Being the only revolving restaurant in Hong Kong is far from the only claim to fame to this reinvigorated establishment. On chef Paco Roncero’s watch, the buffet is out and the tasting menu is in.
Green pea soup with Iberico ravioli and ham
Hong Kong’s only revolving restaurant still commands great views from its perch at the top of the Hopewell Centre. But unlike during its previous incarnation, where buffet meals were served, dining here is no longer all about the slowly unfolding drama of Hong Kong island’s north-shore skyline and inky mountainous interior. We found that both the food and service at View 62 – pardon the pun – genuinely elevated the experience.
Michelin-starred consultant chef Paco Roncero, who worked with Ferran Adria and the cutting-edge team at El Bulli in Spain, and since established his own avant-garde culinary reputation in Madrid, presents European nouvelle cuisine that is not painfully scientific or over-pushy of its ‘molecular gastronomy’ associations. Rather, it playfully brings some surprises in flavor and texture, in-house executive chef Javier Carrizosa speaks about the dishes in a most down-to-earth manner.
Upon its launch last year, a nightly tasting menu was the only way to go at View 62; now a full a la carte listing has also been launched. From the tapas list, ‘our cockles with lemon’ is both unconventional and a signature – presented in an open tin, gelatinous skins dusted with black pepper contain the citric marinated shellfish that burst with assertive flavor. The moreish quail with soya sauce and spring onion uses Asian-influenced seasoning; thanks to slow cooking the breast and thighs of the fowl remain juicy and their reduced flavour coating sticky.
The soups we tried were among the best this writer has tasted outside top hotel restaurants. Chestnut with boletus (mushroom) and milk cinnamon foam is an inspired concoction of savoury and sweet layering and texture. Green pea with Iberico ravioli and 36-month-aged belotta ham sings with an uncommon strength of flavours, outshining the curiosity of the ravioli casing being constructed from transparent-rendered fat from the cured ham.
Of the rice and pasta selections, an excellent lobster dish features al dente spaghetti in a light cream and fresh herb sauce that also benefits from the crunch of the main ingredient. Mushroom, foie gras and truffle canelon in bechamel sauce is another popular choice.
More than half of the mains involve seafood. While lamb rack, raisin, spinach and pine nut sounded delicious – as did rabbit shoulder, garlic, vermouth and scampi – monkfish with three sauces (almond, pesto and aioli) with smoky grilled asparagus was my winning pick. A light recommended dessert is deconstructed carrot cake: sweet, foam-filled, short and crispy aerated candied cylinders with a granulated cinnamon sponge and carrot sorbet make a refreshing finish.
View 62 has just started a Sunday brunch, which can be enjoyed for HK$680 with non-alcoholic drinks or $880 with wine and Taittinger champagne (HK$320 for children aged below 12, with juices and soft drinks). Also new is a weekday three-course Signature Lunch set of soup or salad and main course of the day that alternates between meat, fish and pasta, starting from HK$250.
AMBIENCE
The killer view remains the highlight of this formal contemporary dining room. Cozy grazing is ruled out in such a vast circular space, though a lounge bar offers a more intimate spot for cocktails.
BEST FOR
A seriously good meal for any occasion.
BEST DISH
Soup of green pea with Iberico ravioli and ham.
WINE WITH YOUR MEAL?
Tattinger is the pouring champagne here. Besides the virgin cocktails listed, the bar will invent something on the spot according to teetotal diners’ preferences. Thirty to 40 percent of the wine cellar is from France. A number of interesting listings from Spain include a floral sauvignon blanc from Torres, which matures well with many of the seafood and poultry dishes. Penfolds Thomas Hyland Australian chardonnay has more depth, pairing well with lobster pasta and monkfish. For strong sauces and red meat, try Rosa de Azul y Garanza from Navarra, Spain, a dry assertive rose with noticeable tannin. Sommelier Roger Chan offers valuable and accessible wine advice.
CONTACT INFORMATION
View 62 by Paco Roncero
62/F, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
Tel: +852 25746262