Celebrity Life

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.

New Seasonal Menu at Aulis

[caption id="attachment_167381" align="alignnone" width="533"] Grille Salad, Aulis.[/caption]

When: Now until October 31
Price: HK$1,480 +10%; Wine pairing +HK$680 +10%

British chef Simon Rogan has steadily won over hearts and stomachs citywide with his private fine dining concept Aulis and its casual contemporary counterpart Roganic. As autumn sets in, Chef Rogan is excited to share his new menu which takes advantage of seasonal ingredients found only at this time of year, both locally and abroad. His signature tartlets get a makeover with local baby Spanish mackerel with carrot purée and pickled apple, while other new dishes include Hokkaido scallop barbecued in its shell and served with smoked pike perch roe; and buttermilk, cherry custard and rosemary caramel served with hibiscus kombucha syrup.

Aulis, UG/F, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay; +852 2817 8383

Furs, Feathers & Iode Wild Game Menu at Écriture

[caption id="attachment_167527" align="alignnone" width="853"] Yari Ika Farci Hare, Écriture.[/caption]

When: Now until October 31
Price: HK$2,288 + 10%

Chef Maxime Gilbert, of two Michelin-starred Écriture, is back at it again with his annual wild game menu just as we roll into the thick of hunting season. And this year, the fresh game from France and England is designed to pair with seasonal Japanese seafood to strike a beautiful balance that brings out the flavours of these seasonal ingredients. The 10-course menu features rare proteins such as grouse, hare, katsuo fish, partridge, spear squid and doe, while seasonal accompaniments including persimmon and white truffles add that extra touch of autumn as we adjust to the colder months. The Furs, Feathers & Iode menu is available a la carte for lunch and as a tasting menu for dinner.

Écriture, 26/F, H Queen’s, 80 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2795 5996

New Seasonal Menu at Senti

[caption id="attachment_167383" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Monkfish with leek, foie gras and cep, Senti.[/caption]

When: Now until October 31
Price: HK$880 +10%

Newcomer to the Hong Kong dining scene is Senti, a contemporary European restaurant dedicated to redefining the traditional fine dining experience by offering a more relaxed ambiance and innovative menu. Helmed by Chef Alex Law who previously earned recognition with Ryne, the fine dining, Chef’s Hat-rated restaurant he opened in Melbourne with partner Donovan Cooke. Senti offers seasonal tasting menus using ingredients sourced locally and from France and across Europe. The Hong Kong debut introduces a six-course tasting menu, demonstrating his sophisticated culinary skills with dishes like octopus with chorizo and capsicum, lobster with daikon, grape and cappuccino, and monkfish with leek and foie gras.

Senti, 3/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central; +852 2668 4088

Pierre

[caption id="attachment_167384" align="alignnone" width="4912"] Chef Pierre Gagnaire, Pierre.[/caption]

When: October 7 to 12
Price: HK$1,988 + 10%

Legendary chef Pierre Gagnaire returns to his two Michelin-starred restaurant Pierre at Mandarin Oriental to present his signature Italian dishes from his Italian restaurant Piero TT to Hong Kong. The seven course degustation menu includes veal and white truffle paste ravioli, Blue lobster risotto, veal chop Milanese-style with artichoke salad, and of course, the most iconic Italian dessert: tiramisu with burrata ice cream. These special dishes are also available à la carte.

Pierre, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Centra, Central; +852 2825 4001

Chef Bo Bech for PDT Hong Kong

[caption id="attachment_167385" align="alignnone" width="4480"] Geist Spicy Harissa Hotdog, PDT.[/caption]

When: October 8 to 14
Price: Average spending starts at approximately HK$350

When at PDT, it’s almost customary to treat yourself to a little sinful snacking – and by that we mean the speakeasy’s bar menu of hotdogs. This October, cookbook writer and TV Chef Bo Bech will be joining master mixologist Jim Meehan in Hong Kong for the last series of the bar’s star-studded hotdog series for 2019. New to the menu is Bech’s Geist Spicy Harisssa Hotdog -- a loaded grilled pork dog topped with his own take of harissa using sweet red peppers, red chilli pepper, red onion, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin and piment d’espelette garnished with coriander. The special hotdog series pays tribute to the first PDT in NYC which has a history of innovative culinary collaboration. Meanwhile, mixologist Jim Meehan will also bring exciting and imaginative cocktails to wash down the American staple food.

PDT, Landmark Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central; +852 2132 0033

6 Hands Menu at Casa Lisboa Gastronomia Portuguesa

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When: October 9
Price: HK$880 +10%; Wine pairing +HK$480 +10%

Three chefs from three cultures join together for one night only in a very special culinary collaboration. Chef Fábio Pombo of Casa Lisboa will be joined by Angelo Vecchio of Porterhouse and Jesus Pascual of Olé to present a combined effort of Portuguese, Italian and Spanish influences. The six-course, six-hands dinner is composed of the best dishes from each of the chefs and comes together in a curated menu that highlights the freshest seasonal ingredients and each chef’s unique cooking style.

