WHISK  

Missed out on this year's Restaurant Week? Worry not, they're making a 1-week comeback from now till 24 March featuring 6 of the winners from the Restaurant Week in February. (One of them was already fully booked at the time of writing.)

This time I picked Whisk of The Mira Hong Kong, winner of the Best Hotel Restaurant category. I wasn't particularly interested at first, before I saw Restaurant Week menu at Whisk in which there were several vegetarian options. I, having become (half) vegetarian these days, could not be happier and reserved my spot for lunch.

(However the special dinner menu for the week has no veggie option unfortunately.)

We, two couples, went to Whisk to celebrate three birthdays; this was not our first time there but our first dinner. Upon arriving, we were shown to a table next to the stairs that lead to the kitchen, and asked right away if we could have a different table—too much kitchen smell, too close to the stairs, and too much traffic from the waiters. The restaurant was not full, and we were accommodated right away, with a table of the same size (rather large for four persons, which was nice), by the cash register.

While we were handed the menus, the waiter said “The chef has created a set menu especially for you!” We were a bit surprised, and when we asked, he said that, of course, no menu had been created *just for us* but that he was simply trying to recommend the set menu. The actual awkward part was that we asked him if any of the dishes contained poultry, as one of us is allergic to it; the waiter went back to the kitchen to ask, and came back to say that none of the dishes in the menu contained poultry … and he failed to notice that foie gras was part of the set. He did not seem concerned (or embarrassed) about this.

Following this, we asked for the sommelier, to get some advice on which wines would go well with the set menu (which we all decided to have). When we had been to Whisk before, the sommelier was a very knowledgeable and friendly Scotsman, but we were out of luck that evening. The Cantonese waiter’s way of recommending wine was as follows: “Do you like Chablis? [pointing at the wine list] There we have a Chablis. Or do you like Bordeaux? [pointing at the wine list again] Here we have a Bordeaux wine. It contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.” I’m really not sure who needs this kind of recommendations from a sommelier… very disappointing.

We all ordered the set menu (called Voyage, with every dish representing one European country); two of us all seven courses, one six-course set, and I only had five courses. Bread was brought—Whisk has a wonderful bread basket with white rolls, grainy whole wheat sticks, a spikey white bread, and two thin sheets of crispy goodness, plus pink cream cheese, chili butter, and yummy smoked butter. It was a bit odd that we first got one bread basket with two pieces of each bread on one side of the table, and a bit later another basket with one piece of each kind on the other side of the table.

There was an amuse-bouche; a deep yellow soup in an espresso cup: water cress and maroons, supposedly, which it really did not taste like, but it was great in both flavor and texture.The first course, “Scotland,” was a big disappointment. The oysters were fishy in all three servings, really low quality; the foie gras just some paté squeezed onto the oyster, in the shape of an earth worm. It tasted as bad as it looked. For the non-poultry person among us, it was just the oyster.The second course was much better. “Germany” had a good-sized portion of *the* perfect beef tartare (chopped! not ground), with dark bread dust and truffle shavings on top, as well as plenty of cute and tasty flowers and some interesting seaweed sponge cake next to it. Extremely tasty, beautiful, and balanced; a wonderful dish.“Italy” was next: deep fried calamari (nice batter, but it covered the taste of the calamari) with smoked red bell pepper puree, squid ink stains on the plate (it took some effort to scratch them off; they were very dried-on) and some weird puffed rice stuff that had too much chili on it. Overall tasty, though one of us really disliked the dish.“Spain” was great again: a large prawn with quinoa, an emulsion of milk, and pearls of olive oil. Lots of different tastes and textures that complemented each other wonderfully; the prawn was heavenly.Then came “Norway”: the mussels were cut up into small pieces and rolled into a cannelloni made of milk (yum!). On top were crumbs of smoked salmon and caramelized red onion, and a dot of very intense lemon sauce. Incredibly tasty, and also well balanced. One of us had barely any mussels in her cannelloni, and had no lemon on top, which we only noticed after we had all finished.“England” was maybe the oddest dish of them all. The lamb rack was more of a lamb fillet (not that I mind, but it’s rather odd … I only notice this while writing the review and looking at the menu again); a bit bland but a very nice piece of meat and cooked perfectly, still minimally bloody yet extremely tender. It was surrounded by pureed vegetables (carrots I assume—bland and overcooked), tasty mint oil that went well with the puffed sago on the plate, and with the interesting white stuff of which even the waiter was not able to find out what it was (initially, he said something about a particular kind of bean, then went to the kitchen to ask, and then said something completely different which I forgot, but like which it also didn’t taste). There was a stick of tomato jelly (*green* tomatoes was what it tasted like) decorated with flowers and thin slices of bean, and there were two or three sliced of lamb tongue underneath the vegetable puree. All of these were quite tasty, but there were so many different things on the plate that it was rather confusing. Two in our party found this dish extremely bland.Before “France”, the dessert, arrived, we got a pre-dessert treat: chocolate-covered ice cream, with some curry powder dusted on top. They went really well together (though not everybody in our party agreed with me). We had the last piece after the actual dessert and by then the ice cream inside had gotten a bit softer, which made it much tastier than when it arrived; it was also not rock solid anymore.

