Celebrity Life

The Curious Case for Unconventional Omakase Menus in Hong Kong

by Randy Lai June 29, 2021

Imbibed amidst an immersive patchwork of sounds, scents, and flavours, the latest edition of Krug's much-loved multi-vintage Champagne strikes a chord that is as joyful as it is delicious.

I'll be the first to concede that there's nothing quite like "the intangible quality...of taking in the terroir" but insofar as virtual tastings are concerned -- essentially the status quo for drinks industry pundits in 2021 -- the recent unveiling of Krug's latest Grande Cuvée proved to be oddly visceral and thrilling (in some ways, even touching). Every year since 1843, the eponymous makers of prestige Champagne have released a new assemblage of reserve wines, always consisting of the classic Champenois trio of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier; and always left to age sur lie for 7 years.

Dispensing first with the formalities, the 169th Edition is a "generous expression" of 146 wines made in 11 different years (Krug bottle single vintages relatively infrequently), the oldest of which harkens back to the turn of the millennium. It is, however, the 2013 vintage that -- to butcher a musical analogy -- really sets the bassline: with intensely "luminous and pure" Chardonnays; racy Meunier; and Pinot Noir that extrudes a long, treacle finish. It is in a word, unsurprisingly, 'scrumptious': at its best harmonising alongside sharp aged cheese; aromatic seafood dishes; maybe even a cheeky slice of tarte tatin.

Unsurprisingly, the hallmarks of this Grande Cuvée (namely quality, consistency, and complexity) remain present year in, year out; but it's Krug's highly intuitive method of presentation that helps to immerse drinkers in the art of crafting prestige Champagne. With the jubilant voice of Olivier Krug pouring into their ears -- livestreaming in from the Maison's ancestral holdfast in Reims -- participants in these 'Encounters' were able to hear the story of the 169th Edition in a style that takes you beyond the spoken word. An "audio pairing" composed by Belgian musician Ozark Henry (and fed through to listeners using 8D technology) chronicles, in sonic form, the entire journey of the latest Krug edition: from plot to tasting, and finally harmonious blending together at the hands of Cellar Master Julie Cavil.

As ever, these 'Encounters' ended with a culinary presentation (in Hong Kong, presided over by Island Shangri-La's Uwe Opocensky) inspired by the tasting notes for the current edition -- langoustine and freshly jetted oysters seem to be much-favoured accompaniments this time round -- followed by a round of questions for the Maison's patriarch, Mr. Olivier Krug. On whether he was excited for a resumption of global travel -- to better present this 169th annual bottling -- he expressed optimism. Until then, you could do a lot worse than sipping to a soundtrack.

The 169th Edition of Krug Grande Cuvée is now available at various retail partners throughout Hong Kong, including Watson's, The Fine Wine Experience, CitySuper and Avize Wine Cellar. To learn more, visit Krug online.

The post The Curious Case for Unconventional Omakase Menus in Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Posted in Dining, Haku, Japanese Cuisine, The Aubrey, Uma Nota, Wine & Dine

Read more

The Top Special Menus You Can’t Miss This January

by Dara Chau January 02, 2020

Culled from Hong Kong’s always-hot dining scene, here are some of the most exciting menus to try this month. Be prepared for chef takeovers, collaborations melding divergent cuisines and seasonal specials – these one-off opportunities are not to be missed.

Arcane’s Veganary Menu

When: 1 to 31 January
Price: HK$888 + 10%

The newly appointed President of Food Made Good Hong Kong (a local campaign driven by the provenance and purpose of food, aiming to influence sustainability in the food service sector), Shane Osborn is bringing the organisation’s initiatives into his Michelin-starred restaurant, Arcane. For the whole of January, Chef Osborn has created a vegan menu which is designed to reduce its carbon footprint, limit food waste and as its name suggests, reduce meat consumption. The five-course menu honours seasonal fruits and vegetables while still utilising the chef’s high calibre cooking techniques and fine dining values. Natural and organic wines are also on offer to pair with the menu.
Arcane, 3/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central; +852 2728 0178

