Green Restaurants: Four ways to eat sustainably

The importance of sustainability in Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry is clearly reflected in how local  restaurants have changed their practices in various ways, notably in their sourcing of ingredients and use of  a zero-waste approach in materials used to deliver sumptuous meals and premium services. Chefs and restaurateurs have begun to understand the scope of how the industry contributes to climate change and the rise of greenhouse gasses, and they are leading the change to promote more sustainable options to dining out. Here are some ways to eat sustainably:

 

Green Restaurants Five ways to eat sustainably gafencu magazine dining roganic
(Image from Roganic)

Eat locally-sourced produce

Restaurants that source meat locally can play a major role to reduce carbon footprint and promote sustainability, but this is difficult to achieve completely since the majority of foodstuffs are imported. Despite the challenges, Michelin-starred contemporary British restaurant, Roganic, put an utmost importance on sourcing top-quality ingredients from local suppliers as much as possible. Offering sustainably sourced produce and top-notch dishes.

Highlight: Aulis Lunch Tasting menu

Price: Starts at HK$880 for lunch and HK$1,280 for dinner

roganic.com.hk

Green Restaurants: Five ways to eat sustainably dining gafencu magazine Amber 1
(Image from Amber)

Support local farmers

It’s a well-known fact that vegetables are best eaten fresh. They lose their flavour and nutritional value quickly the longer they are off the ground. Because of this, Amber, the two-Michelin-starred modern French fine dining restaurant at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental hotel, takes an environmentally and culturally conscious approach to cuisine. It meticulously sources ingredients, including vegetables, from local farms in the New Territories, and it combines them with traditional French techniques to deliver guilt-free, stunning and richly flavoured food. The practice reduces carbon footprint, kinder to the environment, and ensures better flavour and quality. 

Highlights: Vegetarian Amber Experience menu

Price: Starts at HK$788 for lunch and HK$1,548 for dinner

mandarinoriental.com

Green Restaurants Five ways to eat sustainably gafencu magazine dining arcane
(Image from Arcane)

Eat vegetarian dishes

Diners opt for meatless meals for various reasons. Beyond religious, ethical and dietary considerations, eating vegetarian dishes also contribute to a more eco-friendly environment because the process of growing vegetables releases less greenhouse gases than producing meat. Michelin-starred, Arcane, in Central not only fashions beautiful lush greenery that surrounds the dining space, but it also maintains its own garden where fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables are grown and featured on the menu. They happily cater to diners’ requests to alter menu dishes into vegetarian and vegan options, a service that is rarely entertained by other restaurants.

Highlight: Sautéed potato gnocchi

Price: HK$328

arcane.hk

Green Restaurants Five ways to eat sustainably gafencu magazine dining chilli fagara
(Image from Chilli Fagara)

Eat plant-based meat

Production of plant-based meat is a growing industry around the world, and its popularity in the city is certainly picking up. A case in point is Sichuan restaurant, Chilli Fagara, on Old Bailey’s Street. A partner of Green Monday, a social venture group that pioneered in the city plant-based meat like, Impossible Foods and Omnipork, the ma la tang Chinese restaurant is the only Sichuan restaurant in the city that serves plant-based Chinese food.

Highlight: Impossible Dumplings

Price: HK$118

chillifagara.com

 

Inside the newly-reopened Amber: Nourishing food in its finest form

Any restaurant with two Michelin stars under its belt would be happy to sit back and rest on its laurels. Not so Amber. Yes, as the city’s gourmands would be well aware, culinary legend Richard Ekkebus’ brainchild, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s iconic restaurant and repeated winner at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Award shut down seven months ago to renovate and reinvent itself.

Amber
Homemade silken tofu with salted sakura, tomatoes and olive oil

Now, the restaurant has just reopened its doors in an updated and upgraded avatar – and we were honoured to be among the first guests to have been invited to the newly-reopened cuisinary. Stepping into Amber’s renovated space, it’s clear from the very start that it’s not just a cosmic change, Creative Director Richard Ekkebus has completely overhauled and reshaped the restaurant’s DNA. This reimagining is not only limited to the furniture and the furnishings, it has extended to its state-of-the-art kitchen, the extensive wine experience and, of course, its menu.

