Mono Hong Kong

A meal at MONO is always fun, as Ricardo takes his techniques from French cuisine and applies it to various Latin American ingredients and flavors. It's exotic and very delicious.

I had neglected to tell Ricardo about my wife's new dietary restrictions until just a few hours before dinner, but the kitchen created a customized menu for her and substituted all the ingredients she could not take. That's amazing.

Full account of dinner is on my blog: https://www.diarygrowingboy.com/2024/11/latin-with-spanish.html Less

Whilst rooted in Latin America and influenced by Japan , the food @monorestaurant is actually a veritable United Nations of ingredients , ideas and techniques .
@rchaneton showcases his passion for Venezuela and Latin America thru his cooking and Manager Abbi Grace amplifies his vision with service which is both soulful and informative .

Hong Kong is lucky to have this unique restaurant .

A Buri ( yellowtail) tiradito is the ideal beginning . The fish providing a blank canvas to a variety of sauces and textures including pickled oca and a Peruvian chilli sauce .

The bread whose sourdough starter recently celebrated its 5th birthday is a great companion for the next few courses, also served with outstanding olive oil .

Danish Langoustine is a supporting cast member to a study of cacao . The flesh, nibs and powder are all used for sauce, garnish and tea and its versatility is to be commended . The dish does veer a little sweet to me but that does seem to be the current style with langoustine dishes .

A beautiful coriander tortilla wraps around a barely roasted Japanese fruit tomato . Both sweet and savoury , it is a great bite but the accompanying Tomato and basil seed consommé with Yunnan sweet chilli steals the show . It’s phenomenally good .

Meagre fish from Galicia is next , with its primary partner in crime a “shisochurri” . Sauce/condiment work again shines .

Dish of the day for me was Australian Wagyu flap with beef jus , served alongside a rosti made of Costa Rican cassava and a Venezuelan wasakaka sauce which features avocado, parsley , coriander and white vinegar . Did I mention I love the sauces here ?

Pre dessert is a very smashable combination of apricot , Mexican marigold and kampot black pepper whose floral notes really sing .

To finish , cacao returns , this time in sweet form (brownie and ganache ), along with a coulis of Colombian parcha (passion fruit) and an avocado leaf ice cream . This dessert really surprised with the Cacao being by far the most subtle ingredient. Less

Back in HK in time to catch @rchaneton’s latest Unplugged series at @monorestaurant last week - this time with Asia’s Best Female Chef @chef.pam of @restaurant.potong in Bangkok! The exciting collaboration featured dishes that celebrated each chef’s cultural heritage, combining Chef Ricardo’s Venezuelan-Italian roots and Chef Pam’s progressive Thai-Chinese cuisine. There were many great dishes but my absolute favorite was the amazing pigeon with a caramelized skin!

Our menu:

Black Chicken Tart & Herbal Consommé
Cilantro / Honey / Chinese Herbs

Buri Ceviche
Anchan Leche de Tigre / Green Papaya

POTONG’S Pad Thai
Carabinero / Tofu / Pickled Radish

MONO-made Sourdough
Lemongrass / Eva Aguilera Arbequina Olive Oil

Scottish Scallop
Galangal Curry / Grasshoppers

Yin Yang Noodle
Morel Mushroom / Pork

Binchotan Grilled Turbot
Thai Basil Tortilla / Green Mango Xnipec

Plounéour-Menez Pigeon
Five-spice Rub / Tamarind Glazed Cucumber

Miyazaki Mango
Rice Chicha / Thai Chilli Tuile

Tangerine & Chocolate Bon Bon

Cantaloupe Pate de Fruit & White Chocolate
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Mono x Potong
Central, Hong Kong
#supermelHK #supermelCentral Less

I’ve always loved the Unplugged series at @monorestaurant where @rchaneton invites a chef to cook in a fun and uninhibited setting, and this time it was with Asia’s Best Female Chef @johanne_siy of @lollasg! I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with both chefs at a culinary retreat in Japan, and I was excited to see the two friends cook together once again. Except for one signature dish from Lolla, the chefs worked on all of the dishes together and it was everything a collaboration should be - creative, inspiring and most importantly, downright delicious!

The menu:

𝗩𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗮 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗮
Amaebi, Hamaguri & Uni

𝗦𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘄
Chutoro & Calamansi

𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮
Beef Tartare, Eggplant & Chipotle Sauce

𝗠𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
Avocado, Smoked Eel, Eel Consommé & Yuzu

𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗢-𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵
Pili Nuts & Eva Aguilera Olive Oil

𝗖𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗮
Queso Fresco, NOMAD Caviar & Sinigang Broth

𝗙𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘂𝗮
King Crab & Taba Ng Talangka Aioli

𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗮𝗰𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮
Secreto Iberico Inihaw, Bicol Express, Venezuelan-style Fish Stew

𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹
Strawberries, Star Fruit & Ancho Chili

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀
Ube, Yuca, Coffee & Local Longan Honey

𝗬𝗲𝗺𝗮
Cashew Nuts

𝗚𝘂𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗼 𝗦𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲
Black Pepper & Bay Leaf
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MONO x Lolla
Central, Hong Kong
#supermelHK #supermelCentral Less

Always a joy to be back at one of my favorite restaurants @monorestaurant to try its latest menu! The flavors and cooking by @rchaneton are consistently spot-on and fantastic. As the restaurant approaches 4 years, I look forward to seeing its evolution towards embracing the chef’s Italian roots and local influences while maintaining its South American flair.

Our menu:

Mashua Tartlette
Pickled Mashua with nasturtium emulsion & smoked ancho chilli gel

Confit Carabinero
White corn & blue spirulina

Snow Pea Salad
Tremella mushroom, kiwi & avocado leaf

Homemade Sourdough
Cacao nibs & Spanish Arbequina olive oil from Eva Aguilera

Imperial Langoustine
Expressions of Ecuadorian cacao

‘Monkbread’
Charcoal-grilled Brittany monkfish & Correze veal sweetbread

Challans Duck Breast
Treviso salad, sofrito & barbacoa sauce with cuck-innard rice

Duck Foie Gras Taco
Coriander tortilla & plantain mole

Saffron Sorbet
Hazelnut crumble & Frangelico Sabayon

Taiwanese Cacao Chocolate Textures
Fermented black bean mille-feuille & soy sauce caramel

Alfajor
Argentinian dulce de leche & coconut

Chocolate Truffle
MONO-made Pinatuna cacao dark chocolate & caramelized peanut
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1*, MONO
Central, Hong Kong
#supermelHK #supermelCentral Less