High and mighty
Ever since it opened four years ago, Robuchon a Galera at the Hotel Lisboa in Macau has been cited as one of the top French restaurants in the region. The prices can be scary. But if you consider the food's quality - the restaurant's culinary adviser, Joel Robuchon, was named chef of the 20th century by restaurant-guide producers Gault Millau - and compare it with the cost of a similar experience in Europe, the prices are reasonable. Robuchon visits the restaurant several times a year but leaves the daily operations to the team led by chef Francky Semblat. The menu is aimed at those celebrating a big win at the tables (or those for whom money is no object). One of Robuchon's signature dishes - caviar in fine jelly with cauliflower cream - is stunningly delicious - and a heart-stopping $690. The 15-course degustation menu is $1,400 and contains wonderful creations such as sea urchin with fennel cream and turnip ravioli with lobster, nutmeg and rosemary. But for food lovers on a budget, lunch is a great deal. The three-course executive lunch offers fours starters and six mains to choose from for $288 plus 10 per cent. The lightly smoked foie gras with dates is a generous portion of rich, cool, smooth liver. A lighter starter is the beautifully green fava bean veloute with Savoy herbs and French bacon (below). Among the main courses is an old-fashioned dish rarely seen on menus - crispy boneless veal head with piquillos and ravigote sauce. It's a wonderful combination of textures and flavours: slightly chewy skin, soft gelatin and tender meat with a thin crust, while the head's richness is lightened by the tangy sauce. Less adventurous eaters might prefer the pink and tender roasted lamb saddle.
For dessert, the waiters wheel over a pastry cart that has classic French confections such as delicate mille-feuille, ile flottante (floating island) and eclairs, as well as more exotic desserts (Alfonso mango tart and lychee/ginger ice cream).
Robuchon a Galera is at the Hotel Lisboa in Macau, tel: 853 377 666, extension 3151.