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Gaddi's

Stephen

BINGO! GADDI?S IS the complete gastronomic pay-off. There is no better restaurant in Hong Kong. British chef Philip Sedgwick?s cooking takes traditional French ingredients to a new plateau ? his originality is unlike anything I?ve seen even in France.

Gaddi?s legendary ambience ? the heavy white linen, real candles in silver candelabra on the tables, chandeliers, silver cutlery and chateau-style decor ? suits the refinement of the food. Moreover, Gaddi?s service aims to make diners feel welcome and at home. Bearing in mind the ambience and Hong Kong?s prices, the dinner menu here (four courses for $720 or $1,060 with wines) offers excellent value for money. I began with a tweak on foie gras that was utterly memorable. A centimetre-thick puck of cold, tight goose liver wore a thick cloak of translucent sea-green, sweet-sour wine jelly punctuated with halves of pipped and peeled grapes. The degrees of gelatinousness were brilliant, the liver itself adding amazing butteriness and balancing light bitterness.

Do not, repeat, not, miss Gaddi?s.

Reggie

IT IS WHAT you would call the ultimate dining experience ? at a price, of course. It costs $1,000 a person at the very least to eat here but what you get is a flawless experience. The live band played soft tunes while the singer showcased some serene voice styling that felt like a breeze blowing on my cheeks. But my attention was all distracted when the food came. The gazpacho mousse with spiced avocado sherbet and deep-fried sardines ($280) was like an adventure. Chopped tomato and the spiced avocado sherbet are hidden under gazpacho foam, allowing the layers of flavours to emerge without clashing. The deep-fried sardines, served separately, go with the gazpacho like yin and yang.

Another scene-stealer is the baby Pyrenean lamb roasted in wild honey and lavender with small goat?s cheese potato fritters ($420). It was among the most tender meat I have ever eaten, pushed to new heights by a sauce that accentuates the meat flavours and compliments the texture. The fritters gave my palate occasional punches.

For the sake of trying new things, I went for the lightly poached lemon cream ravioli with marinate citrus fruits and cappuccino ($146). Bold and creamy but finely done, it was a delight to eat, although it may be a little too tart for a dessert.

1/F The Peninsula, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

Tel: 2315 3171

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