Wine-paired meals, including dishes from Chinese cuisine, have continued to gain popularity in Hong Kong. Encouraged by the positive response from diners and ever better collaboration between chefs and sommeliers, both plentiful in the city, this culinary genre is increasingly innovative and refined.

On the occasion of having six of its restaurants win coveted “Best of the Best Masterchef Recommendation Restaurant 2021” awards, the Regal Hotel Group has launched a number of special Masterchef Wine-pairing Menus at its restaurants. The dining awards were organised by Asia Art of Cuisine Society, which rewards restaurants for their cooking skills, creativity, service quality and food dressing.

The special menus are available until the end of January 2022. They include the 8-course Masterchef Wine-pairing Menu ($888 person with 4 glasses of wine, minimum 2 persons) from Chinese restaurants Regal Palace and Regal Court; the 7-course Masterchef Wine- pairing Menu ($568 per person with 3 glasses of wine, minimum 2 persons) from Chinese restaurant Dragon Inn, the 4-course Masterchef Wine-pairing Menu ($638 per person; add $250 for 4 glasses of wine) from Italian Restaurant Mezzo; and the 5-course Master Chef Wine- pairing Menu ($438 per person with two glasses of wine; minimum 2 persons) from Vietnamese restaurant Vi.

We were there to sample some of the signature dishes and wines featured in the various Masterchef wine-pairing menus. The dishes included, as appetisers, Lobster Salsa, Salted Duck Egg Cauliflower, Fresh Crab Meat with Crispy Rice, which is paired with a Louis Roederer Collection 242, a refreshing champagne, and Hainanese Chicken Sushi, Minced Prawn on Sugarcane Stick, Pomelo Salad with Scallop, paired with Domaines Ott Chateau de Selle Rose 2020, a highly regarded French rosé.

A tasty Braised Fish Soup with Egg White and Carrot was then paired with Domaines Paul Blanck Gewurztraminer 2019, before we bit into ‘Golden Prawn with Salty Egg Yolk and Sauteed Fresh Milk, paired with a fruity, dry, white wine Domaines Des Senechaux – Famille J-M Cazes Chateauneuf-du- Pape Blanc 2019. Pan-fried Minced Shrimp Stuffed with Fish Maw, a real delicacy, is next, paired with Louis Latour Chambolle-Musigny 2016, both are nicely complementary. We finished the sumptuous meal with Beef Wellington with Truffle Madeira Sauce together with a full-bodied red, Recrue Des Sens – By Yann Durieux Les Ponts 2017, Boiled Cod Fish in Green Chilli Sauce paired with Prunotto Barolo DOCG 2016 from Italy; Huadiao Minced garlic Steamed Crab Sticky Rice, paired with Guado Al Tasso Vermentino Bolgheri DOC 2020, another delightful Italian red, before ending this blissful meal with Low-sugar Mango Coconut Cake, Black Sesame Panna Cotta as dessert plus a pleasantly sweet Delas Freres Muscat de Beaumes- de-Venise 2018 as dessert wine.

In all, the dishes chosen were just what had expected: tasty, meticulously prepared and well- presented. The same goes for the wines, which matched the food well. Our dinner was a delightful experience, a dining occasion we highly recommend for anyone who appreciates the finer points of dining. Be sure to book early.■

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