Peak pairings in Hong Kong

The hungry traveller to Hong Kong is spoilt for choice. This hybrid culture has a wide range of western restaurants from which to choose some of which are competing as much with kitchens from other countries as they are with those from HK While much of Hong Kong's old-school culinary charm may be found in and around Temple Street and several less heralded areas, the fusion of cuisines and cultures has proceeded at a rapid pace that's both familiar and exciting.

Diners at Pearl on the Peak - David Furer

For taking in a view of famed Kowloon Harbour and other points of interest there's no better place than The Peak. Its 3km circular walk offers a peaceful, view-filled opportunity to stimulate your appetite before choosing to dine at one of the two gastronomic destinations following, both of which are perched high atop Hong Kong Island.

The veteran operation of the area is Cafe Deco whose Circular Quay outpost in Sydney may be more familiar to the reader. Since 1994 Cafe Deco has traded on its innovative blend of casual fine dining where sushi and oyster bars compete with open-kitchens offering Italian and Tandoori specialities. Deco's aggressive wine program offers 33 wines by the glass with six monthly-rotated specials featured on the paper placemats. My Leon Beyer 2005 Riesling from Alsace was a good all-rounder with my plates of sushi and raw oysters sourced from all over the world. A foie gras/mango handroll paired well with the Yalumba Viognier which accompanied it while the ripe berry character of the Rymill Estate MC2 made a tasty counterpoint to the concentrated tomato sauce on my Cajun Gamberi pizza.

A bread roll toss away brings an Australian flavour to Hong Kong’s fabulous culinary scene: Pearl on the Peak, the first step taken outside chef Geoff Lindsay's Australia base, opened in October 2006. One week in eight finds him here while the on-site chef, David Richards, applies what he's learned from years spent at Lindsay's side in Melbourne. "They're happy to see me go and happy to see me return," reflects the jovial Aussie chef.

PotP sports a breathtaking 270˚ view, a small outdoor terrace, a 150-bin list with an ambitious 25 by the glass, and a sparkling menu that remains true to Lindsay's Aussie roots. His signature 'pearl meat' dish, coupled with Pol Roger Champagne 1998, is joined by newer items such as his Taro Root Pastry with Palm Sugar. Molded around a ball of liquified Valrhona chocolate, it's topped with gold leaf indicating the Chinese wish for peace & prosperity. California's Quady Elysium Black Muscat contrasted rather than complemented it; a Pedro Ximenez would've been better still.

One of the sights one might see looking down onto Kowloon Harbour is the Langham Building. Aqua, on its 29th floor, has taken its cue from Deco and applied it to a flash, skyscraper environment. A trendy scene erupts after one's ushered in from the brightly-lit lift and reception area. But don't let the wannabe high style fool you. The six-chef sushi/robatayaki team cranks out some of the meanest raw and cooked fish to be had. My friends and I washed down the several trays with copious quantities of the Zenato family's Soave Classico, Sileni's oak-bomb Chardonnay from New Zealand, and Masumi Sanku Junmai Daiginjo sake. (Only the Chard was unfinished.) The staff was both solicitous and amusing; the Italian kitchen is reputedly worth a miss so we obliged.

For something more traditional yet no less elegant, chef Yeung Yat has been refining his speciality of abalone at his Forum restaurant just opposite the Causeway Bay metro station for three decades.The respectfully sedate atmosphere indicates just how revered this exacting chef is. While the wine list has a reasonable selection of high-profile French brands, my umami-rich baby abalone dressed in a light brown sauce challenged but didn't overwhelm the bottle of 2000 Van Volxem Wiltinger Gottesfuss 'Alte Reben' he graciously allowed me to bring and open. The Saar Riesling had its intense slate-driven earthiness emphasized next to another of Forum's finest, the sea cucumber in a concentrated chicken-oyster sauce.

Continuing with the German Riesling theme I ordered a bottle of Schloss Johannisberg's basic 2004 Rheingau Riesling to accompany the whole sliced goose leg at one of HK's best-known eateries, Yung Kee, which translates into 'have you eaten?' I did and did again. The Rhine Riesling's razor-sharp acidity sliced through the surprisingly moderate level of fat in the bird while its youthful fruitiness proved a foil for the accompanying light plum sauce.

Then onto SPOON where Alain Ducasse's head sommelier, Alsace-born Thomas Scheidt is by far the most passionate and knowledgeable sommelier on the HK scene. His list speaks for him; before we met I was impressed by his by the glass options such as Sigalas Assyrtiko from Santorini. "My customers, half of whom are locals, are looking for quality from unexpected places," the 31-year old sommelier asserted. Scheidt fooled me with a blind tasting of a shockingly fruit-forward, only moderately tannic 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo from Abrate which I mistook for an Aussie Shiraz, . He has recently implemented an experimental by the glass program en magnum

With its ostentatious display of dummy Dom Perignon bottles, the JW Marriott's wine bar Q88 manages to provide mid-level, leather & oak elegance in which to sip one (or more) of 40 wines by the glass. Its custom-designed Cruvinet system ensures that the widely-varying selections, such as the Marlborough Pinot Noir I enjoyed, remain fresh weeks after the cap's been unscrewed. Thematic wine flights add a subtle educational element to the experience. The crowd of expats and hotel guests in their 30s-40s seem to be drawn by the increasing trendiness of wine. Food's an afterthought here but, as there's plenty of moderately-priced items from which to choose, one won't go hungry...as if that's possible in Hong Kong.

Cafe Deco
www.cafedecogroup.com
Level 1-2, Peak Galleria, 118 Peak Road
+852 2849 5111

Pearl on the Peak
www.pearlrestaurant.com.au/hkpearl.htm
Shop 2 Level 1, Peak Tower, 128 Peak Road
+852 2849 5123

SPOON at Alain Ducasse
InterContinental Hong Kong
18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon
+852 2721 1211

Forum
485 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai
+852 2891 2516

Yung Kee
www.yungkee.com.hk
32-40 Wellington Street, Central
+852 2522 1624

Q88 / JW Marriott Hotel
Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Central
+852 2841 3846

Aqua
www.aqua.com.hk
Penthouse, One Peking, 1 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
+852 3427 2288

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