Restaurant review: Quest by Que - Vietnamese fine dining
Special-occasion eatery with a casual vibe ticks all the boxes with its eight-course meal
is a versatile chef — one who excels at pastries as much as savoury dishes, and who can make inexpensive food (his past projects included a burger shop and a New York-style deli) as well as high end.
His latest, Quest by Que, is most similar in concept to his now-closed TBLS, with a set tasting menu that changes frequently.
I don't have much to complain about our meal there, other than that they offered only three wines by the glass (according to the manager, they're fixing that problem soon). We liked the food, our main server was helpful and was able to answer all our questions, and the kitchen were accommodating enough to tailor the menu to my picky guest's requests.
The price tag of an eight-course set meal for HK$780 means that it's more of a special-occasion place, but it's definitely not stuffy; the open kitchen and lack of tablecloths give the restaurant a casual vibe.
Of the eight courses, there wasn't anything we disliked (although we were too full to appreciate the second dessert — and last course — of frozen Vietnamese mocha with coffee ice cream and chocolate meringue). Highlights were the torch-seared king salmon with beetroot jelly, avocado, salmon roe and basil seeds, and an open-faced Iberico pork belly banh mi with chicken liver pâté and black pepper Vietnamese sausage topped with pickled carrots and radish, which was so good that my guest and I agreed we'd be happy having the sandwich for lunch any time.
Our last savoury course — quail stuffed with minced pork, glass noodles, carrot and seasoned with fish sauce and served on a buttery, silken carrot purée — was another wonderful dish. Smooth, light pandan panna cotta came with strawberry compote and soursop sorbet, and was topped by two macaroon cookies.