Amber
Kegani, palmheart, hygernatsu and coriander

We start with Homemade Silken Tofu, Heirloom Tomatoes, Salted Sakura and Virgin Almond Oil. A disarmingly simple dish, its sweet tomatoes pair perfectly with the savoury sakura leaves and the tofu. The lacto-fermented jus makes the dish even more healthy, soothing our stomachs and piquing the appetite. Testifying to the team’s attention to minute details, even the bowl in which the tofu is served is especially made from rice grain, so that the tofu doesn’t wiggle in the bowl, making the experience even more seamless for the diner.

Amber
Okinawa corn, caviar, seawater and sudashi

A surprise awaited us for the next dish. We were ushered into the kitchen to try the Kegani, Palmheart, Hygernatsu and Coriander. A light appetiser with horsehair crab (kegani), palmheart and coriander, the dish is tied together by the citrusy hyuganatsu, a Japanese fruit that is similar to grapefruit. It’s a creation that’s close to Ekkebus’s heart and, after just one bite, we could tell why. The sweetness of the meat, the slight crunchiness of the heart of palm and the citrusy notes of the fruit combine in one harmonious explosion of taste in our mouth.

Amber
Pointed cabbage, shitake and butter mushrooms, and sesame oil

The other memorable dishes of the night were the Pointed Cabbage, Shiitake Mushroom, Button Mushroom and Virgin Black Sesame Oil, and the Teardrop Peas, Pomelo, Cuttlefish and Wakame, both healthy and nourishing dishes where the each ingredient – though a hero in its own right – doesn’t grab attention individually but rather works in a simpatico relationship to elevate the dish altogether. This is not fine-dining at its most decadent, it’s luxury at its most discreet.

Amber
Sake lees, raspberry, puffed rice and rice milk

However, it is in its desserts that Amber allows itself a touch of extravagance, with the standout being the Sake Lees, Raspberry, Puffed Black Rice and Rice Milk. While the other dishes so far had looked subtle, basking in their unobtrusive goodness, this dessert looked and tasted much more flamboyant in comparison. With the raspberry crêpes being delightfully tangy, the puffed rice crispy and the sake lees mildly sweet, it was as balanced as dessert can hope to be.

It is this emphasis on balance and quality that sets Amber version 2.0 apart. Where chef Ekkebus could have designed an overly opulent menu, he has chosen to keep things simple, perhaps because it is in simplicity that his vision shines through.

Amber, The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental
15 Queen’s Road Central, Central
(+852)21320066 

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

Among Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2018, nine eateries from Hong Kong stood out

With the results now in for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2018 sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, it seems as though Bangkok-based Gaggan – “a progressive Indian restaurant” – surprised pretty much no-one by taking the top prize for the fourth time in a row. Closer to home, though, competition was a little more intense, with nine eateries jostling to take the Hong Kong Top Nosh Slot…

Number nine on the Hong Kong list (number 46 overall) was Caprice, the Four Seasons’ contemporary French restaurant. Headed by Chef Guillaume Galliot, it beguiled judges with its selection of bold French dishes, including beef-oyster tartare and caviar, crab laksa with confit egg, leeks, coriander, hazelnut and sudachi lime, and roasted pigeon with confit legs, beetroot and port wine sauce. Its award-winning desserts were also acknowledged as enhancing the French experience, with the restaurant’s very own Nicolas Lambert hailed as 2018’s Best Pastry Chef in Asia. (Read full interview with Chef Nicolas here.)

Standout dish: Beef-oyster tartare and caviar

Flower Crab from Ronin

Ronin, number eight in Hong Kong (number 41 overall), won due to its informal Japanese pub-style appeal, thanks to its twin specialties of seafood and Japanese whiskey. Chef Matt Abergel was particularly commended for a number of his standout dishes, most notably crab shells with crab meat, mitsuba (wild parsley) and iwashi sardine and clams with kimchi, kabu and sake. The drinks selection also won plaudits for its choice of more than 100 Japanese whiskies, not to mention umeshu, shochu and sake.

Standout dish: Flower crab, Hokkaido uni, mitsuba

Belon, led by Chef Daniel Calvert, takes the Hong Kong seven (40) slot. Describing itself as a “dynamic neo-Parisian bistro with an eye on the classics”, Belon impressed with its fusion of local Hong Kong bistro-style French cooking techniques. From an entrée of pork and pistachio terrine with Dijon mustard to a main course of pigeon pithivier with fig and amaretto, the chef sums up the experience as “inherently excellent”. Thankfully, the judges agreed.

