Having interviewed the executive chef of The Mandarin Oriental (Hong Kong), Uwe Opocensky in late 2007, shortly after he joined, I was immediately struck by his passion and his impressive credentials. I was lucky at that time to have tried a couple of his dishes. Clearly influenced by time spent at El Bulli, they were inspired, creative and unique in Hong Kong in many ways. Here was a chef destined and deserving of Michelin star recognition, which was on his mind too for the Mandarin Grill + Bar.

I was surprised when he and the restaurant were overlooked. While I hadn't had dinner at the restaurant I felt that in this case it was a big mistake. To counter the voice that was saying, "but you haven't had dinner there", I recently rectified that and had an outstanding meal. I stand by my belief that Opocensky is one of Hong Kong's most talented chefs.

Explosive Beginning

The restaurant features a small sashimi and oyster bar and so when it was suggested that we begin with a selection of raw seafood we agreed without hesitation as the quality was bound to be high. The sashimi consisted of Blue Fin Tuna, King Salmon, Sweet Shrimp, Scallop, and Maine Lobster. The tuna was sublime, perhaps the best I have eaten. Also of note was the decadently sweet and creamy shrimp that elicited a "wow", and the scallop, always a favourite.

We also tried three oysters from a choice of ten. They were all I look for in an oyster - creamy, salty, with a hint of zinc. When presented, we were told that the Humboldt Bay Kumamoto oyster had arrived that day and it was our lucky day as they had found a pearl inside each oyster!

Nestling aside the oyster was an object that looked like a pearl but I suspected that it was part of the dish and to be eaten. Putting the oyster and 'pearl' in my mouth I first tasted the delicate kumamoto and when I bit into the 'pearl' liquid exploded in my mouth. The experience was surprising to the senses (one of the restaurant's signatures) and it felt like a gentle ocean wave had washed over my body, quite something. The 'pearl' turned out to be a blended kumamoto formed into a ‘pearl' using the restaurant's own technique. The doubling gave the oyster a boldness not normally associated with this oyster. 

Edible Art

Choosing the rest of our dishes was not easy because so much appealed. To begin we settled on Garden Leaves, Organic, Marinated Vegetables, Minus 8 Vinaigrette with the additional hams (wafer-thin slices of Lomo, Iberico and Bellota), and Scallop, Salt Baked, Potato, Girolle.  

The presentation of the salad was breathtaking and made me wonder why I just put things in a bowl when making a salad when possibilities like this exist. In the center of the plate was a puree of rocket, coconut milk and raisins. This acted as a stand for all the salad ingredients (I counted 13 different ingredients) plus several varieties of edible flowers, with the hams delicately draped in and around as if it was a floral arrangement. All the ingredients were of the finest quality and full of flavour; it was edible art. Creative presentation is another of the restaurant's signatures.

The scallops were presented to the table on a block of amber-coloured Himalayan rock salt before being placed on top of the heavenly potato (including foam that held its form), mushroom, a sprig of cress and a shaving of truffle. "Fantastic" was my first thought on tasting this excellent dish, while my dining partner's was "I dare anybody not to like this dish, even if you don't like scallops". The sommelier paired this course with a glass of 2007 Santorini - Asyrtiko - Sigalas - Greece. This wine, like the one we had with our mains, went beyond just being a perfect match, it became an extension of the dish. Impressive.

With big appetites we also had chosen the Smoked Mushroom, Soup, Truffle. This dish was my dining companion's favourite dish of the night. The soup bowls were brought to the table containing the mushrooms smoking inside a glass container. Upon placing on the table the glass was removed and we were hit by the woody, resiny aroma, which immediately enlivened the senses. The soup was then poured over and around the smoked mushrooms - morel, girolle, portobello, truffle and others. The only words that were uttered by my normally articulate friend was a stream of wows, "wow, Wow, WOW!". For me it was bordering on magical, the smokiness was so intense it was almost tangible in the mouth to the very last spoonful. It was a complex soup, with multiple layers of taste and texture, and fantastic depth of flavour.

More Seafood

I knew that the meat dishes at the Grill would be good, but we decided to stay in the seafood mode for mains. We ordered the current signature Black Cod, Potato, Coriander, Miso, Ginger; and Lobster, Champagne, Caviar, Yuzu. 

The black cod was literally black, coated with tea, it sat atop a ginger/miso/sesame puree and coriander foam. This was an interesting dish with its bitter, dark, black and gritty exterior contrasted against the delicate details - purple flowers, the pristinely-white interior, balanced with the sweetness of the pale green. A dish that went out on a limb because diners will either love it or hate it. I found it gutsy and loved it. My dining partner thought the cod was a little lost in the bitterness until it cooled and the flavour developed.  

The mostly de-shelled lobster sat on a dried butter crumbs base (some more cooked than others, designed to give an almost Meuniere flavour), new potatoes, pea leaf and other greens. Topped off with Osetra caviar and a champagne foam. We both found the dish a little salty, but this did not detract from the fact that this was another excellent dish, with creative flourishes and quality flavours.

With our mains we enjoyed a glass of 2003 Chassagne Montrachet - Marc Morey - Burgundy - France, an interesting wine with its notes of butter and sesame. It merged beautifully with the dishes and played an integral role in our experience of the food.  

'Tis the End

For dessert we were tempted by the Bread and Butter, Pudding, Raisin, Vanilla but in the end we decided on Oreo, Crumble, Vanilla, Espuma. Consisting of crumbled oreo cookies served in a large mug with ice cream, and warm chocolate espuma poured in tableside. It was a homey dessert, but it had style with its temperature and textural contrasts. As I was eating it, I began to experience the innocence of youth all over again and I wondered was I, 6, 8 or 10...I didn't know, but this dessert made me feel like a child.

My dining partner and I found the superb food to be modern and creative. I do feel that Opocensky's creativity is a little restrained by having to please the restaurant's longterm diners, but that he is still able to offer dishes that will attract new loyal diners looking for something a little different. Opocensky was not in the kitchen the night we dined, but chef de cuisine, Martin Cahill, did him proud. 

Ambiance, Service, Price

The Grill has an elegant ambiance. There is a sense of an old-boy's club and their wives who glisten in gems, yet it also has a modern sophisticated air at the same time. The semi-open kitchen merging it into the present. I found it relaxing and I could have lingered longer. A place to impress a date, celebrate an anniversary or special occasion, or if you can afford it, a regular hangout.

The service is impeccable and the staff are professional and charming in their white gloves and immaculate attire, while still being friendly and approachable. They seemed to enjoy the interactive nature of some of the dishes, which required them to play a role in the presentation.

The chef's menu is available for $688 per person for three courses of $888 for five. The a la carte menu changes seasonally. Prices vary greatly depending on the ingredients, with starters ranging in price from $148 to $398, except for the caviar starter for $688. Mains range in price from $338 to $688.