As a general rule, Hongkongers love speakeasies and secret restaurants — the more hidden, the better — and more seem to open each month. Nevertheless, the city’s premier hidden dining spot remains none other than The Krug Room, a glittering jewel box of a restaurant tucked away inside Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. One of the city’s best-kept secrets, this exclusive space offers guests a one-of-a-kind dining experience — after all, this is the only Krug Room in the world.
Styled to look like the inside of a luxurious train carriage and accessed via an unmarked door at the rear of The Chinnery, The Krug Room provides an intimate atmosphere in which discerning gourmands — only 12 at a time — can fully appreciate the fabulous Champagne vintages produced by the House of Krug. (Naturally, the restaurant holds one of the largest Krug collections in Asia.) Of course, you need wonderful food to pair with such exquisite Champagne, and The Krug Room excels in this regard.
The kitchen is run by Executive Chef Robin Zavou, who oversees all restaurants and bars at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, and has an incredible background that includes stints with the Shangri-la Hotel Group in Hong Kong and Singapore, and at Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK such as L’Ortalon in Berkshire, Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons in Oxfordshire, and New Angel (now The Angel) in Dartmouth. At The Krug Room, chef Zavou’s approach is to serve course after course of playful yet elegant dishes that pair perfectly with Krug’s vintages and cuvées.
The restaurant’s menus change with the seasons, meaning now is the time to enjoy spring’s finest produce. The 10-course meal begins with a selection of savoury snacks paired with Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition — the 166th release since the founding of Maison Krug in 1843 — a combination of 140 wines produced in 13 years, expertly blended to produce a prestige Champagne. The snacks include Chef Zavou’s whimsical take on KFC — that’s Korean fried chicken in case you don’t already know — which replaces the chicken with Alaskan king crab coated in tempura batter, Korean spiced sauce, white sesame and black sesame paste.
There are many more highlights to savour throughout the evening: Japanese ebi in a sea urchin custard with soy jelly, poached asparagus served in a kombu butter sauce alongside slices of speck and crispy buckwheat, Roscoff onion with confit Japanese egg yolk and shiitake mushrooms, delicate veal sweetbreads with French garlic and spring leek, and unctuous pork bells served with rhubarb. Dinner ends on a very high note with two standout desserts: a carrot sorbet that resembles an actual carrot, and a selection of Japanese strawberries — some of which are not exactly what they appear to be, but all of which are extremely delicious.
Individual bookings for The Krug Room are available on Thursdays and Saturdays; other nights are reserved for private bookings. The menu is the same for every guest, but you can opt for a variety of packages: Krug Experience (HK$2888 + 10% per guest includes 2 glasses of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug 2004), Krug & Krug Rosé (6 guests or above; HK$3888 + 10% per guest includes 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug 2004 + 1 glass of Krug Rosé 20ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 160ÈME Édition), and Krug Soloist to Orchestra (6 guests or above; HK$5,888 + 10% per guest includes 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 166ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug Clos Du Mesnil 2003 + 1 glass of Krug 2004 + 1 glass of Krug Rosé 20ÈME Édition + 1 glass of Krug Grande Cuvée 160ÈME Édition).
For more information and reservations, please call +852 2825 4014 or email mohkg-krugroom@mohg.com.
Michael Alan Connelly
Head of Digital Content
A Chicagoan by birth and a New Yorker by habit, Michael has more than a decade of experience in digital publishing at leading titles in the U.S. and Asia. When he's not checking out Hong Kong's newest restaurants and bars or jet setting around the globe, you'll find him hanging out with his dog Buster and enjoying an Aperol Spritz.
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