racines — Restaurant in Hong Kong Island

1. The venue: Racines isn’t a large restaurant, with a maximum capacity of 18 seats. The dining hall has essentially 3 sections: bar counter facing the open kitchen, tables for 2 across the open kitchen, and tables for 2 or 4 besides the open kitchen. We had asked for a table besides the open kitchen, allowing my wife and I to face each other while having the possibility to discuss with the chefs in the kitchen at the same time.

The tables are obviously clean and tidy, as expected in a restaurant of this standing. Everything is positioned neatly. The seats are very soft and comfortable. The overall style of the restaurant is very classic, with some cute yellow light lanterns on the walls.

Last night was quite packed with 15 customers, yet the level of noise was very reasonable especially considering the proximity with the open kitchen. This is largely due to (i) the fact that the customers attending were… civilized and attentive to keeping the noise to a minimum level, and (ii) the fact that the chefs can operate in the kitchen with a very level low level of noise (considering that… it’s a kitchen). I have a mild hearing impairment, pay attention to this and noise wasn’t a problem at Racines.

2. The staff: The Racines team consists of Romain and Alexy (who momentarily replaces Adrien) as head chefs, and 4 additional chefs. As a result and given the relatively small number of customers, the service can be relatively quick – if necessary. We were not in a rush and took our time.

In the dining hall, General Manager Pooja and Captain Mùri were very knowledgeable about the dishes and explained them to us in full details. Questions were all answered. I had a couple of requests like opening our Passetoutgrain wine 1/2h before we arrived to let it breath and this was accommodated with no problem. Pooja and Muri are an absolute delight to talk to and were very attentive and everything was done to make our dinner a truly memorable experience. On our way out Pooja gifted us with a loaf of the sourdough we had during dinner, a nice touch given its quality that we will enjoy in the next few days for breakfast.

3. The menu: The menu is relatively simple to understand: 6 dishes, with a choice of mains between beef and pigeon (the menu rotates every few months). As I had had the beef last time, we ordered the pigeon this time. This is a dish that has to be ordered for 2. It is also possible to add-on caviar on the oyster starter, which we did. 3 appetizers (chicken liver parfait, broccolini in jelly and sea urchin croquette) preceded the dinner, and 3 petit fours complemented it (tuiles, madeleines, and chocolates).

4. The dishes: The dishes are of moderate size, which is necessary in a large menu such as Racines’. Our appetite is normal and the size of the dishes was very well proportioned. We left the restaurant neither hungry nor over-full. Each dish was relatively light, again necessary – at least for us – in a large menu, with perhaps the exception of the pigeon with chicken jus which was a slightly more full bodied dish and went very well with the Passetoutgrain. My wife and I don’t eat goat cheese so our cheese dish was replaced with a delicious lavender crème brûlée. Each dish is presented like a masterpiece with little flowers etc, as you can see from the pictures. There is no flaw in the presentation.

Now, the most important part of this review: the taste of each dish is of unbelievable quality, in a sense that each ingredient can be clearly identified. Each spice can be uniquely identified, a testimony to not only the quality of the ingredients used, but also to the art with which each dish is crafted precisely to let these flavors develop and be identified. This, is something that uniquely identifies Racines vs other fine dining venues in Hong-Kong. I don’t think any other restaurant in Hong-Kong matches this particular aspect (MONO may come close).

In summary, Racines is a restaurant of world class quality at every level, Romain & Adrien’s success is totally deserved, and we will gladly...

FOOD: Enjoyed the restaurant week menu on the beginning of September, a special week for students every year, same as the last week of 2025 restaurant week. I have been walking through the TAI PAN SHAN Street area for thousands of times and still get fascinated by the shopfront every time I pass through RACINES.

The menu is consisted of 5 parts, a signature Cereal Sourdough (Smoked Butter, Espelette, Plum Jam) as starter, following with the Polmard tartare ((tartare, Maitake, truffle) and Mackrel (Cherry, Almond, Tarragon) , we have chosen the fish and three Yellow chicken as a main course, the desserts are Eggplant (black Oliver, Basil, Sorbet) and Smoked Burrata (Melon, Scamorza, Mint), the Mignardises was the last part of the dance. All of these are very great and they are not just great in presentation, but also the quality is fantastic.

It is more like an OMAKASE dining experience in japan, Chef introduces every dish before presenting to customers and asked if it is fine between the next course. Customers are not only having a meal , but also like a music concert.

CP VALUE: I will give 7.5/10 as the portion is great in value, the set costs $498/px excluding 10% service charge.

DINING AREA : There are 2 parts of the restaurants, an area next to the entrance (simple setting) and the open kitchen bar area (able to witness the cooking process from all different chefs), we have been arranged for the bar area but I prefer the another one as it's a bit less noisy.

In a nutshell, it is a small and cozy home-like restaurant, chef is very enthusiastic and passionate about foods, staffs are all kind and thoughtful, it's a wonderful...

Amazingly delicious lunch.

Open over a year ago by 2 very talented french chefs trained in spectacular restaurants in France and in other countries, Racines is a memorable restaurant.

I’m French and for bread/butter I’m very picky. The butter at Racines is perfectly balanced : salted, piment espelette and covered by plum sauce. It’s so special and the bread is succulent.

3 amuse bouches were served, our favorite one was the croquette with snails. Delicious. The menu (attached) was a very tasty and unforgettable experience.

Every dish was perfectly executed, very elaborated. Each plate mixed so many flavors, ingredients and the result is delicious each time. If I have to pick few dishes, I would say the mains and the dessert. They dared to make a dessert with cauliflower and it works, it’s so yummy.

To finish, the mignardises were madeleines (super light) and chocolates (milk I think with a touch of praliné), both a perfect end of an amazing lunch.

Yes, it’s not cheap but this a very fine dining restaurant and you will remember no doubt your meal at Racines.

I must also add that the service is immaculate, very knowledgeable and kind staff. Very nice atmosphere in Racines.

If you can, go to Racines. The chefs and the staff are super friendly, talented and you can feel how proud (in a good way) they are of their food. To be fair, they can and should!!

Well done Racines. Can’t...