For sophisticated elegance, fabulous French fine dining, an enviable wine list and a sense of occasion, look no further than Gaddi’s.
Dining at Gaddi’s is a must-do for fine-dining gourmands living in, or visiting, Hong Kong. Situated in The Peninsula, the island’s first French restaurant has been serving discerning diners for more than 60 years and is still at the top of its game.
A deep respect for tradition resonates at Gaddi’s, from the French classics on the menu to the enormous Christofle chandeliers brought to The Peninsula from Shanghai in the 1920s, the fine art, ornate gold mirrors and a stunning 17th century coromandel screen made by Fong Long Kon for the Imperial Palace in Beijing, all of which sets off a well-appointed room. Red roses and candlelight feature on every table, murmured chatter and laughter fill the air and the waiters serve the meals with a flourish.
Executive Chef Rémi Van Peteghem, who has just relocated to The Peninsula New York, created dishes that ideally suited this elaborate setting and brought a light hand and innovative touches to update the heaviness of classical French haute cuisine to suit today’s tastes. The Gaddi’s team of chefs have the culinary flair to present simple ingredients that are beautifully combined to offer delightful medleys of taste and texture, as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as they are to the tongue.
Making the most of seasonal ingredients and focused on highlighting the food’s natural flavour, modern techniques are used to create opulent dishes that tantalise the taste buds without taking a toll on your heart-health.
The buttery, rich foie gras, served from a chilled silver flask, is plated with artfully scattered cherries in a multitude of guises – as coulis, foam, jelly discs, raw and cooked – accompanied by a lightly toasted plain brioche. The tartness of the cherries is an obvious complement to the duck liver, but each style of cherry combines in a distinctive way, making the dish an interesting and mouth-watering composition.
Another dish prepared with a similar concept is the seared wild pollock with seasonable vegetables. A study in subtle shades of green, white and grey, with tiny flashes of bright red, the lightly pan-fried fish is served on a bed of broad beans, runner beans, mangetout and green gnocchi, with pea foam softening the edges. Flavours range from earthy to buttery, sweet to smoky, with a lovely variety of textures from the pea shoots, soft gnocchi, meaty fish and crunchy vegetables.
Gaddi’s takes a different tack with the salty fines de claires oysters, serving them simply with cucumber jelly and cauliflower and trout roe, making for a light, meaty dish that bursts with marine freshness. The grilled Australian Wagyu striploin is also a beautifully presented dish that is unpretentious and supremely delicious, with the meat having that perfect degree of texture and sublime taste that is complemented by a smoked jus. With both these dishes, the excellence of the ingredients is the highlight and the chef’s focus is completely on bringing this to the fore, perhaps belying the skill that is required to achieve this perfection.
It is not just the food that is a treat at Gaddi’s. The ambience is a finely tuned masterpiece achieved with the seamless melding of the gorgeous neo-classical decor, fine art, the dulcet tones of jazz from The Gaddi’s Band and the impeccably dressed staff attending to the diners’ every need, subtly ensuring a sense of occasion is felt by all.
A strict dress code is enforced, which is slightly less formal at lunchtime, and no children under the age of 12 are allowed, except during Sunday lunches.
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Gaddi’s
1st Floor, The Peninsula Hong Kong
Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon,
Hong Kong
T: (+852) 2696 6608
www.peninsula.com
