Important Update From the Founder

My Birthday Lunch

Amber Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Landmark, Central, Hong Kong

Tasted March 28, 2021 by Goldstone with 78 views

Introduction

Herald and Teni hosted us for a lovely lunch for us at Michelin** Amber.

It turned out as a beautiful Sunday afternoon experience but wasn't helped initially by the restaurant creating an embarrassing situation when they weren't at all keen to serve the '71 Barolo I had pre-decanted unless we bought another wine from their list, despite the fact the menu Herald had selected included a US$150 per person wine pairing. In the end we bought the cheapest bottle we could find off their list and took it home. Madness.

Flight 1 - Aperitif & Amuse Bouche (1 note)

The quality of the 'house' Champagne and the first dish calmed us down somewhat.

White - Sparkling

N.V. Bruno Et Christiane Olivier Champagne Blanc de Noirs Zéro Dosage France, Champagne

90 points

This note is for the Blanc de Noirs 'Zero Dosage' which is the signature house Champagne at Amber Restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Landmark hotel in Hong Kong - too difficult on CellarTracker to create a separate wine.

Distinct gold colour. Loads of tiny bubbles. Nose of fresh straw, chalk and ozone. Very crisp and dry palate but would not have identified it as zero dosage. Very refreshing. Very more-ish. Nice buzz inside the head on the finish. A lovely Sunday lunchtime Champagne for a Michelin** restaurant.

Comment

Flight 2 - Matsuba Kani "Heirloom Beetroot", "Granny Smith" apple, Caviar, Horseradish (1 note)

An exquisite Japanese-inspired dish...shame about the wine pairing, which wasn't of a quality to do the dish justice.

White

2018 Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon Mâcon-Villages France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Villages

87 points

Light silver gold. Nose is is very muted melted unsalted butter, fresh lemon skin, seashell. Palate is run of the mill, slightly salty, medium acidity, crushed seashell. No real length. Nothing wrong with it in terms of a Macon Villages in the hands of a competent winemaker but nothing of interest and I didn't finish the initial glass even though it was on free pour....the Champagne was notably better, including with the food. My score would be much lower if I factored in the Michelin** restaurant price charged.

Comment

Flight 3 - Preserved Black Winter Truffle, 'Black Trumpet Mushrooms' Fregola Sarda 'cuttlefish', Black Lava Sea Salt (1 note)

This dish blew us away.....beautifully served in gold Japanese small bowls, a combination of Sardinian risotto and fresh cuttlefish which counterpointed each other wonderfully in terms of texture.

Unfortunately, the wine the restaurant paired with this was seriously inferior to the level of embarrassing.

Red

2016 Cantine Riondo Amarone della Valpolicella Castelforte Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella

85 points

Transparent bright ruby. Nose is very youthful, all fruit and not much else. Palate is very rich, raisins, stollen, very Amarone but in a pastiche way. Way too young and headachey....but can't see how age may improve it. To be fair, Amarone is not my bag but I can appreciate a good one. Didn't bother finishing the glass. Ridiculously disappointing given it was part of a US$150 3-flight wine pairing at Michelin** Amber restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Landmark in Hong Kong.

Comment

Flight 4 - Piedmont Milk-Fed Veal, Sweetbreads, Bell Pepper 'Fruit Tomato' and Nerigoma Japanese 'Winter Leek' (1 note)

This dish was simply stunning....simple and stunning. By serendipity, the wine I had brought matched the region of the exquisite veal. Wow, a really special dish.

Red

1971 Marchesi di Barolo Barolo Riserva Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

95 points

Decanted briefly and negotiated a troublesome crumbled but intact cork before re-bottling and taking to the restaurant for my birthday lunch. Semi transparent dusky but jeweled ruby. Tar, roses, fresh strawberries, so sniffable...some red earth slightly damp. Palate is still heavily tannic structure and somewhat faded tertiary fruit, cranberries, tart but alluring and didn't fade at all with extended time in the glass. Very long and head-expandingly resonant and reverberant. Wow! Endless. It took us into the edges of 'silence creating' territory, which is my highest praise for a wine. 95+

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Flight 5 - Dekopan,'Mango' 'Heirloom Carrot' 'Caviar lime' Saffron, Tapioca, Manni Olive Oil (0 notes)

A very Japanese-inspired dessert which went beautifully with the Champagne.

Closing

Fortunately the really impressive quality of the food transcended the restaurant's messed-up approach to accommodating serious wine afficionados.

My Birthday Lunch

Amber Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Landmark, Central, Hong Kong

Introduction

Flight 1 - Aperitif & Amuse Bouche (1 note)

Flight 2 - Matsuba Kani "Heirloom Beetroot", "Granny Smith" apple, Caviar, Horseradish (1 note)

Flight 3 - Preserved Black Winter Truffle, 'Black Trumpet Mushrooms' Fregola Sarda 'cuttlefish', Black Lava Sea Salt (1 note)

Flight 4 - Piedmont Milk-Fed Veal, Sweetbreads, Bell Pepper 'Fruit Tomato' and Nerigoma Japanese 'Winter Leek' (1 note)

Flight 5 - Dekopan,'Mango' 'Heirloom Carrot' 'Caviar lime' Saffron, Tapioca, Manni Olive Oil (0 notes)

Closing

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