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L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, a three Michelinstarred restaurant, heads up an impressive list of fine dining French eateries that have made Hong Kong one of the top destinations for French cuisine outside of France. Operated by the famed eponymous French chef and restaurateur, who has more than a dozen restaurants bearing his name all around the world, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon offers post-nouvelle French food, reverting to the more authentic, simpler French fare, with an emphasis on accenting each ingredient’s flavour individually.
 
Naturally then, we jumped at the chance to try out a wine-pairing dinner featuring the restaurant’s seasonal menu. The elegant black marble entrance, with its subdued lighting, gives off an air of understated opulence. The restaurant is divided into two sections: L'Atelier, comprising a large circular bar with comfortable dining stools and an open kitchen where customers can enjoy watching the meticulous food preparation underway, and Le Jardin, which offers several plush booths and private rooms for customers in search of a top contemporary fine dining experience.
 
We started our sumptuous meal with a tasty amuse bouche, a basket of 13 types of house-made and delicious bread, the most of any L'Atelier, we were told, and a glass of chilled Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne. We nibbled on the bread throughout the meal, between the gourmet servings. 
 
Our first hors d’oeuvre was Le Caviar Imperial ($390), which is King Crab and avocado cannelloni with imperial caviar. The cannelloni filling of king crab, avocado, topped with a generous layer of rich caviar with jelly cube and gold leaves make for a delightful combination of flavours – a real delicacy indeed.
 
Next came La Langoustine– Crispy Langoustine Papillote with Basil ($290); the langoustine is lightly battered and oven-baked in a folded packet to retain the sweet tenderness of the meat. An excellent dry Riesling from Fritz Haag, the Brauneberger JufferSonnenuhr, Großes Gewächs Trocken Mosel, was paired. 
 
Le Black Cod with Malabar black pepper sauce and coconut emulsion($240) was next, paired with a glass of Maison M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Les Granits Blanc, a full-bodied yet fresh white Rhone, perfect with the lightly grilled cod. 
 
We were now ready for our entrée, which was the delightful La Caille($250), free-range quail with foie gras, served with mashed potato and paired with a nice French Bordeaux blend red, from Chateau Le Gay in Pomerol. The foie gras blends well with a delicately cooked quail with its own rich gravy, adding flavour to the creamy mashed potato. 
 
We topped off this most delicious meal with La Pomme Verte($170), a Cinnamon panna cotta with caramelized green apple and sorbet in a delicate sugar pearl, accompanied by a Damilano Moscato D’Asti, a refreshing, medium sweet dessert wine that is easily consumed, as is the chilled gelatin. 
 
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon is without doubt one of our highlight gastronomic outings of the year, in the perfect setting for an unforgettable dining experience that any visitor would treasure. Be sure to book early! 
 
 
L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
 
Shop 401, 4/F, The Landmark, 15 Queen's Road Central, Central
2166 9000
 
 
 
(Edited on 6 Sep 2017)

 

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