sized tidbits (speak of the three Musketeers) on a black slate. The first consisted of sheets of wafer and a type of jelly pedantically arranged in an ensemble, bearing a striking resemblance to Porthos the dandy. On the other hand, the second was a non-assuming, simply decked-out bolus that released its appetizing contents upon sinking our teeth into it. Mm, things are often more than what meets the eye. Last on the list was a deceptively dull-looking bowl of fritters that concealed its charm in the way that Athos might have veiled his sorrow. With every rupture of the crispy batter, hot, fragrant oil spurted out in jets and flavourful bits of meat piqued our senses, making for a surprisingly delectable amuse bouche.

Bread with a Spongy Texture

Amuse Bouche

Thereafter, we were offered a selection of bread from which we unanimously chose the curiously inviting olive bun. Indeed, it surpassed our expectations with its slightly bitter yet tantalisingly aromatic multisensory touch. Surprisingly stupendous.

Olive Bread with Unsalted and Salted Butter

Feeling ravenous, we decided to try their 7-course degustation menu, which was aptly named Le French Gourmay in accordance with Hong Kong's French May festival. 

(*Menu can be found at

http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/dining/restaurants/caprice/le_french_gourmay/) 

The first course was plated in two portions, with adorable mini cheese and spinach raviolis lying at the base of a glass bowl and a wagyu beef bruschetta served on the side. Thereafter, the server cautiously poured beef consommé into the glass bowl such that the liliputian raviolis achieved a degree of buoyancy in the broth, conjuring up images of water hyacinths and water lilies floating gracefully on the surface of a pond. While the chopped wagyu beef was rather flavourful and the raviolis easy to eat, the consommé was overly briny for our liking and should have been more layered. Given that Caprice probably uses high quality ingredients (as is more often than not the case for Michelin-starred establishments), it was a shame that the consommé was laden with salt when it should have aimed to extract the full flavour of the beef instead. 

Les Raviolis de Royans

Next up was a dish comprised of snail fricassee, iberico ham, mushrooms and garlic scent, not forgetting une pluie de mai, or a frothy substance aptly termed "Rainfall of May". What was most striking about this dish was probably its presentation, which to me was symbolic of Spring and conveyed a sense of sangfroid with its meticulous mimicry of snails crawling calmly amidst a preternatural paradise. 

L'Escargot de la drôme apres une pluie de mai

After the rain came a well-received dose of sunshine, what with the brilliant hues of the ensuing dish. The pike quenelle - an oval-shaped sac created by creaming fish and encasing it with some light egg binding - shone with the sheer amber sparkle of a scorching sun, while bits of crayfish and green asparagus were redolent of clouds sifting through the auburn sky of Nantua sauce. Taste-wise, I was taken aback by the airyness and richness of flavour of the quenelle, for previous renditions of similar dishes that I have had have consistently failed to impress. In addition, the Nantua sauce was reminiscent of lobster bisque and had locked in an eclectic combination of savoury nuances, making it the perfect base for this dish. 

Quenelle de Brochet avec Ecrevisses suivant la Recette de Jacques Pic

Following the pike quenelle, the next course was the main course which comprised roasted mixed herb guinea fowl breast, fowl leg in Caillette style and Nyon olives. The highlight of the dish was the guinea fowl breast, which rivalled the Challons chicken at Amber in terms of texture and taste. Based on my limited culinary knowledge, it is likely that the breast and leg were prepared via sous vide as the meat retained its moisture and were extraordinarily succulent. The drippings, however, were slightly too brackish for my liking - once again, Caprice should probably take note of the salt level in its food and work on ensuring that sodium is not used excessively in its food preparation.

