With each of their new openings, the Black Sheep Restaurants’ team have that uncanny ability to transport diners to a different time and place, and that’s even more apparent at Jean-Pierre, the group’s new French bistro on Soho’s Bridges Street occupying the vast corner space where the once mighty Oolaa stood.
The restaurant is named after co-founder Marc Hofmann’s father, whom Marc describes as a true bon vivant. This larger-than-life nature is at the heart of Jean-Pierre. The candlelit space is decked out in classic French bistro style with dark mahogany furniture, red velvet banquettes, and knick-knacks collected by Jean-Pierre himself.
For those who enjoy being in the spotlight, the eatery offers a raised round table right in the centre of the dining room, dubbed “La Table de Jean-Pierre,” which seats up to nine diners. If tabletop dancing were allowed at Jean-Pierre, this would be the perfect place.
Jean-Pierre’s bar area, striking with its curved marble bartop, deserves a visit in its own right. As expected, the extensive regional wine selection is all French and includes Hong Kong’s first Languedoc wine on tap, serving as the bistro’s table wine.
Mixologist Suraj Gurung has devised the French-inspired cocktail menu on show, of which the cornichon martini (HKD128) is already a bestseller. Drinks can also be sipped on Jean-Pierre’s small open-air terrace à la Paris.
Then there’s the playlist, a fun mix of catchy English tunes from the 80s sung in French, and the waitstaff, white-aproned and black bow-tied, who are so charmingly French that they seem like caricatures. Take all of the above and you have the French version of Black Sheep’s Italian-American powerhouse Carbone – the vibes here are electric.
Like all good bistros, Jean-Pierre’s à-la-carte menu is traditional and precise. It allows for the ingredients and execution to shine; there are no smoke and mirrors to hide behind.
Young chef John Troupis takes charge of the kitchen, under the watchful eye of executive head chef Matthew Kirkely, who has mentored John for the past five years at Black Sheep’s BELON and Magistracy Dining Room.
It seems de rigeur to come to Jean-Pierre with a group to do justice to the menu. The oeuf mimosa (HKD8) is a must to whet the palate. Beloved by French grandmothers the world over, this nostalgic Frenchified devilled egg is addictively tangy and mustardy, with a lingering hint of bacon on the tongue. We bet you can’t eat just one of these eggies!
We also adored the starters of steak tartare (HKD198), pâté de foie de volaille (HK128), and escargots de Bourgogne (HKD128).
Like all the dishes we tried at Jean-Pierre, chef John’s tartare is perfectly seasoned, veering towards the salty side (a plus in our book), with just the right amounts of spice and tang. Mix in that egg yolk to attain a luscious consistency to the hand-chopped Aquitaine beef collar.
Perhaps our favourite dish of the entire meal was the chicken liver and duck foie gras mousse, slathered generously on hefty slices of toasted baguette. The pâte’s texture is so creamy it’s akin to whipped cream, albeit much richer. We can only imagine how much butter goes into the sinfully scrumptious recipe, but we’re not complaining.
The snails are petite in size and very tender in texture, soaking up all that buttery and garlicky parsley sauce. As they do it in Burgundy, the addition of Pernod adds a pleasing anise-like layer of flavour.
For the mains, it’s a toss-up between two dishes for us. You can go big with the poulet de Simone (HKD888 for 2) – a gleaming, golden, and juicy roasted three-yellow chicken stuffed with mushrooms duxelles, tarragon, and spinach – or more homestyle with the boeuf bourguignon (HKD308).
The slow-braised beef cheek used in the bourguignon is as tender as can be. The meat is enriched with plenty of Pinot Noir, but it’s the humble carrots, mushrooms, and pearl onions that are the very worthy runners-up here. This comforting dish impresses with its well-executed simplicity.
The sides are as indulgent as expected, from the haricots verts almondine (HKD108), or almond-flecked green beans bathed in butter, to the gratin dauphinois (HK98), that classic French potato casserole.
The “Pierre Koffman” frites (HKD68) were the quickest side to disappear from our table, fries courtesy of the renowned French chef that have a distinctive crunch and savoury flavour.
It’s the chocolate-laced desserts that wow at Jean-Pierre. The profiteroles au chocolat (HKD108) are prepared à la minute with choux pastry sandwiched with Messina’s divine freshly churned vanilla gelato and a tableside drizzle of 70% dark chocolate sauce. Pure bliss!
For chocoholics, the mousse au chocolat (HKD108) is the way to go. Each massive scoop of mousse, crafted with 80% dark chocolate, is served tableside from a big bowl. The mousse is silky and decadent, but not overly sweet. What takes it over the edge is the flurry of fat fleur de sel flakes sprinkled atop, achieving that ideal balance of sweet and savoury that tickles our taste buds.
Our verdict of Jean-Pierre
Jean-Pierre bewitches and beguiles with its transportive decor, endearing staff, and well-priced, immaculate bistro menu. Though we wouldn’t recommend it for a quiet date night owing to the cacophonous noise levels, this restaurant truly is the ultimate spot for groups looking to eat well and let loose in style.
Jean-Pierre, G/F, 9 Bridges Street, Soho, Central, 2154 6101, book here
| Order this: oeuf mimosa, steak tartare, pâté, escargots, roasted chicken, beef bourguignon, profiteroles, chocolate mousse Menu: Jean-Pierre à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD1,200–1,400 | Atmosphere: high-energy, raucous, and seductive Perfect for: celebratory group dinners, especially for celebrants who don’t mind all the fanfare (if you’re the birthday boy or girl, you’ll be serenaded by the staff and dazzled with sparklers) |
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.
