Dining with the stars – Le 39V Hong Kong

by Aude
 
Ok I am very French indeed but I love whenever a new French address pop-up in the 852. But I am also a foodie so I love it even more when it’s an iconic address! 

Have you ever heard about Le 39V? Opened in 2010 in Paris, at the heart of the golden triangle, the restaurant is named after its address - 39 Avenue George V – and was awarded a Michelin Star in 2012. Needless to say how excited I was to hear that Chef Frédéric Vardon has decided to open a branch in Hong Kong!
 
Let’s meet on 101 floor of the ICC. Not the worst place for dinner, right? Look at that view, can it get more amazing than that? Not sure. But let’s see what is in our plates, shall we?

Chef Frédéric Vardon’s cuisine is neither molecular nor fusion but rather sincere and modest dishes in which flavours come first. I got a feeling that I am going to like it very much! I mean, au cuisine that values the use of seasonal and regional products, definitely the kind of thing I am craving for. And so happy to hear that he is bringing his classical Le 39V dishes to Hong Kong!
 
Ok, I may have try pretty much all of the dishes from the A La Carte menu (yes yes all of them) but don’t judge me please … I mean I needed to try as much as possible in order to write a proper review right?
 
For the starters:

• White asparagus, mustard and Gribiche sauce (HKD 340) fresh and so summery
• Marinated and seared beef w/ French Melon (HKD 360), the ultimate French summer dish but with the super nice twist of the marinated and seared beef
• Farmhouse egg cooked by low temperature w/ mushrooms royale (HKD 320), this little thing girls is a killer dish

The kinda of one that you don’t want to share because god it’s to good to share!

• Iberian Bellota Ham – 36 months 

Shall we move to the mains?

• John Dory from Brittany (HKD 580) served w/ artichokes cooked, raw and tempura
• Thick monkfish from France with shellfishes (HKD 580) – cockes, razor clams, clams in a Dieppoise sauce … hum ok I may have eaten more than my share of this one
• Blue lobster ravioles in a bisque broth (HKD 680), must be my Breton background but god knows how much I love lobster
• Oven-grilled macaroni (HKD 420) garnished with mascarpone and powdered with old Comté cheese, lightly gratinated and served with a fine black truffle ragout ‘Tuber Melanosporum’ cooked with white wine, port and strong veal juice. Ok this is definitely the ultimate comfort dish in the world!
• Veal chop (HKD 640)
• Farmhouse Lamb (HKD 640)

• Beef tenderloin (HKD 660) gratinated w/ pepper giving it a strong and powerful taste
• Roasted pigeon (HKD 640), my little foodie weakness

You think you have seen it all? Wait for the desserts!
 

• The Chocolate Soufflé (HKD 270), absolutely killing it
• The Grand-Marnier Soufflé (HKD 270), not far from stealing the show to the chocolate one
• Le Paris-Brest (HKD 270), the ultimate French dessert if you ask me. I mean, who could say no to a praliné ice-cream wrapped with some chopped hazelnuts and puff stuffed with a light praliné cream and house made praliné. So good!
• The Raspberry Vacherin (HKD 280)
• The Mixed Fruit salad and grapefruit sorbet (HKD 230), because after such a feast a little touch of lightness is always welcome

When I told you I have tasted pretty much all the items on the menu that was not a lie. Did I eat all the above? You bet I did! (I mean not everything by myself of course, I shared with the rest of the table).
 
You know what? I enjoyed the food so much that for a moment I absolutely forget about the amazing view because I was to focus on my plate …
 
 
Le 39V Hong Kong