Dessert: “France” came in a large bowl and was a handful of very nice cake crumbles, some custard (a bit unexciting), two sticks of apple, a snake-shaped piece of apple gum, two somewhat soggy small macarons and a scoop of pear ice cream. The ice cream was the best part of the dish: refreshing, with tiny crunchy bits of pear and a very intense taste. I am not sure why there would be pear ice cream in a dish that’s called “apple tart,” but maybe someone just grabbed the wrong container from the freezer; the waiter told us it was apple ice cream…With coffee came another dessert: a small dish of crème brulée, a small pile of chocolate-covered hazelnuts, and a tiny lemon pie with a kind of soft meringue on top. All absolutely wonderful, though it was a lot of dessert.

And then they brought birthday cake! Which we did not manage to eat that evening; we took it home and had it the next day, and it was delicious. They seemed to have forgotten that we were celebrating *three* birthdays; they put the cake in front of one of us and wished her happy birthday.

Overall, our opinions about the evening were a bit divided. Two of us (including myself) found the food very good, creative, and nicely diverse; we loved the different textures and unexpected combinations. The other two found it too diverse, confusing, and without focus. Except for the oysters, though, the quality of the food was excellent, and except for some not-quite-ripe tomatoes, everything was very flavorful.

We all agreed on the fact that the service really needed some serious improvement. In addition to the sommelier story and the fact that one of the waiters poured way too much wine into two glasses just to finish the bottle, there was an overall lack of knowledge. Also, we sat for a while after we had finished our food and wine and coffee, and found the re-arranging of chairs and tables—preparing for the next day already—quite irritating.

Conclusion: great food, but very expensive; very disappointing service. Lunch was much better value for money.

It was only 7:30pm on Saturday evening when Mr. C and I decided to have dinner before catching a 10pm movie session at The Grand. Since there was quite a significant gap before the movie we felt there was plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely dinner at Whisk.

To be honest we were uncertain as to whether we could get a table since we had no reservation and it was prime time for dinner on a Saturday night. However the smiling hostess just welcomed us right in and it was no wonder, since even by the time we left there were still many tables left unoccupied.

We were seated inside the main dining area, while there were also 2-seater tables that line the side of the restaurant directly facing the entrance. Modern, with hanging crystal baubles on the side, they incorporated varying tones of grey into their decor resulting in a slightly cool and aloof ambiance.

We chose to have a la carte, selecting both appetisers and mains to share which is always a plus in my opinion as it leaves me no room to have food envy After placing our order, we were soon served their warm and toasty bread basket as well as the amuse bouche. Accompanying the bread they had two types of butter, smoked and chilli, with a dish of cream cheese. The bread was only so-so, the crust was baked too hard and it was a little dry, but I loved the cream cheese~

This quiet futuristic kitsch dining room was the perfect venue for a quick business lunch in TST.
We ordered from the business lunch menu $288@.

While we waited, we dug into the bread basket, which had something for everyone, white and wholemeal rolls, cheese baguette, squid ink lavosh to name a few. The salmon dip which came with it was rather bland, so I partook the bread au naturel.

We all chose the Mushroom Cappuccino for appetizer. It was liquid silk, and nicely paired with a slice of brandy snap.

For main course, I ordered grilled turbot with a tomato and fennel sauce. The fish was really tender, melt in my mouth. I requested some plain rice on the side, but this was not available.

My colleague ordered the Canadian pork chop with apple sauce. Unfortunately, it was tough and under-seasoned.

The highlight of our meal was the dessert. As usual, we ordered the sweetest, most chocolatey dessert on offer: chocolate brownies. The brownies were crumbled up amidst a mountain of chocolate ice cream and berries. It was great!

