SEP

營業中

休息中

This contemporary Vietnam fine-dining restaurant is located on 19/F of H Cube, with a concept of using wood-fire to grill the food. Helmed by Chef DoBee Lam, he aims to bring in a new dining experience to guests who like Vietnam cuisine. Arriving sharp at 6:30pm, we were shown to our table on the window side, looking down at Tai Kwun and the Mid-Levels on the background.The décor is neat, comfortable, and not overly sophisticated, with warm lighting and panels of burnt wood on the walls to represent wood-fire cooking. There are also Indochina elements, like the biophilic bamboo decorations, rattan chairs, and some artworks which integrate perfectly to the golden hue ambience.We order the Woodfired Indochine Vietnam Menu ($1,680 per guest) with me also going for wine pairing ($680 for 7 glasses). Apart from a great cook, the chef is also a designer, as he has co-designed the restaurant décor and also hand-drawn the paintings on the back of the menu, illustrating the different ingredients for each course we would be having.The first wine served is Grace Koshu 2022 of Grace Wine from Yamanashi. This Japanese wine has used grapes that are grown above 400m, with each bunch covered with a shade during autumn to reduce the effects of the rain. Having nice acidity, the wine is delicate in aromas and taste, suitable to pair with the appetizers and avoid dominating over the food.The first course is 123 Dzo! Translating to 123 Cheers! It is an assortment of great appetizers, generating fun and great anticipation for the whole menu. Starting with a welcome drink of Pineapple Lager, the light beer has a touch of refreshing pineapple note. On top is a layer of rich coconut foam which brings forth a tropical and Asian palate.The Sakura Banh Trang Caviar is the rice paper wafers snack, which has been toasted on charcoal to give a crisp texture. On top is plenty of deep-fried Sakura shrimps, with aioli and spring onion, very flavourful and umami in taste. The generous scoop of Royal Cristal Caviar, not only give a more premium touch to the appetizer but providing a slight saltiness and richness.Very beautifully presented, the Calamar is grilled squid from Korea Jeju Island. The chef has prepared three sauces for the squid, olive, red pepper, and basil, with his recommendation to mix all the three sauces well with the squid. The squid is tender and not rubbery, with its caramelized sweetness going well with the complex flavours of the sauces.The second course is Bamboo Leaf Ham. The homemade cha lua is the Vietnam pork roll made in the traditional style, wrapped in bamboo leaf, made using premium Okinawa Yamato pork, seasoned with black pepper. Together with the renown 60°C fish sauce, adjusted to our own preferred spiciness and sourness, the cha lua was super tasty, bouncy in texture, definitely one of the best I have eaten.The second wine served is Smallfry Pond Rose 2022. From Australia, this rose is made from ungrafted Cinsault and Mataro from the producer’s Barossa vineyard, with the grapes foot-trodden and left on skins overnight. It is bottled with lees, so the wine is a bit cloudy, which adds a creamier palate on top of the nice strawberry and rose aromas.The third course is District 4 Midnight BBQ Pork. The Iberico secreto is a cut of meat between the shoulder blade and loin, grilled over high fire to give a crisp crust on the outside, while juicy and tender inside. Served in a casserole with lemongrass and molasse to absorb the fragrance from the herbs, the pork is paired with a refreshing fennel salad on the side to balance the taste.The third wine served is Tantaka Arabako Txakolina Blanco Diapiro 2019. From the Basque region in Spain, it is made with some indigenous varieties and fermented in stainless steel tanks with natural yeast. With a refreshing note, bright citrus and minerality, and a richer texture coming from the lees ageing process, it goes well with the geoduck.The fourth course is Nha Trang Hai San, with the chef using live geoduck as the seasonal shellfish. The meaty grilled geoduck is very delicious, full of umami wonders seeping out from each bite, and the scallion and roasted peanuts adding an appealing fragrance. With a bit of the very spicy chili lime sauce, the flavours were elevated to an extra level.The fourth wine served is Tanakarokujugo Junmai 