Eat & Drink

Hot Tables

Tirpse

Our latest culinary quest is Tirpse, a high-end Japanese French restaurant out of Tokyo, launched with much fanfare in 2020. Founded in Tokyo by famed chef and owner Naotaka Ohashi, Tirpse became the fastest restaurant to earn a Michelin star upon its opening there in 2015. In Hong Kong, the restaurant is helmed by two Ohashisan’s protegees: Executive ChefYuta Shimizu and Chef Patissier Rin Horiuchi, both apprenticed in France as part of their culinary careers.

Tirpse – the name is esprit (‘spirit’ in French), reversed – aims to create innovative French dishes by adhering to its uncompromising standards in cooking styles, in using the finest ingredients from all around the world, often from Japan, with impeccable presentation.

The Tirpse décor is contemporary and luxurious, the rich colours of its interior framed by full-height windows, offering an expansive view of the harbour. We were there to try Tirpse’s summer menu of seasonal dishes – brightly coloured, light and visually attractive, and a mood changer, so to speak.

Diners can choose either the Selected Lunch Menu ($598), a five-course meal, or the Executive Lunch Menu ($798), a sumptuous, leisurely six-course affair. We chose the latter. Each lunch set can be paired with Free-flow “Michel Arnould” Champagne ($598 per person) or Wine Pairing (three labels for $398 per person or four labels for $528 per person).

After a tasty and citrus-based amuse bouche, our first starter was Green Asparagus, Burrata, Hamaguri – crisp asparagus wrapped in soft, chewy burrata and topped with diced clam meat – the burrata is excellent. The second starter was Lobster, Summer Onion, Vanilla, another exquisitely colourful dish that is lovingly presented and tasty too.

For the main course, the menu offers three selections: Hairtail, Smoked Butter, Mirin, a tender fish dish lightly grilled and topped with foam; Platinum Pork, Corn, Parsley, in which the marbled premium pork slices are painstakingly slow pan-fried and paired with tempura fried vegetables and garnished with parsley; and Pigeon, Sansho, Yuzu ($138 extra charge), in which the French squab meat is grilled and seasoned with sancho pepper and yuzu citrus flavours.

All three dishes are outstanding. We should mention that Tirpse serves delicious bread, baked in-house and served with special butter.

Tirpse also excels in desserts, created by chef Rin, a culinary force of nature. For the meal, we had Blueberry, Lavender, Violet, a light, fruity pound cake, plus Petit Fours. We also had Chef Rin’s signature desserts – Cloud and Forest. Cloud ($128/petite and $1080/whole) is a beautiful white cake made with damask rose petal, lychee and raspberry jam, while Forest ($108/petite and $780/whole) is a meticulously layered modern take on Black Forest Gateau. Both hit the spot perfectly.

For good measure, we sampled several cocktails and wines including “Blanc de Noir” Champagne Cocktail ($178) and Pink Punch ($168).

Dining at Tirpse proved a holistic experience of premium ingredients, exquisite taste and aesthetically superb presentation and service. Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or just out to enjoy an evening with friends, Tirpse is worth a visit. Highly recommended.

Shop 219, Level 2, K11 Musea, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

2333 0031