Few Western restaurants in Hong Kong can stake their claim to enjoying 56 years of history, but Hugo’s is one of them.
Classing themselves as a modern European restaurant, Hugo’s now sits inside the Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui, previously operating in Asia’s first Hyatt property in the city. It reopened in 2009 after first closing in 2005.
The story of Hugo’s is as such: the restaurant is conceptualised by the mythical Bavarian restaurateur Hugo Ludwig Wilhelm von Gluckstein (a rather stereotypical name). His food is age-old and tales too. But the spirit of the 20th century is still alive in the dishes and experience.
The castle-like restaurant in which we are sitting at is like no other in Hong Kong. It is part inspired by the style of the time in 2009 and the stately homes of Central and Western Europe. The food is largely French.
We start off with steak tartare (HKD418). Dressed in brandy and formed table-side to gawk at and snap (pictures) at, the meal is impressive from the off. Unlike other tartare dishes locally, this meaty appetiser holds a tangy and pickly flavour profile, helped on with the dashes of tabasco. It awakens the palate, without overpowering your tongue.
Onto the second appetiser of the night, the oven-baked Camembert (HKD288). The fragrant cheese is served with small baguette chunks and rosemary fig marmalade, the latter helping balance the potent cheese touch.
For those with discerning cheese tastes, this is the dish to order, namely for its strong meeting on the nose and tongue. Each swipe of the cheese begins with notes of honey, cream, pine nuts, and pink salt, before tuning out with the classic Camembert aroma that wafts throughout your head. This is a good dish for lovers of cheese but avoid if you are scared of cultured milk!
A new dish on the menu, courtesy of the recently-arrived executive sous chef Lewis Scarfe, the roasted Rhug Estate Welsh lamb rack (HKD648) wowed us. This lamb dish continues with the overwhelming French feel of the place, whilst remaining true to the five-decade-strong theme of Hugo’s.
The lamb itself is plump without being too fatty and salty and peppery on the skin without overwhelming the iron-rich insides. The meat is helped on with mint jelly and English mustard to add some sweetness and potency to each bite, as well as the black garlic puree, braised cabbage, and rosemary lamb jus to bring depth.
Our second main course of the night was the tournedos rosini (HKD768). This dish features a plump and lightly-salted US beef tenderloin topped with pan-fried foie gras and standing on a crouton and spinach.
With the beef lending its strength to boost the flavours of the dish, this dish did not perform as well as I expected. I was hoping for a strong beefyness from the jus dotted along the plate and a tenderloin cut that carried saltiness on the outside and a light sweetness on the inside.
And last but not least, an experience at Hugo’s would not be complete without another table-side show for the crepes suzette (HKD148). It is a decant bite with strength coming from the orange chunks, potent vanilla ice cream, and grand marnier.
Our verdict of Hugo’s
Overall, Hugo’s performs like it says on the tin: it is an adventure into another world to explore how Europe ate last century. You will forget you are eating at a restaurant in one of the city’s most busy neighbourhoods. The signatures are good, but I hope for more modern additions to the menu in the future that would pair nicely with the classics.
Hugo’s, Lobby Level, Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Tsim Sha Tsui, 18 Hanoi Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3721 7733, book here
| Order this: steak tartare, roasted Rhug Estate Welsh lamb rack, crepes suzette Menu: à-la-carte menu Price for two: HKD1,500 – HKD2,000 | Atmosphere: grand, classic, and romantic Perfect for: a bougie date night or intimate trio evening meal |
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.