La Pintade en Deux Cuissons

Bearing in mind that Caprice is a French restaurant, what better way would there be to follow up the main course than with a selection of carefully selected fromages? To our delight, each of us was served with a platter of four cheeses from the Rhone Valley, whereby we were advised to sample them from left to right in order of increasing cheesy-ness. The leftmost cheese was rather light on the palate; the next type of cheese was soft and had a fruity relish; the third kind of cheese was half-fermented; and, last but not least, the rightmost selection of blue cheese was pungent yet spicy and perversely pleasurable. 

Selection of Fromages from the Rhone Valley

Thereafter, we were presented with a petit four drawer upon which five types of confectionary (including puffs and pralines) were neatly arranged. Whilst I am unable to recall the exact composition of each treat, I vividly remember the spectrum of tastes that these desserts captured - they were "salaciously" saccharine; they were beguilingly bitter; they were skittishly tangy. 

A petit four that captures more than the gamut of tastes and embodies the essence of human experience

En suite, for the first dessert dish, we had the Bouchee au Chocolat, which literally translates to "A Mouthful of Chocolate". The centrepiece was a chocolate souffle topped with a cocoon-shaped scoop of butter ice cream and walnuts, not to mention that it was flanked by two fragments of extremely fluffy chocolate sponge cake. To top it off (or to bring up the bottom), the smear of caramel sauce beneath it all served as a wonderfully rich counterbalance to the bitterness of the dark chocolate. In a nutshell (see the walnuts?), this delicacy truly casts chocolate as a vaudevillian veteran who displays a myriad of visages, bearing testament to its versatility as an ingredient. 

La Bouchée au Chocolat

Finally, for the last course, Caprice served up a whimsical dish of wild strawberries and iced nougat, along with berry puree and strawberry marshmallows. Whereas one would expect nougat to be sickeningly sticky, the iced nougat was of a radically distinct texture and bore a close resemblance to ice cream whilst staying true to the tastes inherent in nougat. What a feat! In addition, the nutty notes were complemented by the fruity elements of the dish, making it a well-rounded and truly satisfying dessert that left us craving for more. 

Les Fraises de Bois et Nougat

Last but not least, fragrant tea and coffee were served in finely crafted ceramics that had lovely illustrations on them, marking an end to our ambrosial meal at Caprice.

Tea

The transcendental cuisine asunder, Caprice boasts an excellent team of waiters as well, for the service we had experienced was genuine and attentive yet unimposing. For instance, the head waiter at our table noticed from a distance whenever one of us was about to leave our table for the washroom and would come forth to help us out of our chairs. In addition, he was amiable and unassuming, and patiently explained the composition of each dish as well as the way in which it was best consumed. Kudos to Caprice for their remarkable service for it definitely enriched our dining experience.

All in all, of the three Michelin restaurants that my dining partners and I visited this time, Caprice stood head and shoulders above the rest and, in my opinion, is the most deserving of its accolades. In light of this, I fervently hope (and remain hopeful) that it will regain its three-star status and remain steadfast in its push for culinary perfection. 

Michelin Medley Hong Kong 2: Robuchon au Dome

After an arduously long day of being baked in the sweltering heat and hoardes of harried tourists in Macau, dinner at Robuchon au Dome was a true pick-me-up. 

The 3-Michelin star establishment is located on the 43rd floor of the imposingly opulent, bud-shaped Grand Lisboa hotel, whose reflective gold panels scream of meretricious ostentatiousness. Interestingly, Robuchon au Dome chose to distinguish itself from the overall style of the building, opting for black-and-white decor, including a stunning, morning glory-like chandelier and simple yet elegant furniture. Upon entry, we were also greeted by a pianist playing euphonious tunes on a carved wooden grand piano - how enchanting!

The most beautiful chandelier I have ever seen

Simple yet Elegant Decor

Mellifluous Melodies

To get the ball rolling, we were served two amuse bouches (the exact details of which I fail to recall),and while both of them tasted good, they were not outstanding per se. 

