Té Bo is the new culinary canvas upon which one of Hong Kong’s most esteemed talents weaves his magic.
While sleepy Tai Koo Shing, on Hong Kong Island, seems an unlikely place for a fine-dining restaurant, a private members club does not, and it just so happens that Tai Koo, with its major corporate headquarters and gleaming tower blocks, is home to the city’s newest, 1880 Hong Kong, of which 1880 SOCIAL is a part.
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That said, you should probably abandon notions of what you think a private members club looks like – this ain’t that. Instead, 1880 SOCIAL is a space for the people (the floors above, 1880 Hong Kong are where things get more exclusive), and one benefit of such benevolent democratisation is that lowly mortals like us get to take a perch at the counter at Té Bo, the complex’s intimate new fine-dining kitchen.
Té Bo is nothing if not refreshing. At a time when fine dining is singing its own dirge, the new arrival is luxurious, discrete, and blissfully understated. Dark and sexy, with more than a pinch of Art Deco thanks to the clever chaps from Bangkok interiors agency Avroko, the venue oozes elegance and sophistication, making it an ideal spot for that next anniversary effort.
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That same old-world-meets-new-class vibe extends to the service, marshalled by gifted general manager Francois Ferrand, who most recently cut his teeth at two-Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room and who personally welcomes each new arrival as the elevator doors open. He reminds me of the silky-smooth hotel managers of the 1970s and 1980s, each a rockstar in and out of their industry, and each encapsulating the finesse of Gary Grant and the attention to detail of a Sultan’s valet.
My fellow dining prole and I arrive on a mid-weekday evening to find Té Bo’s brooding dining room quiet and the kitchen the scene of creative frenzy. This is the domain of Hong Kong-born chef Sebastian Lorenzi, who taps into his Swiss-Filipino roots as well as stints studying at Le Cordon Bleu and working at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe and Asia (including two-starred Dinner by Heston Blumenthal) to interpret modern European “casual fine dining” at its most tantalising.
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We take a perch at the 14-seat omakase-style counter (there are also tables for two and four if you feel the need to stare deeply into someone else’s eyes) and the show – and it really is one – commences as Sebastian and his team begin presenting an array of tiny, intricate works of art, starting with a bread roll baked into a perfect square, and a round of amuse bouches that could easily be exhibited under glass.
This evening we’ve opted for the six-course tasting menu, there are also a la carte options, as well as a three-course lunch menu that can be completed within two hours – ideal for those Quarry Bay corporate warriors who need to get back to their spreadsheets.
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Every dish is a symphony of flavours and textures and a true love letter to classic European cuisine (perhaps with a postage stamp from Southeast Asia) rather than an attempt to fuse two distinctly different culinary heritages. For example, the lobster dish (above), inspired by a classic lobster roll, sees the sweet, coveted crustacean lovingly wrapped in avocado with radish, dill, mayo and celtuce, kissed with a hint of yuzu and a touch of horseradish gel, and topped with a generous dollop of Oscietra Caviar. If an orgasm had a taste…
One of the young chef’s signatures, Three Yellow Chicken (at top) features confited and roasted breast, a crunchy bite-sized cromesquis (it’s like a fancy croquette), a silky neck boudin blood sausage, sweetcorn, and smoked mayonnaise in a dish that allows the taste buds to saunter from one delectable bite to another. Nothing is rushed, nothing is overpowering, everything works seamlessly together, like the engine of a vintage Mercedes.
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Another crowd pleaser (there was only a handful of diners on the night we visited but they all went silent with this one) is the plump Wagyu beef cheek ‘Raviolo’ (above), mouth-melting foie gras, a soulful Jerusalem artichoke sauce, and a zesty lemon gel. Like a pasta piñata, you’d think it might not work, but it does.
There’s also Langoustine (no man’s lesser lobster) blissfully cocooned in crunchy coconut, elevated with coriander, and mellowed with smoked aubergine; and, for dessert, the humble pineapple, seduced by yuzu crémeux, spanked by chilli lime meringue, and given taxi fare home by silky stracciatella ice cream. I’ll be naming my firstborn son after this dish. Little pinya.
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Of course, you’ll also have the chance for resident sommelier Joffrey Poussade to test your credit rating as he pairs these brilliant creations with bottles selected from Té Bo’s extensive wine collection, which rightly resides in imposing floor-to-ceiling cabinets at the entrance.
Just think of it as one more step towards culinary heaven.
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