田中六五. The sake was produced by 白糸酒造 in Fukuoka, with its name coming from the brewer as well as the milling rate (65%) he used for making the sake. The wine has a delicious and intense melon note on the palate, with a good sweetness and body to pair well with the intensely flavourful red prawn.The fifth course is Bahn Tom. The prized Spanish red prawn is grilled, with the body and tail wrapped inside a Japanese deep-fried nori sheet like a taco, with a bit of abura-age, a type of Japanese deep-fried tofu, and some celtuce underneath. A butter sauce is made with the prawn head, rich and deep in flavours, supplemented with a few drops of calamansi to freshen up.The fifth wine served is Samuel Billaud Chablis 2022. This classic Chablis has good acidity, with a nice citrus and chalky minerality notes on the nose, while the palate has a more saline character, sharp and crisp. The wine would be a perfect complement with a shellfish dish, unfortunately it did not match well with the toothfish, showing a bit too much an iron aftertaste.The sixth course is French Quarter Toothfish. Wrapped in banana leaf, the wild caught toothfish has been seasoned impeccably, highlighting the natural sweetness of the fish to its best. On the side the chef has mixed a special fish sauce with more flavours, adding shallot, dill, turmeric, and kumquat in. With a few drops of the sauce, the fish was even more delicious, fantastic with umami.We have ordered an additional course, the Jumbo Carabineros ($880). With the two XXL red prawns weighing 300g in total, they are wrapped in laksa leaf before putting to grill on the fire pit, to the perfect medium well level. With a calamansi on the side to give a bit of citrus to freshen up, a butter sauce was prepared with the prawn head as condiment for the toasts on the side.The sixth wine served is Zuccardi Blanc de Blancs Cuvee Especial 2018. From Argentina, this sparkling wine is made from 100% Chardonnay using traditional method, with refined bubbles, a rich and refreshing pear and quince notes, plenty of bread and honey, as well as a good orange peel in the finish. A nice wine to go with the chicken, it is a nice sparkling to enjoy on its own too.The seventh course is Hoi An Old Town Poulet. The local three yellow chicken has been dry aged for 48 hours, roasted to a crisp skin while the meat still juicy. With some lemongrass lime salt as seasoning, the chef also prepared a sauce with galangal, curry leaf, laksa leaf, and lemon basil as well, along with a green papaya salad to freshen the palate.The eighth course is Hanwoo 1++ Bun Bo Hue 3.0, featuring prime Gyeongju ribeye cap, with the beef served raw in a steaming hot bowl of 36-hours lemongrass bouillon, along with Hanoi Old Quarter handmade rice noodle. The soup noodle is pure delight and superbly flavourful. There are also some fried dough and banana blossom to go with the soup as well.The ninth course is the pre-dessert, Chanh Vang. On a wedge of lemon, the chef has removed the flesh, and instead prepared an aiyu jelly with honey and calamansi to replace, making it looks like eating the fruit. With the acidity and sweetness balancing very well, it is refreshing, and I would hope the wedge is larger in size.The seventh and last wine served is Chateau de la Roulere Coteaux du Layon 2022. The dessert wine is of medium sweetness, with the late harvest Chenin Blanc from Loire having a nice touch of honey with also baked apple fruitiness. It is a good match with the s’mores as it is not very indulgent, so requires a wine of the right body and sweetness to pair.The tenth and final course is Hanoi Campfire S’mores. A creative dish, the chef has made an ice-cream using pandan leaf, coconut, and custard, and then coated with the homemade marshmallow, on a skewer, before torching the surface to caramelize. Truly creating the same feeling of enjoying s’mores at campfire, the ice-cream is not too sweet, with the marshmallow melting in the mouth nicely.Service is good, with the staff attentive and explaining the dishes to us well. The bill on the night is $5,584 which in my opinion is reasonable. It is great to see how this restaurant evolves the traditional Vietnam cuisine to offer a fine-dining experience, through a nice environment, great food and quality ingredients, good services, and interesting concept. 繼續閱讀

