Obviously, not only have the duo brought over the entire team from Restaurant Uwe's kitchen with them, there is at least one familiar face from the front-line staff as well (Luke, another Mandarin Oriental alumni. I think I still have his card from Restaurant Uwe from opening week somewhere). That’s really good to see.
Lunch started off with some really impressive bread, served with two types of butter, a salted one and one mixed with buckwheat.
It was followed by a bite-sized puff stuffed with duck leg confit.
Lunch got off to an amazing start (at least for Jelloman anyways) with a visually stunning octopus dish. Slices of slow-cooked octopus were matched with heirloom tomatoes and dabs of basil purée, finished off beautifully with a flavorful bell pepper coulis. The bell pepper coulis delivered some subtle bitterness and spiciness, which worked well with the sweetness of the octopus.
My cold starter was foie gras creme brûlée which was accompanied by a small garden green and toasted brioche.
This was a nice replacement for their signature foie gras terrine with navel orange jelly and three-spice powder, a dish which has been a permanent fixture in the menu since Chef Ricardo Chaneton took the reins (in fact, it goes a bit before his time). I have to admit, I haven't had a lot of foie gras creme brûlée in my life (mostly as amuse bouche only) but this was a nice change to go with my brioche. Not as impressive as Jelloman's octopus but nevertheless very solid offering.
Next up was homemade tortellini with juicy venison stuffing. The navel-shaped pasta was served with cranberry and pecorino cheese shaving in a small pool of sauce made with pumpkin and orange (some vension jus too I presume). The build up of flavors was really attractive and I love the bitter notes from the orange peel there giving the dish a great balance of flavors.
My last savory dish was roasted sirloin steak served on a bed of baby spinach and pine nuts, with the rich and creamy champagne sauce providing a touch of comfort. This was perhaps the least successful dish of the afternoon (still not a bad one). Judging from the flavors and texture, I am guessing it’s US sirloin so not surprisingly, the flesh was reasonably tender with mild flavors but unfortunately, it's more on the lean side and nothing truly stood out (flavor, texture, marbling...).
This came with a small batch of pommes soufflés as it usually does.
I was all geared up for dessert but Jelloman wasn't feeling well at this point. So, instead of dessert, we just had the complimentary madeleines before we settled the bill.
I was excited to see Chef Uwe back to his hotel trade once again. This is really where he truly belongs. It's going to take time for things to fall into places so I'm going to wait a couple of months before coming back for my next visit.
Food Rating: 6.5/10
Price: $$$$
Address: 56/F, Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Admiralty
Tel: +852 2820-8590
Website: Link
Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm, 6:30pm - 11:00pm daily
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