Friday, August 23, 2019

Arcane (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

A rare morning session with my physiotherapist brought me to On Lan Street today and I was looking to grab an early lunch in the area after getting my back checked up. Zest by Konishi, a brand new concept by two-Michelin-starred Chef Mitsuru Konishi which has just taken over the top two floors at 18 On Lan Street immediately came to mind but too bad they weren't open for lunch until next Monday. That left me with one option only and it was a very good consolation prize - Arcane.



I've just had a go at Chef Osborn's new playground, Cornerstone a few weeks ago but it was good to come back to Arcane, which offers a more formal dining atmosphere. This time, they offered me a seat at the counter table. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love sitting at the counter table. It allows me to steal a thing or two from the chefs so of course, I said yes.


King salmon - I had a similar dish last time I was here but this time, the king salmon fillet was lightly seared (rather than fully cooked) and nicely matched with avocado, garlic and rocket leaves. 

I thought the green pepper coulis really tied everything together brilliantly. Its versatility and lovely acidity (I wonder if it's lime juice again, which is often seen in Chef Osborn's cooking) took the sweetness of the king salmon to another level. A wonderful start to the meal.



Beef tongue - I don't normally eat beef tongue unless I'm at a Japanese or Chinese restaurant (or home) but I was rather curious of how the talented kitchen here handled this ingredient.



The long slice of beef tongue was pan fried beautifully, and finished off with red pepper piperade, Jerusalem artichoke and toasted almonds. Its tender yet slightly chewy texture was absolutely gorgeous and the balsamic jus was there to provide a simple but sublime finish.



Kaffir lime leaf panna cotta - Dessert has never really been a strong suit for Arcane (sorry chef!) but I thought they had something special here with this panna cotta which was lightly flavored with Kaffir lime leaf. The nectarine sorbet and longan provided a nice sweet and sour kick to the mix. A very refreshing dessert that's perfect for the summer.



It's really nice to see how Chef Osborn's cuisine has evolved over the years. His utilization of acidity is second to none and it's an element that truly stood out from today's lunch.




Food Rating: 7/10
Price: $$$$
Address: 3/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Central
Tel: +852 2728-0178
Website: www.arcane.hk


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