REVIEWS

Over 220 updated reviews of Hong Kong and Macau’s best restaurants and bars, as rated by our panel of dining experts

The story of Amber is one that is constantly being rewritten. Following a menu shake-up in which several long-term signature dishes were shown the exit, we have had time to examine and appreciate culinary director Richard Ekkebus’ new point of view. French at its heart but with a firm footing in the bounty of fresh, seasonal produce afforded by Hong Kong’s proximity to Japan, Amber’s dishes are a seamless, genre-defying collective of inventive flavour combinations. The menu feels tighter than ever before, with eight dishes on the a la carte; the degustation remains both the better value and more enticing of the menus. Amber is the kind of restaurant that encourages indulgence of the highest order— where sweet langoustine and Schrenki caviar are layered over petals of sea urchin, but where beauty can also be found in the direction of wagyu beef dusted with dried red onion skin and seaweed powder, to thrilling effect. The service is smooth as silk, with staff anticipating your next move with casual confidence. Trust in the wine selections by head sommelier John Chan, who has brought pizzazz as well as prestige to the list, which offers intriguing selections by the glass. Amber is due to undergo renovation by mid-2018, and we will be excited to see its next chapter.