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LOUISE

PMQ (the former Police Married Quarters), a heritage building located on Hollywood Road in Central, is an iconic landmark known for its trendy fashion design shops and chic event spaces. It is also home to Louise, a relaxed down-home French restaurant and the city’s latest dining hotspot, which already has garnered a one-Michelin-Star award in its first year of operation.
 
Louise is the brainchild of Yenn Wong, the founder and CEO of Jia Group and a successful restaurateur from Singapore, operating over a dozen cutting-edge dining outlets across the city. For Louise, she has teamed up with top Singapore-based French chef Julien Royer to help deliver an eclectic dining concept that has already won rave reviews.
 
The spacious outlet occupies two floors of PMQ, each with its own expansive terrace. The restaurant was designed by André Fu, one of Asia's best-known designers. The décor evokes a chic colonial feel across three distinct spaces: the parlour is a relaxed space on the ground floor that serves all-day casual dining and drinks; the main dining room serves down-home French cooking; and a private dining room seats up to 26 people.
 
Louise’s motto is “Traditional French cooking, reimagined”. Specifically, Chef Royer offers recipes of genuine, down-home French dishes with cooking techniques that combine the best of fine-dining and everyday fare, aiming to deliver a happy and appetising dining experience.
 
For our lunch, we ordered several signature dishes from the à la carte menu that were recommended by Franckelie Laloum, Louise’s Executive Chef. The restaurant does serve a set menu for lunch only ($398/ two courses and $498 / three courses). Louise also stocks a fine collection of classic and boutique wines of over 300 labels from France.
After a refreshing welcome JM Seleque Brut champagne, we were served Sautéed Hong Kong Frog Legs, Parsley, Garlic Crisps ($268). The frog leg meat is delicious, its taste accented nicely by the French seasoning. Next was Angel Hair Pasta, Kristal Caviar , Black Truffle, Kombu ($458 for 10g and $798 for 20g), a real treat. The caviar's flavour is rich and savoury and goes well with the pasta and truffle.
For entrees, we shared two dishes. First was Braised Line-caught Cod, Potato Gnocchi, “Cevennes” Onions, Black Truffle Sauce ($478), which is excellent – the cod is tender and flavourful. The other dish is surely Louise' coup de grace – Roasted Hong Kong Yellow Chicken, Niigate Rice 'En Cocotte, Salad ($898) – a first for us. The local chicken is selected for its gamey flavour and the texture of its crispy skin and meat when roasted. The sweet, sticky Japanese rice soaked in the chicken juice and cooked in a separate pot is delicious – a veritable French version of Hainanese chicken rice. The whole dish is yummy, yummy.
 
Our sumptuous lunch ended with a nice, light dessert – A Corsican Clementine Like a ‘Mont Blanc’, Chestnut, Hazelnut Meringue ($128) plus petit fours, both of which we gleefully shared.
 
Whether it’s lunch or dinner, dining at Louise at the PMQ is a joyful experience of fine food, relaxed ambience and attentive service. Please do give it a visit!■
 
 
35 Aberdeen Street, PMQ, Central, Hong Kong 
2866 0300

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