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It’s been all doom and gloom since January, and at some point, we had to take a breather and treat ourselves to some positively delicious food. One of our most memorable meals last year was a dinner at the Rosewood hotel’s Henry, so naturally we gravitated towards a “sure thing” for a satisfying meal.
Our Sunday brunch this time at the meat lover’s heaven started with refreshing cocktails, ranging from a charcoal bamboo concoction to a subtly savoury libation that veered on the refined side of a light Bloody Mary.
A trio of Chef Nate Green’s homemade sauces accompanied our meal. Our favourite was the Bloody Mary ketchup, definitely a gourmet take on the classic condiment.
Fluffy bread fresh from the oven alongside generous helpings of whipped butter came next. It was hard not to fill up on this aromatic loaf before the rest of our meal arrived!
Hokkaido scallop carpaccio ($248) with fresh garden peas, pink peppercorn and dollops of vanilla sauce sounds like an odd combination, but it somehow worked perfectly. The zingy peppercorn added crunch and flavour, while the vanilla and peas accentuated the creamy natural sweetness of the raw scallop.
The octopus salad with smoked eggplant and fennel ($238) was another starter that impressed. Each chunk of octopus was perfectly cooked to a yielding tenderness, while the smoky eggplant added luscious richness and the shaved fennel brought bright flashes of freshness.
The seven-pepper brisket ($298), featuring Brandt USDA Prime brisket with espresso barbecue sauce, had gorgeous ribbons of fat alongside tender, lean meat. The slow-cooking process had broken down the flavourful cut of beef so beautifully that every morsel was melt-in-the-mouth perfection, and the flavours of the beef were intense enough that we didn’t even need the extra sauce on the side. We also thoroughly enjoyed the pickled okra accompaniment, a welcome interlude to all that rich meat.
Nothing suggests a Southern hoedown quite like buttermilk fried chicken, biscuits and gravy ($248), and Henry’s version did not disappoint. A much more refined version of this classic, humble meal, the chicken had that tangy trademark flavour of buttermilk, while the biscuits were fluffy and infused with heavenly butteriness. This dish was was finger-lickin’ good!
This caramelised apple tart ($TBC) was a special that day, so forgive us for not remembering the price. The warm tart arrived with extra caramel on the side, although the gooey dessert was so brimming with sugary goodness we didn’t need to add any of the additional sauce.
Our all-time favourite dessert at Henry, the cornbread soufflé ($138) arrived with a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with bacon bits and a pitcher of bourbon caramel sauce. This legendary dessert is on our top list of the best desserts we’ve ever eaten and is a must-order at Henry. The gloriously light soufflé somehow manages to pack in the vibrant flavour of corn while remaining fluffy and airy. The combination of bacon, corn and bourbon is a winning one.
Verdict
Henry reinvents robust Southern classics with refined finesse. Each dish is hearty yet executed with elegance and precision, making it a perfect balance between casual and fine dining. Dining here is always a decadent pleasure.
5/F, Rosewood Hong Kong, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, TST, 3891 8732, book online
This write-up is based on a complimentary media tasting provided in exchange for an honest review and no monetary compensation. The opinions expressed here represent the author’s.
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