Aulis (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

The cat is away for three days so the mouse is all set to play. With Jelloman and big guy heading north of the border, it was time for daddy to come out and play (eat). My first destination is Aulis, the sister restaurant of my beloved Roganic which I haven’t visited for a while.

I was late to the party since I needed to pick little one up from school (and breakfast with him). Little that I knew, all guests were supposed to start at the same time. So, I got the other two guests waiting a bit. Apologies …

The most attractive part about dining at Aulis was the ability to see our chef work behind the scene and it can be a very interactive experience although I didn’t really ask any questions on this day.

Anyways…here comes the tasting menu.

Taro and velvet prawn tart, marigold, cucumber – The taro tartlet was topped with small balls made with cucumber and apple, and finished off with a hint of marigold and yuzu. There was some lovely acidity from the apple and yuzu but disappointingly, it didn’t harmonize well with the sweetness from the sauce made with the prawn head and coral.

Truffle pudding, black winter truffle – Next up was Aulis’ signature truffle pudding with birch sap, Berkswell cheese and stout. I tried to swallow it up with just a single bite. Very nicely done.

Grilled brassicas, Akasaki Iwate oyster, yolk – The poached Akasaki Iwate oyster slightly poached to preserve its rich and creamy flavors, was beautifully matched with some grilled brassica noodles, crunchy green peas and chopped kale, and finished with a slow-cooked egg yolk on top.

The dish was capped off with a nice pour of warm broth made from cabbages with a base of Lion Rock oatmeal stout and touch of fresh horseradish for the extra sharpness.

A miniature soda bread with some cultured mushroom butter was served together.

Local grouper, fermented king mushrooms – Local grouper from Aberdeen market poached with brown butter, was nicely topped with thin slices of fermented king mushrooms. This also came with a base of braised cabbages, tapioca and a surprisingly strong-flavored smoked fish bone sauce.

The texture of the grouper was really silky smooth like a piece of tofu. I like the interesting texture profile with the addition of tapioca, but as other guest has pointed out, there was too much extra saltiness in the sauce and there wasn’t enough acidity for the right balance.

Roasted pigeon, onion, pickled walnut, beetroot – Pigeon from Zhongshan (中山), aged for 7 days, was stuffed and roasted tableside. This was really what I came here for, the tableside experience to witness the preparation work first-hand.

I really liked the gorgeous pink color of the stuffed pigeon, and the onion chutney cooked in whey, pickled walnuts and beetroot all came together very nicely. The sauce made primarily with the pigeon jus was a tad light but otherwise a very strong main dish.

Here we have a muffin served with homemade butter, sesame and what I thought was shaved pistachio. Didn't know whether it was for the stuffed pigeon or the next dish.

The second serving of the pigeon was presented in a small cup with tender slow-cooked pigeon meat and diced white radish together in a creamy black garlic sauce.

The dish was topped nicely by black crumbs and onion ash for some extra texture. Pretty tasty boasting rich and tantalizing flavors.

Guava, “100” flower honey, chamomile – Our first dessert came with a base of chamomile cake topped elegantly with fluffy cream which has been infused with “100” flower honey from Fanling and a leaf tuile (likely chamomile flavored as well).

There was a layer of dehydrated guava sitting in between (cream and cake) for some nice, contrasting texture and flavor. Just love the chilled guava soup on a hot summer day like for a well-rounded finish.

Aulis – Like Roganic, they have a signature dessert to wrap up the meal too. This was their exclamation point made with frosty artichoke ice cream and diced pear served in a light jasmine tea broth. I am a sucker for chamomile, jasmine tea and artichoke so needless to say, I am a real happy camper now.

Just a single mignardise following the two desserts in the form of a mini kumquat tart. The kumquat was sourced from Tai Po featuring some nice citrusy flavors.

Some hits and misses this afternoon but for the most part, I am more than pleased with this meal. The tableside experience really added an extra element of excitement and intrigue to the culinary journey leaving me with a long-lasting impression.

Food Rating: 6.9/10

Price: $$$

Address: Shop 8, UG/F, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Closest Metro Station: Causeway Bay

Tel: +852 2817-8383

Website: www.aulis.com.hk

Opening Hours: 12:00pm - 3:00pm (Sat), 7:00pm - 10:00pm (Tue - Sat)