A selection of two‑star Michelin restaurants proudly stand in Hong Kong, and one of them is Arbor. It felt right to visit because of the special blending of Japanese and Nordic cuisines within the cooking. Two great heads put together, seemingly a match made in heaven. We wished to start the night the way we wanted, with a gin and tonic and a whisky, but unfortunately there was no liquor licence, which can be a problem in a place like this. Champagne was then forced upon us instead, with nothing edible to enjoy it with. “Just the drink then,” as I sipped disappointingly. Get us excited with an opener snack or a small apéritif — and for the record, drinking on an empty stomach is odd and not enjoyable.
“It’s freezing in here,” I shuddered as I rubbed my arms in an attempt to create some warmth. It’s ice cold in the dining room; you are fully enthralled in a draught. Even with long sleeves, the freeze stayed. I don’t normally moan this much so early into a dinner, but there we go. Give us comfort and I wouldn’t have to! Dinner tonight was a seven‑course tasting menu, and yes, this is one of the cases where it can be acceptable. The start was fresh and clean, entering entry‑level two‑star territory with a pared‑back dialogue between the two countries. It is not heavy, and I always prefer this approach when you cannot pick what you eat.
I still don’t understand the obsession with abalone; can somebody make this westerner get it? The waiter noticed and acted on instinct, doing his best to accommodate, bringing out another dish to replace it. Kindness — such a small thing — but when you have service like this, it makes the night. I loved the interaction between us and the staff.
Coming back to the cooking, there is vision, ideas and passion, a merging of all these elements to create something else entirely that is his own — and I do see it in Chef Eric. The flow of the menu works because he understands that less is more on the plate. The produce speaks the loudest, with dishes that are restrained and precise, showing the customer all that we need to see and taste. I appreciate this philosophy, and it leads me to conclude that Arbor should not be missed as part of your Hong Kong discoveries.
