NOI

International fine dining - at a very high level, with perfect techniques, by chef Paulo Airaudo. What happens when San Sebastian's most expensive restaurant opens a branch in Hong Kong? Naturally, it turns into Hong Kong's most expensive restaurant. No, Paulo Airaudo has never been coy or modest when it came to marketing his ventures - they use expensive, top end ingredients, he does not shy away from caviar, truffles, lobster, sea urchin, foie gras and wagyu and is actually quite proud of the fact. "Amelia 2.0", Hong Kong edition, is set in Four Seasons hotel, joining such established 3-star restaurants like Caprice and Lung King Heen. To get in that group you have to do nothing less than perfect. And Airaudo has always known how to make it work. Techniques are perfect - the tartlet casing is so fine it almost melts in your mouth and the chawanmushi with abalone and turnip tops in pork broth was perhaps one of the best I've had. The flavors are on point. There's even a slight nod to the Basque country here, with delicate tear peas that went so well with the sweet scallop and dashi, and perfectly seared lobster with salsa criolla that reminded me a bit of an Elkano appetizer (which is never a bad reference). Some of the dishes are the same as in Amelia in San Sebastian, some are slightly adjusted to ingredients you can source in this part of Asia. And you can bet your ass they are going to be top notch. Consistency is a big plus both at Amelia and at NOI, this drive for absolute perfection. Airaudo doesn't even try to incorporate some local traditions and very specific Chinese food items - and perhaps that's a good thing. You don't go to NOI, to an Argentinian chef, to have a Hong Kong experience (there are other restaurants there with locals at the helm who master that area), you go there for international fine dining - at a very high level.