Hong Kong’s wine-loving diners have a new hotspot with the opening in Central of NEZ Wine Bistro.
There’s little doubt that Hong Kong is one of the great wine-swilling cities of the world. Whether you’re maxing out the expense account with the best drops from the Rothschilds or sipping something simple at home, most of us love a good glass of wine, and when it’s paired with great food, it’s a true triumph.
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Fortunately, you’re in luck. Central Hong Kong’s H Code has become home to the city’s newest elegant French wine bistro, NEZ Wine Bistro. The new venue takes its inspiration from the bistros of Paris and offers diners honest, refined French cooking paired with an impressive selection of boutique and hard-to-source wines.
At NEZ. which takes its name from the French word for ‘nose’, representing the sense of smell, an integral element in the appreciation of wine and food, both the cuisine and the wine share the limelight, thanks to a wine programme curated by award-winning Burgundy-born sommelier Victor Petiot.
The new venue features a curated selection of wines that express the team’s passion for all varietals and traditions, based on Victor’s personal experience meeting the winemakers and visiting the wineries himself. This ensures that he has an intimate understanding of the complexity and history of each selected label, many of which are rarely available in Hong Kong.
These wines are served beside elegant yet approachable French fare created by a multi-Michelin starred French chef and executed by Chef de Cuisine Don Wong, who has over 25 years of experience working in some of the city’s leading kitchens and hotels. Highlights of the launch menu include Classic Beef Tartare, made with hand-cut U.S. WBI prime grade tenderloin; creamy Foie Gras “Rougié” Crème Brûlée made with homemade terrine with cognac and finished with lightly torched caramelized sugar, garnished with a strawberry and raspberry marmalade; classic Burgundy Snails roasted with garlic and parsley butter; and Crustacean Seafood Soup with butter slow-poached seasonal fish fillet and whole red prawn.
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Also, look out for organic yellow chicken with asparagus and morels; Bavette de Boeuf Wagyu served with classic creamy mashed potatoes, and caramelised onion; and sweet touches like Tarte au Citron, zesty lemon tart with cookie crust filled with tangy soft lemon custard; and 72% Chocolate Moelleux with Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream.
For many, cheese is an essential and indulgent part of the bistro experience, and at NEZ, cheese is serious business, with a selection of artisanal French cheeses handpicked by Victor to match the restaurant’s wine selection.
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All this oenophilic decadence is presented against elegant and intimate interiors that include wall panels made from cork, booth seating in grey-blue leather, silk curtains that reveal a private dining room, a bar dressed in copper, a hidden wine cellar, and French windows that open onto an alfresco balcony, creating a sophisticated yet accessible space in which guests can sample from the bistro’s enviable wine list.
We assure you, it’s all very grown-up.
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