Standout dish: Pigeon pithivier with fig and amaretto

Neighborhood, the Hong Kong number six (32), made its debut on the list this year, thanks to its widely-praised French-Italian fare. A new offering from David Lai, that serial restaurateur, Neighborhood is blatantly minimimalist, with the food apparently left to do all the talking. Thankfully its unique combination of flavours, at once delicious and down-to-earth, clearly spoke to the judges. To keep things interesting, Lai is continually changing the menu, with recent highlights including wild boar garganelli, bone marrow and kale risotto, and bouchot mussels in green curry.

Standout dish: Local chicken rice, aged yellow wine sauce

Baked abalone puff from Lung King Heen

It came as a bit of a shock to the Four Season’s team that its authentic Canto restaurant, Lung King Heen, dropped five places to number 24 overall this year. It can take some comfort, however, from the fact that it is rated as the fifth best place to eat in Hong Kong. This, of course, is largely down to the sterling work of Chef Chan Yan-tak, who continues to provide the very finest Cantonese cuisine, including barbecued suckling pig, braised goose webs with Chinese mushrooms in casserole and crispy scallops with fresh pea.

Standout dishes: Baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken

While Lung King Heen fell this year, another Hong Kong Cantonese restaurant, The Chairman, impressed by rising 25 places to take the number 22 spot overall (number four in Hong Kong). Clearly more than pleased with the restaurant’s performance, owner Danny Yip said: “We didn’t expect anything – we were actually surprised we were on the list again.”

Standout dish: Steamed flowery crab with aged Chinese wine and rice noodles

Ta Vie was another noshery clearly on the up, surging from no. 33 last year, to no. 16 this year, while also being voted into the Hong Kong Top Three. With a name that means ‘your life’ in French and ‘journey’ in Japanese, it’s an apt epithet for an establishment that blends the very best from two countries that, between them, epitomise the finest European and Asian culinary traditions, all under the skillful supervision of Chef Hideaki Sato. Particularly commended here are the homemade pasta with fresh Aonori seaweed sauce and uni and the sweet-corn puffed mousse with shrimp and shrimp jelly.

Standout dish: Civet braised abalone with abalone shell

Baby lamb from Aveyron

Nobody expects anything but the very best from award-winning chef Umberto Bombana, a man rightly hailed as the King of White Truffles, so it was something of a surprise that his critically-acclaimed three-Michelin star establishment 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana dropped from fourth place overall last year to 13th this year (number two in Hong Kong). It has rightly won plaudits for a tasting menu that starts with confit abalone carpaccio, continues with black truffle risotto, blue lobster and baby lamb, before concluding with limoncello soufflé, grand cru chocolate five styles or marinated wild strawberries.

Miyazaki Wagyu beef strip loin from Amber

Standout dish: Baby lamb from Aveyron, aromatic herbs, black olive, barley and vegetables

While Amber, The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental’s French restaurant, dropped four places this year, down to seventh on the list overall, it is still the most highly-ranked Hong Kong eatery, as well as – for a stunning eighth consecutive year – the best restaurant in China. Revealing the secret of its success, chef-director Richard Ekkebus said: “We are a genuinely collective force, with our best days still ahead of us.” In another claim to fame, Amber’s signature dish – Miyazaki Wagyu beef strip loin with dulse and red cabbage slaw with oxalis, horseradish and pepper berry emulsion – is often cited as the most Instagrammed dish in Hong Kong.

Standout dish: Miyazaki Wagyu beef strip loin

 

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay
Image Courtesy: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2018 sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, Four Seasons Hong Kong

Top 5 French restaurants in Hong Kong

With French cuisine continuing to dominate the culinary scene in the 852, check out our guide to the top 5 French restaurants in Hong Kong. 

Top 5 French restaurants in Hong Kong

Amber 

Internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s best restaurants and with two Michelin stars, Amber has secured its status under the culinary directorship of Dutch chef Richard Ekkebus. Renowned for his contemporary twist on French cuisine, Ekkebus takes inspiration from his childhood on the Dutch seaside placing an emphasis on seafood from around the world. Receiving a daily shipment of fresh fish straight from the markets in Japan and France, Ekkebus and his team have developed a menu ranging from a power lunch to multi-course banquets and an ever-evolving nine-course degustation menu; all of which change every three months to accommodate the seasons. While the breathtaking chandelier centerpiece and warm natural hues create an elegant ambience, the masterful menu will be the focus of an incredible dining experience.

