Though primarily thought to be catering to business travellers, The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel, is so much more. Located in what is arguably the busiest district in the city – Causeway Bay – while overlooking the tranquil Victoria Harbour, it’s not only one of the oldest hotels in Hong Kong, but also one that constantly looks to revamp itself by blurring the lines between work and play, all with a firm emphasis on art, cuisine and well-being.

In keeping with this philosophy and to celebrate its 45th anniversary, the hotel has just opened the doors of its brand-new 49-seater lounge, SKYE GastroBar, helmed by British chef Lee Adams, to complement the hotel’s already-popular SKYE Roofbar and Dining eatery.

As a casually refined lounge experience atop the 27th floor, SKYE GastroBar’s menu is concise yet creative. Tipping his hat to local produce, and sustainable seafood and meats, Head Chef Adams wholeheartedly embraces the hugely-popular ‘farm to table’ approach, serving refined French fare with fresh, rustic flavours. It’s a job he’s more than equipped to handle. Having helmed SKYE’s kitchen for three years now, Chef Adams has indeed learnt from the best, working under celebrity TV chef Gary Rhodes and Michelin-starred chef Paul Welburn before coming into his own as Chef de Cuisine at such prestigious establishments as the Rhodes W1 restaurant at the posh Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai.

At SKYE GastroBar, his approach is, however, calculatedly relaxed. Explaining his culinary vision for the rooftop noshery, Adams says: “We wanted to create simple yet memorable bites in a casual, relaxing setting. It’s a shame to play around too much with produce that’s so delicious on its own. We wished to explore and highlight the simplicity of the flavours instead.”

As promised, that’s exactly what he’s done, as we found out over the course of our sumptuous tasting. First up were Half Dozen Raw French Coastal Oysters. Served with fresh lime on a bed of ice, their raw marine saltiness set the tone for the rest of the evening. It was the next dish, “Drunken Chicken” Terrine, however, that truly showcases the depth of the chef’s indubitable skills. Taking inspiration from the popular Chinese dish of drunken chicken, Chef Adams transforms it into a terrine, a British delicacy. What results is a delicate French black chicken leg poached in Shaoxing rice wine, yellow wine and chicken stock, compressed with leek and baby corn. The rather mild taste of the meat is aptly contrasted by pickles and local vegetables, that inject a freshness to the dish. It’s the chicken skin, however, sprinkled on top like a crumble, that ties the dish together with an unexpected crispy finish.

A sumptuous sequel followed in the form of the Seared Australian Mb8+ Wagyu Beef Nigiri. With the beef soaked in a sweet ponzu sauce, before being blow-torched for a smoky finish, it’s left to the horseradish and black pepper to add an extra punch to the dish, all coalescing into a satisfying whole, thanks to an amalgamated explosion of toasty, hot, sweet, fatty and umami flavours.

Next up was one of the most popular dishes at SKYE GastroBar – the Local and Organic Heirloom Tomatoes, Smoked Burrata Cheese. A showstopper in both preparation and presentation, the burrata cheese comes encased in a glass lid, which lifts to release a shroud of smoke. Appearing almost magically underneath the vapours is a dollop of gleaming, white cheese with a mousse-like consistency, surrounded by three different types of tomatoes – heirloom tomatoes from Brittany, locally-sourced tomatoes and cherry tomatoes from the hotel’s own rooftop garden. Having been hung in a cheese fridge for two whole days, the cheese is suitably moist but never watery, with an all-pervading smokiness adding an extra culinary dimension. Equally palate-pleasing are the balsamic pearls served on the side, whose acidity counterpoints the creaminess of the cheese and the tangy-sweetness of the tomatoes.

With our appetites more piqued that ever, it was then time for the Seared Foie Gras On Toast to make an appearance. A winning combination of luxurious pan-seared French foie gras, glazed with duck jus and served on top of rye toast, it was a no-holds-barred, indulgent dish basking in its own creamy, savoury, decadent flavours. Simple in execution and rich in taste, it was the perfect culmination of all that SKYE GastroBar professes to serve on a plate – ingredients that speak for themselves, and speak loud and clear.

Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay

SKYE GastroBar. 27/Fl, The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel, 310 Gloucester Rd, Causeway Bay. (852) 2839 3327. www.parklane.com.hk/skye