Chef Chris Chan, most well known for helping now-shuttered The Principal to achieve its two-Michelin-starred success around a decade ago, leads the change in direction for 1111 ONES. The Central restaurant was first introduced to the Hong Kong dining scene in early 2022 as a modern European fine-dining concept with a tasting-menu-only format.
There are 17 dishes on the newly launched à-la-carte dinner menu, encompassing starters and desserts, plus a handful of sides and three desserts. The ingredient-driven seasonal menu leans towards Italian and French, though there are subtle Asian undercurrents throughout.
It’s evident that chef Chris has a good deal of fine-dining experience under his belt, and we appreciate his thoughtful touches before the menu items themselves even appear on the table: still-warm-from-the-oven multigrain and fig bread rolls paired with top-of-the-line extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a duo of amuse-bouche, and even a plum wine “apéritif” presented in the form of a truffle-like cocoa-butter sphere that bursts open upon first bite.
1111 ONES’ dishes are innovative and presented with flair, but there’s a caveat: high à-la-carte-price tags. The six-course dinner tasting menu (HKD1,288 pp) might still prove to be the better option for many diners.
The blue prawn carpaccio (HKD248) is a beauty that tastes as good as it looks. The many components of the dish – Australian blue prawns, herring roe, radish, avocado purée, garlic and chilli oil – complement and balance each other, creating a complex flavour profile.
Our favourite of the starters was the scallops (HKD348), sweet, meaty Hokkaido specimens served atop a luscious cauliflower purée, along with umami trout roe and crispy Parmesan chips for textural contrast. We love the refined yet comforting nature of this dish.
1111 ONES’ lobster bisque (HKD298) is a signature that includes collagen-rich fish maw, though we don’t think it’s needed except as an excuse to increase the price; its flavour is indiscernible amongst the deep sweetness of the soup.
The linguine gamberoni (HKD820) is another signature dish, and this is where the cost truly raised our eyebrows. The pasta is well cooked. The four Sicilian red prawns are plump and have a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. The light cherry tomato sauce is defined by the intensity of the prawns’ juices and oil. All in all, it’s definitely a tasty plate of pasta. However, we don’t think the price tag is justified, even for a sharing dish. To put things into perspective, the Sicilian prawn pasta dish at three-Michelin-starred 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana is priced at around 100 bucks less than this.
When choosing an à-la-carte main, the suckling pig (HKD480) is a winner, though we wish more than two hunks of meat were plated up. The pork offers the ideal contrast of tender, succulent meat and golden, crispy skin. The tang from both the lemon purée (a first for us) and pomegranate jus and bitterness from the endive cut through the richness.
We had high expectations for the pigeon Wellington (HKD820), which requires a 24-hour pre-order notice. It’s presented and cut open at the table with a flourish by 1111 ONES’ earnest and attentive wait staff.
Inside the puff pastry, which was disappointingly soggy, the Bresse pigeon breast was cooked to medium-rare perfection. Chef Chris’ Wellington rendition is made even more indulgent with truffle added to the traditional duxelles layer. We could have done without the local Lau Fau Shan sun-dried golden oyster layer though, which was so potent that it overpowered even the pleasantly gamy flavour of the pigeon. This inventive dish has great potential, so we have high hopes that with a few tweaks it will be more than up to scratch.
Our verdict of 1111 ONES
Though we encountered both hits and misses at 1111 ONES, our overall dining experience was a positive one. Chef Chris’ fine-dining expertise, coupled with his creative East-meets-West panache, are reasons to pay a visit to this stylish modern European restaurant. Our most salient request is for the prices to be adjusted; luxurious, expensive ingredients don’t need to appear in every dish in order for 1111 ONES to be considered a fine-dining restaurant.
1111 ONES, 11/F, 18 On Lan Street, Central, 9835 8606, book here
| Order this: blue prawn carpaccio, scallops, lobster bisque, suckling pig Menu: 1111 ONES à-la-carte menu Price for two: from around HKD2,500 | Atmosphere: soothing feminine curves and natural sandstone hues with a unique inspiration: Antelope Canyon in Arizona Perfect for: gourmands who are dissatisfied with the standard “one size fits all” tasting-menu approach of fine-dining |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