Cappuccino was served with complimentary madeleines, which were buttery but slightly dry.

This ecclectic culinary journey took exactly an hour, so we were happy.

1. Reserved for a table for seven one month ago.
2. They request to give them deposit for reservation purpose which is weird because it is not Holiday season.
3. Two phone calls with SMS are given to reconfirm your table even though i have already paid the deposit. I found this very irritating.
4. There are lots of choices of appetiters - caviars, lobster (not big enough), calms, salmon I love the BBQ section and the tiger prawn and suckling pig are very good. I can't help myself. The BBQ section is in the outside garden where you can eat over there. But given the hot weather, I prefer to sit inside.
5. Lots of beverage to choose from - Champagne, white wine (Australi); red wine (Spain); white sangria, baileys; mai tai, watermelon juice; organe jucie; softdrink. My personal favorite is the white sangria.
6. Main cousre - i have chosen the angus beef. So tender and juicy.
7. Desserts table is good - i love the raspberry chocolate and the earl grey chocolate cake.
8. Blue cheese in the bread & cheese corner is my favorite. I love the smell and it goes very well with the freshly baked bread.
9. Services are great. Actually you will get a glass of champagne when you walk in. Making you feel like an VIP.

Celebrate my mom's birthday, creative and in style.

I've been here for dinner twice, satisfied fine dining experience but not sure about their brunch. Luckily I decided to try, really good

Greeting was perfect, made us feel like VIP, their staffs remember my name and gave us each a glass of champagne at the entrance before showing us the seats, then introduced us the menu.

I'm so impressed by the drinks menu (very important for someone who drinks), apart from champagne, they offer wine and choices of cocktails, vodka, baileys....

Appetizers and Seafood, I'm sure this part is the most popular. Several types of caviar (Anchoviar, Ebiko, Moluga, Oscietra, Salmon Roe), plus chilled vodka...WOW

Oysters, lobsters, clams are all my favorites, and the smoked salmon, a Chef there responsible to serve in a prestige way. Salad table, the lobster and shrimp cocktail are very nice.

After rounds of oysters and caviar, time to try the BBQ. I don't really like suckling pig, but the one they served really surprised me, delicious! Grilled tiger prawns, perfect!

Time to order from the Eggs kitchen, thought it's nothing special but the scrambled egg with lots of cheese (my special request), they were serious about it.

Main course, usually these kind of semi-buffet, the main course quality is not that satisfied. However, please don't miss that here. We ordered lamb shoulders, cod fish and laksa (yes, Asian food), all were very good. Laksa was another surprise, very tasty and the scallop, was very big and fresh.

Cheese, cannot miss if you love cheese. They offer wide range of high quality cheese...100% satisfied

The only weakness was, the dessert was not that good (I didn't try but my sister did, she likes dessert and told me the
macaron was too sweet)

Plus DJ, excellent service...happy experience

Initially planned to have Sunday Brunch at Whisk, but it was not easy to find a good Sunday for it. So, we changed our plan, and went for lunch. When I made the reservation for a table, I was so surprised to know its lunch set is just priced $218 for 3 courses.

We were not too sure if the restaurant serves free water, so, my friend ordered sparkling water, and for me, warm water, after we settled down.

We were then served with bread, but it’s very disappointing that the waiter didn’t even ask me to choose the bread I want from the basket, but directly put any one on our plates, and go away. There are 2 kinds of lunch sets available; one is $218 for 3 course, and one is $4xx which is the seasonal lunch set. We decided to take the set of $218. Is it the reason we were not asked to choose the bread!?Appetizers and main courses are nice, as photos. We asked the waiter to recommend on the appetizers and main courses to choose, but when the food were served, the waiter didn't introduce the food to us again. So, afterall, I don’t have much idea what I ate, and how the food was cooked.The lunch ended with dessert, petit fours and coffee/tea. I would say is that the $218 lunch set is a good value of money. With a 10% discount of H.S. platinum card, each lunch set cost just around double those of the Italian restaurants at Knustford Steps. I would think the price difference is worthy, and I am looking forward to the next visit for Sunday Brunch.

This truly was an excellent Degustation menu. We decided to go to WHISK as we had heard the Guest Chef Alain Soliveres was in town & wanted to try out the food. We thought it was a bit pricy (HK$1,280 per person (no alcohol) plus 10%), but having seen what you get - it is good value for money.

