I haven't been back to Pierre as much as I would like in recent years cuz sometimes I found it a little too formal. But a trip back reminded me some of my good times here and of course, the view also deserves some points here and there.
They were serving their usual express lunch menu on this day which was just music to my ears. Our afternoon started off with a rather plain amuse bouche highlighted by crispy shiso leaf with cream cheese and pumpkin "cake" (as our server put it) topped with pumpkin seeds. A decent but uninspiring start. Certainly not quite the innovative interpretations Chef Gagnaire and its establishments are best known for.
Things began to turn around in a big way with our starters beginning with Jelloman's red tuna tartare. The tuna tartare was nicely decorated with haddock, smoked salmon, craterellus mushroom and grey shrimp jelly. There was a lovely contrast in temperature and texture between each ingredient that combined to create a wonderful synergy.
I had the scallop ceviche myself. A well-designed dish matching the sweetness of the fresh scallops with earthy notes from the broccoli ice-cream, wasabi, cauliflower and fresh coriander. A very refreshing dish to start the meal with. Now, that's what I was expecting from Chef Gagnaire when I talked about his creativity and flair.
Moving forward, it's time to enjoy our second starter. Jelloman again went with something from the sea.
Wonderfully cooked Bordelaise-style snails were paired with an intense spinach purée and bone marrow while a trio of Parmesan cheese tuile provided some cheesy flavors to the dish.
For me, a stunning dish of crab meat was next. This was a seafood lover's dream featuring crab meat which has been cooked in sweet butter, obsiblue gambas, celery and cheddar shavings with a delicate shrimp mousse providing a powerful finish. The combination of flavors and textures wasn't as attractive as the presentation would suggest but it was nevertheless a solid offering.
Jelloman always enjoys having Chef Gagnaire's lamb and this dish was no exception. The delicious Aveyron lamb leg which has been shredded into smaller pieces, was served on a bed of radicchio purée flavored with hazelnut oil, along with endive and Espelette chilli jelly. Like all the dishes we have enjoyed before it, this came with a delightful mix of textures and flavors. Jelloman said she preferred the lamb leg not to be sliced into pieces but there's no denying that it was another vintage Chef Gagnaire style lamb dish (lots of flavors and textures).
Wrapping things up for me was delicately flavored monkfish barded in pancetta and then roasted, before serving on a bed of mashed potatoes flavored with lodine and puntarella. It was finished off with seaweed jelly and shaved seaweed. Not bad.
Just one mignardise to send us off with a sweet ending (some sort of chocolate cake which our server didn't bother to explain).
Despite a subpar amuse bouche and petite four, it was a reasonably good meal. The strong focus on taste, texture and temperature coupled with very skilled cooking, that's always a recipe for success in any restaurant. I was particularly impressed with the clever incorporation of modern and creative twists. My favorite was the scallop ceviche with wasabi infused broccoli ice-cream although I could easily name a few more memorable dishes we have enjoyed this afternoon.
Food Rating: 7/10
Price: $$$$
Address: 25/F Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central, Hong Kong
Closest Metro Station: Central
Tel: +852 2825-4001
Website: www.mandarinoriental.com/hong-kong/victoria-harbour/fine-dining
Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 2:30pm (Mon - Fri), 6:30pm - 10:00pm (Mon - Sat)
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