Rech by Alain Ducasse’s Kaviari Caviar Menu

When: 2 January to 29 February
Price: Five-course menu with Baeri Caviar HK$1,388; Five-course menu with Osetra Caviar Prestige HK$1,488; Five-course menu with Kristal Caviar HK$1,688 + optional HK$688 for vodka, Champagne and wine pairing +10%

Renowned for some of the freshest French seafood creations in town, Rech by Alain Ducasse starts the year off with a decadent five-course caviar menu. Partnering with Kaviari Caviar for its supreme quality eco-responsible roe. Guests will be presented with three of Kaviari’s finest to choose from – Baeri caviar from Siberia, Osetra Caviar Prestige from Europe and Kristal Caviar from Thousand Lake in China – to go with Chef Guillaume Katola’s dishes.
Rech by Alain Ducasse, InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2313 2323

HAKU x Victor’s Fine Dining

When: 6 to 8 January
Price: HK$2,580 +10%
HAKU is welcoming the new year with Chef Agustin Balbi’s culinary friend and peer, Christian Bau of three Michelin star Victor’s Fine Dining for a special three-night collaboration. Both chefs shares a love for Japanese culinary traditions and progressive cuisine, making this four-hands meal a unique harmony of European flavours with Asian innovation. Expect to be wowed by Chef Bau’s Kanpachi with oysters and sea herbs and A4 Kumamoto Kuro-gyu with eggplant; and Chef Balbi’s Steamed king crab legs, Hokkaido scallops and signature Abalone rice with chorizo.
HAKU, Shop OT G04B, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2115 9965

La Rambla x Gallery de Chele

When: 7 & 8 January
Price: HK$1,780 + 10%

Chef Chele Gonzalez’s food can be described as Spanish cuisine with a Filipino twist. Pair that with Chef Ferran Tadeo’s modern Catalan flavours and you’ve got one of the most unique combinations of culture packed in one meal. Drawing on the two chefs’ common Spanish heritage and international exposure, the collaboration fuses both chef’s regional experience with their native roots. The 12-course degustation menu sees the finest ingredients sourced both locally and internationally from land and sea to bring guests a taste of Spain and Southeast Asia in perfect harmony.
La Rambla, 3071-73, L3, ifc mall, 8 Finance Street, Central; +852 2661 1161

Gems & Pearl at Tosca di Angelo with Antonia Klugman

When: 14 & 15 January
Price: HK$1,998 + 10%

Episode two of five in the Ritz-Carlton’s Gems & Pearl Italian Culinary Journey vignette continues with legendary chef Antonia Klugman of one Michelin-star L’Argine a Vencò in Dolegna del Collio, Italy. This one-off menu melds the talents and styles of both chefs, led by ingredients-forward approach to cooking with a strong emphasis on sustainability and seasonality.
Tosca di Angelo, Level 102, The Ritz-Carlton, West Kowloon; +852 2263 2270

TATE Dining Room x Hisa Franko

When: 16 & 17 January
Price: HK$2,180 + optional drinks pairing start at HK$580 + 10%

It’s not the first time that Chef Vicky Lau of TATE Dining Room promotes fellow female chefs in unique collaborations. We’ve seen incredible success with her previous partnerships with Natsuko Shoji of Été, Bee Satongun of Paste, and Margarita Fores of Grace Park. Continuing her celebration of powerful female chefs, TATE takes it cross-continent in 2020 with a lineup of world-renowned guest chefs. To start, Chef Ana Ros (who some may recognise from Netflix series Chef’s Table and World’s Best Female Chef of 2017) joins Chef Lau from her restaurant Hisa Franko in Slovenia. The 10-course tasting menu will see both chefs’ innovative creations, and one highly anticipated collaborated course.
TATE Dining Room, 210 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan; +852 2555 2172

