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DESTINASIAN.COM – AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019
to bring diners traditional French food of
the highest order. The venue, a two-story
heritage building in Central’s PMQ retail
development, features elegant interiors
by star Hong Kong designer André Fu.
Downstairs is a tropical-inspired lounge
and terrace, best for cocktails or a glass
of wine from an impressive list, while the
upstairs dining room is a light and airy art
deco–style parlor with a handful of out-
door balcony tables. Executive chef Franck-
elie Laloum, previously at the Ritz-Carlton
in Tokyo, executes Royer’s haute-humble
menu with aplomb. Pâté en croûte shows off
the kitchen’s charcuterie and pastry skills,
and angel-hair pasta comes with a gener-
ous scoop of Kristal caviar. The dish most
likely to attain icon status, however, is the
poulet jaune rôti, or roasted Hong Kong yel-
low chicken, a golden beauty of a bird that
may one day rival its more famous cousins
at Daniel Humm’s NoMad restaurant in
New York, or L’Ami Louis in Paris (35 Aber-
deen St., Central; 852/2866-0300; louise.hk).
MR BROWN
The buzz is palpable the moment you step
inside this sultry dining room in Wan Chai.
Cool twenty- and thirtysomethings perch
on counter seats with ringside views of the
kitchen action, or lounge in banquettes enjoying animated
conversation. Urban interiors feature industrial timber walls,
brick floors, and flattering lighting. Upbeat tunes, from De-
peche Mode to Hercules and the Love Affair, add to the good
times. The star of the show, however, is the large charcoal- and
gas-fueled grill and oven turning out terrific barbecue dishes
that have made the restaurant a smoking-hot success. Found-
ed by the trio behind nearby Francis—maître d’ James Ward,
chef Asher Goldstein, and sommelier Simone Sammuri—Mr
Brown retains its sister restaurant’s Mediterranean and Mid-
dle Eastern character while being more international. Meat,
seafood, and vegetables get equal billing in dishes like mini
Ibérico pork muffins, raw hamachi covered in leek ash, and
grilled eggplant with miso tahini. The kohlrabi, sliced and cov-
ered in a creamy pecorino-and-hazelnut sauce, is excellent, as
is the 12-hour-smoked brisket. Although the table turnover
policy can be tight on weekends, Mr Brown is well worth the
detour for a great night out (9 Ship St., Wan Chai; 852/3101-1081;
mrbrownhk.com).RAJASTHAN RIFLES
The Peak may be Hong Kong Island’s top tourist attraction,
but it has long been a culinary low point. Things are looking
up, however, with the opening of Rajasthan Rifles, an Anglo-
Indian-themed restaurant at the redeveloped Peak Galleria.
Inside is a sepia-tinted mix of red brick, dark woods, and
memorabilia meant to evoke army mess halls of yesteryear.
A dog-friendly terrace affords views of the city skyline, when
hordes of tourists aren’t in your way. The menu, overseen by
chef Palash Mitra of one-Michelin-starred New Punjab Club
in Central, features crowd-pleasers like butter chicken and
samosas, though it’s the hybrid dishes created under British
colonial rule that pique the most interest. Superb mulliga-
tawny is a mild curry soup studded with pieces of chicken,
celery, and rice. A sizzling hotplate of spice-rubbed salmon
comes with thick-cut chips, as does a heavily crumbed chick-
en cutlet, inspired by the schnitzel-like kabiraji of Kolkata.
It’s accessible food with the heat dialed down, though not at
the expense of flavor. Accompany your meal with a minted
Pimm’s Cup or a gin and tonic, naturally (The Peak Galleria,
118 Peak Rd.; 852/2388-8874; rajasthanrifles.com.)Above: The downstairs
lounge at chef Julien
Royer’s first Hong Kong
venture, Louise, which
serves “reimagined”
traditional French
cuisine. Below: Kitchen-
side seating at Mr Brown,
a buzzy neighborhood
restaurant in Wan Chai.GOOD TO GO TOP TABLESCOURTESY^ OF^ LOUISE;^ COURTESY^ OF^ MR^ BROWN