Casa Lisboa, 2/F, Parekh House, 63 Wyndham Street, Central; +852 2905 1168

Guest Chef Bee of Paste at Mandarin Oriental

[caption id="attachment_167391" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Australian trout choo chee curry, Paste.[/caption]

When: The Krug Room October 16 & 17, Man Wah October 18 & 19
Price: The Krug Room HK$2,888 + 10% (includes to glasses of Krug Grande Cuvée 167ème Édition and a glass of Krug Vintage 2004); Man Wah HK$1,888 + 10%

Chef Bongkoch ‘Bee’ Satongun of Paste Bangkok needs no introduction. Ranked 28 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019 for her innovative Thai cuisine, and Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2018, chef Bee has made her name a prominent one in the culinary world. Having collaborated in Hong Kong previously, this time, she returns as resident chef at the prestigious Krug Room, where she will be presenting a nine-course menu for two nights.

Following her chef takeover at the private dining space, she will be partnering with chef Wing-Keung Wong of Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Man Wah. The pair will be designing a menu with each chef serving five of their own dishes to create a harmonious marriage of flavours from their respective cuisine. Dishes not to be missed include the flower crab with Chumporn roasted shrimp paste by chef Bee and steamed and sautéed egg with lobster, sea urchin and mini goldfish dumpling by chef Wong.

The Krug Room, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central; +852 2825 4014   

Man Wah, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central; +852 2825 4003

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World's 50 Best Rank 1 Chef Colagerco at Grill 58

[caption id="attachment_167392" align="alignnone" width="853"] Chef Mauro Colagreco, Mirazur.[/caption]

When: October 18 to 20
Price: Approximately MOP$2,000 +10%

It’s not often that a chance to enjoy the world’s finest European dining comes by. This October, the legendary Italian-Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in Menton will pay a visit to MGM Cotai to showcase his dishes driven by quality seasonal ingredients and Mediterranean inspired cuisine. Awarded three Michelin stars and ranked first in World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019, chef Colagreco’s visit is one of the most anticipated guest chef visits in Macau this year. His menu will include Poultry velouté in green curry with crayfish, Char-grilled carabineros with chicken supreme, beurre blanc sauce and trout eggs, and Aveyron lamb rack with eggplants and anchovies.

Grill 58, MGM Cotai, Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Cotai, Macau; +853 8806 2318

Chef Bruno Oger of La Villa Archange at Gaddi’s

[caption id="attachment_167393" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Iced Fennel with Anise, La Villa Archange.[/caption]

When: October 21 & 22
Price: Lunch ranges from HK$1,288 to HK$2, 688 + 10%; Dinner HK$2,688 + 10%

French chef Bruno Oger, who earned two Michelin stars for La Villa Archange, takes his Mediterranean and Brittany influenced-cuisine to Gaddi’s in a collaboration with chef Albin Goblin. The two will join forces to offer a menu focused on modern interpretations of refined French classic gastronomy with fresh ingredients and delicate flavours. Chef Oger will be in Hong Kong for both lunch and dinner services, and diners can choose from four to seven courses at lunch and a seven-course prix fixe degustation menu in the evening.

Gaddi’s, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2696 6763

Guest Chef Gordon Leung of Shangri-La Group at Shang Palace

[caption id="attachment_167394" align="alignnone" width="2652"] Deep-fried Stuffed Crab Meat in Shell, Shang Palace.[/caption]

When: October 24
Price: HK$1,600 + 10%

With his recent appointment as Corporate Chinese Executive Chef at Shangri-La Group, chef Gordon Leung lends over 30 years of culinary experience to a very special four hands dinner with Chef Daniel Cheung of Shang Palace at Kowloon Shangri-La. The duo will deliver an expertly curated menu of Cantonese and classic Chinese cuisine in the form of their signature dishes. The dishes are prepared and cooked in a way to emphasise the original flavours of the premium seasonal ingredients to bring forth the complex charred aromas known locally as wok hei. The most anticipated dishes include deep-fried stuffed crab meat in shell, oven-boiled cod with egg white and conpoy, and the delectable dessert platter, a signature of Shang Palace.

Shang Place, Kowloon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui; +852 2733 8483

The post The Top 10 Special Menus You Can’t Miss This October appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

What is it about Thai cuisine that so captivates us? Perhaps it's that optimal combination of sweet and salty, sour and spicy, or the abundant use of local herbs and ingredients in its cooking. And I haven’t even got to all the regional variations; of Northern, North-Eastern, Central and Southern Thai, that we (generically speaking, of course) aren’t as familiar with yet.

Long influenced by its neighbours, Thai cuisine encompasses different styles of cooking and a blend of flavours that are deeply infused into the dishes we love. Take Pad Thai for example, which was designed within Thailand using Chinese rice stick noodles. Or the beloved spicy Som Tam salad made with shredded green papaya, originating from Laos. History tells us that there were even some European influences from Portuguese missionaries and Dutch traders. But today, Thai food holds its place and ranks highly as one of the world’s most popular cuisines.

