Foodie Friday
Move over Napa Wine Bar and Kitchen and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. Two other restaurants – but in the same 2 towns – have been cited for their outstanding wine lists in the 2015 edition of China’s Wine List of the Year Awards. One is a neighborhood bistro in Shanghai, the other a fine dining hotel restaurant in Hong Kong.
The 2015 edition of China’s Wine List of the Year Awards evaluated the wine lists of small independent restaurants, the dining rooms of 5 star hotels, stylish night clubs, intimate wine bars, neighborhood cafes, and other eateries throughout Greater China. A total of 33 awards were presented. Some highlights of the awards follow.
Franck in Shanghai is a Parisian style bistro with a relatively small menu that changes with the seasons.
Located in the heart of Shanghai’s Ferguson Lane’s art deco district, it has been cited by China’s Wine List of the Year Awards as having Mainland China’s top wine list. The Restaurant’ Sommelier, Franck Pecol, also named Outstanding Sommelier.
“It is an immaculately curated wine list that focuses on the wines of France and supports its authentic bistro dishes,” says Co-chairman Peter Forrestal.
“There’s a freshness and a vitality about Franck’s offering, an emphasis on youthful wines that is balanced by mature bottles for those looking for them.”
Hong Kong’s Top Wine List
Restaurant Petrus is a fine dining French restaurant at the 5 star Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, which is located at Admiralty on Hong Kong Island.
It was cited for having the best wine list of the year for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. The restaurant’s sommelier Yohann Jousselin was named Outstanding Sommelier.
”At Restaurant Petrus, customers can enjoy some of the world’s finest wines by the glass: Pol Roger ‘Winston Churchill, all the first growth Bordeaux, Y’quem, and naturally, Chateau Petrus,” Peter says.
“You can reach for the stars as, by the bottle, there’s close to 40 vintages of Petrus and all the great wines of the world.”
Greater China Hall of Fame
The following restaurant’s made the Wine List of the Year’s Hall of Fame: Napa Wine Bar and Kitchen, Shanghai; L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Hong Kong;and Robucon au Dome at the Grand Lisboa, Macau.
The following restaurants were finalists in the Wine List of the Year: Franck, Shanghai; Grand Imperial Court, Macau; Kazuo Okada, Hong Kong; Opera Bombana, Beijing; Restaurant Petrus, Hong Kong; TRB, Beijing.
“The winners and finalists this year have proved the Chinese wine scene to be the most exciting in the world today and fast developing into one of the highest quality, offering customers the choice of international superstars with a wide selection of affordable quality wines alongside exciting home grown gems,” says 2015 Co-chairman Brian Julyan.
In case you didn’t know, Greater China refers collectively to mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.