Brass (已結業)

這頓午餐本來頗有期待。來「Brass」，絕對是慕曾效力米芝蓮三星食府大廚 Mickael Le Calvez 的名而來；怎知他才剛由 IFC 的「French Window」轉來「Brass」，現在他又已離職了！有點後悔在訂位時沒有問清楚。。。「Brass」吃的是法國菜，午餐人均約 $2xx 至 $3xx，價錢看主菜而定。頭盤與甜品是自助形式，就是這樣。「Appetizer Selection at the Buffet」說起自助頭盤，不期然會與「Gold by Harlan Goldstein」作出比較。相比之下，「Brass」的氣勢較單薄，食物主打有沙律、巴馬火腿 (非常肥及沒有甜瓜同伴)、salami 及洋蔥 pizza (凍的) 等。平心而論，不論食物質素及選擇種類上也與 Harlan 相距甚遠 (Harlan 收 $248 + 10%，頭盤有沙律、巴馬火腿甜瓜、凍蝦、翡翠螺、即焗 點心如黑松露鬆皮盒等)。整頓頭盤較有特色的是「松露沙律醬」，伴蔬菜吃的確很香及搭配。「Strip Loin Steak (AUS) with Bordelaise Sauce and Matchstick Fries」$288第一道主菜是完全沒有賣相可言，這也是其次。我們要求的生熟程度是 medium，但上桌的竟是 well done！立即向經理投訴。老實講，以這樣的價錢，人客又不多，總不會連基本的生熟程度也弄錯吧 ?!?!第一碟 (全熟)換了第二碟 (半熟)Bordelaise sauce 是法國菜獨有的汁料，是用紅酒、骨髓、蔥、牛油及一種叫 demi-glace 的肉汁淆煮而成。本少爺曾在巴黎吃過，味道是濃郁且充滿肉汁芳香，用來點薯條吃該不錯。這裡煮的 bordelaise sauce 不知是否紅酒下得重手了，帶點苦澀味，所以連汁裡頭的肉我已不感興趣了；倒是薯條炸得香脆而不油，點茄汁吃很不錯 (但總不能付出 $288 來這裡吃薯條呀) 。「Mountain Range Pork Chop (US) with Mustard Sauce and Fondant Carrots」$268賣相有點怪，三件蘿蔔就這樣放在一邊。美國豬扒倒是煎得香口，肉質嫩滑，內裡肉汁也豐盈。「Beef Cheeks Frayed in Hachis Parmentier (Shepherd's Pie)」$248Hachis parmentier 是一種用薯蓉與肉同焗的法國菜煮法。這次用上牛面珠肉，賣相是非常漂亮，吃下去卻是「中看不中吃」，內裡淡而無味，浪費了精彩浮誇的外表。最後的甜品有「朱古力批」、「朱古力抹絲」及「芒果布甸」三款選擇，後兩者都好吃；朱古力的味道濃郁，芒果的很香甜。整頓飯需加一收費。總結，「Brass」的食物雷聲大、雨點小。看來甚麼米芝蓮三星大廚之類的口號都是些 冠冕堂皇的包裝吧。 繼續閱讀

