[Closed] Truffle menu review: Rhoda by Chef Nate Green, Hong Kong
Truffles meet Chef Nate Green's hearty, smokey cooking
Last year, Rhoda in Sai Ying Pun was one of the hottest openings in the restaurant scene. Diners raved about the contemporary homestyle restaurant that did wonderful things to meat on a grill. Since then, it’s become clear that Rhoda is a restaurant that continues to evolve thanks to a chef that cooks with his heart on his sleeve.
Chef Nate Green’s passion for cooking is evident and he continues to experiment via an a la carte menu that changes daily. For a limited time only, guests can also try their seven course Truffle Menu at $1498 per person created to celebrate Rhoda’s one year anniversary and the fact that it’s Australia’s truffle season. This is lot of money but you do get A LOT of truffle for the price.
Starters
There were really no filler dishes in this menu. From the first to the last, each was packed with flavour without overwhelming the palate. The raw Hokkaido scallop was served on a bed of smoked cod’s roe and topped with Sturia caviar and shredded truffle; delicious umami-laced bites. What made the chopped Irish Black Angus beef stand out was the tangy pickled walnuts that gave bite to the fresh beef and nutty truffle shavings. The bread was also very fragrant. On our night, we were served asparagus on a bed of extremely buttery mashed potatoes. As asparagus is sadly going out of season, it will be replaced with wild rice stems.
Fish and Meat
A ragout of peas, feves and bacon may sound simple and homey but it was elevated to the next level with some nori. Served along side this was a wonderful piece of sea bass and beurre blanc sauce, but the ragout alone is deliciously rich with some citrus to balance keep it from being too overwhelming. This was our favourite course of the night.
That said, the Irish Black Angus tenderloin was faultless and was served on a cauliflower mash seasoned with marmite. Another addictive umami-laced dish.
Cheese and Dessert
Chef Nate only buys summer Comte cheese because it’s when “the cows eat all the good stuff.” The earthy, medium-strong cheese was served with crushed hazelnuts, honeycomb and grated truffle. We could have ended on this high note, but there was one more surprise in store for us.
Rhoda’s vanilla cheesecake is well-known for its wonderful, pudding-like texture. We didn’t know it could get any better, but then we tried this version with shaved truffles, truffle oil and black cherries. The combination worked surprisingly well. Those who enjoy sweet and salty would like this.
Verdict
There’s really nothing not to love about Rhoda’s truffle menu. Well, maybe if you’d skip it if you are on a diet. Like some of the best things in life, Rhoda has aged and matured. It still excels in comfort food, and the current Truffle Menu showcases what they do best with a luxe twist. Those who prefer to order a la carte will also be able to sample some truffle as selected dishes will be on the daily a la carte menu.
345 Des Voeux Rd W, Shek Tong Tsui, 2177 5050
Thanks to Foodie for inviting me to review :) A version of this post will also appear on afoodieworld.com.
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