Salivating dishes @Seasons by Olivier Elzer

Address: Shop 308, 3/F, Phase 2, Lee Garden, 2-38 Yun Ping Rd, Causeway Bay

Website: www.seasonsbyolivier.com

French cooking embodies a joyous and fine dining experience, celebrating intricate techniques, deliciousness and beautiful presentation. One year since Seasons opened its doors at Lee Gardens, this autumnal inspired restaurant continues to bring us innovative and seasonal cooking.

Sporting one Michelin star, chef Olivier Elzer; co-founder and formerly head chef of Pierre Mandarin Oriental and L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon, dazzles us with a less formal version of french fine-dining. Dishes on the menu follow a similar style to L’Atelier de Jöel Robuchon, while incorporating asian touches and elements of french home-cooking.

Seasons offers a seasonal tasting menu, set Menu and a-la-carte. You can either pick 4, 6 or 8 courses (if you are extra hungry) for the tasting menu and also opt for wine pairing for an extra HK$300-800. If you have a more modest budget, the a-la-carte ranging from HK$100- 500 per person, may be for you.

As you arrive, you are greeted by friendly staff and a bread basket, warm and fresh out of the oven, just waiting for you to dive in!

 

It’s the new year and everyone’s trying to diet. Just one look at this basket and you have to try some, and the meal hasn’t even started yet!

Crispy potato sheets, Pretzels, Brioche, Croissants… Seasons often changes their bread assortment, keeping us coming back for more!

 

 

What we ate:

A-la-carte: Rotisserie (roasted) Yellow Chicken with Thyme & Garlic Butter

 

Melt-in your mouth, crispy skin and aromatic thyme and butter. Simply divine!

Rotisserie Chicken can often be dry or have burnt skin, but this chicken, you just can’t get enough! The glistening skin and thyme butter scent lingers in the air as your Chicken arrives at the table.

Highly recommended for sharing, as the chicken is quite big!

 

Tasting Menu (Carte Blanche)- 6 Courses 

1. Seared Japanese Tuna with 7 spice crust

• Poppy seeds and sesame spice crust, set on a bed of radish cream, coriander and braised fennel.
• Moroccan, Japanese inspired flavours, with tangy fennel to add crunch and freshness.
• Tuna was seared just right, with a semi-cooked tuna centre, topped with fresh herbs to add colour. Definitely a dish that celebrates quality Tuna, with a prefect balance of sweet, savoury and spiciness.

2. Black Truffle Onsen Egg

• Shaved Black Truffle with a low temperature cooked egg, carbonara emulsion topped with crispy spaghetti. 
• Luxury comfort food in a bowl! I was so excited that I started without taking a photo (hence the half-eateness)!
• Nutty French black truffles paired with a creamy smoky carbonara sauce, then wrapped around by the blanket of rich Onsen egg. Simply NOMTASTIC! the Spaghetti chips added texture and helped round out the dish.

3. Frog-legs en croute with garlic and Spinach pureé

• Almond crusted frog-legs with a light and airy pureé, potato cubes, garlic and onion.
• Yes, frog-legs. They are not your average item on the menu, but trust me you have to try them!
• Slightly peppery crust, that is extremely crispy and thin, encasing the tender and meaty frog-legs. Paired with a pond of Spinach pureé that you can dip into, buttery and rich. This is the perfect finger food that you can never get enough of!

4. Sea Urchin Risotto with Artichoke and Nori.

• Hokkaido Uni topped with Nori and Paprika, with a surprise bed of Artichoke at the bottom. 
• Sea Urchin!! Served in its shell with a creamy Urchin cream sauce and slightly tart artichoke to offset the richness.
• A mix of a hot and cold Uni sensation, with pops of citrus coming through. Who can say no!? Just the size of one piece of Uni is half my finger!

5. Wagyu Beef with Foie Gras, Potato Mousseline and Black truffle.

• This is the epitome of luxury and French fine-dining. Extremely fine and airy potato mousse spread on the bottom, topped with Wagyu beef, foie gras and a potato macaron and lattice. Black truffle shavings on top.
• Foie Gras: Crispy on the outside and melt-in-your mouth as you bite into it.
• Wagyu Beef: tender and seasoned well, not too salty or fatty. Paired with a rich reduction that can only be described as condensed beef flavour!
• Potato lattice and macaron: a very technical and skilled element. The Lattice was fine and crispy, without being greasy or burnt. The Macaron, fine and light, was also a very innovative and original piece added to the dish, for extra texture and complexity.

6. Deconstructed Strawberry cheesecake, served with homemade Sponge fingers

• Japanese strawberries paired with Mascarpone cream, raspberry nuggets and a biscuit crumb. Side of Sponge fingers for dipping. 
• A well conceived dessert. Light, airy Mascarpone cream paired with crispy and savoury biscuit crumbs, sweet Japanese strawberries and crispy tangy raspberry nuggets.
• Great alone or scooped up by a crispy yet soft sponge finger, that is not too sweet. Really makes you feel like a child again!

Verdict:

Seasons encompasses both quality produce and dining experience. Using intricate techniques and fresh ingredients, while in keeping with seasonality. This is French cooking at its finest. Set in an autumnal vibe, still comfortable and homey, gone is the pretentious vibe of most fine-dining establishments. This is definitely a restaurant that serves humble and great quality cooking, that is well deserving of its Michelin star!