因為去依間餐廳，有機會試到table map網上訂位， 過程方便幾好玩， 讚！題外話講完。環境12：45 全餐廳都滿座，環境舒服，不似一般法國餐廳的拘謹，幾causal。 不過我覺得以咁既收費，現在的環境不是太配合。Lunch menu 大約有5個main course 選擇， appetizer 是自助餐形式。Appetizer 是全餐最滿意的地方， 食材新鮮，品質好之餘，選擇也多。心想，食appetizer 都夠了， main course 怎麼算？ Appetizer Buffet ：其實每個種類的選擇不多， 但勝在全是最多人喜歡食的種類。反而我覺得食材新鮮才最重要， 有時太多選擇未必係好事。看得出提供是有素質食材，所以這樣的收費也算合理。Main Course: 我選了牛扒， 朋友選了Pork Chop. 可能是考慮到 buffet appetizer 的關係， 相信他們刻意控制main course 的份量。但係main course 的賣相感覺很單薄，收費＄298好像有點不相稱。試了一口Pork Chop， 肉質鮮及肉味濃， 中間滲淡淡的油香， 不會太油膩。可惜有點overcook, 肉質有點硬及老。Loin Steak : media rare 剛剛好， 但肉較薄， 沒有很香的牛味。與豬相比， 豬比較出色。而且sauce 同牛扒唔係太match, 反而有D破壞咗牛扒。跟牛扒跟French Fries, 太幼， 感覺被mcdonald 的fries 還要差。自己的偏好食牛扒一定要配很粗的french fries 才夾。Dessert 都是放buffet, 我們1：45分食甜品， 出面已經沒有選擇了，只惜下chocolate mousse. Chocolate 比一般還要一般， 用sake 般裝， 可想份量有將大， 失望。講到最失望係依度幾 service, 其實之前既食評已經有人提過。如果餐廳負責人看到我們的食評真的要正視依個問題。既然餐廳要定位去依個級數，但係服務完全唔 up to standard. 侍應太嫩，年紀都很小， training 完全唔夠。事件一：一位女人侍應take order， 問牛扒幾成熟。可見training 及 management 都來local ,其實係香港餐廳先會問你幾成熟。我同佢講要medium rare, 佢呆咗唔知我講什麼。之後 take 完 order 返轉頭問我係咪要steak, 搞到我都呆咗。事件二：我地坐近廚房，亦是收碟既地方。另一位非常年輕的男侍應是不停將收回來的刀叉跌落地。由於係木地板既關係，係好應聲同好disturbing. 佢幾乎每一次都跌一樣野， 你會幾得佢好求其。跌刀叉之餘又跌客人吃剩的殘渣， 個度同我地張檯好近， 真係好影響胃口。這種餐廳，這樣的收費，唔好講食物， 服務完全唔合格。事件三：Coffee. 食完main course, 個個都差唔多飲 coffee, 飲完走人返工。 但係杯 coffee 等咗3個字都未黎，又無人理。都係個句， 你要將餐廳咁樣訂位，你既服務真係要配合。現在既情況服務真係差太遠， 破壞了整個 dining experience. 就算食物好吃，又未必想回頭。 繼續閱讀

This restaurant is underrated. Dinner here is surprisingly good, and lunches are economical! Should give it a try!For updated menu please visit <www.brass-hk.com>Environment:Very quiet, dim, low ceiling, wooden floors, tables set wide apart. 2 waitresses waiting on us, because the restaurant was very empty. There were only 3-4 tables the night we dined. They deserve wider recognition.Service:Attentive and polite. You can feel that they really want you help you enjoy your meal. They make you feel completely at home. Bread refills upon request, nice and fresh. Bready aroma to whet the appetite before digging into starters. Food:Assorted rollsYummy. Grissini was consumed quickly. It is, of course, not the best grissini in town, but they were crunchy, and yummy. Had refills. Butter - salted and unsalted. Salted ones = cubed, unsalted = disc. hehee quite cute. King crab with asparagus, organic egg mimosa millefeuille $188Sooo good. I do not eat seafood (except cooked fish) usually but this crab cake kept me going back for more. The crab was very fresh, and they put in some kind of magic glue to glue it together...some special kind of sauce which helps it take shape. The millefeuille complemented the pasty texture of the crab cake and was very crisp. The bit of cheesy triangular toast perched upright added yet another crunchy texture to the dish. The good thing about the crab was that it did not leave an unpleasant tingly sensation in my palate, as if I'd eaten a mouthful of sand. Make a detour and lick up a bit of the balsamic reduction as your forkful of goodness makes its way into your mouth. Mm. Highly recommended. Nicoise Mozzarella $148Didn't think much of this dish because I don't like eating large chunks of mozzy. I would not have been able to finish this dish alone...wondering why it wasn't categorized under the 'Sharing' section of the menu hmm. The large mozzy was surrounded by hard boiled quail eggs and cherry tomato halves; with a good drizzle of balsamic and evoo. It sat on a bed of french beans too - had some of those. They were lukewarm. Foie gras of duck, pan seared, with simmered green lentils 'du Puy' $208This is it! Very muddy in color. And I don't eat internal organs so. Didn't taste the foie gras but everyone else said it's quite good. I tried a bit of the lentils - not a fan really, they're sort of mushy and slightly sour. Roasted fillet of salmon, thin french beans and white butter $238My choice. Salmon was very fresh and very crisp on the outside - something I didn't expect - I'd have preferred it to be less oily. You can feel the oil oozing in your mouth, literally. The inside was quite well-done, and could've been more moist. I liked the skin though - not slimy, very crisp and well-salted. The bed of beans on which my fillet sat was drenched in high-quality butter and I could not resist but have a few mouthfuls - the rest of which I gave to R, because I'm not supposed to have that much butter. On the whole, a bit too fatty for me despite the fact that the fish was very fresh. For those who have a huge appetite this would work. I was bloated. Had to give a few portions away. Wagyu Beef cheek (M9 AUS) a la Bourguignonne with fondant carrots $288Not that I have the faintest idea what 'Bourguignonne' means but regardless, this dish was YUM. With the help of Google, I found out - Beef Bourguignonne is apparently, a peasant dish; 'a well known traditional French recipe. It is a stew prepared with beef braised in red wine, traditionally red Burgundy, and beef broth, generally flavoured with garlic, onions and a bouquet garni, with pearl onions and mushrooms added towards the end of cooking. Traditionally, the meat was larded with lardons, but modern beef is sufficiently tender and well marbled that this very time-consuming technique is rarely used any more. However, bacon cut into small cubes is still used to produce the initial cooking fat and added to the dish at the end.' Aha. Caramelized carrots, cooked in a thick, rich and tasty sauce. Beef was extremely tender but not too fatty. Would've been nice if we could get some pasta or rice to go with it; cut the saltiness a bit. But overall this was very pleasant. I dipped my rolls into the sauce instead. Coquillettes pasta cooked as if risotto with Parisian ham and black truffle crumbs $238Simple and no-fuss but very satisfying, delicious and comforting (akin to comfort food, plus black truffles hehee). I loved the creaminess and mouth-water fragrance emitted by the truffle. Probably put in a dash of truffle oil too. Ham and peas have never been given a more Forgot what this isThe meat was tender and juicy. I only had a small bite with a bit of sauce and a strand of spinach or two. I remember the sauce tasted like creamy mushrooms and was therefore delicious. No further comments. Extra-fine french beans in LeCreuset pot $68Delicate and crisp. Cooked 'al dente' could I say that? Could've been a little less buttery though. There was a good amount of salt so they didn't taste too bland. But coming in at $70 per pot I would give it second thoughts heh. Conclusion:A pleasing meal. Satisfying and exceeded expectations. Do pay them a visit for dinner. I will be coming back to try the lunch sets. 繼續閱讀

