Hiramatsu

The ambience was fantastic with real candelarabras and what we would expect from french cuisine. We had the degustation dinner menu where the food was mostly fantastic. The only thing I didn't like was the scallop nobel - which was a chopped up scallop with some clear looking sauce (semi-solidified... like jelly consistency). It was presented on a scallop shell which looked amazing but alas, when I tried to piece the pieces of scallop together, I couldn't even make up one scallop (this was the same for the other guest at the table!). The foie gras dish and duck (with orange sauce - classic french) was wonderful and so was the macaron and chocolate ball (last dish). The bread was served hot with crusty outside and soft center. However, they had a persimmon tarte tartin which was a miss for me. I love persimmons and the traditional apple tarte tartin but together it didn't work for me in both taste and texture. The pastry was light and crispy but it just didn't go with the persimmons which I think were under cooked and lack the sweetness I was expecting. The waiteresses that served us had a lovely manner but made a few mistakes in the service which I would not expect for this fine dining establishment (e.g. reaching across the table to serve water to a guest seated on the opposite side rather than walking around; dishes were not taken away at the same time for the whole table especially when it was obvious that 3 out of 5 has not finished that dish, they cleared the table for the other 2 first). Overall, it was a pricey adventure which I will only repeat if choosing a la cart rather than degustation.

Visited September 2018

The Congress faculty dinner was here . I have no idea what kind of of place it is , and surprised to find the restaurent is Michelin Star in both Paris and Toyko ( Chef owner same name ) . The is in a second level of a high end shopping mall , next to the Okura hotel. . The decor is modern europeo...n , tuxedo dressed waiter / waitress . Walking in a long hallway , I have a glimpse of the kitchen very sizable kitchen . This sit down dinner took over the whole restaurent , 60 . A quick look at the regular menu , offer three tasting menu according to price , look like the host ordered the degustation menu 6 courses dinner ( 16000 yen ). Wine list is limited mainly french . The host did ordered very good french White and red burgundy ..The courses were presented beautifully and cooked to perfection. Gazpacho lobster, duck foie gras of cabbage wrap in truffle sauce ( very stunning presentation ) scabbard fish fruit tomatoe ( white fish with high fat content ) , Duck amanatsu ( french Style Duck superb ) and deserts . A high end , refined french in a most unlikely place !

Visited June 2018

Normally I only have Japanese food when I'm on holiday in Japan. But since my friend and I'd plenty of time after hotel check-out and before our flight back to Hong Kong and I'd been to Hiramatsu in Paris some years ago and was impressed by the food, we went to Hiramatsu in Fukuoka for lunch yeste...rday. We both took the 5000 yen lunch menu with amuse bouche an appetiser, a fish course, a meat course, a dessert and a coffee. All the dishes were tasty though not outstanding. My favourite was the duck main course. The meat was juicy and tender and the sauce went very well with the dish. The service was excellent. When I booked online, I informed the restaurant that I didn't eat cooked salmon. So, the waitress offered to change the salmon in the menu to sea bass for me. After I told the same waitress half way through the meal that we needed to leave around 14:45 to catch the plane, the service became more speedy. On the whole, I'd a nice meal at Hiramatsu. But the experience was far from memorable. So next time I guess I'll just stick to Japanese food.

Visited September 2014