Aqua

Hong Kong is blessed with authentic international fare in many price ranges. Even so, we don’t often see a meal at $12,000 a head like Aqua’s current tasting menu.

29-30/F, One Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Tel: 3427 2288

Text by Jason Spotts, photos by Samantha Sin

To celebrate our issue of decadent tastes, we investigate Aqua’s latest hedonistic offering. The Italian side of the restaurant has designed an eight-course, $12,000-a-head tasting menu available until November 30.

“We started by throwing ideas around the kitchen,” says Italian Executive Chef Marco Medaglia. “We imagined mixing all these amazing ingredients together and all the combinations you could make. Before we knew it the owners told us to go for it.”

The white Alba truffle is headlining but this is hardly a one-man show. Persian caviar, Iberico ham, 24-carat gold flakes, the rare Risina di Spello bean, top-grade cheeses, spices and a lot more in rare premium produce share the same stage.

From Cristal to open and a rare 1992 Farnito Vin Santo del Chianti to close, wine pairings are every bit as grand.

A Kobe tenderloin topped with foie gras on sautéed porcini mushrooms serves as entrée, followed by a dessert of white truffles on Amadei chocolate with caramel and roasted pears.

Advance reservations a week before are advisable according to General Manager Alessandro Argento. “Our suppliers are on standby, but an advanced booking ensures we have time to guarantee the best of the best.”


Dinner per head
1.	Malted Chocolate Mousse With Chocolate Covered Coco Puffs	$
2.	Pumpkin Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting And Poached Pears	$
3.	Mont Blanc With Cherry Compote	$
4.	Chocolate Ganache Cake With Chocolate Tea Ice Cream	$
5.	Petit Fours	$
Total		$$12,000 + 10%
*Price subject to change without notice

Malted Chocolate Mousse With Chocolate Covered Coco Puffs

Cheung’s mousse leans to the light and fluffier side, but does not sacrifice the rich and smooth so critical in a good mousse. Its malty flavour just touches the palate without overwhelming too soon in the proceedings. After all, there are more courses to come. Chocolate-covered cereal puffs make a great first impression as a garnish of simplicity and nostalgia.

Pumpkin Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting And Poached Pears

The cake’s flavours mingle so delicately that cream cheese frosting is just right to marry it all together. Yet, the crystalised ginger and sugared pumpkin seeds on top make this a winner. They offer sparkles of flavour and added texture to complement the buttery smooth cake. White wine-poached pears are seared in butter and served on the side.

Mont Blanc With Cherry Compote

A beautifully airy meringue base is hollowed out and filled with moist sponge cake, then topped with whipped cream and crushed chestnuts. This dish is completed by a generous spiral of chestnut puree. It is perfect for those who enjoy the interplay between textures. A tart, contrasting cherry compote completes the flavour profile.

Chocolate Ganache Cake With Chocolate Tea Ice Cream

As good as the chocolate ganache cake is, the star of this dish is the earl grey chocolate ice cream. On top of adding some tannic bitterness and a refreshing flavour to the chocolate ice cream, it manages to lift the cake to another level. It lightens the cake to make you appreciate its rich chocolate flavour even more. Caramelised bananas served on the side.

Petit Fours

A pleasant conclusion with textural balance. A delicately silky apricot shortbread melts in the mouth. Also included are homemade chewy coconut marshmallows with extra coconut shavings. But thehighlight of this stunner was the financier,a small and buttery almond cake witha smooth chocolate filling.

Aqua

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