The food was very good and did not disappoint at all. Unfortunately service is an area that requires much improvement. They have a very young team of inexperienced servers and the restaurant manager just isn't doing his job. The young servers try hard but aren't given any guidance. Our side dish didn't arrive with our mains, and arrived 20 minutes late... even though we'd warned the server that they may as well cancel the side dish order as we'd finished our mains... it still came out of the kitchen.They struggled to open a bottle of wine, managed to pour some of it over me and the table. When we arrived on a Wednesday evening 8:30ish and asked for a table, they weren't busy. We were shown to a table right next to the kitchen with a view of the entrance... not good. Asked to be moved to a window seat. They hadn't laid up a number of tables at the far end of the restaurant next to the windows which is just laziness.Such a shame as the food is good but the lack of experience and guidance for the servers is letting the place down. 繼續閱讀

We tried this new French restaurant in Central on a Friday evening for dinner. They just opened a fortnight ago. The place was half empty. May be it takes more time to make themselves known.For appetitzers we had the laquered duck foie gras on lentils, a morel mushroom on polenta, and a lobster salad.For mains, we had a braised wagyu in red wine with carrots, a pasta with fish, and a pan roasted chicken breast accompanied by a truffle macaroni cheese. We ordered a cheese plate and a dessert. All tasted good.The lobster salad was mediocre, when it should have been a grand opening of the dinner. They used an imported baby lobster, so they tried for excellence. But the lobster lacked lobster taste. I suspect it is due to a high cooking temperature or slight over cooking. A bit of a sin because it shows a lack of attention to a star dish they recommended. However, that said, even Robuchon has the same problem, and much less forgiveable given their name and high prices.The pasta was done in a risotto style. The fish was cut up into bits and mixed in. The taste was good but the presentation was unattractive. Looked like we were served a bowl of plain macaroni.Generally, the portions looked small, but probably were adequate. We did not order additional accompaniments, and that may explain it.Appetitzer prices were around $180 to $200, and main courses run from $250 to $330 before any accompanying vegetables. Not inexpensive for what we got.The wine collection looked interesting. They have a short collection, each with tasting notes and suggestion for food and wine pairing. Shows real thought has gone into it. We ordered one of the two champagnes they have, which is not the one they offer by the glass. It was supposedly a Grand Cru (NV, though). It did not do anything for me. It was neither elegant nor interesting. Cannot comment on the other wines as we did not order further.Waitress was very enthusiastic at her job.Given the competition in Hong Kong's creative fine dining scene, one would have to really stand out to succeed. 繼續閱讀