Pavé of Guanaja 70 per cent Valrhona chocolate by Skye.

Newly opened Skye in the Park Lane Hong Kong: attractive contemporary Western cuisine

Panoramic views, creative dishes and delightful presentation, although a little more restraint is needed in the seasoning and dressings

SCMP Reporter

Published: 6:00am, 28 Oct 2016

Why you can trust SCMP

The Park Lane Hong Kong has undergone some major changes in the past year or so, starting with the lobby, and more recently, Riva, the fine dining Western restaurant on the top floor that has been revamped and renamed Skye.

The entrance looks sleek, and there’s a bar with panoramic views of Causeway Bay and beyond at the end of a long hallway. The evening we went there was a steady stream of people making a beeline for the bar.

Compared to the invigorating and dynamic bar outside, the dining area inside was quiet. The tables have blue glowing lights but a warmer colour would have brightened things up.

The monochrome décor of the dining room is a surprising contrast with the colourful bathrooms painted with wild animals that may give guests a jolt.

The cuisine is described as French, but we found it contemporary Western, with creative flavours; a bit of restraint would make the dishes better.

The heirloom tomato tartare (HK$130) was refreshing, but the tomato foam was a tad too salty. We really liked the tomato sorbet and diced tomatoes underneath.

Next came the barbecued miso Hokkaido scallops (HK$300). The natural sweetness of the grilled scallops was overwhelmed by the miso marinade.

The crispy pork belly (HK$290) was a hearty dish. The plate arrived with two thick slices of pork belly with thick, crunchy skin and an even thicker layer of fat underneath had yet to melt away. The best part of the dish was the accompanying braised Iberico cheek with rich mashed potatoes dressed with pak choi and broccolini leaves.

The slow-poached lobster with baby fennel tempura, cucumber and chive vinaigrette (HK$370) was delicious. The crustacean was perfectly cooked before being shelled, and the tempura added an interesting flavour and texture to the dish. Perhaps the vinaigrette could be used more sparingly to bring out the natural lobster taste.

A beautifully presented dessert was the pavé of 70 per cent guanaja Valrhona chocolate (HK$130). Looking like a small present on the plate, it was almost too pretty to dig into. Underneath the shiny chocolate layer was rich chocolate mousse. A little more crunch would have made the texture more interesting, although the popcorn caramel around the dessert was a start. The scoop of ice cream was described as salted popcorn, butit tasted like plain vanilla. The small dollops of peanut gel didn’t add much to the overall taste.

Skye, 27/F, The Park Lane Hong Kong, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, tel: 2839 3327

Post