Hong Kong’s Mercato offers plenty of variety

A contemporary red-brick space with rustic details offers a warm welcome. Michelin-star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Mercato is buzzing at lunchtime with business guests frequenting the restaurant.

COST HK$278 for the three-course lunch set with several dishes requiring an add-on price.

WHO TO BRING

Colleagues and friends.

TURN-ONS

The lunch menu has a good variety of dishes to choose from. Every plate is beautifully laid out. For starters, we love the spicy tuna tartar with black olives, cucumber, avocado and mint, a great combination of spicy and sour that stirs the appetite for the next course. The burrata with clementine jam and basil is fresh and creamy with a light milky taste. The slightly heavier starter is more suitable for those with a sweet tooth due to the clementine jam.

Our absolute favourite is the prosciutto wrapped pork chop which comes with apple compote, glazed mushrooms with white wine and sage - a gem prepared by head chef Anthony Burd and his team. The crispy coat of the prosciutto wraps around a perfectly done piece of pork and the apple compote enhances the taste perfectly. For dessert, we went for the tiramisu with its just-right balance of amaretto and coffee flavours. The sundae with salted caramel ice cream, candied peanuts and popcorn is Mercato’s signature dessert - though we preferred the ice cream to be creamier - and an absolute must-try.

TURN-OFFS

Mercato receives a lot of praise for its risotto, but its latest creation may be a bit too ambitious - an asparagus-based risotto with mushroom vinaigrette, lemon, parmesan and a lot of herbs. The mushrooms came out a bit too sour and overpowered the main ingredients.

DRINKS

Mercato’s decorative centrepiece is its bar that offers a comprehensive list of good-looking cocktails and a great wine selection to go with any items on the menu.