A glorious new Springtime Dinner Menu also embracing the best of land and sea underscores Executive Chef Ken Kwok’s French-Japanese flair
Hong Kong – BIFTECK continues mesmerising meat lovers with extraordinary, unprecedented flavours, launching a unique 8-course spectacle of charcoal-grilled delicacies at the visionary French-Japanese steakhouse in QRE Plaza, Wanchai, along with a seasonal 6-course tasting menu and a la carte specialities.
Freshness from the land and sea – a BIFTECK axiom – infuses both of the new evening tasting menus and the charcoal-grilled a la carte selection, presenting new tastes and surprises beyond the beloved signatures that remain constant in Executive Chef Kwok’s ever-creative repertoire. The two menus come with the option of house-devised wine pairings to elevate the pleasure of each dish.
Grilling on charcoal heightens the appeal of the finest cuts of meat handpicked by Chef Kwok, whose beef expertise knows no geographical bounds. With the grill fired up, there is also no limit to the variety of top-quality produce that he introduces to the hot coals. Seafood, poultry, vegetables, even herby bread will sizzle in unison until perfectly cooked. The warmth of the fire transfers from kitchen to plate, and robust charred aromas waft provocatively across the table.
“I love the smoky edge the charcoal grill brings to my favourite meat cuts and other ingredients, adding extra layers of flavour and textural appeal,” says Executive Chef Ken Kwok. “Spring is about new awakenings and with the intoxicating scent of charcoal-grilling in the air, as well as an imaginative seasonal tasting menu to savour, the dining room becomes a sensory wonder.”
“Gril à Charbon” – 8 Courses of Charcoal-Grilled Goodness
BIFTECK’s redolent charcoal-grilled evening extravaganza (8 courses, from HK$888 per person) is served daily from 6pm, with a 5-glass pairing of notable French and Italian wines at an additional HK$468 per person. Arousing charcoal tastes and aromas begin with an hors d’oeuvre duo of Spot Shrimp and Japanese Squid Tartare Herb Focaccia, and Signature Steak Tartare and Kristal Caviar Potato Mille Feuille, where both the bread infused by rosemary and thyme.
The first in an array of appetisers comes from the sea: a choice of Hokkaido Scallop & Market Fish Sashimi served with marinated turnip and a tomato wasabi consommé sauce prepared on the grill or Grilled Japanese Fresh Oyster, which will both enjoy wonderfully with the optional pairing of a Venetian Pinot Grigio. A BIFTECK favourite of Dry-aged 25 Days Wagyu Tongue with Hokkaido Scallop – the beef delicacy sandwiched between layers of scallop topped with creamy chicken and clam foam – follows for an intense meaty contrast before the unveiling of Chef Kwok’s new creation of Spanish Octopus LegLightly charred on the charcoal after being sous-vide with wine and vegetables, the octopus in enhanced with Spicy Bacon & Confit Lemon Vinaigrette that also embraces tomato, pepperoni and baby onion. It goes down a treat with a French Chablis full of juicy fruit.
Chef Kwok’s Japanese cuisine training comes into play in a ramen course headlined by either French Duck Breast or Alaskan King Crab (add HK$208), both bearing a beautiful charcoal touch. A debut item, slow-cooked duck breast swims in red miso-flavoured Udon with Beef Bone Marrow added tableside, while the crab noodles are served with Yuzu Kosho Bisque Udon. Next up is a signature beef cut, A4 Hokkaido Tokachi Tri-tip, presented as a Roll with Maitake Consommé, as well as onions and leafy mizuna. The mushroom consommé is served on the side so diners can add sizzling warmth to the raw beef roll. A big, bold Tuscan red is the ideal pairing.
