Restaurant Petrus (Hong Kong, CHINA) ★★★★☆

It’s been a hard-fought couple of weeks at work so I decided to reward myself with a decent lunch at Restaurant Petrus on a Friday afternoon. It’s my second visit to the esteemed French fine-dining institution in 2025 and I recalled my last visit in March as one of the best in recent memory, both in terms of food and service.

Weather wasn’t the best this afternoon but I didn’t get a table by the window anyways.

Scallop carpaccio, yuzu ponzu – This actually arrived ahead of my amuse.

Thick-cut Hokkaido scallop carpaccio (A thick carpaccio, an oxymoron?) was served with yuzu ponzu, puff rice and perilla. The combination of lovely textures was complemented nicely by the burst of acidity. Underneath the scallops were finely diced pickled vegetables and fruits that added a satisfying crunch to each bite. A simple yet incredibly satisfying dish.

At this point in time, my amuse bouche finally arrived. There was the smoked eel tart topped with sour cream, which was packed with smoky flavors. It was accompanied by a flower and herb waffle, flavored with curry.

The waffle was intended to be enjoyed with the herb yoghurt infused with what I thought was coriander oil.

Things started to get busy for me with their homemade brioche (chosen over a French baguette). 

It was served with two types of butter. An unsalted one (left) and a seasoned one with spring onions (right). I have to say, the salted one was pretty addicted.

Oyster velouté, Ostra regal, crouton – Oyster velouté was next, and there was the Ostra regal oyster alongside some crispy croutons.

Once my server finished pouring the oyster velouté, I took a deep breath to inhale the aroma. The creamy soup, made with oysters, fish stock, and lemon zest, was intensely flavorful and rich in oceanic umami but there was also a strong burst of acidity (lemon?) there which I thought was somewhat too dominant.

Three yellow chicken, matsutake, Albufera – Dry-aged and beautifully roasted three yellow chicken with matsutake mushrooms and mushroom purée, and bok choy.

There were two accompanying emulsions for the chicken: first, an Albufera sauce made with chicken and foie gras, which was rich and thick, and then a much lighter chicken foam each delivering a sublime finish to the dish. The mushrooms did a particularly nice job of tying everything together.

Hazelnut, chocolate, smoked vanilla – Dessert was chocolate with smoky vanilla ice-cream, and nutty hazelnut sauce made with Piedmont hazelnut. Nothing fancy, but very comforting and satisfying for the palate.

To round off the meal, some orange peel chocolate strips, chocolate truffle, and French cookie.

During my last two visits, I’ve really sensed that they have upped their game with both their food and service. This is likely the reason for the nice crowd on a Friday afternoon.

Food Rating: 7.7/10

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