September 18, 2014

Hong Kong - Amuse Bouche

Black and white themed decor throughout the restaurant

 Maguro Tuna and Sea Urchin Mille Feuille with Oscietra Caviar and Wasabi: I loved this dish. Layers of tuna and creamy uni complemented by a fiery wasabi sauce. The slight bitterness from the shisho flowers cut through the richness of the dish. And hey, who can say no to caviar?

Close up of the cross section (sorry it's out-of-focus!)

 Sautéed Sea Whelk, Scallops and Abalone with Black Truffle, Lily Bulbs, Jabugo Ham Reduction: This was a warm "salad" appetizer but the portion was good for a main course. All the seafood was cooked just right and tossed in a light savoury sauce. The mushrooms provided a beautiful umami element to the dish, while the lily bulbs were sweet and slightly crunchy. The combination of all the ingredients worked well together.

 Light Boston Lobster Bisque with Morel Mushrooms: This was bursting with umami, both from the lobster essence and the mushrooms. The morels also added a slight note of earthiness. You can't see in the picture but there was a lot of perfectly cooked lobster meat hiding in the bisque. Usually restaurants give you a couple of thumb size pieces (if you're lucky), but this time I had a whole claw and half a tail. The only downside to this dish was that it was a bit too salty for my taste.

Tuscan Artisanal Pasta with Black Truffle: This was my favourite dish. What separated this from other truffle pasta dishes was the consistency of the earthy and fragrant truffle sauce. The ratio of truffle to al-dente pasta was just right. The sauce blended perfectly into the pasta. It wasn't too creamy or watery, and coated the pasta evenly. The shaved truffle on top was icing on the cake!

 Roasted Cap of Rib Eye from US Brandt Beef Family Reserve with Asparagus, Parmesan, and Baked Bone Marrow on Toast: Ribeye cap is one of the most flavourful and tender cuts of beef you can get. This steak was exactly that - robust and juicy with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. I loved the charred bits too. The marrow was rich and buttery.

Sea salt and Black Lava salt: The black salt paired really well with steak. It added a nice hint of smokiness and brought out the beefy taste even more.

Crispy Granny Smith Apple Tart: Amuse Bouche's signature dessert - sweet caramelised apple on a crispy thin pastry, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Yum!

Verdict: We came here on a Wednesday and it was quiet. It was just our table of four and another table of six. I remember thinking to myself that I should probably lower my expectations, but the food turned out to be great! They really did a good job highlighting fresh ingredients. Every dish was delicious, save for the saltiness in the lobster bisque. Service was attentive. I would definitely come again!

I recommend: Tuscan Artisanal Pasta with Black Truffle, Roasted Cap of Rib Eye, Maguro Tuna and Sea Urchin Mille Feuille

Amuse Bouche
Address: 22/F, The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Phone: 2891-3666
Website: www.amusebouche.com.hk




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