Amber, 7/F The Landmark Oriental, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, (852) 2132 0066, lmhkg-amber@mohg.com 

French restaurants

Gaddi’s

Opening in 1953, Gaddi was the first restaurant in the East to offer remarkable European cuisine. Since then, it has fiercely guarded its mark as Hong Kong’s original French fine-dining establishment. Led by culinary maestro Xavier Boyer, Boyer brings his self-described “modern-classic” culinary style to Gaddi’s with a less-is-more approach, allowing curated flavours to take the focus in each dish. Following an illustrious Michelin-starred career, Boyer has helmed some of the world’s most renowned gastronomic capitals. The Chef’s recommendations include lobster in jelly with marjoram heirloom tomatoes and pan-seared Brittany langoustines with lemongrass and crab dumplings. Quite naturally, the mouth-watering menu has us reaching for the telephone… “Reservations please!”

Gaddi’s, 1/F The Peninsula Hong Kong, Salisbury Road, Kowloon, (852) 2696 6763 diningphk@peninsula.com

 French restaurants_Gaddi's

Caprice

Located in The Four Seasons Hong Kong, this two Michelin-starred French restaurant brings a taste of France to the heart of Hong Kong. The Kitchen team helmed by Guillaume Galliot creates innovative dishes that are light and refreshing yet rich in taste and flavour. Sit back and relax as you watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen. Showcasing a menu made from produce flown in daily from France, Caprice also offers an extensive selection of wines from the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions, along with a cellar full of artisanal French cheeses. For a pre- or post-dinner tipple, the sophisticated adjoining bar and lounge area is the ideal spot. Now the only thing left to do is to take a sneak peak at the menu. Go on, you know want to!

Caprice, 6/F Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, 8 Finance St, Central, (852) 3196 8860

French restaurants_Caprice

Pierre 

Situated on the 25th floor at The Mandarin Oriental, Pierre offers diners outstanding modern French cuisine in a stunning environment. Led by Pierre Gagnaire’s protégée Jacky Tauvry, Pierre continues to bring guests contrasting flavours, use of seasonal ingredients and innovative dishes to this popular French restaurant. Although described as ‘modern French’, Gagnaire’s traditional style is deeply rooted in traditional French cooking which results in dishes that are both easy to understand and unpretentious. With an extensive experience working alongside Pierre Gagnaire and inspired by his love of the arts, Chef Jacky has learn to funnel Gagnaire’s artistic design. Featuring extraordinary menus and stunning views over Victoria Harbour, Pierre is definitely one to add to your restaurant bucket list!

Pierre, 25/F Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Rd Central, Central, (852) 2825 4001

French restaurants_Pierre

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

For those searching for that extra sparkle, three Michelin-starred restaurant L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon will not fail to disappoint. The contemporary design features lush red velvet seating complemented by dark wood furniture. A circular bar envelopes an open kitchen allowing guests to witness all stages of cooking, from food preparation to the plating of dishes. L’Atelier takes a different approach by offering diners a variety of great French classics in innovative tapas-style portions. Helmed by David Alves, diners can order à la carte, or choose from several set menus, including one for vegetarians. As the only French restaurant in Hong Kong to hold three Michelin-stars since 2014, L’Atelier really is one-of-a-kind!

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Shop 401, 4/F Landmark Atrium, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, (852) 2166 9000

French restaurants_L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if two of Hong Kong’s premier cuisines came together as one? Check out our review of VEA Restaurant and Lounge, offering a contemporary take on fine French-Cantonese dining. 

 

Photo Credits:

Amber at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Facebook

Pierre at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Facebook

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon Hong Kong, Facebook 

The Peninsula Hong Kong, Facebook

Christmas Day lunch: Five standout holiday feasts across Hong Kong

La-Ramblas-Christmas-meal-features-Iberian-favourites-opti

Why slave away at the kitchen this Christmas with so many festive dine-out options available? Here are our top picks of the best Christmas Day meals in town.

