A hidden French bistro draws inspiration from Japanese seafood

I first glanced at the wine menu, which is de rigeur in a French restaurant. As expected, it was dominated by French vintages with a couple of reds, whites and sparklings by the glass. What was refreshing was how many bottles were affordable at around the HK$350-600 ($45-77) range for a fairly decent label. I also liked that there were plenty of spirits to choose from.

For those stopping by just for drinks, there are cheese, sausage and cold-cut platters to snack on. We were seeking more substantial sustenance, so we opted for the set menu with its six choices each of starters, mains and dessert.

I was in the mood for soup, and went with squid soup with chestnuts, mandarin and chrysanthemum. We were first served a complimentary amuse bouche of tuna sashimi that was balanced with lean and fatty fish. It did a good job of whetting my appetite.

My soup was full of unami, the robust broth contrasting perfectly with the tempura style of the chrysanthemum greens and squid chunks.

We then received another complimentary surprise in the form of pan-seared frog legs, immaculately frenched so that we could pick them up and eat them delicately. The meat was plump and juicy, and tasted like very succulent chicken.

With the menu dominated by seafood, I was hankering for some meat and chose Hugo's beef with smoked garlic, enoki, sea snails and nori for my main course. Seared on the outside and juicy-pink on the inside, the beef was melt-in-the-mouth delicious. The scattering of seaweed and garlic gave the dish a lovely crunch while the mushrooms balanced out the textures. The dot of fresh-ground pepper to one side was both artistic and palette pleasing.

After a couple of bites of the ripe camembert, I dove into my Dacquoise with vanilla cream and nougatine. Our waiter assured us that it was like macaroons elevated to an art form and I agreed, relishing its lighter-than-air puffiness with a faint dusting of icing sugar.

We wanted to thank Serge for his efforts, but found out that "Serge" was actually the name of the owner's kindergarten-age son. Maybe Serge is already being groomed for the kitchen, as his dad's restaurant will surely spawn success.

IF YOU GO

Serge et le Phoque

Shop B2, G/F, Tower 1, The Zenith, 3 Wanchai Road, Wanchai, 852-5465-2000

Average cost per person: HK$550 for four course set menu

Recommended:

Dacquoise with vanilla cream and nougatine

Red Snapper with Kabocha, Clams, Sesame and Passion Fruit and Squid Soup