Amber

Sunlight illuminates the eponymous hues at lunchtime while evenings feel as Parisian as the restaurant’s two Michelin stars. In the inviting, elegant dining room of interiors by visionary Adam Tihany, Hong Kong’s most conveniently located power tables sit at generous intervals for privacy while allowing diners to cast their eyes upon enticing contemporary French dishes coming from the talent-filled kitchen of Chef Richard Ekkebus.

Trained in the illustrious kitchens of Alain Passard, Guy Savoy and Pierre Gagnaire, the Dutchman cooks firmly in the French tradition while taking full advantage of Hong Kong’s unique crossroads between East and West, incorporating amadai fish line caught and delivered the same day from Japan, seasonal blue lobsters from Brittany, Tasmanian truffles, Spanish fraise de bois and Chinese dragonfruit.

Pair Amber classic dishes like Mieral Bresse pigeon breast with wild cep mushrooms with Sommelier’s selection of 1,100 plus references, all artisanal, top quality wines culled from old world vintages in France and Italy as well as exciting bottles sourced from Chile, Argentina and Portugal.

Surrounded on all sides by the restaurant’s glass-clad wine cellar, the Private Wine Room can seat up to twenty guests and confers the ideal spot to sip and celebrate milestones, personal and professional, not soon to be forgotten.

Discreet, well-informed staff fluently recommends dishes yet offer a fresh absence of pretention that encourages diners to ask questions and develop their palate on every return.

He may be Dutch but when asked about his cuisine at Amber restaurant inside The Landmark Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong, recently awarded two Michelin stars for the second year running, Executive Chef Richard Ekkebus speaks of the joie de vivre that a great meal ought to embody. “I keep a light touch to my cooking. You should get up from the table and still be able to dance or at least get back to business.”

He describes his dishes as French classic with inventive twists that take advantage of Hong Kong’s unique position at a global crossroads. After a distinguished education in the celebrated Paris kitchens of Alain Passard, Guy Savoy and Pierre Gagnaire, Ekkebus has discovered an appreciation for the tempo of Chinese cuisine. “Coming from Europe, everything in Hong Kong moves quicker. The fish goes from swimming in a bucket to frying in the pan in an instant.” Cooking for his local clientele is as challenging as meeting the exacting standards of Parisians, “because here the people have delicate palates. They are quite discerning but they can get as excited as I do about exceptional products.”

Taking maximum advantage of the annual seasons between the northern and southern hemispheres, Ekkebus refreshes the Amber menu every three months. Expect a mix of fruits from Europe or Southeast Asia with Japanese seafood. “Every single day we get a shipment of fresh fish straight from Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, then we prepare it in the French tradition but lighter, to suit local taste and with our own intuitive touch.” Running through a recent menu, Ekkebus explains, “Each dish here is product driven. Truffles in the summer come from Tasmania then between December and March, from Prigord. We get blue lobster from Brittany in September when the sea is calm.”

The emphasis on seafood, such as scallop ceviche with avocado cream, kyuri cucumber and smoky bay oysters, satisfies current preferences for healthy cuisine and comes from the chef’s upbringing by the seaside. Every ingredient is purposeful and recipes are minimalist yet indulgent, like duck foie gras ravioli simmered with black truffles over a creamy violet artichoke in poultry velout and of course the Valrhona Albinao 85% chocolate souffl.

To satisfy the hectic Hong Kong lifestyle, the Amber team has developed a power lunch and to please the more committed palate, there are multi-course banquets and an ever-changing 9-course degustation menu that is sophisticated but will not overload. These can be paired with classic old world vintages as well as labels unique to Hong Kong like Mount Mary from Australia’s Victoria State. Amber is the only place in Hong Kong to sip this artisanal production. The Sommelier explains that Amber wine pairings work because “Ekkebus possesses a deep and insightful understanding of how food and wine lift up one another when matched harmoniously.”

These many attributes collectively led to Amber’s Michelin star winning streak. The global accolades are greatly appreciated, says Ekkebus, “but the greatest compliment is an Amber diner’s desire to come back and taste more dishes.”

Cuisine:
French

Chef:
Richard Ekkebus

Work Time:
Breakfast: Monday to Sunday: 07:00 - 10:30
Lunch: Monday to Sunday: 12:00 - 14:30
Dinner: Monday to Sunday: 18:30 - 22:30

Location:
7th floor, hotel The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

Details:
Dress code: smart casual