La Rambla

ifc’s newest Catalan restaurant, with its stunning view of Victoria Harbour, is currently a hidden gem on the third floor, tucked away unassumingly by Lane Crawford. However, once you get past the subtly gilded entrance, the place opens up to a vast space and terrace flooded with natural light. On 24 and 25 December, the Spanish establishment lays out an elaborate spread of Iberian favourites for its Christmas Brunch Buffet. The affair is hosted by none other than Father Christmas, featuring the famous Segovian suckling pig, paellas, tapas and a wide selection of oysters from France, Spain, Ireland and the US. Pastry Chef Valerie Zuniga outdoes herself on the dessert section, so save room for that. Children under 3 eat for free; for 3 to 9 years old, it’s HK$320 a head; adults are HK$780 plus HK$320 for free flow options of red wine and champagne.

La Rambla. 3071-73 level 3, ifc mall, Central. 2661 1161

 

Ole has a special hunting menu this winter
Ole has a special hunting menu this winter

 Olé

 The months running from November to February mark hunting season in Spain, and in many a pastoral home, it wouldn’t be uncommon to find heart-warming dishes of venison, wild boar, red dear and pheasant. From now until 28 February 2018, Olé – Hong Kong’s most established Spanish restaurant now on its 19th year – presents a winter menu celebrating the rustic cooking associated with the season. Its themed dishes include the rich Red Deer Hunters Stew (HK$280), the shredded Wild Boar “Civet” Raviolis (HK$260) and hefty Wild Duck “Challandaise” Breast with Sweet Potato, Figs & Port Wine Reduction (HK$360). The menu’s meats have been personally secured by Spanish Executive Chef Jesus Pascual, hence the opportunity to try dishes like Wild Pheasant with Truffle (HK$390) and Quail Legs Stew (HK$180) – they’re sure to warm you up on a cold day.

Olé. 1/F, Shun Ho Tower, 24-30 Ice House Street, Central. 2523 8624

 

Ancho at Gaucho's is delicately marbled throughout
Ancho at Gaucho’s is delicately marbled throughout

 Gaucho

Presenting a decadent Christmas extravaganza, London-born Argentinean restaurant Gaucho brings a classic Argentinean twist to your favourite foods this winter. Soak in the Yuletide spirit with special dishes and drinks, including Beef Wellington, Ancho (Argentinean beef), Candied Apples, Gingerbread Sour and more. Don’t miss the Slow-Braised Lamb Shank that takes over four hours to prepare! Brunch packages start from HK$518 for food only and goes up to HK$768 on adding Veuve Cliquot and cocktails.

Gaucho. 5th Floor, LHT Tower, 31 Queen’s Road, Central. 2386 8090

 

Jinjuu reinterprets traditional flavours for its Christmas
Jinjuu reinterprets traditional flavours for its Christmas menu

 Jinjuu

If you’re tired of traditional Christmas fare, why not head to modern Korean hotspot Jinjuu? Run by head chef Judy Loo, this restaurant is already well known for its inventive fusion flavours. The Christmas Day menu continues this trend, featuring interesting reinterpretations of usual culinary suspects such as the Jinjuu Korean Crispy Fried Turkey, Gochujang Honey-roasted Iberico Pork Belly and Minced Pie Mandoo dumplings. Unexpected combinations also appear, from ssamjong wonton in the Creamy Pumpkin Soup to yuzu cream and green tea sugar in the Yule Log. Jinjuu’s seven-course Christmas Day menu is priced at HK$668 per person.

Jinjuu. UG/F, 32 D’Aguilar Street, California Tower, Central. 3755 4868

 

Amber's Christmas menu has strong Asian influences
Amber’s Christmas menu has strong Asian influences

Amber

Voted one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, French fine dining restaurant Amber serves a memorable meal every time. But two Michelin-starred chef Richard Ekkebus is going one step further for Christmas, foregoing traditional courses like turkey and ham in his quest to push the boundaries of gastronomic innovation. Diverging from his usual repertoire, Ekkebus has introduced strong Asian flavours for the five-course affair. Case in point, his main course – Challans Female Duck brushed with hyuganatsu marmalade, Japanese whiskey and miso. While the menu may not suit those looking for a generic Christmas dining experience, it promises to be a true treat for epicurean adventurers. Amber’s five-course Christmas Day lunch menu is HK$1,388 per person.

Amber. 7/F, Landmark Mandarin Oriental, 15 Queen’s Road, Central. 2132 0066