Amuse Bouche

Nevertheless, Robuchon quickly redeemed itself with the unorthodox platter of bread they offered, ranging from dried tomato buns to les tordus avec jambon. Other than sampling the array of bread, watching our server scrape "spools" of butter off two blocks of salted and unsalted varieties was rather amusing as well. Ah, who knew that eating bread could be such an entertaining affair?

Bread and Butter

Before our courses were served, each of us was presented with a beautiful dollop of burrata cheese in a tomato puree, topped with slices of asparagus. Whilst burrata cheese tends to be slightly unctuous, Robuchon's rendition wowed us with its incredible freshness and airy texture. Simply delightful! 

Pre-starters

As we had a choppy Hong Kong-bound boat ride to endure thereafter, we opted for the a la carte courses instead of a full-on degustation menu. For les entrees, we opted for the Caviar de Sologne and the Crab Mille-feuille (which seems to currently not be on their menu online), two invigoratingly refreshing appetisers that encapsulate the burst of colours, blend of odours and polyphony of sounds characteristic of le printemps. While the former had stronger flavours, especially with the brackish tang of the caviar, the dish struck an impeccable balance for the fine coral jelly and aniseed cream served along with the caviar offset its briny taste. Furthermore, the warmed seasoned leek with Mimoza (a herb) were cooked for just the right amount of time, such that the leek remained crunchy and possessed a sheen of vibrant green.

Le Caviar de Sologne

Just like the Caviar de Sologne, the Crab Mille-feuille was also an equally exhilarating dish, what with its layers of tomato, crab, vegetables, and other ingredients (which I regrettably fail to recall). While this dish may seem deceptively straightforward - so much so that it risks looking unimpressive - it was one of the most layered, nuanced and skilled dishes that I have ever sampled thus far, cementing the notion that simplicity can be elegance disguised.

For the mains, I opted for the Le Canard de Challans, a dish consisting of duck breast and foie gras cooked in rock salt with pepper in reduction of seasonal fruits. The pink hue of the duck meat resembled the blush of a nubile maiden, teasingly tantalising yet subtly subdued. Furthermore, the foie gras was well-seared on both sides, yet creamy at its core - A true melange of textures and tastes. 

Le Canard de Challans

Other than the canard, we ordered the Homard du Maine, a pan-fried Maine lobster with stewed green peas in Chateau Chalon broth with a hint of mint. Whilst the gravy tasted interesting, the lobster was slightly overcooked, such that it was a tad too tough for our liking. Nevertheless, Robuchon's efforts at presenting the dish well was commendable, for the lobster meat was rolled into a hemispherical form and plated artistically with the stewed peas and pea pods. 

Le Homard du Maine

Last but not least, for the mains, we opted for the L'Agneau, comprising French lamb au jus with herbs salad served with mash potato. Indeed, the lamb rack was seared to perfection and was exceedingly tender, whereas the mash potato was homogeneously buttery and immensely savoury. Kudos to Robuchon for having turned a rather ubiquitous dish into a strong contender, as well as for having reached the apogee of culinary excellence.

L'Agneau

To end off our meal, we decided to give their dessert table a try, opting for their wafer-thin vanilla crepes, raspberry and pistachio crepe and chocolate tart. While the vanilla crepes were paper-thin and bore testament to the pastry chef's top-notch skills, the vanilla balls tasted overly milky for my liking and lacked the full flavour of the vanilla seeds. In addition, although it was evident that the chocolate tart was created with high-quality chocolate, it tasted a little too similar to ferrero rocher for my liking and could have been more nuanced. Nevertheless, the raspberry and pistachio crepes stepped up to the plate and impressed with its fusion of fruity tartness and nutty fragrance, making for a great finish to our meal.

Dessert

Just before we called for the bill, we were pleasantly surprised by a post-dessert delicacy that had been specially concocted for us, consisting of apple sorbet with pineapple cubes and a myriad of fruity elements. The post-dessert treat was a delectable palate cleanser and provided some much-needed respite from the balmy weather, marking an end to our enjoyable meal. 

