I made a short trip to Hong Kong last week and had a chance to dine in "Amber" at Landmark Mandarin Oriental. It ranked 37th of the Top 50 Best Restaurants by S. Pellegrino in 2011, and the only Hong Kong restaurant among the top 50. I do not always believe in Michelin stars or other ranking stuff, but this place was certainly worth visiting.
Their degustation menu was a series of pleasant surprise. Beautifully prepared dishes with high level of artistry that taste good. When you pursue artistry you tend to overdo and sometimes lose the texture of ingredients, but it is not the case with Amber. I saw in their cuisine a delicacy that was common with Japanese cuisine, with a touch of the season. Ambiance and service were also good.
The 8-course degustation menu must be very filling. We skipped two and went with 6 courses, but it was still good enough (for gentlemen, too) especially with two desserts at the end.
Amber www.amberhongkong.com
