Has it been too long since your last Parisian restaurant experience? We’ve done the legwork for you and tried a range of French bistros in Hong Kong. And, unsurprisingly for one of the world’s great cuisines, we walked away satisfied from all of them! Read on for the highlights.
French dining in Central – LALA
Paris is known the world over as “the city of lights”. So it’s fitting that the soft lights of French restaurant LALA on Lyndhurst Terrace truly draw you in. This beautiful brasserie has a very welcoming bar on the right and the most inviting dining room at the rear. It’s spacious and airy with colourful art and eighties music. Tonight’s going to be a good night!
Cocktails with scintillating citrus and opulent tea soon land on our table, as does some wonderful house-baked bread. The wine pairing throughout the evening also proves to be a triumph. What’s more, the open kitchen is pure theatre. Chef Franckelie Laloum is busy bantering with his team and their joie de vivre comes across in every plate.
The mightily impressive starters include mussels over charcoal, fresh number 3 oysters, a langoustine cocktail and garlicky frog legs. However, the succulent tartare de boeuf with miso mustard is too good to turn down. We feel vindicated further when the fabulous foie gras arrives, a deep smooth terrine with buttery brioche.
Mains and desserts
While many French eateries have done away with rich sauces, Chef Frank and his cohorts cleverly execute them with a light fragrant twist. The dish called Agneau is an excellent example. Indulgent lamb chops with a deep lamb jus are tempered with the light acidity of tomato-based vierge – it’s supremely balanced and reassuringly decadent. Also outstanding is the filet de boeuf in kampot pepper sauce. An incredibly tender flambéed tenderloin comes lavishly bathed in a luxurious pepper emulsion with a delightful sheen. For sides, we enjoy excellent champignons and hand-cut fries so crispy and potatoey, they may be the best in Hong Kong.
Charcoal-grilled turbot, macaroni gratin with black truffle and vol au vent “LALA” with sweetbread, morel and seasonal mushrooms will have to be sampled another time. As for sharing mains, the cote de boeuf is a vast Black Angus bone-in ribeye with Béarnaise, while families flock here every Sunday for the crispy-skinned roast chicken.
Renowned pastry chef Natalie Leung is in her own open kitchen, conjuring elegance and balance with expert precision. The citrussy meringue tart is a joy to behold and her chocolate work is a thing of beauty. The desserts of the day are all presented on a platter for you to peruse – a not-to-be-missed photo op! LALA really hits all the right notes. From the calming décor to the sensational service and the outstanding open kitchen magnificence, Chef Franckelie and tireless front-of-house host Michael Larkin have delivered an outstanding concept. Our early May visit was genuinely like Paris in the spring time.
Karl Woodbury
G/F, 29 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
5200 3915 | lalahk.co
New French restaurant on Bridges Street – Jean-Pierre
Jean-Pierre is the newest opening in the Black Sheep Group. Inspired by owner Mark Hoffman’s father, it promises to pay homage to France’s much-loved bistro dining rooms. The restaurant’s courtyard on Bridges Street is fast becoming a popular spot for an aperitif. The Cornichon Martini is a must-try from the French-inspired cocktail list. Enjoy it while you browse the menu of classic French bistro dishes and excellent regional French wines.
The spacious dining room is elegant – think dark mahogany furniture with rich red velvet banquettes that set the scene perfectly. We started with the Oeuf Mimosa, a moreish devilled hard-boiled egg. (Confession, I could have eaten a plate of these delicious morsels!) Pâté de Foie de Volaille, a rich chicken liver and duck foie gras mousse, is generously slathered on warm toasted baguette – rich and decadent. Escargots de Bourgogne, tender snails served in a bath of garlicky butter with a good hit of aniseed from the Pernod, also hit the spot.