Post-dessert Sorbet

Finally, Robuchon au Dome presented us with a whole lemon butter cake on the house. While such a gift would probably not have cost the restaurant a hefty sum, it was undeniably a nice gesture that left us with a deeper impression of our meal there. 

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Robuchon au Dome, although the restaurant could train their servers to be more situationally aware for they failed to give enough attention to details at times (e.g. to refill empty glasses of water). Nevertheless, we unanimously agreed that our time at Robuchon was well spent, for the ambrosial cuisine and palatial interior made for a truly sublime dining experience.

Michelin Medley Hong Kong 1: Amber, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental

Having done some background research on the few Michelin-starred restaurants in Hong Kong, we decided to give Amber's lunch set a try as it was quite reasonable price-wise (3-course: HKD 548/pax, 4-course: HKD 748/pax) and seemed to offer a good selection for each course. 

We were presented with an assortment of bread, from which I had the sour dough and some crispy bread. The thin slice of bread was rather distinctive as I had not come across such a finely sliced, biscuit-like type of bread before. Its crunchiness and slightly acidulated flavour was well complemented with a smear of unsalted butter, while its sour dough cousin also impressed with its fluffy and airy interior.

Bread

For the amuse bouche, a "troika" of treats were served. Arranged neatly in a row were tuna rolls constituting paper-thin skin with tuna filling, followed by a uniquely inventive foie gras sphere coated with cherry glaze and topped with some vegetable elements. To be consumed last was a warm cheese-ball-esque amuse bouche that tasted as though it consisted of a clam chowder-like soup. 

Amuse bouche

For the starters, we ordered the aubergine (eggplant puree) with caviar scented with cumin, bell jell-O tomato confit, pickled onions, brined lemon and micro sorrel. We were instantly wowed by the intricate, artistic and vivid presentation of the dish - one can only imagine the level of care in executing and perfecting the arrangement of the myriad elements in this starter. Other than the dish's sheer pulchritude, the flavours were complexed and nuanced, with the delightful tanginess of the onions and lemon complementing the light and fresh taste of the pureed eggplant. In addition, the bell jell-O tomato confit was applied as a layer of gelatinous foundation at the bottom of the dish, donning the dish in yet another tier of exquisite relish. 

A tulle dress of flavours

The other starter that one of us had was the raw amber jack that came marinated with crispy cereals and gooseberry green vegetable gazpacho with jalapeno chilli. While the dish had some texture to it, it was of a rather high acridity and was too sour for our liking. Perhaps, if there had been an element of sweetness in it, this would have enabled the dish to pirouette to the zenith of balance. 

Amber jack

For the mains, a few of us opted for lamb on the pyrenees, a name suggestive of the animals' origins up in the mountain ranges that form the border between France and Spain. The lamb was braised, pulled and prepared with bayaldi vegetables in a crepinette. Here, "bayaldi" refers to a French adaptation of "Imam bayaldi", a traditional Turkish dish that consists of eggplant, zucchini and tomato, and "crepinette", a name redolent of Marie Antoinette (which should hint at its origin), aptly refers to a sausage parcel. While the lamb was rather tender, it lacked an inexplicable "wow" factor which I tend to call the "X-factor", that is, although I wouldn't hesitate to term it "nice", I would definitely refrain from ascribing words of superlative degrees to such a dish. Interestingly (or perhaps, ironically), the most enjoyable part of the dish were the sides, which consisted of aubergine coiled up and topped with extra virgin olive oil caviar, black garlic and a wholesome tomato puree. As much as the sides play an instrumental role in every dish, I maintain that the focus of the main course should lie in the meat. Afterall, of what use would it be if the supporting actresses were stunning but if the lead actress was not up to par?

