In our Taste Test feature on French restaurants, we try three of Hong Kong’s best French bistros and – unsurprisingly for one of the world’s great cuisines – walk away satisfied from all of them! Here, we sample the fare at Bouillon Bistro Parisien restaurant.
The vibe
Exciting newcomer to the French restaurant scene Bouillon is a chic Parisian-style bistro tucked away up a hill in Sheung Wan. Chef Johan Ducroquet promises revisited French classics with a few “rascal dishes” thrown in for good measure. Organic, artisanal and seasonal are all core to his creativity.
Family-owned wineries that champion organic sustainability is another core value here – and Bouillon offers many of these enticing wines by the glass. You can put your wine-pairing skills to the test or just kick back and let charming host Grégory Alexandre do the heavy lifting. The beautifully tiled long bar is also set up for diners but we’re seated nicely in the corner of a long leather banquette. The specials boards run along the wall over the bar and with flitting between them and the menu, we just can’t wait to order.
What’s on the menu?
Starters
We opt for signature starters; Os À Moelle ($158) is a stunning dish of grilled marrow presented in bones. Soft and rich with a meaty jus, it’s off the charts. Tartare de Boeuf ($218) showcases the tastiest morsels of Aquitaine beef with Dijon mustard and capers – the best tartare we’ve had in HK.
Other starters include a smoked herring potato salad, aubergine confit ravioli and a pâté en croûte that creatively combines pork, smoked eel, foie gras and pickles in pastry. You can also splurge on caviar and blinis, which comes with two glasses of champagne.
Mains
The bar is set high for our mains, but they deliver. The Cuisse de Canard ($268) is a triumph of flavours and textures; crispy duck leg, tarte apple confit and shiitake mushroom. And Rossini de Boeuf ($388) is a seriously indulgent medium-rare beef tenderloin topped with seared foie gras in a truffle jus.
There’s a sharing section in the menu, too, including a skate wing in butter, capers, lemon and fennel, a kilo of 30-day aged Irish ribeye, and an 800g veal rack from France.
Desserts
To finish, we order Riz au Lait ($118), a sumptuous rice pudding with Madagascan vanilla and salted butter caramel, and also Crème Brûlée Fruit de la Passion ($108), a swirling blend of pure magic with a crunchy top, served in the passionfruit skin.
Why we loved it
The chic bar is a fun place to enjoy a serious glass of artisanal wine. The décor is slick as is the superb front-of-house service. And the cooking is creative and seriously good. In any great dish, bouillon is the foundation – an essential. When it comes to Hong Kong’s fine dining scene, this newly opened French bistro already feels essential!
Bouillon Bistro Parisien is at 6 Pound Lane, Sheung Wan.
2886 0056 | bouillonhk.com
This article first appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
