Michelin dining can seem quite daunting. You sit down for a three-hour-long meal with courses served every 30 minutes, three confusing sets of cutlery are planted beneath your plate, ingredients and recipes you can’t pronounce are being served, and your appetite is teased throughout the lengthy dining affair.
The classic formula runs true at ÉPURE. However, after enjoying the tasting menu at the French fine-dining restaurant hidden within a Tsim Sha Tsui mall, I had my expectations exceeded and sentiments towards Michelin dining changed.
Ever-qualified chef Aven Lau mans the kitchen at ÉPURE. Having worked previously at three-Michelin-starred Odette in his native Singapore and Hong Kong’s BELON and Bâtard, Aven is Michelin quality to the core.
Our dinner tasting menu (HKD1,688 pp) at ÉPURE consisted of nine distinct dishes, starting off with a canapé and ending with mignardises. Strikingly similar to Roganic’s carrot tart with a delicate, crisp shell holding smoked mackerel, ÉPURE’s version features a beetroot centre and a salty mackerel filling, priming us for the simple yet striking flavours to come later in the meal.
First up, the hamachi crudo arrived with colour and freshness. The two pink slices are topped with a fine dusting of wasabi powder and shared over a milky jalapeño and shiso sauce.
I was distinctly impressed with the fresh bite of the hamachi, flown in from Japan that morning and paired with a pickled and lightly spiced sauce to elevate the meaty bite of the fish. Yummy!
My dining partner noted that the foie gras served at his previous meal at ÉPURE was the finest he’s ever had, and I can’t help but believe him. Wrapped in a cherry- and amaretto-infused shell, the foie gras is served in a purée form that offers a fatty and salty punch.
The pairing of sweet cherry and nutty fat is genius with this dish. The foie gras holds a strong aftertaste of cashew, duck breast, and salted butter, pairing with the tangy-sweet cherry to elevate the senses beyond belief.
ÉPURE’s Michelin Guide entry notes of the restaurant’s “perfectly matched combinations of flavours and textures” and the strength of the Paris mushroom soup. I was eagerly anticipating a dish that would impress me on the night. Between the heavy, dark broth, spinach dumplings, and cream croutons, every element wowed.
The depth of the soup is unique, carrying a strong earthy and umami tone with hints of chocolate and mint. Each spoonful ignited my salivary glands and released love chemicals in my brain. My romantic affair with the soup has just started!
On to the sea bass, and Aven prepared us with a dainty plate that brought a sautéed and bold morel mushroom with light parsley sauce to colour the white fish. The tender bite of the sea bass was noted, alongside the depth and texture of the mushroom that oozed a meaty juice. The sauce is useful to counter the “meat” of the plate with a tangy touch.
Our meal highlight was the locally sourced roast three-yellow chicken, a main course that glistens under ÉPURE’s soft orange lighting, holding a strong flavour despite a simple roasting with oil and rosemary. The chicken is first presented tableside prior to being cut up in the kitchen. I liked this touch of service to show off the charred skin and chef mastery.
We both shared a breast and leg cut of the chicken and appreciated the chicken’s crisp skin, pairing with the mellow, salty flavour of the meat. The muscle is tender and buttery, holding a faint garlic and ginger aroma. The chicken is served with an unimpressive chicken-oil rice dish that sadly failed to wow. We wish the garlic and salt touches had been stronger to match the chicken.
Our verdict of ÉPURE
I have mixed views of Michelin fine-dining, but ÉPURE cleared my struggles by presenting a starry experience with simple ingredients and recipes. The serving team are attentive and educated on the dishes’ craft and techniques. I was impressed with the roasted chicken for its seemingly humble craftsmanship yet complex flavours. The mushroom soup is a must-order, so too with the foie gras that fuses fat with sweet.
ÉPURE, Shop 403, 4/F, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, 3–27 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3185 8338, WhatsApp 5545 2133, book here
| Order this: foie gras, hamachi crudo, Paris mushroom soup, roast three-yellow chicken Menu: ÉPURE tasting menu Price for two: HKD3,376 | Atmosphere: shuttered away from the madness of Tsim Sha Tsui, ÉPURE is solitude incarnate with a golden-red interior to whisk you away to luxury Perfect for: French flavours elegant in form and flavour that embrace simplicity |
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.
