[Hong Kong] Vasco Fine Dining

Rating: ❤❤❤❤1/2


Besides Isono Eatery & Bar, Vasco Fine Dining is the other restaurant from the Drawing Room Concepts located in PMQ. Led by Chef Paolo Casagrande of 2 Michelin star Larsarte Restaurant in Barcelona, Vasco offers Spanish gastronomy in an upscale eatery which reminds me of a luxurious train compartment with its sleek and modern metallic decor. Booths with lush sofa seats are spaced out for a private and exclusive dining experience. 

I made reservations for lunch online which was convenient as I can see right away whether spots were available or not. On the day before, I received a call confirming my booking and reminding me that the dress code for guys is smart casual (no shorts, no sleeveless shirts, no flip flops). Lunch at Vasco is priced at $329 for 2 courses and $369 for 3 courses. 

I love the huge amount of natural light coming from the windows. 

A glimpse into one of their two private dining rooms. So cool and futuristic!

I thought this was the amuse bouche at first but turned out that this was just some things for us to whet our appetite. With caviar stuffed olives, grissini wrapped with iberico ham, chili roasted pistachios and foie gras crispy sandwiches, I was impressed with the care and thought that went into these innovative creations and we haven't even gotten to the real food yet. Off to a great start!

Before our bread came, 5 different kinds of olive oil were wheeled in front of our table for our choosing. I forgot what each of them were already but each one had a slightly different characteristic: one was creamier, one was more grassy, etc. I tried the 4th bottle from the left which was supposed to be creamier and it was good.

Our wheat sourdough bread arrived with 5 different kinds of butter! The sourdough bread was top-notch like the ones from Serge et Le Phoque but the butter was spectacular as well! From left to right: beetroot, spinach, tomato, porcini mushroom and plain. The butter was so soft and flavorful - my favorites were tomato and mushroom!


Our real amuse bouche of the meal was a pickled mussel in tomato sauce. The mussel was a tad too sour but the sweet tomato sauce helped to balance the flavors a little.

We were also given these roasted Iberico ham brioche which was aromatic but a bit dense in texture. I thought the roasted ham smelled and tasted like Chinese sausage!

Appetizers

Trout tartare - with orange, curd cucumber and trout caviar. The flavors were not bad but texture was too dense and with not enough sakura prawn crackers to spread it on, it was hard to finish it just by itself. 

Thin sliced cured duck breast - with radicchio salad, quail egg and spiced bread. I was afraid the cured duck breast would taste fatty but the tart and tangy sauce managed to balance it out perfectly plus I love the chewy texture of the duck!

Mains

Veal loin "a la plancha" - with roasted artichokes, olive oil mash potatoes and mustard sauce. The veal loin was a bit average in taste while the texture could be more tender as the meat was a bit tough. I had to spit out a chunk that I couldn't chew through at all. 

Sauteed prawns - with fresh peas ragout, curry and coffee emulsion. Loved how nicely seared the prawns were on the outside but would have been better if the insides were less cooked for that perfectly soft and bouncy texture. The emulsion went quite well with the prawns actually and not weird at all given the combination. 

Dessert

White chocolate and basil cream with mango sorbet and lime jelly - only I opted for the dessert and I chose this abstract painting of sweetness which reminds me of the desserts at ATUM Desserant. I love how intensely rich and thick the mango sorbet was but while each of the ingredients tasted great by themselves, we weren't sure if everything went well together. I mean the flavors didn't clash but at the same time didn't really come together cohesively either.

I was awe-inspired by this gorgeous glass casing which held our petit fours! We each got a roasted almond madeleine, blueberry soft jelly candy, and hazelnut toffee in red candy wrapper. I liked the hazelnut toffee the most as it was smooth and light but the blueberry jelly was really sour for some reason. 

Verdict - I came away very impressed with the immaculate care and thought that went into every single detail of this restaurant from the decor to the service and of course the food. I will definitely go back for dinner to try its full potential!

Vasco Fine Dining
7/F, Block B, PMQ
35 Aberdeen Street, Central
Tel: 2156 0888
http://www.vasco.com.hk/


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