Once we saw the menu, we realized that there was no way the two of us were going to be able to eat all of the food on the special Degustation menu. So - we shared that & added the famous Duck pie as well.

The warm bread and balsamic vinaigrette was brought quickly. The bread was fresh and tasty - the perfect start on a chilly evening.

Crab Remoulade with Dill
Lemon Fleurette Sauce
Absolutely delicious! This was an amazing creation that was simply delectable. The crab was so light - it was hard to believe it was possible.

Steamed Duck Foie Gras
Mint & Green Peas
A nice variation on Foie Gras. Although, I think I prefer to stay with the pan fried version.

Epeautre from "Pays de Sault" Risotto Style
Lobster & curry
Scrumptious. This unusual modern twist on a curry is so flavorsome.

Line Caught Seabass
Black Radish & Oysters
Parsley Emulsion
This mouthwatering dish was perfectly cooked & light and full of flavor. My definite favorite of the night!

Wagyu Beef Glazed with Soya Sauce
Winter vegetables
This was well-prepared & well-seasoned.

Exotic Delight
A nice light dessert.

Our extras were:
Duck Pie
Bit disappointing as the dish was a bit too dry for my liking.

Rum Baba
Very strong on the rum side - but simply delicious.

The Staff were welcoming & friendly. A definite must-try restaurant.

Heard a lot of good things about Whisk, so finally decided that I had to go try it out for myself!
Verdict - reasonably priced quality fine dining (don't think you can get a better verdict than that!)

Pictures speak a thousand words, so here it is:
3 Course lunch set
Starter - Tuna tartare - I love my tuna, so I confess I may be slightly biased. The tuna itself was impeccable - fresh, lightly seasoned, great texture. However I found the brown sauce (not sure what it is.. ) a bit too overpowering in its saltiness. None the less, a delicious dish.

Crab pomelo frisee salad - I could not find a flaw in this dish! But I am a crab lover, again biased. This dish serves as a great starter, really gets your taste buds going. Whether it's the crispy salad, or sour pomelo, or slightly salty fresh crab meat, or the refreshing dressing, I'm not too sure. Loved the combination and the balance between the ingredients.

Main - Saffron risotto with chorizo, octopus and mussels - Creamy risotto cooked to perfection. Risotto wasn't starchy, octopus wasn't chewy, mussels weren't overcooked, saffron taste wasn't overwhelming. Quite a filling dish I must say hence the small portion. Resembled a spanish paella.

Dish of the day - Quail served with couscous - Succulent quail, lightly seasoned, velvety sauce, but it didn't have the 'wow' factor. The couscous on the other hand deserves a mention! If you're not a fan of couscous just like me, this one might change your mind.

Dessert - Originally wanted to try their famous apple tart, but they were all sold out!!! Too bad so sad...

Petit fours - which included a nutty caramel slice, profiterole, custard shortbread thing and liquored fruit with chocolate. I liked the profiterole the most - it wasn't soggy at all! Next favourite would be the custard shortbread - nice buttery shortbread with creamy custard, served with raspberry to cut through the richness.Next favourite was the nutty caramel slice - chewy, but very nutty. All were good except for the liquored fruit with chocolate. It was like an explosion of alcohol, not pleasant at all.

Panna cotta served with strawberry compote - slightly disappointing but none the less a good dessert. Panna cotta was a tad too dense for my liking, but it had a really smooth texture.

Ice cream/sorbet - flavours chosen were banana, raspberry and pear. The banana flavoured ice cream is a must try, it's like whole banana milkshake in solid form! Raspberry and pear sorbet - an excellent palette cleanser.

Coffee or Tea was included. -- coffee well above average hk standards

Environment, Service
Modern decor, quiet environment, perfect place for long chats or dates.
Patient, polite, extremely helpful staff.

-- this review is dedicated to Openrice reviewer meganchen, check out her reviews! --

I had first gone to Whisk in March of 2010 and while not whisked away, was happy enough with the experience. The same sentiments apply this time, and while there were some hits, there were definitely misses to take away from the experience. Still a nice and comfortable place to dine and entertain in quiet surrounds, away from the bustle of TST, but the nits still need work. The bread is not as good as it used to be, the service not as professional as I remembered. But overall, still a decent place in TST.

Amuse bouche of escargot in a deep fried noodle case with wasabi mayo
A nice little welcome to the restaurant. A spongy slug encased in a crispy noodle basket with a creamy wasabi mayo. A good showcase of textures, and promise of things to come.