Mains and desserts
On to the mains and the Poulet de Simone was a standout dish. Hong Kong’s famed three-yellow chicken is stuffed with a delicious mixture of mushroom duxelles, tarragon and spinach then roasted to succulent perfection and served with a rich chicken jus. The Boeuf Bourguignon came in a close second. The tender melt-in-the-mouth beef cheek is slow cooked in a rich Burgundy pinot noir sauce yet expertly balanced with buttered carrots, mushrooms and pearl onions. I’ll be back for this dish in the cooler months! For a lighter but nonetheless delicious dish, I really enjoyed the Gnocchi Parisienne, hand-rolled gnocchi served in a rich morel cream sauce and garnished with asparagus.
Sides included the infamous “Pierre Koffmann” Fries, a superb potato gratin dauphinois oozing with cheesy goodness, and a simple dish of perfectly al dente green beans garnished with almonds. There’s a choice of eight classic bistro desserts, so something for every sweet tooth. Portions are generous and perfect for sharing – I particularly enjoyed the Mousse au Chocolate, made with 80 percent dark chocolate and served with a sprinkling of sea salt; it was rich and intense without being overly sweet.
On the night we visited, the dining room was abuzz with happy diners savouring these superbly cooked bistro classics and enjoying fine French wines, all served up with that quintessential French flair.
Kate Woodbury
9 Bridges Street, Central
2154 6101 | jean-pierre.com.hk
Bouchon Bistro Français on Elgin Street
Approaching Bouchon Bistro Français, the softly lit restaurant interior is so welcoming it totally draws us in. The dining room buzzes with the after-work crowd clinking chilled glasses of bubbles and larger goblets of deep red. We see steaming Moules Marinière, crispy frites and char-grilled steaks adorning the tables.
This promises to be a great night, especially with the vigilant Dinesh and his busy bees buzzing around the tables. The menu has plenty of classics without being overwhelming. Onion soup, oysters, baked camembert and impressive charcuterie are among the hors d’oeuvres. There’s also Coquilles Saint-Jacques – pan-seared scallops with cauliflower puree and smoked crispy bacon.
However, the Assiette de Foie Gras ($168) got our vote. The combo of heavenly rich foie gras terrine and seared foie gras comes with a toasted baguette and fig confit. We also couldn’t resist a half dozen Escargots de Bourgogne ($108) – it had to be done!
On a cool night, even the salads were tempting. We ordered the Marachière ($118) a generous serving of tangy, creamy warm goat cheese with crispy croutons and a mesclun mix. The flavours and textures were wonderful, though we would have preferred the cheese without the drizzle of honey on top. Other salads include the Lyonnaise, with crispy lardons and a poached egg, and the Périgourdine, featuring smoked duck breast, duck gizzard, foie gras and walnuts.
Mains and desserts
To the mains and the Fish of the Day ($268) – a succulent crispy-skin sea bass – arrived on a sizzling plate and truly hit the spot, served with flaky almond green beans and a bubbling caper butter sauce. We also had the Entrecôte Ribeye ($338) – nicely chargrilled medium rare, with perfectly crisp frites and a rich creamy béarnaise. The Agneau Rôti ($338) consists of a chunky rack of four juicy lamb chops with roasted fingerling potatoes. We were in full-on savoury mode so we ordered a side dish of Tartiflette ($88) to remind us of wonderful skiing trips. Potato, bacon, reblochon…say no more!
Other mains include the classic trio of bouillabaisse, boeuf bourguignon and duck confit. Also on our radar for next time are the wonderful cheese selection and tempting French desserts. The latter includes a mixed berry crème brûlée and mousse au chocolat with sea salt caramel.
Bouchon Bistro Français is a magical night out. There’s a great variety of French cuisine and temptation across the menu; the restaurant atmosphere is cosy yet vibrant; and the bistro staff ensure all guests have a lovely evening. Merci bien, Bouchon!
Karl Woodbury
Bouchon Bistro Français
49 Elgin Street, Central
2525 9300 | reservations@bouchon.com.hk
sandshospitality.com
French fare in Sheung Wan – Bouillon Bistro Parisien
Exciting newcomer to the French restaurant scene Bouillon is a chic Parisian-style bistro tucked away up a hill in Sheung Wan. Chef Johan Ducroquet promises revisited French classics with a few “rascal dishes” thrown in for good measure. Organic, artisanal and seasonal are all core to his creativity.
