高質寫意brunch @ Le Dôme de Cristal (by invitation)

工作令我明白週末的重要，在週末能真正放鬆休息，才能於星期一精神奕奕地上班。每個人放鬆的方式都不同，而享受一頓高素質的brunch，相信是個好的開始吧~

我不太喜歡分兩輪的brunch，週末食brunch就應該慢慢享受，邊食邊聊天，兩小時實在不太足夠，Le Dome de Cristal絕對明白此道理。Brunch的時間由11:30到3:30，時間充裕。環境更沒話說，餐桌之間有足夠的位置，保留點私隱，亦不會侷促。之前曾來吃晚餐，對其用料極具信心，索價$480的brunch真的很抵食。再加$280便有unlimited champagne，真的推廣時期才會有的吧？

Brunch包括了半打生蠔，appetizer buffet，1份main course和dessert buffet。與其吃任食生蠔，不如來半打高質生蠔。Life is too short for bad food!當日供應的是紐西蘭生蠔，爽口又充滿海水味。一口香檳一口生蠔，享受人生不過如此~

吃畢生蠔，我已急不及待享用那appetizer buffet。款式不需要太多，最重要是味道。36個月的Parma ham，成為大家的焦點，油脂豐富，咸香之中帶點甜。$480的價錢，單是Parma ham和生蠔，足教人滿足了吧~

沙律吧除了自助形式的，亦有預製的，其中最愛海鮮沙律。不僅足料，而且新鮮，魷魚爽身，白身魚軟滑，絕非雪藏貨可媲美。

另外，新鮮蟹肉釀蕃茄仔、鵝肝醬多士、煙三文魚和吞拿魚迷你撻等，均為高質貨色，同樣不能錯過。

主菜方面，我要了蘆筍配太陽蛋，從蘆筍的苦澀味多少便能得知其來貨素質，而Le Dome de Cristal從不教我擔心，所配的鴨蛋煎得漂亮，彷彿摘下了太陽。

同席的海鮮意粉和Rib eye相較普通，而lamb shank就最出色。羊肉炆得入味軟腍，紅酒味香濃，輕輕用叉就能切開，帶點羊羶味，份量作為晚餐主菜亦不為過。

吃甜點之前，應先來份cheese platter，但我們早按捺不住，於主菜來到之前便食芝士。是日供應的全為法國芝士：Mothais sur Feuille, au Lait de Chèvre, Comte and Roquefort，均為經典之選。芝士的素質實在高，於自助餐供應此高質芝士，實為意料之外。曾遇過酒店buffet供應的芝士素質低得難以入口，香氣及味道均欠奉，豈不是平白浪費有限的胃納？

同席的戰鬥力驚人，竟能吞下整件紐約芝士蛋糕，據其所言，芝士味香濃，質感軟滑。我則差點舉白旗，僅嚐了數款bite size甜品。其中最愛香檳啫喱，味道清甜，魚膠粉下得恰到好處，轉就滑進喉嚨，所到之處留下一陣清香，教人著迷。

             

與友人悠閒地享用brunch，環境、食物素質和時間極為重要，Cristal的brunch符合我對這三項要求。尤其近日春雨綿綿，未能郊遊的話，食頓高質寫意brunch豈不更合適？

Le Dôme de Cristal
3/F, 9 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

Food: wwwwwwww
Service:wwwwwwww
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The taste that I would never forget @ Le Dôme de Cristal (by invitation)

When I was invited to this tasting, I wondered if the quality of the food offered could match the Cristal champagne, one of the best brands of its kind. Any residues of doubt was dispelled after the first few dishes. Before the dinner had started, I had a cocktail at the outdoor balcony. I am hardly a big fan of cocktail as I dislike the artificial taste of syrup, but this cocktail surprised me. No syrup was used, only nice bits of fresh fruits. The ginger gave a kick to the drink. This was one of my favourite that night.

