One of Hong Kong’s most endearing fine-dining institutions has recently gone through a culinary transformation under the helm of Executive Chef Uwe Opocensky.
Chef Opocensky was most recently the head of his eponymous restaurant, UWE, and prior to that, he spent nine years as the executive chef at the Mandarin Oriental. He was also named Foodie Forks 2018 Chef of the Year. He is no stranger to the Shangri-La brand, having tenured as executive chef at the hotel group’s Kuala Lumpur location in the early 2000s before moving on to Aberdeen Marina Club, which is also operated by the group.
We recently sampled Chef Opocensky’s new degustation menu (from $998/person for 3 courses) at Restaurant Petrus, where he oversees the kitchen alongside Chef Bjoern Alexander, formerly of WHISK at The Mira Hong Kong.
Our sumptuous meal began with an aromatic bread basket bursting with freshly baked temptations. Our favourite was the flaky swirl, which was sinfully buttery.
A trio of appetisers to whet our palate included a delicate oyster topped with cucumber foam, a smoked salmon tart blanketed in caviar and a potato topped with sour cream and salmon roe.
The organic beetroot “bresaola” arrived in the shape of a rose alongside fresh leafy greens, goat’s cheese crostini and charred wild pepper leaves.
The house-smoked Scottish salmon (+$188) appeared with much fanfare, presented in a dome of smoke that was whisked off tableside. A substantial tin of premium caviar and fresh greens were fine accompaniments.
The simplicity of the grilled Spanish red prawn (+$188) really allowed the umami-laced decadence of the ingredient to speak for itself. The prawn was perfectly grilled, with plenty of bouncy deliciousness, and the coveted prawn head had plenty of rich fat.
The imaginative Norwegian king crab spring roll (+$208) was dressed in a zingy yuzu sauce.
The US beef tenderloin had a beautifully charred crust and was plated alongside a whimsical cauliflower and black truffle purée shaped like a dairy cow. We enjoyed the juicy steak while puzzling over how the chefs managed to create the intricate black-and-white mosaic design (we have yet to solve this puzzle!).
Delicate and addictive puffed potato chips accompanied the beef.
The fanciest “Snickers” bar we’ve ever had, this playful dessert featured layers of chocolate, caramel and marshmallow under a mound of freshly shaved black truffle.
Verdict
We can see Chef Opocensky’s wonderfully creative touches throughout the menu, although they seem a tad subdued compared to his previous tenure at the Mandarin Oriental. The quality of cooking is superb – we would expect nothing less from such a renowned chef.
56/F, Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong, Supreme Court Road, Admiralty, 2820 8590, 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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