Where To Eat

After an absence of more than three years, TARGET (泰達財經) returned to Restaurant Petrus, the fine-dining restaurant of Island Shangri-La. 

The return of this medium’s review team to Restaurant Petrus, last Saturday, August 20, 2016, was due to confirmation that, at long last, this food outlet of this five-star hotel had secured the services of a European chef. 

During the time of TARGET’s self-imposed exile from this formerly, excellent restaurant, this reviewer had been learning of reports of numerous interviews, having been held with quite a number of European chefs, invited to come to Hongkong for a trial run. 

All of those interviews had been conducted by various members of the Kuok Family or the Family’s delegates, the Kuok Family, being the Controlling Shareholders of the Shangri-La Group of Companies, one was told. 

For one reason or another, however, the prospective European chefs had not been hired as the chef de cuisine of Restaurant Petrus. 

In April, this year, however, Mr Ricardo Chaneton, a native of Venezuela, was contracted to be the man to head the team of Chinese cooks at Restaurant Petrus. 

Prior to Mr Ricardo Chaneton’s arrival at these 416 square miles, the Chinese cooks at Petrus had been holding down the fort, so to speak, but, while one would have a great deal of trouble in denigrating experienced Chinese cooks when they are creating Asian culinary works of art, a well-versed, European-trained cook will, inevitably, outclass just about any Asian cook in the preparation of Western cuisine.  

On the evening of this medium’s return visit to Restaurant Petrus, this was the selection of dishes that was ordered: 

Entrées Froides
前菜 

Olivier Metzger Veal Fillet Tartare
Lime-white Pepper Condiment, Paris Button Mushroom and Blueberries
法國生牛仔肉他他配青檸、白胡椒、巴黎蘑菇及藍莓 

Blue Lobster “a la thermidor”
Lobster Tail with Spinach and Second Service of Claws
With Chorizo Sauce and Potato Mousseline
特色芝士焗龍蝦配菠菜、辣肉腸醬汁及薯蓉
$HK780 

"Daniel Hervé” Brittany Oyster
Celery, Granny Smith Apple and Horseradish
法國生蠔配芹菜、青蘋果及辣根
$HK280 

Plats Principaux
主菜

 Bresse Roast Chicken with vegetables
for three people
$HK1,200 

Surprise Dessert
Gratis 

To start to meal, TARGET ordered a bottle of Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, Vintage 2005. It was priced at $HK1,900. 

(This champagne happens to be an old favourite of this reviewer, but not many restaurants carry it, these days. More’s the pity!) 

With the chicken, a bottle of Chateau Lafleur, Vintage 1998, was ordered at the cost of $HK8,700.  

For anybody who knows anything about wines and their retail prices, it would be agreed that Restaurant Petrus, today, sets it wines at reasonable levels. 

In the past, this was never the case, sadly. 

Case in point: A 375-millilitre bottle of Kracher, Number Three, a lovely desert wine from Austria, was, in the past, listed at the crazy price of $HK15,000.  

The retail price of this wine is about $HK400, today. 

Thank the good Lord that somebody at Shangri-La has some sense! 

The Food 

From the Amuse-bouche to the dessert, no criticism could be levelled against the food and/or its presentation. 

Chef de cuisine Richardo Chaneton had done himself proud, right down to the last crumb. 

The oyster dish was so good that TARGET was forced to order a second helping. 

The same could well have been the case in respect of the blue lobster dish, but one is restrained from being, outwardly, too greedy. 

With regard to the Bresse chicken, the last time that TARGET ordered this delicacy at Restaurant Petrus, it was at the cost of $HK5,000!  

When a complaint to senior Management of Island Shangri-La was made to the effect that such a price for a chicken was extortionate, this reviewer was told, in no uncertain terms, that if one expects to eat at Restaurant Petrus, then, one must expect to pay such prices. 

Thus, TARGET went into voluntary exile for a period of more than three years. 

Today, happily, Bresse chicken is priced at this splendid restaurant at the reasonable level of $HK1,200, sufficient to feed three diners. 

The Ambiance of Restaurant Petrus 

Of all of the best restaurants in the Hongkong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Restaurant Petrus has most of them beaten by a wide margin. 

The view of Hongkong from a window seat – of which there are many such seats – is spectacular. 

The service is par excellence. It could not be bettered. 

The restaurant seats about 100 diners in luxurious comfort while a pianist plays well-known melodies that float through the restaurant, adding to the splendour of the furniture and fittings.  

This, to some extent, had been the case in the past, but the restaurant was degraded by the abject laziness of the former, French chef de cuisine who, as this reviewer has written before, was more interested in talking to the very pleasant, young hostesses than working in the kitchen or keeping his eyes on the quality and presentation of the food, coming out of it. 

Happily, this is not the case, today. 

TARGET can thoroughly recommend Restaurant Petrus: It has returned to the calibre of yesteryear. 

(Perhaps, somebody heard this reviewer’s plaintive cries.)