CulinArt 1862 restaurant review: Towngas’ sustainable eatery serves up ‘contemporary Western kaiseki’ that’s both ethical and delicious in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
- Farm-to-table foodies and the ethically minded alike should enjoy the Hokkaido scallops or Chilean sea bass – a private chef’s table is available to book too
Whether you’re a farm-to-table-fascinated foodie, or simply a sustainably minded citizen of the world, fossil fuels aren’t the flavour of the day. Which makes Towngas’ decision to celebrate 160 years of supplying much of Hong Kong’s energy by opening an ESG-themed restaurant a pretty smart PR win.
Proudly perched above the utility firm’s Causeway Bay flagship store, half of CulinArt 1862 is set aside for the private chef’s table concept, where a “multi-course, contemporary Western kaiseki experience” is served behind an alluring sliding door. Despite the obligatory Anthony Bourdain quote on the wall, the (currently) daylight-less lounge and kitchen does “casual and cosy” a touch too well perhaps – but it was still in soft-launch phase at the time of our visit, and soon the curtains and scaffolding should be ripped away to let the neon nights glint through, while a stairway will allow diners to amble in off the street.
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This will hopefully only increase the number of ethically curious takers for chef Stanley Wong’s broad, internationally minded menu, with its admirable focus on eco, sustainable and green produce – and a studious approach to presentation that’s anything but casual. Exhibit A: the staple kale salad was a masterclass in artful plating, a melange of chewy pumpkin, crispy apples and sweet cranberries – with just slivers of kale itself – crowned in a crispy bread semicircle.
Of the other opening small plates, the Hokkaido scallops were pure and simple, served with a light foam and crunchy Jerusalem artichoke, while the burrata came circled with four different colours of tomato, and a delightful consommé poured over tableside.
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We reluctantly accepted a recommendation of toothfish (elsewhere more appetisingly, but less accurately, called Chilean sea bass) for the main – and were duly repaid with an expertly seared fish, glazed with a sweet miso that never distracted from the soft, tender textures. The roasted brassica – a medley of yellow and purple cauliflower and broccoli – had too much bite and, overpowered by the Romesco sauce, might be better suited as a side. Thankfully, the sides themselves were more remarkable – the subtly truffle-tanged mac n’ cheese was the very best kind of naughty carb bomb.
To close, the pistachio choux doughnut played its sweet, soft mousse against the tanginess of a passion fruit sorbet and the airy pastry, while a word must be spared for the excellent cocktails, where the green theme was perhaps most evident of all in drinks such as the dirty dill martini and forest mushrooms whiskey.
1/F, Chinachem Leighton Plaza, 29 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