WHISK x Restau K Yamauchi

When: 16 & 17 January
Price: HK$1,388 + optional HK$380 for wine pairing + 10%

For quite some time now, WHISK has been inviting some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs to its kitchen for dining collaborations. The first of 2020, The Mira will welcome guest chef Kenichiro Yamamuchi of Restau K Yamamuchi from Nagoya to lend his flavours for a culinary partnership with chef Olivier Li. The eight-course dinner takes on some of the freshest seafood including Kaviari Caviar, Aogani crab, Kurumba shrimp, razor clams, squid. To go with the meal, an optional wine and cocktail pairing is also highly recommended.
WHISK, 5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, Mira Place, 118 – 130 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2315 5999

Mono

When: 22 January

Price: HK$2,880 + optional HK$880 + 10% (+ 3% carbon tax)

Newcomer Mono of JIA Group has had quite the buzz since its opening in December. After just one month, Executive chef Ricardo Chaneton welcomes friends and culinary talents Agustin Balbi of HAKU, Virgilio Martinez of Central Restaurante, and Pia Leon of Kjolle for one night to explore and share gastronomic approaches. The South American roots of the four chefs will be presented in a 12-course menu with optional wine pairing to complement the meal.

Mono, 5/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central

The post The Top Special Menus You Can’t Miss This January appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Posted in Arcane, Dining, Haku, intercontinental hong kong, La Rambla, Rech by Alain Ducasse, Tate Dining Room, the mira, The Ritz-Carlton, Tosca, whisk

Read more

Where Chefs Eat: Olivier Elzer of L’Envol at The St. Regis Hong Kong

by Dara Chau October 28, 2019

Whether it’s an extravagant fine dining restaurant or a humble street side hawker stall, we are perpetually on the quest for delectable foods — whatever the occasion. So, for the ultimate insider scoop, who better to personally recommend the best eats around the world than top chefs who’ve seen and tasted it all. We go right to the source as international culinary legends reveal where they eat and what they order when the aprons come off.

Having been in Hong Kong for 10 years now, Culinary Director Olivier Elzer of French restaurant L’Envol at The St. Regis Hong Kong is more than familiar with the culture and food preferences of the locals here. With a buzzing food scene and competitive options for fine dining in the city, chef Elzer gets creative when it comes to putting forth fresh ideas on a plate. When out of the kitchen and into the dining room, here’s where the French native likes to unwind and indulge in Hong Kong.

For an evening of fine dining…

[caption id="attachment_171324" align="alignnone" width="3317"] Haku[/caption]

I have three favourite fine dining restaurants I like to visit in Hong Kong:

Caprice at The Four Seasons is one of my favourite fine dining restaurants. The whole experience is very elegant and exactly what you can expect from a 3 Michelin-starred French fine dining experience. The chef is great at creating well-balanced dishes with amazing flavours and they also have a beautiful wine list that always excites me.

Haku, is another of my favourite. Chef Agustin Balbi is very talented – as a western chef, he’s very knowledgeable when it comes to Japanese cuisine. He’s also really innovative, which surprises me every time as I’m always trying new dishes when I’m there. My favourite dish that I always order is the abalone dish.

[inline_related_article article_id="168758"]

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is also definitely a favourite of mine. As you know, Joël Robuchon was my mentor and one of the most celebrated French chefs of his era. The Robuchon family is still very close to my heart – it’s always great to go to the restaurant and sample some new dishes and signature dishes by a Robuchon – every visit is like returning home.

Caprice, Four Seasons Hong Kong, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong; +852 3196 8888

HAKU, OT G04B, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 21115 9965

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Shop 401, Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2166 9000

For a cheeky cheat meal…

Belon in SoHo is my go to for a cheat meal if I want to eat out. Every time I’m there, I order their foie gras, scallops, and ravioli with cepes mushroom.

But when it comes to my all-time favourite Chinese cheat meal, nothing beats a whole roast goose which I can usually finish entirely on my own.

