The Flying Elk, Wyndham Street

There seems to be two big trends that have enveloped restaurants over the last few years. Firstly, open kitchens. Secondly, Nordic cuisine. Let me start with open kitchens. Potentially a disaster after all who wants to watch a bearded sweaty chef trickle bodily fluid onto your steak? And yet there is something animalistic about scrutinising your food being primed for eating. That streak of flame contrasted with the quiet concentration of the pastry section. There are many pitfalls to an open kitchen and if you’ve ever been to one that befalls some of these turmoil’s you will know what I refer to. Moving onto Nordic cuisine, like Ikea has taken over our living rooms, it seems we are being slowly engrossed by Nordic fare. Everyman that owns a mason jar and some vinegar is determined to pickle something these days. But the dangers are many and varied (I know I know there is much more than just pickles going on here). But do it right and you come across a carefully balanced dish of textures, tastes and overall a sense of comforting warmth.

The Flying Elk on Wyndham Street does both of these things. Occupying a cavernous space that manages to retain a sense of nearness and intimacy. It is dominated by an open kitchen not full of hulking bearded chaps but instead by smiling chefs who are all to happy for you to watch in admiration at what they are crafting. It is also the brain child of Nordic maestro Bjorn Frantzen, of 3 Michelin stars Frantzen. The Flying Elk takes the best parts of Nordic food prepared with prodigious skill and combines it with a hospitable and knowledgeable waiting staff to make for an excellent dinner spot whether for a large gathering or a more cherished date.

The Scot and I wandered over on a Friday night and enjoyed a thoroughly dazzling supper. My eyes were immediately drawn to pigs’ ears on the ‘Snacks’ section of the menu. Little seen in HK but a cut I adore when done properly, they didn’t last long. Breaded and deep fried till crispy on the outside and sumptuous and truly piggy in the middle paired with a sauce gribiche. It was a good start and thankfully it long continued.

Elsewhere on the “Snack” menu we had the Croquettes and Gougeres. Croquettes come in many different iterations, you could have mash potatoes ones or Spanish ones (side note – 22 Ships and Ham & Sherry do excellent ones). The ones in Flying Elk were unlike either and instead seemed to consist purely of slow cooked beef short rib which had been cooled, rolled, breaded and deep fried. Not great for the arteries but when something is this good health goes out the window. I would have been happy to eat plate after plate of these but would have needed to be rolled out the restaurant. The Gougeres were my least favourite dish, sort of like a cheesy profiterole but topped off with honey which just made it too sweet for me.

Moving onto the “Medium Dishes” designed so you could aim for one each or order a plethora to share, which is what we did. I was desperate to try the Tenderloin and Smoked Heart of Beef but the Scot was set on a couple of others. So being a gentleman I gave in…. not that I was disappointed though. Baked Pumpkin was pillowy soft, reassuringly wholesome and one of those dishes to make you forget all the wrongs in the world. Marvelling at the feeling of being wrapped in the hug given off by curry spicing and saffron.

Slow Cooked Guinea Fowl reminded me of a French style dish but without the heady addition of butter. Guinea fowl is a subtle tasting bird and so the addition of peas and artichokes were not too strong in flavour as to overpower the bird. It was given a helpful lift with the addition of zesty lemon.

The next dish was what I was most looking forward to, behind the pigs ears of course, venison! Little seen in Hong Kong, to the detriment of the local population in my (not so) humble opinion. Cooked pink, rested just enough. Served on a bed of silk smooth celeriac to enrich the earthiness of the meat. Sauce wise it came with a twist in preserved blueberries. Venison which is usually paired so well with a sharp fruit like raspberry or cherries had been given a Nordic makeover. The blueberries were unexpected but when you get a bite with everything on the plate including crispy onions and endives it set it all off and brought the hole dish together. If we had one little niggle (from The Scot not yours truly) it was that the juniper was a little over powering, I can see some people agreeing here but it really was a minor grumble.

We ordered a quick desert, I didn’t write the name down and trying to remember from memory is near enough impossible. Just picture all the Brits walking around Ikea attempting to pronounce the name of the latest sofa and you get the idea. But sad to say that what had been a truly excellent dinner was mired somewhat by what was effectively a jammy dodger. Oh well forget the bad stuff and concentrate on the good.

The menu at the Flying Elk had so many other intriguing dishes on there that I will be certain to be back. Helped by an attractive and reasonably priced wine list, the food, the service, made for one very enjoyable dinner.

All the best,

The Galloping Ginger

The Flying Elk

2/F Wyndham Mansion, 32 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong (enter off Glenealy Street)

http://theflyingelk.com