Roganic

Review

The Hong Kong branch of Simon Rogan’s original London restaurant continues the acclaimed British chef’s dedication to showcasing local, seasonal produce via thoughtfully crafted tasting menus that are flawlessly executed and bursting with flavour and finesse. Every beautifully presented dish that arrives at the table brings new thrills and surprises, from the array of small snacks that start the meal (how do morsels as small and delicate as the sweetcorn tart with cod roe emulsion pack such a vibrant flavour punch?) to the dessert of apple tart, featuring gossamer-thin ribbons of caramelised apple curled onto an impossibly thin, buttery base. Even the bread—utterly moreish buns of pillowy-soft malty-sweet soda bread with luscious cultured butter—is in a league of its own. The wine list is just as carefully chosen, with interesting offerings including natural selections plus a British sparkling rosé from Rogan’s own label; it’s also a joy to find a proper non-alcoholic pairing available, with diverse offerings created especially to match specific dishes. Service is similarly brilliant, with good-humoured, attentive and deeply knowledgeable staff, and with chefs coming out to explain individual dishes. The light, airy interior, with warm tones of green and brass, a scattering of potted plants and a moss-and-twig covered ceiling, ideally suits the restaurant’s plant-centric ethos. It’s rare for fine-dining experiences like this to be almost totally without fault, but with a confident, elegant and creative mastery of technique and flavour that makes every dish a “wow” moment, Roganic is just about as close to perfect as you can get.

What to order

• The soda bread and butter is proof that sometimes the best things in life are the simplest: we could eat these pillowy soft, malty-sweet buns with generous lashings of luscious cultured butter all night long.
• The raw aged beef has a wonderful depth and complexity of flavour, with the beautifully rich and tender beef given extra dimensions by nori, pickled kohlrabi and nasturtiums.
• The apple tart is a thing of sheer beauty, with gossamer-thin ribbons of gorgeously caramelised apple curled onto an impossibly delicate buttery base, and just the right pinch of salt for balance too.

Tatler Tip

The non-alcoholic drinks pairing is a great option for non-booze drinkers, with five interesting, diverse tipples designed to complement dishes in the tasting menu costing HK$280 per head.