After the drink, we moved into the dining room. I would love to try the sofa which can be rotated for enhanced privacy, but we had too many people for that. 

Oysters are must-have for a champagne dinner. The freshness and temperature of the oysters were at their optimum. We had the Louis Roederder Brut to match with them.

There were four appetizers on the menu. Organic salad with white anchovy, Carpaccio of yellow fin tuna, scallops and salmon roe, Alaskan crab meat with Imperial caviar in Du Barry cream sauce and Terrine of duck foie gras stuffed with fig chutney. The salad and carpaccio relied largely on their very good ingredients, and the crab meat with caviar in Du Barry cream sauce was also very enjoyable. The crab meat was very sweet and the cream sauce added an extra smoothness to it. The terrine was creamy and rich. I would like to have it with more chutney. It was definitely enough for two to share.

If the appetizers were to show us the high quality ingredients they use, the main courses succeeded in convincing us how good the chef can cook. The linguine with Sicilian red shrimp & Imperial caviar in cherry tomato sauce and the slow cooked lamb loin with gratin potato in Morels cream foam & yogurt were particularly enjoyable. If you have tried Silician red shrimp, you would not forget its unique flavour. It is an awesome partner with tomato in pasta sauce. Apart from the rich shrimp flavour, there was a distinct hint of butter taste in the tomato sauce. My dining companion even cleaned up the dish using the bread.

The lamb loin was perfectly cooked. What impressed me most were the potato gratin and the yoghurt sauce that pushed the lamb loin to another level. Both dishes paired with the Louis Roederer Cristal 2005 amazingly.

Before trying Cristal champagne, I hardly understood how champagne could be "elegant", but I was enlightened that night. Instead of stimulating one’s taste buds through its acidity, it demonstrated its complexity in a subtle way. Not to mention its silkiness and its persistent tiny bubbles. I found it matches well with the slight creaminess of the red shrimp pasta and the yoghurt sauce of the lamb loin.

Although the char-grilled Yellow fin Tuna & Alaskan crab leg with fennel salad was a bit blan, the char-grilled Canadian pork rack with apple & rhubarb chutney in red currant glaze was a perfect pair. I am not a big fan of pork, but I found this succulent and juicy pork rack very inviting.

While I was still indulging in the elegant Louis Roederer Cristal 2005, the Louis Roederer Cristal Rose 2004 came to our table. With a sweet peach flavour, it was definitely a better companion to the coming desserts.

Even the desserts were infused with champagne. The Champagne caviar with white peach mousse Cake was a demonstration of luxury. Chocolate lovers must not miss the Valrhona chocolate Le Dome with wasabi filling vanilla ice-cream and sorbet. This innovative combination worked unexpectedly well and stroked a balance between two strong flavours. However, my favourite that night was the gold leaf champagne jelly with fresh grapes. I loved the sweetness with a pleasant hint of acidity that was so refreshing. I wish I could have a whole cup for myself.

The romantic environment, superb champagne, and amazing food was an unbeatable combination for all couples….only if my another half could drink a tiny drop of alcohol. Once you have tried this champagne, you could never forget it. This was simply addictive….!

Le Dôme de Cristal
3/F, 9 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong

Even better with the new Head Chef @ The Press Room

I always envy those who live in Hollywood Road as not only can they enjoy some fascinating antique shops nearby but also most of my favourite restaurants. Pressroom is just one of them. I was told that a new chef, who had served in Hong Kong Club, has become the head chef of Pressroom. Now that is something!

At the beginning, I was lavishly treated with three salad dishes: Seared scallop salad, Nicoise salad, and Salade de Roquette au Chèvre, which was actually arugula and goat cheese salad. Many people may think that no special skills are required in preparing salads. This is cannot be more wrong.  The quality of the chemmendable. What impressed me most were the homemade dressings. The Beurre blanc (buttered white wine vinaigrette) of the seared scallop salad, the artichoke and green vinaigrette of tese was so high and the sear of scallop and tuna so beautiful that they were certainly cohe Salade de Roquette au Chèvre, and the pommery mustard vinaigrette of the Nicoise were all nothing but spectacular. Not many chefs take the extra mile to make a good salad dressing, and the one in Pressroom has nailed it. After trying these salads, I had full confidence in the coming dishes.

