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2013-02-11
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As a visitor to Hong Kong, coming from the San Francisco Bay Area where highly acclaimed chefs and excellent cuisine are plentiful, I was excited to dine at this restaurant with my friends (both from the states and Hong Kong) and had high expectations for the experience. While there were some highlights to the night, I sadly have report that there were more lowlights to the meal that left me with a sour note on my palate.As a group of 10 diners, half of the group ordered the tasting/prefix menu
As a group of 10 diners, half of the group ordered the tasting/prefix menu and the other half ordered a la carte (appetizer, salad, main course).
Highlights:
The bread was delicious,; nice small bites with plenty of variety and a nice presentation.
The caramel that is served with your after-meal coffee is so delicious; I nearly licked the entire small pitcher clean because I wanted every last drop.
Wagyu beef was delicious, fatty and melted in your mouth.
Dining environment was pleasant. For a group of 10 they had a special room for us away from the rest of the restaurant.
Lowlights:
Service bad and inconsistency of food served: My Maine lobster bouillon from the tasting menu was a disaster. The lobster piece was quite large so I wanted to eat it in small bites. It was so tough that I couldn't cut the lobster with my fork, my knife OR my teeth. My husband tried to cut it for me and he couldn't either. Of the five people who ordered the tasting menu, two lobsters were chewy and tough, while the others were light and flaky. I sent it back because it was not edible. The servers were not trained properly to ask if I wanted something else or if they could remake it for me. Instead they came back to tell me that the chef looked at the meat and said "it was good quality meat." Coming from the U.S., you don't tell your client who is paying the bill and your salary that "your complaint is not valid and that you don't know what you are talking about." It's a good thing that I'm not a food critic because they would get flamed for this kind of service and treatment.
Expediting of food: They need to figure out the timing of when food gets expedited in the kitchen for groups who order from the tasting menu and from the regular menu. My friend ordered the duck from the regular menu, when it arrived it was stone cold. The serving staff did not offer to bring it back to warm it up or replace it. My husband went to talk to the manager to ask how they handle such types of situations, and he said that they would redo the dish. However, the servers at our table clearly did not understand the level of service they were expected to deliver for a Michelin Star Joel Robuchon restaurant.
Service: The entire front and back of the house staff needs better training in dealing with customer relations, service and satisfaction that is consistent with the restaurant's overall brand of high-end white table cloth dining. Your experience of dining at a Joel Robuchon restaurant should be consistent, whether it's in Las Vegas in the U.S. to Paris, France.
Summary:
Overall, not impressed with the night's tasting menu. I was expecting a bit more creativity. I found the presentation of the caviar and dessert course very dated and cheesy, using a glittery lacquered tray with words of what was on the plate printed out on paper and stuck to the plate. Service was abominable. How did you ever get a Michelin star in Hong Kong? If you've ever dined at a Thomas Keller Restaurant in the U.S. (French Laundry, Per Se, Ad Hoc) that is truly the epitome of a great white table cloth restaurant experience that other restaurateurs should strive to achieve.
My recommendation. Save your money. You can find better food and a dining experience somewhere else. Don't let the fancy name and ambiance trick you into thinking this place is first rate, particularly in service. Joel Rubuchon needs to do a check up on this restaurant in his portfolio of establishments to work out the issues; it is not creating a good brand impression for his empire.
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