VOLUME  IX  No. 72 W E D N E S D A Y April 18, 2007




 


Dining and Wining ...
Where To Go ...
Where Not To Go
 

 

THE  BEST

RESTAURANTS  OF  HONGKONG ...

AND  THE  WORST !

 

Name of Restaurant Gaddi's, The Peninsula Hotel
     
Address of Restaurant Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hongkong
     
Date of Visit Friday, April 6, 2006  
 
Category

TARGET’s Rating
       
Service      
    First Impression Excellent Acceptable Poor
    Attentiveness to Customers’ Needs Excellent Acceptable Poor
    Flexibility Excellent Acceptable Poor
    Product Expertise of Serving Staff Excellent Acceptable Poor
    Speed of Service Excellent Acceptable Poor
    Cleanliness of Uniform and Serving Staff Excellent Acceptable Poor
 
Ambiance
          Lighting Excellent Acceptable Poor
          Music Excellent Acceptable Poor
          General Excellent Acceptable Poor
 
Food
          Presentation Excellent Acceptable Poor
          Taste Excellent Acceptable Poor
          Quantity Excellent Acceptable Poor
 
Wine  
          Choice Extensive Limited Unbalanced
          Cost Reasonable Unreasonable Very Expensive
          Storage of Wine Good Poor Unknown
          Expertise of Sommelier Excellent Acceptable Poor
                                                                    
Total Cost of Meal    
          Very Expensive Moderately Expensive Very Reasonably Priced
 
Name of Director of Food and Beverage       Ms Floria Trento  
 
Name of Executive Chef       Mr Thomas Rooch  
 
Comments

 

Things have changed at Gaddi’s, the fining-dining restaurant of The Peninsula Hotel (半島酒店) in Tsimshatsui, Kowloon: It has returned to its former glory. 

Not that this outlet of The Peninsula has, ever, been really bad, but there have been times when the food and the service deteriorated, markedly. 

But those days appear to have been relegated to history, TARGET (泰達財經) is happy to report. 

The TARGET duo returned to Gaddi’s on Good Friday, April 6, 2007, at 8:00 p.m. 

The former maitre d’hotel had been replaced by Mr Jack Tse (謝志威), a very affable Chinese gentleman who seemed to go out of his way to be helpful, no matter what. 

The Chef de Cuisine, also, has been replaced by an Englishman, a Mr David Goodridge, whose name card reads: ‘Gaddi’s Chef’. 

Whoever claimed that the English are lousy cooks will, no doubt, have to change his/her tune – because Mr David Goodridge, as the saying goes, knows his onions. 

Upon arrival at Gaddi’s and upon surveying the restaurant, this reviewer was struck by the fact that things look, almost, the same as they did on TARGET’s first visit in the early 1970s when Mr Rolf Heiniger was the maitre d’hotel. 

The carpet has been changed, of course, and the serving staff have younger faces, the old guard, having long gone, but, other than these changes, things look just about the same as they did some 3 decades ago. 

A word of thanks to Him who made it so. 

TARGET was shown to a rather small table, sufficient, no doubt, to accommodate 2 people with ease, except that this rotund reporter, due to years of having to endure restaurant food, some good and some terrible, had expanded his personal horizons at the tropic of Capricorn more than just a little. 

TARGET asked for a bigger table, stating categorically: ‘I could never fit at this table.’ 

No question about the situation, with Mr Jack Tse enquiring: ‘How would this one (table) suit you?’ 

And so TARGET’s duo was seated at a table, sufficient to accommodate 4 people (this reviewer is not admitted to being overweight in spite of the fact that the waist of his trousers have had to be let out a few inches of late). 

This table was situated, exactly, 14 inches – that is 2 steps – higher than the main dining area, permitting one to view the other diners, who were, on the night of TARGET’s visit, very sparse. 

No sooner had TARGET been comfortably seated when Gaddi’s chef chanced to come out of the kitchen in order to look at the paucity of diners.
This restaurant caters, especially, on a Friday night, for between 80 and 90 guests, but, on the Friday that TARGET turned up, there were only 28 hungry diners, spending the evening there. 

