Restaurant review: La Table de Patrick, Central - French
Atlantic crab fritter, Hokkaido scallop bouillabaisse-style, and pigeon breast were the highlights of the tasting menu.
6/F Cheung Hing Commercial Building,
Tel: 2541 1401
Open: Monday to Friday noon-3pm, Monday to Saturday 6.30pm-11pm
French
about HK$700 without drinks or the service charge.
the small space that once housed Yellow Door Kitchen now has bright red walls and accents. This is the latest fine dining incarnation of chef Patrick Goubier, who also has three branches of the more casual Chez Patrick Deli.
I had the tasting menu (HK$698 plus 10 per cent for five courses), and liked the middle courses more than the beginning and end. Atlantic crab fritter was hot, moist and crabby. Pan-seared Hokkaido scallop bouillabaisse-style was dense, sweet and cooked perfectly, and came with a rich seafood soup. Pigeon breast — tender and medium-rare — was served with a thick spear of white asparagus.
the service is efficient and accommodating. The tasting menu was supposed to be ordered by the whole table, but my guest wanted to order à la carte: we asked if we could do that and they said yes. She also wanted only the pigeon part of the pigeon and venison dish; we asked if this was possible, and they said yes.
I liked the idea of the trio of foie gras with chocolate sauce, but disliked one of the three parts; while the terrine was rich and delicious, and the foie gras ice cream (served in a cream puff) was subtle and smooth, the seared foie gras was veiny and undercooked. For dessert, the hazelnut and ricotta cake was dry and bland, despite being served with poached pear and a refreshing red wine sorbet.
Although the address gives the building as being on Cochrane Street, the entrance is actually on Gage Street.