香港首家越南菜fine dining，特色是炭火烹饪料理，就法餐对越南菜的影响来看，French Vietnamese fusion显得很合情理。·能把街头感十足的越南菜卖到人均1k+，一开始忍不住感叹万菜系皆可高端化。午市偏向高级版的商务套餐，对我没什么吸引力，观望了很久终于来试了一下晚市。·整体来说值得尝试，概念有新意，调味也有想法，甚至会用不同的柴木烟熏不同的食材，让每款食物都能有与之般配的香气。·HKD1200的短菜单有三道前菜/两道主菜/一道主食/两道甜点，大大小小的蘸酱加起来能气势磅礴地摆满一桌子，仿佛是一场各种香草的盛宴。前菜和主菜都很好吃，甜点普通。·菜系所限，用不到法餐意餐fine那么多贵食材，但份量能吃到撑，主厨亲自手绘的菜单也很有诚意。不满意的一点是晚餐要翻台，上菜和吃饭节奏都比较着急。·服务细致友善，不过每道菜都要换盘子感觉不必。在引领客人入座时会刻意经过开放式厨房，能看到柴火烤炉、烟熏烧烤架、砖炉和熟成柜等。·餐前有一套鱼露和青柠花生辣酱组成的蘸碟，辣酱看起来是奶fufu的温柔质地，其实辣度很有威力。但菜品已经足够有滋味了，因此我觉得没什么必要。·【菠萝啤/米纸饼/焦糖鱼露烤鱿鱼】菠萝啤酒很可爱，漂浮着浅浅的椰浆泡沫，喝起来像pina colada，在闷热的傍晚一下将味蕾拉回日落时分微风习习的海滩。米纸做的小饼好像迷你taco，带着油润的酥香，香葱/沙嗲/鹌鹑蛋/辣椒粉组成的topping鲜美热闹。·【迷你法棍】面包烘得热辣辣，口感是法棍和布里欧修的结合，中间柔软部分抹上厚厚一层冰凉细滑的肝酱和蛋黄酱，一口咬下又香又韧又浓稠，冰火两重天的爽感。·【红虾芋头春卷】比手掌还长的XXL西班牙红虾，表面是弹韧的Carpaccio，下面是裹上米纸炸成的芋头春卷，吃起来外层酥脆、内里绵糯诱人的蜂窝状像极了早茶里的芋茸鸭酥。·最妙的是虾头盛着的这汪鲜浓虾膏，浆一般的浓稠质地裹挟着鲜甜的虾肉，极致汹涌的鲜味在第一口便已漫过味蕾，再吮吸一口，宛如达到了颅内高潮。·【蕉叶包烧鳕鱼】芭蕉叶的香草气息细密地润进鱼肉肌理，清淡中流露出一丝野性的炭火香气，搭配微辣酸甜的金桔鱼露，滋味复合，肉质也好。但温度有点不够，侍应在分鱼时还舍弃掉了鱼皮。·【会安脆皮鸡】 48小时干式熟成的本地三黄鸡，牙齿扎进蓬松酥脆的鸡皮，迸发出销魂的空气感。脆皮下藏着丰盈软润的脂肪，亮晶晶的鸡油仿佛快要淌出来，香得不行！·鸡腿肉弹韧多汁、入味极佳，腌渍青木瓜沙律则充当了清口的角色。搭配了咸酸的胡椒盐，但鸡肉不用蘸都足够咸香惹味。·【黑安格斯顺化牛肉粉】吃过的最矜贵、最特别的一碗pho，五分熟牛肉很好，河粉正常，我最惦记的是那口牛骨牛腩香茅清汤，加入了波尔多红酒去熬，跟其他pho都不一样，看上去色泽浓厚似船面，但质地依然清爽。·鲜味滋醇隽永，肉香醇厚有力，带着若有若无的药膳香和酸度，回味又落下一股温和的甘甜。风味是那样的婉转流畅，差点端起碗喝得一滴不剩。不仅配了油炸鬼，生怕你蔬菜吃不够，还有满满一碗混合菜丝。·主菜主食份量那么足，没想到甜点却这么“精致”。【爱玉冻】普普通通，【芒果百香冰淇淋】裹满椰丝，和硬邦邦的白巧芝士蛋糕融合在一起，表面火炙出焦糖布蕾一样的脆层。·环境舒适雅致，匹配得上餐厅档次，座位不少，窗边位置俯瞰着大馆，抬头能远眺半山渐渐沉入夜色。 繼續閱讀