Here's the Taste of Whisk Menu (with wine pairing if you like).

Japanese Scallop Sashimi
The pretty starter of a green and white island made from a base of creamy avocado and fresh crunchy scallop carpaccio was delightful. Decorated with a colorful garden and laced with Yuzu and Oscietra caviar, the freshness on the palate was very welcomed.

Steamed Escargot
The steamed escargots brought warmth and an unusual way of serving snails. Wrapped in spinach, the slugs were steamed to retain the smells and tastes of a lovely spring garden, and given colour and spice from the red radish and galangal. The combination worked and this was enjoyable to the last drop of foam.

Pan-fried duck foie gras
While the piece of liver was very well fried to a crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, the combination of pickled ginger in a Dashi broth with a twist-tie of soba didn't quite do it for me since the crispness was quite quickly lost to the dash. I tried to push the liver to a dry spot in the bowl plate and was semi-successful, so still managed to savor the piece of liver.

Spanish Mackeral
Either the quality of the mackerel or the treatment thereof disappointed because the result was a very dry piece of fish that was a chore to get through. The accompaniments of Zucchini, Aioli and Fish Soup did little to lift this dish.

Iberico Pork
This dish was full of promise on the menu. What should have been a good cut of pork, served with Jamon Iberico laced Cepe Tortellinis, and pumpkin, onion and apricot was very disappointing in its execution. The piece of pork was dried out and had little taste to speak of. The condiments from the pumpkin puree to the tortellinis were also very bland. The only thing I enjoyed were the 2 paper thin pieces of Jamon Iberico. I left half of this dish since there was little incentive to finish it.

Flaky Apple Tart
We swapped the menu's Mango Parfait for what we thoroughly enjoyed the last time we visited - the Flaky Apple Tart. Perhaps it was getting this carved up for a one person and not being served in the traditional copper pan and therefore less than hot wen it got to the table, perhaps the almonds were not the best as they could have been, but our memories of this dessert were a tad marred after this day.

Petit Fours
To end, the petit fours were an ok distraction while we continued conversation to the end of a girly dinner. Happy Birthday C, we hope you enjoyed it despite the few glitches. Whisked away or not, it is still one of TST's pride and joys on the fine dining scene.

For the original post, visit edeats.blogspot.com

We came here to try the Sunday brunch after reading good reviews. We thoroughly enjoyed the appetizers especially the 3 types of caviar, scallop salad, and raw oysters. We ordered the foam egg and the main courses. The foam egg was very nice. We tried the sea bass and that came wrapped in paper and it was the best sea bass that we've ever had cooked like this. Usually restaurants like to grill or pan-fry the fish which makes it dry. This was sort of steamed and baked in the paper and the sea bass was cooked perfectly. It was very moist and flavorful. The cooking time of the fish was just right, which is rare in most restaurants. It was our lucky day i guess.

Also enjoyed the suckling pig and grilled tiger prawns from the meat station outside. Love the comfy green sofas outside. Nice place for a drink or talking with friends. Feels like you're in Thailand or Bali. And if you want to host a private outdoor party, this will be the place for it!!!

Another thing was the spacious seating arrangments. The restaurant isn't packed with lots of tables and chairs so there's not a lot of people always walking around like other buffet places. Plus, there was a DJ there choosing the music. It was a wonderful experience. I also tried the black sesame muffin which went really well with the champagne. And the raspberry macaroon was very fresh and lovely. I had a few. The other macaroon flavours were not as fresh so was bit hard. Only the raspberry one was soft and chewy and irresistible.

Definitely would recommend to friends and we'd go back there again!!! For the sea bass!!

Sumptuous is often the word being used to describe Sunday Brunches and I could not agree more. I enjoy Sunday Brunches because I believe that after a week long work week, we all deserve a little break during the weekend, to enjoy good food with great company. Here at Whisk, they started offering Sunday Brunch recently with free-flowing Louis Roederer champagne as well. Unfortunately, unlikes other hotel establishments, there is not option to opt-out the champagne if I recall correctly. I have been to the Whisk a few times before but mostly for dinner and I enjoyed my stay the last few times. My favorites include the Suckling Pig (Signature dish) and the Apple Crisp (at least the original version being served in the baking pan, they have changed the serving methods and portion recently unfortunately)

Brunch at Whisk follow the approach whereby you go pick your own Starters / Seafood / Cheeses / Desserts from the various stations and you can order hot dishes on demand (so-called I guess because many of the hot items arrived within minutes after placing the order.) There were a few hot items such as the famous suckling pigs, lamb chops and grilled sweet corns being offered at the hot food stations as well.

