Tucked away on the fifth flooring of a constructing on Lyndhurst Terrace, newly opened Sol affords a refreshing tackle Korean delicacies, one which’s deeply rooted in custom however elegantly wearing French approach.
That’s due largely to the artistic power of head chef Gwanju Kim, previously of Singapore’s three-Michelin-starred Odette and Seoul’s one-starred L’Amant Secret. Though chef Kim’s journey started in French kitchens, his coronary heart was at all times drawn to the richness of Korean produce. “We used numerous Japanese elements and methods at Odette,” he says. “And I used to envy that as a result of Korea has so many unimaginable elements too.”
After returning to Seoul, he started rethinking Korean delicacies, finally touchdown in Hong Kong to carry his imaginative and prescient to life. His aim is to highlight the elements Koreans usually take with no consideration — like maesaengi and siraegi — and introduce them to a worldwide viewers. At the beginning of our meal, chef Kim introduced a basket of the greens that might characteristic in our dishes, explaining their sourcing and conventional Korean culinary roles. Every course included an intensive overview from our server and a beautiful desk card providing an insightful backstory to the core ingredient at play.
For this evaluate, we, a Korean native and a current Hong Kong transplant, visited Sol a few week after it opened. We ordered the five-course lunch set , and a really helpful add-on to start out. Our whole invoice for 2 got here to HK$1,263 , together with glowing water and repair.
The vibe: Sol’s inside is heat and welcoming, with earthy brown tiles, gentle round lighting and the solstice motif adorning the partitions. Two-person cubicles present the right setting for a dialog whereas a few bigger tables can accommodate teams. A separate area close to the open kitchen hosts month-to-month cooking courses and group bookings, including a neighborhood really feel to the refined eating expertise.
Are you able to conduct a gathering right here? Completely. However a meal this good is likely to be higher shared along with your family members.
Who’s subsequent to you: Once we visited for a late weekday lunch, it was nonetheless quiet. However the few tables round us appeared to have {couples} and associates.
What we’d order once more:
Stella: My favorites have been the creamy steamed egg topped with mushrooms and pine nuts, and a dish really helpful by our server: a Jeju abalone paired with two sorts of Korean seaweed with a basic beurre blanc sauce. A nostalgic second got here with the mubap, a seasoned radish rice dish, served alongside grilled pork jowl, a humble one-pot dinner that immediately despatched me again to my childhood in Seoul. It’s a intelligent nod to the chef’s perception that the commonest elements usually maintain the deepest which means. I’d prefer to return for dinner, particularly with dessert chef Kylie Yang, previously of Mingles and Hansik Goo, bringing her personal trendy Korean aptitude to the ultimate course, which incorporates two grain-inspired desserts: one made with white rice and the opposite with barley.
Ray: At Sol, not one of the standard Korean fare I’m accustomed to — your bibimbap, Korean barbecue or ginseng rooster soup — are on the menu. So this expertise helped widen my palate and appreciation for different Korean staples. Standouts in my thoughts have been the delicately layered saewoo-jang , the aforementioned most important course of mubap with pork jowl and the just-sweet-enough dessert that includes tastes of barley, chocolate and tonka beans. I’d completely return for dinner, or higher but, a cooking class.
Must know: Sol is on the fifth flooring of 8 Lyndhurst Terrace. There aren’t any indicators outdoors, so verify the flooring listing contained in the constructing entrance. The restaurant serves lunch from midday to three p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Solely set menus can be found for each lunch and dinner. Reservations are really helpful, which will be made by way of Google Maps or immediately on the restaurant’s web site. —Stella Ko and Raymond Schillinger
This evaluate was initially printed in Hong Kong Version, a weekly e-newsletter. To subscribe without cost, click on right here.
Learn our different restaurant opinions: Joongang Haejang, well-known for its Korean hangover soup, in addition to Lala, Jee and Tsui Wah, that are in Sol’s neighborhood. Tell us in case you have any eating places you’d like us to evaluate. Drop us a line at hkedition@bloomberg.internet.
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