Berries & Mascarpone tartine
COCONUTS CRITIC’S TABLE – It’s not exactly the greatest thing since sliced bread, but in the eternal search for new food ideas, Chef Philippe Orrico is introducing to Hong Kong the French tradition of open-faced sandwiches. “Tartine” is what the French call bread with toppings, and now it’s also the name of the two-storey casual restaurant situated in a new Lyndhurst Terrace building.
There’s not much ground level signage, so unless you’re looking for it, you won’t know there’s a restaurant here at all. It’s actually most visible from the Mid-levels escalator.
When we first arrived, the staff were pleasant and welcoming, and we quickly realised we were just about the only non-French people in the entire place. A good sign!
Interior
Although Tartine has a lunch menu, it’s essentially an all-day diner. But Orrico – best known for his Michelin-star rated restaurants On Dining and the Upper Modern Bistro – lifts the informal offerings with some decadent and luxurious ingredients.
In addition to tartine, there are appetisers, soups and salads to fill out the menu. Among these, the Pork Rillettes du Mans (HKD68) was delicious, with the meat slow cooked in oil but not greasy or fatty in the jar. It spread very well on the toasted sourdough and came with several pickled cornichons, or gherkins to the uninitiated.
Pork Rillettes du Mans
The meat portion was okay for Central, but they could have been less stingy with the bread. We could’ve easily used twice the number for the textured spread than the three pieces we received. Mind you, the bread was exceptional.
The Greenpea Gazpacho (HKD58) was another nice starter. Spaniards might not normally use greenpeas in gazpacho soups, but this pairing of the northern ingredient with the southern specialty is a good blend. The sweet pea flavour with a touch of bitterness emulsified with peppers and mint was quite enjoyable. For extra texture and crunch, there was a small dish of diced cucumbers, crouton cubes and caraway seeds.
Greenpea Gazpacho
The namesake tartines consist of just one slice of sourdough and a small garnish salad. They range in price from HK68 to HKD138 for the lobster topping. Is that really value for money? Value is relative is Hong Kong.
The food itself is very high quality; the Duck Confit Tartine (HKD98) uses fowl from Maison Samaran, one of the best duck producers from Toulouse, France. It is layered with caramelised onions, orange and a mint pesto and – according to my palate – maybe a few bits of celeriac and some melted gratin to tie it all together.
Duck Confit Tartine
The Paris Ham and Béchamel (HKD108) is supposed to be Orrico’s version of a high class Croque Monsieur, but considering how little actual ham was on top, it was more an accessorised cheese on toast. I still enjoyed it, but I also felt a little short-changed. If I’m to enjoy a ham sandwich, I want the meat to be layered on rather than sprinkled like a dusting.
Paris Ham and Béchamel
There are even dessert tartines. The Berries & Mascarpone tartine (HKD68, see header photo) was beautiful. The summer berries and creamy mascarpone cheese were lovely in taste, but I am not sure a hard crusty sourdough is the right base. The yeasty note clashed with the sweetness, plus half the berries fell off after every bite. It’s not something you can eat elegantly.
We suggested to the server a softer and sweeter pastry like brioche might be a better option. Apparently, they use that for a Nutella-based dessert but not the berries tartine.
Banana and Salted Caramel tartine
When we went, there was also a Banana and Salted Caramel tartine (HKD68) that looked like an open-faced kids’ party with candy sprinkles and a scoop of ice cream. Apparently, the dish is now classier looking and more logically comes on French toast instead of bread.
Would we come back? Sure, for a Michelin-grade tartine with a glass of wine. After all, the place is co-owned by Arthur de Villpin of Pont des Arts wines. But if we’re truly hungry, maybe it’d be wiser to find something with a better substance-to-style ratio.
Tartine, 2 & 3F, the Mood at Lyndhurst, 38-42 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, (+852) 2808-0752.