In addition to items at the stations, there were a few "tapas" being served at random intervals such as the Oysters Rockefeller, Parma Ham Egg Custard, Pan-Fried Prawn and Foie Gras as well.

Among the few being served, the Prawn was the best, firm to the bite and flavorful with hints of sweetness from the sauce. The foie gras was overcooked and Oysters Rockefeller was average only because I thought it lacked the oyster flavors. I am quite picky with any sort of oysters. the Parma Ham Egg Custard ... humm ... too watery in my opinion and the ham flavor dominated the egg flavor.

One of the highlights of the Brunch (to many people perhaps) has to be the Caviar station. However, to be honest, it is of an acquired taste in my opinion because I am not a big fan out it.

Another must try - Gourmet Fried Eggs with Parmasan Cheese Foam. I was pleasantly surprised by this simple sunny side up fried egg with wonderful cheese flavor and sauce that carried hints of sweetness to it! The little piece of param ham on the side was a good addition to the overall flavors as well. Thumbs up!
Another must try - Roasted Suckling Pig. A Signature dish of Whisk and here basically you can eat all you want instead of paying $3xx during dinner. Golden crisp skin with soft and tender meat layered by a thin film of fat. Thumbs up! You better eat during the first half of the meal otherwise you might not have space to enjoy them.
I ordered the Garoupa from the hot items menu but it was overcooked likely due to the fact that it was pre-cooked for some time and served within minutes upon placing order.

It might look great but the tenderloin was quite tough to chew. Flavor was alright but texture was rougher than expected. It was average only. I am going back for more roasted suckling pigs!

Likes:
I enjoyed the atmosphere because it was not as crowded as other similar establishments. It is for the same reason that the price can be a concern.
Suckling Pig - Thumbs up! Golden crisp skin with soft and tender meat!
Gourmet Fried Egg - quite unique, a must try!
Dislikes:
Overcooked garoupa and foie gras
Tenderloin texture a bit rough and overly firm

Avg Spending: HKD 500 per person
More Pictures at Original Blog: http://www.jasonbonvivant.com/2010/09/whisk-sunday-brunch.html

It is hard to locate the entrance of Whisk if you want to access inside the hotel, The Mira Hong Kong. Whereas the main entrance of the restaurant can be easily found at Nathan Road, just around the corner of Kimberly Road and Nathan Road. A well decorated cargo size elevator will take you to 5/F direct.

Whisk is masterfully executed by Chef Justin Quek, a Singaporean master chef who brings along Chinese element to his French cuisine. The restaurant is set in a relaxed, European contemporary fine dinning environment with touches of high-tech / techno feel; grayish color theme, stone-top tables, funky furnishings and an interesting stainless steel plated menu with high font size.

With a party of eight, we joined to celebrate an 18 years girl’s birthday. Good service has been received all through the evening as waiters were well attentive to our requests. Their service started with an introduction of today’s specials and signature dishes. It seemed there were many good choices to select.

The waiter had first recommended the roasted八寶魚. Out of surprise none of us picked this one. However, the cooking process seems interesting and worth to try next time. As told the whole fish will first be marinated with milk to get the juicy and soft texture. With bones not removed, the whole fish will be roasted until it is fully cooked. By doing so, the oily bone marrow will be well absorbed by the flesh. For the ease of the ladies mind fish bones will be removed before it is served.

For appetizer, they recommended seasonal white asparagus. A choice of two was provided: poached white asparagus with ham as side for a light appetite or a pan-grilled one with foie gras on top if you prefer a tasty start. I picked the latter.

Well cooked home-made bread always arose your appetite but it was served cold with no excitement.

Pan-grilled white asparagus and foie gras
Dinner started with my favorite hors d'oeuvre – foie gras. The dish was generously served with 3 sticks of white asparagus and one piece of foie gras on the top.

The marriage of white asparagus and foie gras is delightful and compliment to each other. White asparagus is low in sodium and calories whereas the foie gras is rich, buttery and delicate and they made a perfect balance. Flavor of white asparagus is milder but the texture is tenderer than its green cousin. The pan-grilled process added sizzling favor to this plain vegetable. It is a traditional and popular way to pan-seared the foie gras. As we all want the foie gras crispy outside but tender and juicy inside. With its delicate and fatty texture, it is not easy to handle it well. It must be briefly pan-seared in high temperature or else it will be easily over-cook. It sound easy but technique make a big difference. The chef had handled it quite well.

