SOMM FOCUS
Food and wine share the spotlight at Somm at Landmark Mandarin Oriental
Sommeliers take the pressure off ordering drinks, especially when wine lists are extensive. And the legion of expert sommeliers at Somm, in whose honour the restaurant is named, are on hand to do just this, which is convenient given that there’s a list of well over one thousand champagnes, wines and sakes.
Located in a sleek, wood-panelled space complete with wine-hued banquettes, Somm sits adjacent to the all-new Amber in Landmark Mandarin Oriental. New York designer Adam D. Tihany is the creative mind behind its design and he took inspiration from the wine-driven experiences on offer, basing the shape of the bistro on that of a wine barrel. In turn, its walls are lined with premium wines and rare sakes, which provide a taste of what is to come. The venue has proven to be a reliable choice whether you're visiting for a meal or simply for an aperitif or post-prandial drink, with many reasons to come back—including monthly wine events for those who love a tipple. Below, we introduce the culinary highlights available at Somm.
Rise And Shine
Chef Mario Paecke, formerly sous chef at Amber, ensures that starting the day at Somm can be as satisfying as any other meal there, thanks to a menu of elevated breakfast favourites such as dark cereal bread with crushed avocado and poached Taiyouran eggs with green vegetables and pistachio salad; green leaves with home-smoked Tasmanian salmon, crispy salmon skin, avocado, tofu leese, sudachi vinaigrette and linseeds; and the Somm poached Taiyouran eggs on English muffins with black truffle butter, green asparagus, Hollandaise sauce and crispy Belotta ham. On the sweeter side, there are banana pancakes with toasted pecan nuts, dark Okinawa sugar syrup and yuzu. And as you would expect from a wine-driven establishment such as Somm, there’s a Bubbly Breakfast set where your fresh juice, and savoury and sweet plates are accompanied by a glass of Bruno and Christiane Olivier Blanc de Noirs.
A Meal To Savour
Whether visiting for a business lunch or celebratory dinner, guests can enjoy an unprecedented selection of champagnes and wines alongside exclusive and rare sakes. More than one hundred of these are available by the glass and guests can choose from a 75ml taster, a 125ml glass, a 375ml carafe or a 500ml portion. “Our team of sommeliers is proud to present the widest range of wine and sake by the glass in Hong Kong for our guests to complement their wine-driven dining experience,” says wine director John Chan, who heads up the restaurant’s team of sommeliers.
Chef Paecke prepares refined French fare that incorporates the finest, seasonal Japanese ingredients. His signature dishes include such delights as Tasmanian salmon confit with ikura and vinegared rice cream, and grilled Japanese pork belly with BBQ sauce and Hakata cabbage salad. There’s a delicate crispy white asparagus and tarragon sabayon, too, while for a sweet end to any meal, The Paris Hong Kong (choux pastry, sesame cookie, peanut light cream, peanut praline, candied ginger and soy caramel) is the way to go. Each and every dish at Somm is not only considered and balanced, but beautifully presented.
