Eric Pras in HK

28 Oct 2012:  Patrick managed to secure a table at this sell-out event: Eric Pras, chef of 3-Michelin starred Lameloise (Chagny, France), cooking in Hong Kong!  Lameloise is really one of my favourite restaurants in the world: culinary skills aside, it's one of those special places that makes you feel that 'at home' every time you visit - the warm and personal service, the cosy dining areas, the very professional and friendly staff who have largely remained the same since my first visit, and the rush of fresh air that greets you in the face as you leave the restaurant. I highly recommend staying there if you are going to indulge on a gastronomic evening at the restaurant.  Chagny is this little town in the Côte Chalonnaise region, just south of the more illustrious Côte d'Or, in the Saône-et-Loire departement, and it's a charming little place.  The Sunday market is always a highlight for me and there are plenty of walks around the area, along the canal, in the hills taking you to Bouzeron and Rully. And don't forget to explore the wines of the Côte Chalonnaise because they are wines of character and they offer something different for those seeking value and quality in Bourgogne wines: Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny.

In his earlier career, Eric Pras trained with various legendary culinary figures in France: Troisgros, Bernard Loiseau, Pierre Gagnaire and Antoine Westerman.  He joined Jacques Lameloise in 2008 and took over the kitchen in 2009.  The style of food at Lameloise?  Simplicity and tradition form a very harmonious entirety here.....the kitchen looks for 'innovation' in 'tradition'. 

For this menu degustation, he prepared the following:



Scallop and Jerusalem Artichoke - the scallop with crispy celery coat was divine!

 Scallops and Jerusalem Artichoke, Marinated and Crispy Celery Perfumed Coat
Jerusalem Artichoke Nectar and Sea Urchin Marshmallow



Escargots - I think the pastry was not very nice - much better with the classic tarte fine

 Burgundy Escargots, Tarte Fine, Herbs, Vegetables, Persil and Garlic Coulis and Sprinkled Liquorice

Slow cooked Seabass, warm mayonnaise, mustard and verbena



Lobster medallion - my favourite dish of the evening!  Love the rich and warm flavours.

 Lobster Medallion, Artichoke and Coriander, Light Cream of Parmentier Style Potato (my favourite dish, stunning panoply of flavours and texture......so good with the 88 Clos de La Roche!)



Pigeon dish - fleshy and tender (and this went beautifully with the 93 Clos de La Roche)

 Pigeon roasted with gingerbread praline, turnip with prune chutney and pearled jus

Mango soup, yoghurt sorbet, warm madeleine

Orange cream and jelly, manjari mousse, ginger orange sherbet

As this was a special occasion (a birthday dinner), our host had prepared some rather special wines:
1988 Krug: Bright deep gold.  A very expressive, intense and complex nose of quince, fig, apricot, hazelnuts, acacia, nutmeg, gingerbread , pastry and smoke.  On the palate, the intense flavours find perfect balance with the lively acidity and creamy texture of fine and persistent bubbles, seamlessly integrated. A very complete and harmonious wine, absolutely irresistible (and disappearing very fast from the glass).  Drinking at peak now and for another 8 - 10 years?  19.5/20

2005 Meursault Les Grands Charrons, Michel Bouzereau (in magnum): This is very fine village quality example. A classic Meursault nose of peach, apricot, ripe pear, verbena, bracken and hazelnuts.  The rich texture and rounded mouthfeel balanced by firm acidity.  There is very good ripe fruit quality here, admirable balance and a long minerally finish.  A fine effort and can drink for another 5 - 6 years in this format.  16/20 

2006 Meursault-Caillerets, Coche-Dury: First bottle was corked.  Second bottle shows a very fine and stylish Meursault, with a very elegant and initially subtle nose of peach, melon, floral, hazelnuts and flinty smoke.  On the palate, the refined elegance is unmistakable.  A little restrained initially, slowing revealing a very precise expression of terroir: stony minerality, Meursault richness overlaid with a stylish elegance and tremendous freshness.  A very long finish.  Gorgeous now and can be enjoyed over next 10 - 15 years.  (Les Caillerets is a tiny Premier Cru climat next to Volnay and Monthelie.) 17.5/20  

1989 Charmes-Chambertin, Rousseau: Sweaty saddle, underbrush, with some plum notes on the nose.  Mid weight.  Elegant, but a little ungenerous on the palate, slightly lacking in character.  Drink now.  16/20

1988 Clos de La Roche, Rousseau: This by comparison is a pleasant surprise.  Spicy notes overlaid with plum and dried rose petals.  Rich mouthfeel, showing a robust structure of fine acidity and velvety tannin, intensity and depth of flavours, with a medium finish.  Drink now and over next 45 - 6 years. 17/20 

1993 Clos de La Roche, Rousseau: Ripe red fruit, plum, spicy and earthy notes with a touch of the sauvage character.  Not a wine particularly defined by finesse and elegance, but rather a wine that delivers solid structure, balance, flesh, concentration and richness of ripe fruit material - a very respectable expression of terroir. Velvety tannin, fine acidity and a long finish. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years. 18/20   

1999 Bonnes Mares, de Vogüé: Still very youthful - slightly austere, not really talking to us yet. Probably could benefit from 2 more years of bottle age before trying again.  Notes of red and blue fruit and spices.  This is a firm and solid wine, with plenty of concentration and depth, but this is going to take some time to unfurl its greatness and finesse.  18.5/20

1959 Coutet: Richard tried it and said it was really delicious and amazingly fresh!


Sometimes when you have a guest chef from overseas, the expectation far exceeds the actual delivery/enjoyment because of various reasons: chef not familiar with the kitchen, linguistic challenges with the rest of the culinary team, etc....but not for this dinner, all the dishes were as we would expect in France.  Chapeau!  Well done, chef!