Seared scallop salad

Seared scallop salad

Salade de Roquette au Chèvre

We also had Black mussel meunière and truffle asparagus when the salads were being served. The perfectly cooked mussels were elevated by a cream sauce that was really a gem. There was yet another example to show the chef's attention to detail and his expert handling of sauce. The aromatic and crunchy truffle asparagus was really brought to a new level by the herb sauce that went with it. You do not want to miss it, I assure you. 

How could I miss confit duck in May, Le French GourMay? The Pressroom’s version came with sliced duck breast. Covered by the crispy duck skin, the duck meat was lean and quite tender, but it was slightly overcooked and under-seasoned to my taste.

The catch of the day was sea bream. It was covered with sea salt and baked, and then with olive oil drizzled on top. It is a common cooking method that keeps the moisture and taste of a good catch, but it is not widely used in Hong Kong. I once had it at 10 Greek Street in London and was happy to see this again here. I liked the use of lemon juice and fennel salad that kept the dish light and inviting. It seems that the chef understood that simple ingredients such as sea salt, olive oil and lemon juice, if competently handled, would be suffice. Only if the fish was tenderer, the dish would be wonderful.

I was lucky enough to have several awesome veal dishes (including at Pressroom) before turning to green diet (just for several weeks, though). The veal tenderloin was tender and juicy. A little sea salt would make it a good main course, but the chef offered an even better option - a rich mushroom and pommery sauce. 

With much expectation, I was excited to see the orange red lobster risotto. The presentation, with a lobster lying in a bed of risotto, made me mouth-watering. The lobster and sauce were so delicious that you would like to have a bowl of lobster bisque as well. Like many other restaurants in HK, the chef deliberately cooked the risotto for a longer time to suit the taste of HK people. I wish he had given me a chewier one, though. If you prefer chewier risotto, remember to make a request upon ordering. 

Among the five main dishes we had, the Dover Sole Grenobloise was my favourite. The fish was common in Britain, but the chef sautéed it with meunière sauce, a classic cooking method in French Bistros. I find that making fun with the old Anglo-French rivalry is superfluous here as the method worked so well... I loved the great balance of butter and lemon juice and enjoyed the firm and flavourful flesh of the fish. I alone ate one-third of it.

 

While keeping the already-popular dishes, the new head chef also introduced some new ones. The pistachio crème brulee and Tarte Tartin were both renowned desserts in Pressroom; there was nothing to complain about their taste and flavour, but both of them could be softer in texture, especially the pear.

 

As for the new creations, the chocolate trio was a near miss. The white chocolate mousse was too watery; the hot chocolate latte was okay but blend; the salted dark chocolate truffle was overwhelmingly sweet. I missed the rich and smooth Chocolate Marquise very much, though. 

However, the chef still convinced me that he could make good desserts. Another new creation, with the long-winded title of Verrine Mascarpone au Sorbet de fruit de la Passion, was successful. It was somehow similar to an Eton Mess, but richer in taste. A banana cake and walnut topped with mascarpone, homemade berries compote, and a scoop of ice-cream was definitely a good combination for summer. I put my spoon from the ice-cream deep down to the bottom, so that I could have all the layers in a bite. As expected, all the ingredients worked like a well-organized and expertly-led orchestra. I could not help but finishing it spoon after spoon. 

Pressroom has been offering decent food with a consistent quality and a reasonable price. It is even better with the new head chef, who has introduced several impressive dishes. Overall, I particularly liked his handling of sauces. I certainly look forward to seeing more stunning dishes designed by him.

The Press Room

108 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan

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