Best pho fine dining restaurant in HK! Rating: 9/10For the starter, they gave us a very cute beer which taste a bit similar to pina colada and also the mini rice crackers are like mini tacos! For the main, the red prawns and beef pho is my favourite! the pho soup is lit the best i have every had in hk, super rich in flavour and no msg added, already missing it now.The chicken is nice too where it is dry aged 48 hours so the skin is super crispy and the meat is tender too! The dessert is a boom which is mashmallow with pandan ice cream inside that is the highlight of the meal 繼續閱讀

SEPAnother restaurant that I have been meaning to try for a very long time. Lucky that I have friends who would indulge me with all kinds of wishes on my birthday ☺️Helmed by the very talented Chef DoBee Lam who has close to 30 years of experience in the F&B industry , SEP offers Indochine Vietnamese dishes that combine French culinary techniques and Vietnamese-style wood-fire cooking originated from the indigenous people in the mountainous region of Vietnam.There are an eight-course and an eleven-course tasting menus to choose from. R and I ordered the shorter menu as many had warned me that the short menu is very long already (and they are absolutely right!!)For me, the XXL carabineros spring roll was the star of the evening. Not only was the carabineros incredibly fresh, the spring roll with red prawn carpaccio, carabinero’s head butter and taro stuffing wrapped in an intricately textured rice paper with Da Nang shrimp roe sprinkled on top was already a sumptuous feast itself. The welcome drink mini pineapple lager was delightful. It reminded me of a similar lager that I had some years ago at Suhring in Bangkok.There were however some misses along the way. The French Quarter Toothfish was a tad overcooked and tasteless. I needed to add spoonfuls of the kumquat/dill/shallot/turmeric sauce that came with it. The signature dry-aged HK 3 yellow chicken that one would expect a crispy exterior wasn’t crispy at all. The pho (rice noodles) that they proudly served in a 36-hour bouillon could have been more thinly sliced. The noodles were thick and not at all translucent as one would expect.Overall, the meal was good. The carabinero spring roll alone is a sufficient cause for a visit. 繼續閱讀

最近兩個月真的十分忙碌，新一年終於下定決心，把積壓已久的Post也整理一下。第一篇想寫的，就是這家最近兩個月真的十分忙碌，新一年終於下定決心，把積壓已久的Post也整理一下。第一篇想寫的，就是這家越南菜的天花板 - SEP。如果有去過越南，就會知道越南的法國菜水平是非常頂級的，而我吃過最好吃的法國餐廳之一，也是在胡志明市。在法國殖民地管治下，越南菜和法國菜的融合其實也變得理所當然，例如越式法包和越南咖啡，已經在越南根深蒂固，成為越南菜的特色。而今次也算是我真正在餐廳裏吃到精緻法國越南菜。SEP這裏每道莱色都十分精緻和驚艶，令我立刻想起另一間也在中環的精緻粵菜 - 永 WING ，對食材的要求，對味道的嚴謹，對烹調技巧的講究，甚至乎擺盤、裝修和服務都是一等一的。例如用60度慢煮的焦糖魷魚；用XXL西班牙紅蝦做的Carpaccio米卷；用本地三黃雞做的熟成會安雞；熬製36小時以上的濃湯生牛肉河粉……一頓近乎無可挑剔的精緻fusion越南菜，絕對值得一試！感謝 DoBee師傅和好友D先生的精心安排。🙏🏻 繼續閱讀