While foodie pundits continue to argue about whether stars and lists can truly syncopate a restaurant’s worth, some establishments continue to gauge their success by the direct metric of customers on seats. Hong Kong’s Amber is one such restaurant. Looking out on the city’s fashion and banking district from behind a honeycomb of glass at the Landmark hotel, Amber is unfortunate in its resemblance to a wind-chime festooned business lounge. Thankfully, its food lights up all the requisite bellwethers — San Pellegrino’s 50 Best, Michelin and TripAdvisor — and is considered de rigeur for the city’s well-heeled.

Amidst the side-glancing patrons of a prim lunch crowd, executive chef Richard Ekkebus’s Dutch cut-to-the-chase turn of phrase melts the ice. “Let’s cut the BS,” he says. “We value every award we get because recognition is good, but we don’t live on them. We try to exceed the expectations they bring.”

Exotic in Hong Kong The two Michelin-starred chef learned the basics and French technique in Holland and France and then set about dismantling and renewing them in Mauritius and Barbados. He’s learned from the hallowed Alain Passard, Pierre Gagnaire and Guy Savoy, cooked creole curries and tandoori lobster, and repurposed frozen Petrus for beef sauce. However, Ekkebus is refreshingly not beyond turning out a Reuben sandwich or pizza occasionally (it helps if you’re Beyonce or Tiger Woods). But at Amber, it’s all decidedly technical and light, with ingredients that are urgently fresh. “In Hong Kong, fusion is confusion,” he says. “People don’t come here for exotic Asian flavours. They want exotic flavours from abroad.”

In Hong Kong, ‘exotic’ and ‘from abroad’ generally leads to France or Japan. In Amber’s case, it borrows from both. “We get 90 per cent of our ingredients from Kyushu, Hokkaido and Okinawa within a matter of hours. We keep a French flavour profile and technique using the finest ingredients but keep it lighter, modern and not too heavy.”

The delicate palate Ekkebus certainly delivers on these promises. For my palate, some of the signature dishes are a touch too delicate, while others echo the freshness and quality of their provenance. The amuse-bouches of gruyère, edible flowers, anchovy, morels and Portobello mushrooms, and a twist on the traditional Chinese egg or bubble waffle, are moreish and light but hint insubstantially at the sum of their parts. The gold leaf-tipped schrenki caviar and uni (sea urchin) on top of a cold bed of crisp vegetable noodles, take things up a notch with the uni’s creamy sweetness. The 2011 Schlumberger Pinot Gris pairs well with this dish — its candied lemon and orange nose, and acidity helps cut through the fatty liver. The French langoustine in a claw foam is crunchy and sweet, accompanied well by homemade pasta. Next up, the duck foie gras is unusually mild as the foie gras texture becomes somewhat unctuous on being poached by the daikon and radish dashi. The soup tastes somewhat heartier once it cools, with wafers of radish adding a crisp and sweet acid foil to the lingering marrow goodness of the duck liver.

With the next course however, all this tender pitter-pattering around the taste buds is decidedly ditched with a modest medallion of Miyazaki Wagyu barbecued beef. The crisped exterior of the beef melts almost as soon as you crunch through it, giving way to a succulent, all-engulfing umami sensation. The accompanying sides can safely be ignored for how singularly outstanding the meat is. To end, the chocolate ganache with Fisherman’s Friend mint and white chocolate sorbet is sharply refreshing, albeit somewhat strongly minty.

I wonder whether each course is purposefully designed to release flavour, gradually and grudgingly, so that the main course is left to pleasantly overwhelm the senses. Even the French Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc wine pairings are somewhat muted, serving not to interfere with what is on the plate and only momentarily carrying tastes notes from the dishes. Amber’s menu changes every three months, enticing would-be punters to keep looking for that explosive taste sensation.

Govind Dharis a journalist, currently based in Sri Lanka

Related Topics