Unctuous is what new chef Junior Nadje described his fish dish on his new four-course discovery menu at the Mandarin Grill + Bar. And he is correct, every dish I enjoyed on a weekday taster of the chef’s menu was supremely unctuous.
As Hong Kong Island’s first luxury hotel, born in 1963, continues to innovate and change, with chef Terence Bouloud and Tokyo’s The Pizza Bar on 38th opening locations in the hotel in 2026, Junior has come on board to change things up at this historic location.
Owing to his Michelin-starred journey thus far, in kitchens in Paris, Lyon, Monaca, and Dubai, he comes to the Mandarin with swagger, but ready to learn as the restaurant prepares for a quick renovation in February 2026 before his new menu and vision comes to life next year.
We began the meal with Junior’s grilled seasonal vegetables platter, a taste of premium Japanese produce dusted with tangy pepper spices and combined with dollops of lemon puree and a champagne sauce. This dish is not designed to blow your socks off but exhibits that simple cooking can be powerful.
Onto the second course and this is where Junior begins to show his magic. As a self-obsessed fan of ramen, he likes to play around with Japanese flavours and ingredients. The grilled red mullet, shiso puree, and smoked mandarin confit packs a punch – a light one albeit.
The texture of the fish is springy, giving off a strong sea salt flavour, evidence of its freshness and simple preparation. This is helped by the aromatic shiso puree and mandarin cuts that do not overpower the fish but help with the digestion.
Up next comes the powerhouse of this teaser menu, the grilled chicken marinated with tarragon, and served with salsified potato, sauce supreme. The chicken is plump and coated with a light dusting of salt to drive a real juiciness with each bite.
The sauce supreme helps wet any dry parts of the protein with the potatoes bringing in different textures.
The Tahitian vanilla, chestnut, pear, dark rum ice cream dessert arrives last for a sweet ending to cleanse the palate and leave you light enough to leave with a clear body and mind afterwards.
Our verdict of Mandarin Grill + Bar
Whilst this menu will be shared with diners until the February renovation next year, chef Junior has teased that the new Mandarin Grill + Bar will have a grand choice of á-la-carte, tasting menus, long and short, new bar snacks and bites, and an option to leave the dinner planning to the chef team themselves. This was a lovely intro for great things to come.
Mandarin Grill + Bar, 1/F, Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road, Central, 2825 4004, book here
| Order this: discovery menu with artisan cheese selection Menu: discovery menu Price for two: HKD2,376 | Atmosphere: royal and regal, but in a modern way Perfect for: a fine-dining experience with a lighter menu and lighter flavours |
This review is intended to offer an individual perspective on the dining experience and should not be considered as a definitive judgement of the restaurant’s overall quality or reputation. The views expressed in this review are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions of Foodie.