Family-owned wineries that champion organic sustainability is another core value here – and Bouillon offers many of these enticing wines by the glass. You can put your wine-pairing skills to the test or just kick back and let charming host Grégory Alexandre do the heavy lifting. The beautifully tiled long bar is also set up for diners but we’re seated nicely in the corner of a long leather banquette. The specials boards run along the wall over the bar and with flitting between them and the menu, we just can’t wait to order.
We opt for signature starters; Os À Moelle ($158) is a stunning dish of grilled marrow presented in bones. Soft and rich with a meaty jus, it’s off the charts. Tartare de Boeuf ($218) showcases the tastiest morsels of Aquitaine beef with Dijon mustard and capers. It’s the best tartare we’ve had in HK!
Other starters include a smoked herring potato salad, aubergine confit ravioli and a pâté en croûte that creatively combines pork, smoked eel, foie gras and pickles in pastry. You can also splurge on caviar and blinis, which comes with two glasses of champagne.
Mains and desserts
The bar is set high for our mains, but they deliver. The Cuisse de Canard ($268) is a triumph of flavours and textures; crispy duck leg, tarte apple confit and shiitake mushroom. And Rossini de Boeuf ($388) is a seriously indulgent medium-rare beef tenderloin topped with seared foie gras in a truffle jus.
There’s a sharing section in the Parisian restaurants menu, too, including a skate wing in butter, capers, lemon and fennel, a kilo of 30-day aged Irish ribeye, and an 800g veal rack from France.
To finish, we order Riz au Lait ($118), a sumptuous rice pudding with Madagascan vanilla and salted butter caramel, and also Crème Brûlée Fruit de la Passion ($108), a swirling blend of pure French dessert magic with a crunchy top, served in the passionfruit skin.
The chic bar is a fun place to enjoy a serious glass of artisanal wine. The décor is slick as is the superb front-of-house service. And the cooking is creative and seriously good. In any great dish, bouillon is the foundation – an essential. When it comes to Hong Kong’s fine dining scene, this newly opened French bistro already feels essential!
Karl Woodbury
Bouillon Bistro Parisien
6 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan
2886 0056 | bouillonhk.com
French bistro in Quarry Bay – À Poêle
After a warm greeting and the swift arrival of cool cocktails, we peruse the neat and tidy menu at À Poêle. Classic and contemporary dishes sit side by side, all at very reasonable prices.
The French onion soup is an immediate showstopper, the Gruyère lid sliding joyously down the sides of the bowl. It’s savoury, crusty, chewy and sinfully perfect. Eggs stuffed with truffle paste and chives are a lovely light contrast; the escargots, seared tuna, charcuterie and foie gras terrine will have to wait for another time.
Mains and desserts
Seafood, steak frites and beef cheek bourguignon are all winking at us among the mains, but we go with merguez sausage orecchiette, a delightful pasta enveloped in warm North African heat. Roast chicken with sherry jus and green beans is a go-to as well on this drizzly night, served with fries and truffle mayo.
The proud staff also waxed lyrical about the signature dish of seared beef tartare, so we gratefully took their advice. Served in a warm skillet with a toasted baguette and Café de Paris butter, these diced bites of hand-chopped steak with a charred crust go way beyond any burger!
Desserts are serious business here, too, as is the obligatory cheese platter. The crème brûlée doesn’t disappoint, and the chocolate mousse is light, fluffy and welcomely infused with orange.
À Poêle’s one-page menu is well conceived and brimming with choice. The name refers to a frying pan or stove, and everything that comes away from those kitchen essentials is a dreamy delight.
Karl Woodbury
Shop G514, G/F, Hing On Mansion, 5 Tai Yue Avenue, Tai Koo Shing
2446 1598 | apoelebistro.com
This article on French bistros first appeared in the print issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue!
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