La Petite Maison: A Touch of the Med in Central Hong Kong
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Summary: La Petite Maison Hong Kong, the latest outpost of the Southern France institution, offers crisp service, delectable...
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Nick Walton takes a table at Central Hong Kong culinary sensation La Petite Maison, the latest outpost of the Southern France institution, and finds crisp service, delectable cuisine and an unforgettable vibe transported straight from the Med.

Business travellers visiting Hong Kong are spoiled for choice when it comes to corporate entertaining, from captivating chef-driven restaurants, and hidden gems that offer a sense of place, to world-class steakhouses with staggering views and multi-concept gastronomic destinations. However, one venue that diners – especially those spending the company’s dime – shouldn’t look past is Central’s La Petite Maison, the Hong Kong outpost of the original Nice eatery that has since been exported to London, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Istanbul and Miami.

A Touch of the French Riviera

The first thing you notice when approaching La Petite Maison Hong Kong is the vibe; diners linger at the patio and crowd the bar, and every seat in the house is occupied which means booking a table well in advance is advisable. People come to this glamorous eatery for a variety of reasons, but the vibe, which is a little Promenade des Anglais and a little Rodeo Drive, is certainly chief among them.

La Petite Maison isn’t new; it opened in Hong Kong’s H Queen’s tower in late 2018 and has managed to navigate a difficult year in the city while still cementing its place as one of Central’s most sophisticated dining destinations. At this Southern French and Niçoise restaurant, led by Chef Patron Raphael Duntoye and Hong Kong Chef Maurizio Pace, dishes laced with Mediterranean produce, a cocktail list that pays homage to summers on the Riviera, an army of bustling wait staff, and elegant, luxurious interiors by Maxime Dautresme come together to create a seamless dining experience.

While corporate diners will probably prefer one of the main dining room’s larger tables, which are located near the open kitchen, it’s a beautiful evening so after a couple of perfect martinis at the standing-room-only bar, we make our way out to one of a handful of tables located on a deep-set patio that overlooks Stanley Street.

Summer’s in the Air

The meal commences with a new seasonal cocktail; for summer the restaurant has added to its extensive rosé wine selection while also conjuring up some pretty spectacular cocktails, including the Tomatini, a blend of fresh tomato juice, vodka, balsamic sugar, cane syrup, salt and pepper, garnished with a fresh cherry tomato. It’s a little sweet after the martinis but has to be the best tomato-based cocktail I’ve ever had and makes the classic Bloody Mary look positively uncouth.

With the arrival of our first dishes sommelier Juwan Kim recommends a dry rosé from Provence, which complements a host of Hors D’Oeuvres, including Poulpe Finement Tranché, thinly sliced octopus in zesty lemon oil; Crevettes Tièdes à l’Huile d’Olive, warm spliced prawns in olive oil taken from the original Nice restaurant’s menu; and Croquettes de Brandade, moreish salt cod croquettes with oven-roasted pepper relish. The octopus and prawns are both heavenly; light and delicate, the seafood’s natural flavours are accentuated by the oil dressings, herbaceous hints of basil, and touches of French sea salt, while the croquettes have just the right among of crunch before revealing feather-light fish filling.

La Petite Maison Hong Kong

Crevettes Tièdes à l’Huile d’Olive

Dishes that Capture Coastal Living

Next up is Gnocchi à la Tomate Fraîche, gnocchi with cherry tomato. While the light and fragrant tomato sauce was perfect for a late summer evening, we found the gnocchi to be a little overcooked, which meant each little potato parcel was mushy rather than al dente. The Salade de Haricots Verts au Foie Gras, a salad of French beans and foie gras, in contrast, was spectacular, with tiny cubes of liver melting in the mouth and offset by the crunch of the blanched and seasoned beans and the earthy sweetness of a balsamic reduction.

For something more substantial, we opt for Daurade entière au Citron, whole sea bream baked en papillote with lemon, herbs and olive oil and topped with a zesty fennel salad; and Coquelet au Citron Confit, roast baby chicken marinated in lemon and spatchcocked to make it easier to share. The sea bream is brilliant, the flesh falling away yet retaining a juicy substantial texture, the oil cut by the citrus. The chicken is equally divine, with hints of caramelization in the crispy skin elevated by the sweetness of preserved lemon.

La Petite Maison Hong Kong

Gnocchi à la Tomate Fraîche

Dining for Every Occassion

La Petite Maison’s menu is extensive and highlights worthy of a second visit include the Niçoise Salad, another house signature made with triple A-grade confit tuna, fresh anchovies, soft boiled eggs and a dressing made from tuna stock that’s served in a hand-blown glass dish; the rack of lamb served with spiced cous cous and kalamata olive marinade; and Ratatouille et Feta, Mediterranean vegetables marinated in olive oil and delicately stacked around Greek feta.

Silky potatoes gratin round off our meal and leave little room for dessert – which ranges from French toast with spiced ice cream to rich yet velvety cheesecake – offering the perfect excuse to return to a sensational Central restaurant where the season is always summer.

1/F, H Queen’s, 23-29 Stanley Street, Central, Hong Kong; Tel: +852 2887 1113.

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About the Author

Nick Walton

Nick Walton is Group Managing Editor of Artemis Communications, a leading boutique magazine and content solution company and publisher of The Art of Business Travel. A former travel editor of the South China Morning Post, he heads up the group's travel and lifestyle magazines, which include Alpha Men Asia, The Edition, Mirandus, Ikhlas, The Journal and Explorer Magazine.