The foie gras I have tonight had a perfectly soft and creamy texture. The foie gras was so smoothy on the tongue and mixed with the tenderness of white asparagus. It tasted just terrific!

Gourmet Salad $168
Simple is the beautiful. It was a refreshing dish to start with especially with non-creamy dressing. I got some portion from my friend. The salad was a mixture of mesclun leaves, artichokes, asparagus, mango, mushrooms, and age parmesan in truffle dressing. Vegetable were all fresh & chewy. The dressing was light but not creamy. Taste of the salad was a mix of sweet & sour but not excess. It was just a perfect and lightening appetizer.

Baked Miso Marinated Cod $268
It is one of the signature dishes from Whisk. A big piece of Cod was placed in the middle of a plate and surrounded by yellow sticky ginger. The lime sauce was sprinkled around the dish with a variety of vegetables in different colors as garnishing. The waiter initially recommended the Haddock as “special of the day”. But without hesitation I picked the Baked Miso Marinated Cod as its texture is flaky.

Once I put the creamy bite in my mouth, I was already felt like in heaven. Not only the texture was extremely soft and smooth, but the lovely sweetie taste of the miso sauce added richness to the creamy texture. The ginger and lime, although quite mild, further brought my palate to a light but complete satisfaction. The cod was just well done, a good control of temperature and timing. The sauce was well mixed of sweet or sour, mild and in right balance.

Pan Roasted Duck Confit with Sauteed Porcini Mushrooms and Potatoes $200
One of the highly recommending dish. I did not have a chance to taste it. According to my friend, the duck confit was decent though a bit fatty. The skin was crispy and the meat was tender. Furthermore, the porcini mushrooms were excellent – not being too strong and compliment with light flavor of rosemary. The dish was also accompanied by a nutty salad.

Australia Wagyu M7 Steak
We were told that it was especially fresh of the day. The Chef specially selected the M7 grade as he believes this grade is ideal for grilled, with some fat but not excess.

I got some share from my friend’s plate. Quality of the meat is good and juicy but
no surprise.

Wine pairing menu
One of us had tried the wine pairing menu. The price is reasonable and worth the value. It should be considered by those wine lovers.

Birthday Cake
The chocolate was surprising rich and thick. It was made of several layers of chocolate and cream. It was classy enough to cover with cold fakes. It was just wonderful.

In short, Whisk offers you an excellent dining experience in terms of service and environment. Most of the dishes are delicious and present beautifully. Quality of the food is of high standard. Generally they are up to high standard but, it was rather disappointing that Whisk cannot offer the sensational dinning experience that makes you unforgettable.

Anyway, we have a wonderful evening with all friends and relatives get together for the celebration.

I'm always looking for a quality business Lunch around TST
I think I've just found that place!
After hearing how cool & modern The Mira Hotel had become after its $65 MILLION Dollar Refurb
I was eager to see for myself just what all the fuss was about
WHISK- Located on the 5/F of the Hotel
An Express Elevator WHISK (excuse the pun) me to the desired floor
The Restaurant entrance had a very Zen like feeling with a water feature behind the hostess desk
They also had a small but coz bar overlooking another restaurant, Cuisine Cuisine I think from what I saw on the lift.
The restaurant was on two levels with seating close to the window overlooking Cuisine Cuisine
I was seated on the upper level, the restaurant had only 3 tables when I arrived.
I was seated facing an outside terrace which they explained was another alfresco bar area for cigars and cocktails...cool nextime
The menu was the same as dinner with the exception of a business lunch set & a dinner Gourmet Menu with wine pairing
I opted for the Set Business Lunch @ 218 +10% inclusive of free flow Juice, Beer and a choice of White or Red with main course...what a steal/deal
The meal began with warm bread served in a silver boat with 3 varieties 1 white roll, 1 multi grain roll, 2 slices of wholemeal bread with walnuts & raisins. the bread was warm while the butter was nothing special. 4/10
They had a choice of 3 starters & 3 Main with a Chef's dessert or tray of home-made cakes or tarts
I choice the following

