dishes that are tailored for Asian
palates without forgetting the French
roots of each dish,” Elzer explains
once the midday crowd has dissipated.
That merging of cultures and
continents appears in a piece of
grilled tuna liberally sprinkled with
five spices, crushed avocado and
crispy shallots, all meant to be mixed
into a single bite. The restaurant
itself is divided into an area that
peers into the open kitchen and a
more discrete half where the suits
solve their financial puzzles, a glass
of red in hand. You can’t help but feel
that Elzer, who has lived in Hong
Kong for 11 years now, is trying to
insinuate some French dining
culture, one with a twist, onto the
South China coast. A starter of snails
with cherry tomatoes and chicken
labels on offer and a strong collection
of more than 100 champagnes
resting in a climate-controlled glass
room next to the kitchen just waiting
to be uncorked. If that weren’t
enough Gallic flair, 25 varieties of
cheese are the savory bookend to any
meal. Pourquois pas?ONE LEVEL AWAY, the 100-seat Run
might at first glance appear the lesser
of the two restaurants with its
Cantonese dishes, but do not be
deceived: equal attention has been
paid to every corner of its vast menu.
Where L’Envol relishes its wine list,
for instance, Run does the same with
its Chinese tea selection. While French
cuisine is known for its set-in-stone
intricacies, Cantonese is normally
much more straightforward—yet,
Run proves that not all har gau is
made the same. Did you know that the
translucent-skinned dumplings
should have at least seven, preferably,
10 pleats? How something as simple
as dim sum can be elevated to an
entirely other level is a question I pose
to executive Chinese chef Hung Chi
Kwong. “I think my cooking style is
very traditional,” he says, “but the
presentation of the dishes is quite
modern.” In part that explains anEgg and beef
jelly in a
wasabi cream
at L’Envol.Keeping an
eye on things:
Chef Olivier
Elzer.mushrooms arrives before me
unrecognizable: gone are the shells;
instead the dish is presented with the
idea that you eat everything on it. It’s
not a difficult ask. Among the four
main courses on the set menu,
roasted Iberico pork pluma, with
black garlic and rosemary sits very
well, even more so after sommelier
Tristan Pommier suggests an
accompanying glass of Burgundy.
Aside from the obviously French
ingredients Elzer has in his kitchen,
he relies on seafood from Hokkaido,
Kagoshima beef and even in-season
Australian truffles.
Regardless of its Hong Kong
address, L’Envol is undeniably
French. Pommier is quick with
recommendations when it comes to
wine—there are more than 800