Another New Chef on Board

We were at Gough’s on Gough a couple of months ago checking out their Restaurant Week menu just as they were undergoing a change in culinary direction, and late last month, I went back to meet their new Chef Cary Docherty and check out some of the new dishes he introduced at the restaurant as part of that transformation.

It didn’t take long after we started with a series of appetizer dishes that I knew they are definitely moving in the right direction. They were all excellent. The pair of cold seafood starters were punchy – starting with the marinated scallops with leek dressing then the crab on toast with generous topping of Oscietra caviar. And I also loved the brioche toast served with sautéed mushrooms piled on top.

We were surprised with a couple dishes served off-menu using the seasonal white truffles this evening. Between the fried eggs sunny-side up and the Jerusalem artichokes risotto, both simple preparation which paired well with the aromatic white truffle shavings, I probably like the former slightly better – I wondered if I could have a repeat of that for breakfast every morning.

For mains, the whole dover sole was presented to us at the table before it’s carefully deboned and served in individual portion, with crushed potatoes and grenobloise sauce by the side. I love the firm texture of the fish with rich flavor. The other mains we had that evening was the Vol au Vent of braised beef and foie gras served with a Madeira sauce and a bed of creamy mashed potatoes. Nothing new with this combination of ingredients but the dish was well-executed and delicious. Well, no Beef Wellington this evening somewhat to my disappointment (it’s a dish I loved and came to enjoy at the restaurant a few times) but Chef Cary assured me that it’s still there on the menu and it’s going to be even better than before – I would take his word for that while taking a raincheck on that one.

Half a dozen of desserts were brought to us at the same time just as we were finishing up the meal, presenting us with big dilemma of which one to try. If I really have to pick my favorites, I would say the Lemon Tart and Crème Fraiche Sorbet, and the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Clotted Cream Ice-cream. The former was tart and sweet with good accent of acidity, and the toffee pudding was oozy with great caramel flavor that I couldn’t stop enjoying once I started to put my spoon in.

Looking forward to even better things to come once chef got a even firmer standing on the ground at his new post.

(Dinner was by invitation)

When? October 30 2018
Where? Gough's on Gough, 15 Gough Street, Central, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Whole Roasted Dover Sole, Olive Oil Crushed Potatoes and Grenobloise Sauce
Drinks?
2016 Churton Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough
2015 Comtesse de Malet Roquefort Bordeaux
Web: goughsongough.com