When it comes to nosheries that source the most exotic of ingredients from the furthest-flung points of the globe, Hong Kong is no slouch. Be it’s hand-reared halibut hover-crafted in from a niche Norwegian fjord or seldom-seen naturally Nepalese spices rickshawed down from the Himalayas, it’s sure to be writ large on the menu of one or another of the city’s trendier bespoke bistros.
Possibly as a sign that this particular bid for notoriety is wearing a bit thin, there are now a number of restaurants have flipped the whole concept, majoring on the fact that everything on their menus – from mince to marjoram – are proudly local. Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding for the Dawn of the (so-called) Locavores…
It is, to be fair, an approach that seems to be going down well. The Chairman, a Central-set locavore locale, for instance, was acclaimed as Hong Kong’s finest foodie haven at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards. Next year, however, it may face competition from another indigenous-ingredient enthusiast – Root, an H Code-located purveyor of fine French cuisine, all prepared from local farm inputs, with every effort made to derive the utmost from each freshly-sourced element on a “stalk to stem” basis.
Head of serving up superb sustainable cuisine at Root is Executive Chef Vito Chan, a man whose avowed philosophy is to make more from less. One of the key tools at his disposal in this regard is cryoconcentration, an innovative biofood technique said to deliver wastage of less than 5%. Such a skill, though, is not the only reason he was asked to take up the reins of the Root kitchen – he also learnt his trade under the guidance of such luminaries as Richard Ekkebus (Executive Chef of Hong Kong’s The Landmark, Mandarin Oriental’s twin-Michelin-starred Amber restaurant) and Donovan Cooke (Executive Chef at The Atlantic restaurant in Melbourne).
Keen to sample his skills for ourselves, we eagerly awaited the first item on the special tasting menu – Yellow fungus, abalone, duck consommé. While the name itself is self-explanatory, it doesn’t do justice to the multitude of flavours that Chef Chan packs into this petite-portioned appetiser. While the mild-flavoured abalone blends perfectly with the meaty fungus, this, in turn, segues seamlessly into the sweet duck consommé, triggering a cornucopia of flavours that is only enhanced further by the freshness of the edible flower garnish.
Next up is the eponymous appetiser – Bamboo fungus, scallop, karasum. Unlike its prosaic name, however, the dish itself is pretty much perfectly-plattered poetry. Here, the scallop mousse has been deftly inserted into a tube of bamboo fungus and then splayed across a bed of karasum (Chinese herbs) and mushroom broth, and topped with caviar and chrysanthemum petals. It’s a beautiful presentation, with its nourishing flavours equally heartwarming.
It is, however, the main course – Black truffle, yellow chicken, morel – that proves Chef Chan’s skills beyond doubt. The black truffle sits on a bed of chicken extract, while the yellow chicken breast comes crusted with sunflower seeds and roasted chicken skin, making it a dish where very little goes to waste. The morel, meanwhile, is topped with bitter melon and shrimps, which together create a perfect balance of flavours. Characteristically, Chef Chan again seems to revel in playing off the flavours against each other, with the mild taste of the chicken ably enhanced by the tangy sunflower seeds and the savoury tones of the morel dancing a tango with the bitterness of the bitter melon.
By the time dessert is delivered, for us at least, Chef Chan’s culinary genius is beyond dispute, although the Black truffle ice cream, lemon, almond cream sauce would have sufficed to dispel any lingering doubts. Indeed, the richness of the ice cream combined with the citrusy notes of the lemon and the freshness of the basil leaves ensured that the chef had once again delivered a dish that is pure perfection.
And that’s really the root of Root’s success – delicious dishes that don’t rely on hero ingredients, but where all the elements on the plate unite into something quite unique…
Root. 7/Fl, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central. (852) 2420 8112. www.roothongkong.com
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay; Video: Kingsley Lau