Rech by Alain Ducasse

At Lobby Level of the Intercontinental Hotel Hong Kong, Rech by Alain Ducasse serves contemporary and authentically French seafood with the Chef’s personal interpretation. Enjoy the beautiful view of the harbour and feel as as though you are dining on the water.

PROFILE
Adrien Rech, who was from Alsace and whose name is pronounced “Resh”, opened the original restaurant in Paris in 1925 and it quickly gained a reputation for fine seafood. Alain Ducasse acquired the restaurant in 2007, and this first overseas venture for the brand opened in 2017. It replaces Spoon by Ducasse, which was in the same space in the InterCon. Ducasse protégé Stéphane Gortina heads the kitchen.

MUST TRY: Warm oysters with Champagne and caviar. Sealed cocotte of blue lobster and artisanal pasta. The Royal Platter for two, a mix of pink shrimp, crab, langoustine, oysters, clams and a carafe of white wine.

AMBIENCE
The floor-to-ceiling windows peer directly across the harbour to Hong Kong Island, providing an appropriate maritime ambience. The bright, mostly white décor has sun-bleached tones, rice-paper lamps add a beachside shack touch, the burnt-orange leather Branca chairs by Mattiazzi are inspired by driftwood, and paintings commissioned from Jean-Pierre Guilleron hang on the walls.

SERVICE
There is a cheerful informality to the service, which is nonetheless courteous and very well informed.

FOOD
Most of the fish and shellfish are shipped from France, and come from small independent fishermen in Europe, consequently providing a high degree of specialisation and seasonal produce. The Rush to Rech menu is a three-courser served only early or late in the evening, and is a useful option for those in a hurry. The a la carte has a couple of meat dishes, including Bresse pigeon, and the Camembert is a staple attraction here, as in Paris. Watch for the seasonal menus, featuring specialities such as blue lobster.

PRICING
HK$450 to HK$2,200

SUMMARY
For an internationally acclaimed restaurant, Rech can be remarkably modest in its pricing, making this a marvellous treat for everybody who enjoys French style seafood, particularly with its very strong Parisian angle.