[caption id="attachment_155732" align="alignnone" width="1499"] Chef Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun started Paste Bangkok six years ago with husband and Chef Jason Bailey (not pictured).[/caption]

In fact, it also ranks in at number 28 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant List thanks to Paste Bangkok — a passion project created by husband and wife duo Thai Chef Bangkok ‘Bee’ Satongun and Australian-born Chef Jason Bailey. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star for two years since 2018, and Chef Bee was also named Asia’s Best Female Chef by World's 50 best Restaurants in 2018. With its recent successes, Paste continues to go from strength to strength with the opening of Paste Laos in Luang Prabang last year, and plans to open another outlet in Australia soon.

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Unlike other innovative cuisines we know, Paste’s cuisine is a revival of Century-old recipes from historical royal cookbooks, tweaked for the modern palate. Royal cuisine also does away with sharp edges of flavour that is often found in street food. It involves more ingredients, layers of flavours, and is far more labour-intensive. To see just how this would fare on our well, modern palates, we set off to The Land of Smiles for a taste.

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The restaurant is situated on the third floor of Gaysorn Shopping Centre, in the heart of Ratchaprasong district. It’s easy to get to, but feels odd to walk over to a Michelin starred restaurant in such a quiet chain-store filled mall. But such is Bangkok with its many, many malls. However, all is forgotten as I enter the light and airy interior of the restaurant. The space is styled organically and opened up by high ceilings with a creamy palette of warm beige, dark wood and grey textures flowing through. Batten-panelled walls display shades of celadon green and olive, while decorative structures that resemble silkworm cocoons, rise to the ceiling as a sculptural focal point.

I take my seat at one side of the restaurant, which has a soundproofed window in view revealing the actions of the kitchen team, while Chef Bee calls out her order on the pass. After landing from a delayed flight, I’m keen to sample the tasting menu and look eagerly into that window as if to nudge them to serve. Fortunately, it’s not long after when the first course (out of five) arrives to the table.

[caption id="attachment_155727" align="alignnone" width="1328"] (Left) Grilled river prawn wrapped in mulberry leaves and ant eggs; and (right) roasted duck, nutmeg, curry paste and sawtooth coriander, served on rice crackers. (Photo credit: Terence Carter Photography)[/caption]

Dinner begins with appetisers and soup, with the perfectly Seared scallops — that sit on a salad bed of young coconut, peromia, lemongrass and the fragrant flesh of mangosteen — becoming a quick favourite. Meanwhile other light bites such as Roasted duck with nutmeg and curry on crunchy rice crackers, a Mulberry leaf-wrapped grilled river prawn with sweetened ant eggs, and a savoury Watermelon rind and fish roe soup with seabass and crispy jicama (or yam bean) dumplings, all hark back to royal Thai recipes and cookbooks. It’s closely followed by a Lobster salad, tossed with chive root, morels, Asian citron and dehydrated seaweed. The sweet meat, bitter leaves and zesty nuances comes together as a well-balanced dish and with the welcome addition of pork crackling strips, it’s a dish I kept going back to.

The main course is served family-style and shared amongst us, are six intensely-flavoured dishes that work well together but are also worthy of its own spot on the table. Highlights include the fluffy soufflé-style 31 Flavoured Thai omelette, which uses sweet Australian spanner crab meat from Fraser Island. Some might say it is even better than street-food star Jay Fai’s omelette. Another stunning dish is the Southern yellow curry, again with Australian spanner crab, but brought to life by a deep smokiness, which is memorable to this day. The Whole lobster with stir-fried fresh egg noodles is also worth a mention. Although the noodles were too soft for my own liking, they were flavourful and eggy, having soaked up all the the rich, slightly spicy, curry paste sauce.

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Thanks to Chef Bee's ancestral Lao background, several other dishes from the region were on the menu to sample. Our must-orders include Crunchy cured rice balls with a unique sour sausage mixed in a red curry paste, river weed and rose pepper leaf combination, along with a luscious reinvention of the classic Kalee Ped (or Laos Duck Curry) by Royal Laos Court chef Phia Sing which is instantly addictive.

As always, I save some room for dessert, which we are told are less Thai and more Asian-inspired so that locals can have something different to try. The desserts, a Mango mousse with sticky rice and jasmine sorbet, White chocolate flower and a durian sponge cake, are unfortunately all a little underwhelming. Although I suspect might be due to the phenomenal flavours of the previous course still coursing through our veins.

As we roll out of the restaurant, thanking Chef Bee for her hospitality and rather epic tasting menu, a thought lingers in my mind that although I’ve yet to become more accustomed to Thai cuisine, and all the varietals it comes with, you needn’t ‘digest the best’ to recognise how fantastic the food at Paste really is, and I hope it stays that way.

Paste Bangkok, 3/F, Gaysorn, 999 Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Bangkok, Thailand, +66(0)2 656 1003

Paste at The Apsara, Kingkitsarath Road, Ban Wat Sene, Luang Prabang 06000, Laos, +856 71 254 251

The post Review: Paste Bangkok Honours Royal Recipes with Creative Thai Cuisine Worth Celebrating appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.