Le Bec Fin, which means “fine palate”, is probably one of Hong Kong’s best kept secrets. Hidden in an unassuming building in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Marble Road in North Point, the restaurant has been quietly delighting gourmands for five years.
A Review of Le Bec Fin
It’s understandable if you’re scratching your head and wondering why you haven’t heard of the name Le Bec Fin. For the past five years, it has been flying under the radar – also unsurprising given that three of those years were Covid-plagued.
But it’s attempting to make its presence felt now with a new head chef, Ichida Masaki, and sous chef, Yusuke Kitade, while also expanding its footprint to now include a brand new bar and a private dining room.
It was a very quiet evening when we arrived at the restaurant on a Tuesday night. My last visit had been almost four years ago and I was keen to see how the restaurant had survived the pandemic – and also to try the food from the new chefs, of course.
My strongest memory of the old Le Bec Fin was the Wagyu sando and the French onion soup. I was happy to discover that both remain on the new omakase menu. The eight-course dinner with prerequisite amuse bouche and tea or coffee is priced at $1,580+. The menu, when we finally asked for it, is about as forthcoming as the staff in the restaurant; it doesn’t tell you much except for perhaps the protein in the dish.
The first course of crab and jelly, was actually a little more than the two ingredients, being topped by some sea urchin and caviar. It was cool and refreshing, perfect for the heatwave we have been having.
From social media, the beef tartare here seems to be served in several forms. Ours was actually marinated beef strips that was served with a single sheet of nori. It was flavourful and was a departure from the normal minced beef and egg but not necessarily an improvement.
The tuna cutlet, however, was well executed. Served katsu-style, the batter was light but crunchy while the middle still maintained perfect pinkness. The onion soup was as good as I remembered with a lovely seared cheese top.
The chargrilled kinki fish was also succulent and tender but, weirdly, came in a shallow plate so small it made cutting difficult. The Wagyu sando, or steak sandwich as the menu calls it, was the obvious highlight of the meal. The medium rare meat was juicy and wasn’t too fatty, with the thick toast slices soaking up the extra oiliness.
The chicken ramen was another highlight. The springy noodles absorped the rich broth and every mouthful was full of umami. It was a filling meal but it didn’t stop us from gobbling up the large mochi dessert to complete our night testing out our fine palates.
Cuisine
Japanese French
We Loved
Onion soup
Steak sandwich
Chicken ramen
The Vibe
The original Le Bec Fin is quite modest in size, seating on six at the counter and another six at the only table in the restaurant. The new private room, however, will be able to accommodate another 22 people while bar portions of the food will be served in the new bar. The vibe is pretty zen which might explain the laidback service from staff who make little effort to enhance the dining experience. Even both head chef and sous chef barely showed their face at the counter, despite it being an open kitchen of sorts.
Quick notes
Price for two:
$1,600 excluding drinks
Address:
Shop 8, G/F China United Center
28 Marble Road, North Point
Tel. 5726 0882 (Whatsapp)
Opening Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday: 4pm till late (bar); 6.30pm till late (restaurant)
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Written by
Winnie Chung is an experienced lifestyle journalist who has covered everything from showbiz and Hong Kong films, to food, and all things luxury. After being grounded by the pandemic, she found a renewed appreciation for Hong Kong's vibrant and diverse dining scene.
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