First things first.I was spotted almost as soon as I walked into On Dining Kitchen & Lounge. I thought I could get away with sneaking in and eating anonymously — I'd done it before, at chef Philippe Orrico's other restaurant, Upper Modern Bistro. But no such luck this time, and Orrico and Jeremy Evrard, whom I knew from his time with Caprice, both came over to say hello.

Our dinner was excellent, and not just because they knew I was there (my meal at Upper Modern was also very good).

My guest grumbled that there was "too much truffle" served with the ham and cheese pancake (it was actually a buckwheat galette, HK$268), but that wouldn't be a complaint for most people. Even better was my starter of langoustine and veal sweetbread lasagne (HK$398). It featured delicate pasta draped over small pieces of tender sweetbread and sweet lobster, with a light but intense shellfish emulsion tying together the two main ingredients.

Quail and lobster pie (HK$468) — a small but hearty serving of pastry packed with ingredients that also included foie gras and spinach — saw my guest clear his plate. I almost ordered a half portion of the roasted pigeon (HK$248) but the friendly waiter hesitated, so I changed my mind and chose the whole bird (HK$488). A friend who tried it before said it was the best pigeon he's eaten in Hong Kong — and he's right. It was succulent and tender, and served with pigeon jus flavoured with lemon chutney and mustard seeds. I ate the whole thing, and even picked up the leg bones to get at the last pieces of meat.