Belon, 41 Elgin Street, Central; +852 2152 2872

For a romantic date night…

To eat in, I usually opt for something simple like Champagne and caviar.

[caption id="attachment_171311" align="alignnone" width="800"] Le Pan[/caption]

But for a special occasion, we like to eat at Le Pan. The restaurant is located in Kowloon Bay, and what makes it unique is the whole experience – the chef is very talented, the kitchen team does some very interesting and unique work and the whole set up is very beautiful. The team surprises us every time with the menu and it’s a great experience overall.

Le Pan, Goldin Financial Global Centre, 17 Kai Cheung Road, Kowloon Bay; +852 3188 2355

For getting friends and family together…

Locanda dell’ Angelo is a great restaurant for large family or friends gatherings. The atmosphere is great as they have an open kitchen, and they serve great Sicilian dishes. The chef is Angelo Aglianó who mentored under Joël Robuchon, too. I recommend trying their red prawn pasta, as it’s very fresh and flavoursome and something I always order.

Locanda dell’ Angelo, 10 – 12 Yuen Yuen Street, Happy Valley; +852 3709 2788

For a healthy detox…

To eat out, I like to go to Daigo by Mori Tomoaki located in Sheung Wan. It’s a Japanese restaurant serving some of the best sushi and sashimi. The one thing I love most about this place is that you get to sit at the bar and admire the knife skills and attention to detail in the plating – there’s something really exciting about seeing the food prepared right in front of you.

The chef decides on the whole menu for you, so you know it’s always fresh and seasonal. This place is usually very packed as it’s a small shop with limited seats, so be sure you make reservations if you’re planning a visit.

Daigo by Mori Tomoaki, 29 Bridges Street, Tai Ping Shan, Sheung Wan; +852 2979 5977

For happy hour tipples…

Avize in Causeway Bay. This place is actually a shop! They have an impressive list of wine and champagnes from their cellar. It’s always a great time when a large group of us go there. You can sample different kinds of wine and discover some new wineries. And of course, you can also buy your favourite ones to enjoy back at home as well.

Avize, 17 Moreton Terrace, Causeway Bay; +852 2567 0883

What’s happening at L’Envol?

[caption id="attachment_171313" align="alignnone" width="6720"] L'Envol[/caption]

In order to keep our customers on their toes, it’s really important to bring fresh ideas to the restaurant. That’s why we change our lunch menus weekly and update our Prestige, Signature and Decouverte menus seasonally. Recently, we launched our Prestige seasonal menu which is focused on caviar and each of the eight dishes is paired with distinct, hand-selected species to complement the ingredients on the plate. Not to mention our extensive wine and Champagne list (we have over 800 Champagne labels!) that will pair beautifully with our dishes. We invite our guests to return time and time again, but for a new experience each time.

[inline_related_article article_id="148928"]

The post Where Chefs Eat: Olivier Elzer of L’Envol at The St. Regis Hong Kong appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Posted in Belon, caprice, daigo by mori tomoaki, four seasons hong kong, Haku, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, L'Envol, Olivier Elzer, the st. regis hong kong, where chefs eat, Wine & Dine

Read more

Where Chefs Eat: Agustin Balbi of HAKU

by Dara Chau October 16, 2019

Whether it’s an extravagant fine dining restaurant or a humble street side hawker stall, we are perpetually on the quest for delectable foods -- whatever the occasion. So, for the ultimate insider scoop, who better to personally recommend the best eats around the world than top chefs who’ve seen and tasted it all. We go right to the source as international culinary legends reveal where they eat and what they order when the aprons come off.

Chef Agustin Balbi is no newcomer to the dining scene. His road into the culinary arts began when he was 15 years old, inspired by the cooking and hospitality of his Spanish grandmother. Since then, he has garnered experience from kitchens all around the world, including Argentina, United States and Japan. Currently, Agustin Balbi is the executive chef of innovative Japanese restaurant, HAKU. Today, the award-winning chef lets us in on his favourite places to wine and dine in Hong Kong and abroad.