'Le Lievre a la Royale' Long Lunch
cafe EPURE, Shop 403, inside Epure, Level 4, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Tasted Wednesday, November 30, 2022 by Goldstone with 111 views
Introduction
Six of us got together for our annual long lunch to celebrate a very traditional seasonal dish of casseroled Hare done two ways in its own blood and with Foie Gras, accompanied by a very traditional and rich French Onion Soup with aged Comte cheese and black truffle. There's always a bit of a competition amongst French chefs over this dish but Chef Fabien at Epure excelled himself.
Flight 1 - Aperitif (2 Notes)
Enjoying on the terrace in the cooler but sunny and newly-arrived drier Winter weather.
Flight 2 - Le Tartare de Beouf (2 Notes)
Excellent dish that went well with each of the contrasting wines drank in sequence.
Flight 3 - Mushroom Cappuchino
Wow...this intermezzo was something really silence creating. You would swear it had espresso coffee in it but it was simply French mushrooms that Chef Fabien had reduced to a 1-24th volume essence using a laborious Japanese technique then simply fresh cream added....wow!
The Condrieu, Clos de Vougeot and the remainders of the 2 Champagnes paired with with it perfectly.
Flight 4 - Gratinee D'Oignons Au Vieux Comte (1 Note)
A super-comforting and very layered dish....very evocative of 'Grandmere' recipes.
Flight 5 - Le Lievre a la Royale (1 Note)
This was a stupendous dish....Chef Fabien managed to accomplish an element of lightness to what is usually a very heavy, gamey dish.
Flight 6 - Le Brie Truffle Blanche (1 Note)
Copious Alba white truffle shaved over gorgeous premium Brie.
Flight 7 - More cheese...Vacherin Du Hauts-Doubs (often known as Mont D'or)
Chef Fabien prepared this fondue-style in its round wooden box imprpmptu at our table....blending Armagnac and Alba white truffle into a round of runny artisanal cow's cheese from the Jura region.....it is made in the winter when the cows come down off the mountain but don't have enough milk to produce Comte cheese. Wow, this was good!. An experience I'll remember for years.
We continued with the remainders of our 3 reds for this dish, which also complimented the 2 whites for those who had kept some in their glasses.
Flight 8 - Cigars (2 Notes)
Closing
Bravo, Chef Fabien! And great that we could enjoy a table on the terrace overlooking Victoria Harbour. A great lunch with some super wines and cigars very generously contributed by all.
2002 Françoise Bedel Champagne L'âme de la Terre 92 Points
France, Champagne
Quite mature-looking pronounced golden yellow colour. Drank as an aperitif but would have beneffited from light food such as Prawn Cevice or Scallop Carpaccio. Shows some age in terms of a fast-dissipating mousse but it’s still there if you swirl the glass. Still nicely languorous and persistent streams of bubbles. Nice nutty nose, lightly roasted hazelnuts, some oak, nicely matured. Predominantly Pinot Noir. Lots of character. Much more mature than 2002 DP or Cristal and I think it is probably at peak maturity. Lovely. My first time with this producer. 92+ Thanks, Pierre!
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2008 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 94 Points
France, Champagne
Drank as a second aperitif to follow a 2002 Francoise Bedel L'Ame de la Terre. Muted mousse but very lively tiny bubbles in copious, persistent streams bursting with visual energy. Light yellow gold. Nose is high piano notes ozone and sea breeze with yellow meadow flowers. Palate is REALLY scintillating, petillante mouthfeel, chalky, really lively and refreshing. Too young to demonstrate the signature Winston Churchill weight. Very satisfying and has a hugely long life ahead of it to mature and improve. 94+. Thanks, Hans!
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