(Bloomberg) -- This review was originally published on Sept. 20 as part of the Hong Kong Edition newsletter.
It’s becoming easier to have a decent meal with an ESG client or specialist.
Feuille is one of four restaurants in Hong Kong bestowed at least one Michelin star and a "green" insignia, which acknowledges restaurants' sustainability practices. It and Mora, which we reviewed a while back, won their Michelin stars for the first time this year.
Last week, I took a contact who’s an avid reader of this newsletter to Feuille, taking a break from the CLSA Investors’ Forum. What we found was a much needed zen moment, which for me, evoked memories of the lush farmlands in the southern Chinese province of Hunan I grew up seeing.
The menu at Feuille, which is French for “leaf,” is inspired by the lifecycle of plants. Appetizers are full of seeds and roots, main dishes are infused with stems and leaves, while desserts are made of flowers and fruits. One odd thing was that it served bread after the starters.
The bill came to HK$2,066 for the two of us as we upgraded our main dishes. Otherwise it would have been HK$688 a head for the set lunch.
The restaurant opened last year in Central by David Toutain, who also runs his eponymous two-Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris.
The vibe: The nature-inspired interior, designed by the folks at Neri & Hu who sketched out some of Blue Bottle’s cafes in China, is calming and complemented the sporadic views of the water sandwiched between the high-rise buildings in Sheung Wan.
Who’s next to you: There were two English-speaking women who catching up with each other. A Mandarin-speaking couple was at another table, likely in town for sightseeing. Casual wear is fine.
Can you conduct a meeting here? Yes, it is quiet and discreet, and a nice place to gossip or just chat. For parties of two, the restaurant has oval-shaped tables that have diners sitting side by side, which I didn’t like, so we changed to a normal round table. The oval tables are also spaced too close to each other so I would avoid them.
What we’d order again: The signature cumin and sweet corn egg, which might have been inspired by the chef’s Normandy upbringing, was fantastic, and the flavors melted in the mouth.
The scallops with green peas and wild garlic was quite refreshing, and I loved how soft and glutinous they felt in my mouth. The three yellow chicken and cep mushroom with truffle on top was also quite impressive.
The main dish, saffron spiny lobster (extra HK$290), arrived on the table still smoking. The rosemary and citrus flavors were almost overpowering, but with the lobster, it worked.
For dessert, we got the hazelnut and chocolate, with an herby ice cream that reminded me of beef jerky because it was stuffed with what I believe was fennel. I found it to be a surprisingly delightful combination, but my guest hated it, saying it was just too heavy.
Need to know: Feuille is located on the fifth floor of the Wellington, 198 Wellington Street. It’s in the same building as Vea, the Chairman and Whey, which we reviewed previously. It’s open Mondays through Saturdays for lunch from noon to 3 p.m., and dinner from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
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