Dressed in the traditional white garb of a chef and, clearly, being Caucasian, TARGET confirmed Mr David Goodridge’s position in the restaurant and beckoned to him. 

Upon confirmation of this gentleman’s status in the restaurant and upon learning of the specialties of the day, TARGET ordered the following 2 menus: 
 

As for a little libation to accompany the 2 meals, TARGET chose an Australian Chardonnay, labelled as being a Penfolds Organic Chardonnay, at $HK820 per bottle. 

It was an acceptable choice. 

Upon being seated at our table, TARGET was offered a glass of the pouring wine of the hotel, which is Deutz, a Champagne from Ay. 

This is a fine Champagne and one of the favourites of TARGET. 

What surprised this reviewer, however, was that there had been a charge for the one glass. 

In days of old, the welcome glass of Champagne had, always, been on the house. 

Times, clearly, had changed – sadly. 

It would be impossible (and, in any case, space does not permit it) for TARGET to describe every course so, without prejudice to the dishes, not mentioned in detail, here were some of this medium’s comments. 

The First Courses 

The Oyster Tartar looked, at first glance, to be a cup of vanilla ice cream: It was a mirage. 

Here was a cucumber mousse, whipped up to resemble a scoop of ice cream into which had been implanted Belon oysters, which had been chopped up, not too finely.  

The mousse concoction sat on a bed of Oscietra caviar. 

It, literally, melted in one’s mouth, culminating in the multiple-layered flavours of fresh oysters, cucumber and caviar, lingering in the manner of good wine, having permeated one’s taste buds long after the wine had been imbibed. 

As for the Bresse pigeon, it was something, completely, out of this world, the meat of the breast of this bird, being as tender as gnocchi. 

The pungent scent of the truffles complemented the tender morsels of the meat of this French bird. 

The Deutz went down especially well with the first course.  

Plates were cleaned, post-haste. 

The Main Courses 

Of the 2 main courses, both of which were fish, as far as this reviewer is concerned, the sea bass took first prize. 

This is not to suggest that there was anything wrong with the turbot. Far from it. 

Enjoying strong-tasting food for a main course, TARGET gave half a point more to the sea bass because of the entire dish, due to the flavours of the black truffles and the risotto, especially, tended to make it more palatable, as far as TARGET is concerned. 

But this is a personal preference, Subscribers should understand: Both fish dishes were superb. 

While the food was being readied on a serving table, alongside TARGET, Chef de Cuisine David Goodridge stood by just in case there was any need of his expertise. 

The Australian-produced Chardonnay, a smooth, pale amber liquid of good quality, no doubt, but lacking, to a great extent, in any lingering, fruity aftertaste, something like a not-yet-ready Pouilly-Fumé of the Loire Valley of France, accompanied the fish, gloriously. 

(In TARGET’s opinion, it takes a great deal to beat the French when it comes to great wines although, if any country can compete in time, it will be Australia. However, this reviewer, still, can not endorse screw tops for wine) 

The Other Courses 

In addition to the above-mentioned menus, TARGET tasted the many cheeses on offer. 

They were, all, fresh and, unlike some other, allegedly fine-dining restaurants, none of the cheeses had been frozen or even chilled. 

As for the desserts, they were, both excellent although, as TARGET explained to Mr Jack Tse, next time around: ‘Please, do not make them as sweet as these.’ 

Other than that, personal preference, one could hardly criticise the desserts. 

In fact, TARGET can think of nothing to criticise the entire evening’s experience. 

During the entire meal, there was a 4-piece band, playing music softly and, during the times that they had a break, soft delightful music filled the void, left by the band. 

The music wafted throughout this fine-dining restaurant, the tables, being far apart so that one may be romantic, without having to worry about somebody listening to one’s entreaties (a TARGET assumption). 

TARGET will not be returning to this restaurant too often because, after all, the traditional tailor of this reviewer has warned that trousers can only be let out to a certain amount. 

After that, buy another suit.  


 

 

 

 

While TARGET makes every attempt to ensure accuracy of all data published, 
TARGET cannot be held responsible for any errors and/or omissions.

 

 

 


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