Roasted Asparagus with sauteed Mushrooms and Poached Egg (Classic Dish)
The asparagus was steamed then slightly pan seared sweet and crispy, while the mushrooms was sauteed in a little butter, the poached egg was still runny in the centre (as it should be) and made a great sauce with the mushroom & butter. (Great Start)
I mopped up the remaining egg yolk with some bread 5/10
Kind Prawn Spaghetti with Arrabiata Sauce (Spicy Chiili Tomato Base Sauce)
The main course came with 3 giant King Prawns they were just cooked so the meat was still juicy, sweet and tender, while the pasta was cooked al dente with some cherry tomatoes which gave the dish a slight sharpness to the dish, the only thing is that i wish it had a little more of a chilli kick to it 5/10
The Chef's Dessert was
Vanilla Bavarois with Berries and Mango Sorbet (Simple)
The bavarois could have done with another sheet of gelatin or more time to set
but the dish was good overall 3/10
I finished the meal off with a hot cup of tea & petite fours 3/10
Service- The hostess was prompt and polite, while the servers was attentive but not obtrusive, they gave good recommendation.
Atmosphere- The overall room was well maintained and was elegant yet casual
Food- The business Set Menu was great and as they keep reminding me that it changes every week, a great touch was the free flow fruit juice, beer
Sinopsis- my first experience at The Mira & WHISK was positive
in time will come back to try the other outets
5/10

We were led to our seats by the window at Whisk, where our view were the crystal balls hanging over the dining area of Cuisine Cuisine one level below. I suppose it's a decent enough idea since the streets of this side of TST aren't that appealing and if you focus on your fellow diners and only watch the dizzying balls once in a while. Cute way to start the meal and will certainly form a part of the opening conversation for first-timers.

There was some high anticipation since this was Justin's Quek's (of Singapore's Les Amis fame) first foray into Hong Kong. I always like to order the chef's specialties since if the chef cannot get those right, then it's almost safe to assume that the rest of the menu are write offs anyway.

I generally don't waste time on salads since they take up space and I can do a better salad at home - it's really about the produce. But the gourmet salad here was marked with a chef's star and so I succumbed. The combination of artichokes, sweet cherry tomatoes and mangoes with garden greens, topped with aged parmesan and drizzled truffle oil was a fresh start to the meal and was able to entice and excite the palate.

The Chef's selection of appetisers was decent enough but wasn't a wow for me. My favourite was the beef carpaccio for the quality of the beef - lean and beefy but you can savour it without any effort chewing. Of the other 3, the foie gras chawanmushi was good but offered no surprise, the artichoke soup was better than expected (probably gifted an extra dimension by the use of mushrooms), and the crab couscous was a weird disappointment. For those who cannot decide, the selection is still a worthwhile order.

The lobster bisque souffle was unique in its presentation. Most have had the puff pastry top but the souffle top made for a uniquely fragrant delivery. The whiff of farm fresh eggs from the souffle was very inviting and I could not wait to sink my spoon into it. But there was a little bit of an anti-climax since the aroma was the winner. The bisque was fair but because of the delivery, you would just expect that much more out of the dish. At the risk of making it overly heavy, a more robust bisque would have been a more worthy match to the souffle top.

The special of the roast sucking pig was as good as I thought it should be. The crackling was crisp and matched the tenderness of the cut we were given, and a bonus for me was the presence of a little cartilage, to add to the bite. Pleasantly surprising was none of the piggy gaminess which one might expect from pigs in this region - I forget to ask where the baby pig was from. Well executed and the balsamic based sauce is a nice way to cut through the otherwise heaviness of the dish.

The highlight of dinner was dessert. The ultra thin flaky pastry with apples and toasted almonds, topped with custard and delivered in a copper pan, almost pizza style was excellent.

Cut into pizza style wedges and served on a plate with ice cream, it is a delightful way to finish the meal. Thin and crisp with the moist apple slices in between the pastry and the toasted almonds, drizzled with a custard sauce, a nice contrast of flavours and textures. 2 complaints - the sides were a tad too burnt and the ice cream had the consistency of whipped cream (which I don't fancy) and as a result melted by the time it made it to our table. Too light, and lent nothing to the almost perfect pastry. And instead of tasting light, it just tasted a tad oily for me. While we were assured that the recipe is home-made and natural, my only comment is that each home is different. In mine, we like our ice cream the traditional creamier way.

Not whisked away, but a floatingly happy experience overall. Might go back if I'm looking for options in the TST neighbourhood. It is a nice place to entertain though - quiet enough and the service professional.

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