Lamb on the Pyrenees

Other than the lamb, some of us also opted for the corn-fed challan chicken breast and upper leg served with charred leeks, morels, potatoes mousseline and "vin jaune" (literally, "yellow wine", a type of white wine made in the Jura region of France)  juice. This dish was truly exceptional as the chicken breast had a tinge of rose pink and was inordinately tender, not to mention that the side of mashed potatoes also possessed a whorl of creaminess and was the best that we had tasted thus far. 

Corn-fed Challan Chicken

Indeed, what I enjoy most about top restaurants is their dedication to ensuring that painstakingly crafted dishes are maximally enjoyed. One of the common measures that such establishments take involves cleansing the diners' palates after certain courses so as to allow them to savour the next course with untainted tastebuds. In this case, Amber served up a simple yet interesting palate cleanser consisting of coconut ice cream on a stick dipped with frozen chocolate and rice krispies. While this was an uncomplicated pre-dessert dish, the coconut's unadulterated freshness served its purpose and paved the way for a wonderfully executed finish to our meal. 

Pre-dessert Palate Cleanser

One of the desserts we had was a lychee sorbet with opalis white chocolate ganache over strawberry jell-O, seasonal berries, violets and macaroon fragments. This dish was probably the most beautifully garnished of the desserts we had, and was also prepared with unparalleled finesse taste-wise. Unlike many lychee sorbets which are often haphazardly made out of sugary paste, one can taste the essence of newly prepared lychee within. In addition, the plethora of elements in this dessert was akin to a maestro having composed a culinary concerto - something like the Bolero whereby each constituent adds to the whole and yet, stands out in its own right. 

Berry bolero

Aside from the lychee sorbet, we also sampled Amber's jivara, a chocolate cremeux (dense, soft pudding) that came with cacao glaze and coconut ice cream. While the bitter chocolate was undeniably of a high quality, the dessert was overly heavy for our liking, such that our appetite was sated after only a few mouthfuls. 

Jivara

Lastly, we opted for the passe crassan pear poached in fragrant spiced shiraz red wine, black current sorbet and extra virgin olive oil caviar.While the pear was skilfully cored and presented in a hemispherical manner, in terms of taste, this dish would have brought up the bottom of the leaderboard for dessert as it lacked flair. For instance, the spiced shiraz wine was not fragrant as promised and the extra virgin olive oil caviar stuck out like a sore thumb. 

Passe Crassan Pear

After dessert, we had our tea/coffee, and were also delightfully surprised with a three-tiered silver rotating drawer filled with six types of pastries and pralines. However, presentation-wise, the servers should have ensured that the silver drawer was free of grubby stain marks. While I run the risk of being called out for nitpicking, the fact is that Michelin-starred restaurants should aim for perfection - any obvious blemishes like these only threaten to leave blackmarks on an otherwise glistening escutcheon. 

One note of caution though, would be the lacklustre service standards at Amber. Having dined at a range of restaurants, I can fairly say that I have experienced better treatment even at mid-level restaurants. The huge blip in service occurred when a server knocked over my glass of water. Instead of apologising, she shrugged it off with an air of flagrant nonchalance and went about arranging other items on the table before returning with a cloth after a few minutes to soak up the mess. This left me deeply disappointed, and my dismay with the subpar service grew due to the lack of attention given to details, e.g. not helping customers with removing their chairs when they made a trip to the washroom. In addition, the treatment we received was cold and forced instead of warm and genuine, leaving me doubtful about how the restaurant earned its two Michelin-star accolade.

Ambience-wise, the high ceiling and beige-brown decor of the interior makes it suitable for a range of occasions, from time-to-time personal treats to celebratory meals and business lunches. 

To sum it up, lunch at Amber was an enjoyable getaway from the frazzling frenzy and hectoring honks of the taxis that make up the sights and sounds in the Central district. Although its food was good, it falls behind Robuchon au Dome and Caprice, the two other restaurants which will be reviewed in further posts. In addition, it would do Amber some good to review their staff training programme and work on providing better service, as diners who pay top dollar expect nothing less than perfection and a transcendental dining experience.