Four years after its opening, Serge et le Phoque continues to surprise and delight in the most delicious ways possible. Its exciting, seasonal menu remains utterly unique in the city—a modern, stylish blend of premium produce and French-meets-Asian flavours and techniques that lingers in the memory long after the last bite of your meal. The restaurant’s location in the heart of Wan Chai’s wet market is a telling representation of how Serge shakes up the idea of fine-dining; with its teal banquette seats, bleached wood furniture and hanging globe lights, it exudes a casual-cool ambience, with friendly and knowledgeable staff that further contribute to its laidback welcoming vibes. The food too wears its excellence lightly; the kitchen makes combining eclectic elements like scallops, cauliflower, anchovy, poutargue and yuzu kosho seem easy, with expertly judged hits of flavour that set your taste buds tingling, and every dish plated like a work of art. But then, relatively simple dishes—like a side of highly moreish crushed Charlotte potatoes, or the simply magnificent dacquoise dessert of feather-light almond biscuits, cream and nougatine—are also executed impeccably. The wine list focuses heavily on French labels, with more unusual natural and biodynamic varieties offered alongside the classics. Serge et le Phoque remains a true one-off in Hong Kong—delivering confident, sophisticated cooking with a creative, playful heart—and we cannot wait to discover what new wonders lie ahead on our next visit.

Tatler Tip

The Chef’s Menu, a combination of degustation and sharing dishes for the whole table, allows diners a sweep through Serge’s greatest hits, and represents excellent value for money at HK$850 per guest.