The main course proffers a dilemma – deciding between sumptuous beef cuts or a lighter option of charcoal-grilled Japanese Mackerel with Japanese Bamboo Shoot Sauce. The fish is marinated in sake, soy and rice vinegar before it hits the grill. Meat lovers will no doubt plump for the steak double bill – a house speciality – of Australian M9 Full Blood Steak VS Spanish Vintage Steak, or upgrade (for an extra HK$298) to Chef Kwok’s Signature Slow Cooked A5 Rump Cap whose Chicken Ponzu Sauce has a delightful hint of wasabi. Spanish vintage beef and the A5 coulotte – a particularly tender part of the top sirloin with a fine layer of fat – are fragrant from the charcoal grill. All the mains will pair well with a glass of Bordeaux teeming with black fruit. Japanese tea flavours that have smouldered on charcoal permeate a sweet finish of Green Tea Mousse with Genmaicha Ice Cream and Mignardises.
Charcoal-grilled A La Carte – Smoky Sensations
Vintage Spanish beef is one of the charcoal-grilled standouts now added to the a la carte menu. Mature, naturally hung Spanish Vintage Free Range Ribeye (HK$498) gathers smoky sustenance from its time on the coals, bringing further juiciness to the grass-fed, sustainably farmed cattle. BIFTECK also travels to source top-quality lamb for the charcoal-grilled hit of Iberico Lamb Belly (HK$428). Two of its acclaimed beef cuts complete the premium grilled offerings – lean, flavourful USDA Prime Brandt Sirloin Flap (HK$468) and intensely marbled Slow Cooked Australian M9 Full Blood Short Rib (HK$488). All are served with a colourful mini spring garden of mixed green salad and pickled beetroot, as well as two dressings that reflect the steakhouse’s Japanese sensibilities – tosazu sauce and homemade tare sauce.
“Soirée Gastronomique à BIFTECK – Printemps” – Succulent Spring Celebration
A new house beef cut of Australian 100 Days Grain-Fed Angus Beef Tenderloin is one of the stars of a 6-course evening tasting menu served from Sunday to Thursday, between 6pm and 10pm, as a serenade to the fresh joys of spring. Showcasing Chef Kwok’s contemporary Japan-meets-the West spirit, the gastronomic adventure is priced from HK$680 per person. A 4-glass wine pairing (for an extra HK$388 per person) dips into diverse wine regions to complement the fruits of the land and sea and heighten the lively seasonal vibe.
Diners choosing the pairing begin on a bubbly note as an exquisite hors d’oeuvre of Japanese Red Crab Meat & Tofu atop Panna Cotta with Mushroom Ponzu Jelly is teamed with the fresh minerality of Champagne Louis Balincourt. A sunny Californian Chardonnay is the pour for the next course – a choice of two rich seafood preparations with Japanese overtones: Baked Oyster with Seaweed Cheese Butter or Uni, Fresh Yuba with Seared Botan-Ebi with Black Garlic Vinaigrette (add HK$128).
Next comes Slow Cook A5 Rump Carpaccio, one of the must-have beef staples on the a la carte menu. Here, a luscious creamy Japanese Egg Yolk lifts the melt-in-the-mouth meat as two moreish preparations marry happily on the plate. Fresh tastes of the sea wash in for the fourth course, an indulgent creation with a salty-spicy boost, Scallop & Lobster Spaghetti with XO Sauce & Bottarga. An aromatic white from Lebanonese wine standard-bearer Chateau Musar provides a crisp counterpoint for diners enjoying the tasting dinner’s wine pairing.
A delectable handful of dishes is available for main selection, demonstrating Chef Kwok’s versatility and passion for the world’s best beef, poultry and seafood. Grilled Chilean Seabass and the sensational Glazed French Duck with Roasted Foie Gras with Pickled Blueberry Sauce comprise the non-beef choices, while marvellous cuts of Slow Cooked Australian M9 Short Rib and USDA Prime Brandt Flap Meat with Tosazu Sauce bring remarkable succulence to the table.
Gourmands will avidly anticipate the new prime option of Australian 100 Days Grain-Fed Angus Beef Tenderloin (HK$198 supplement) – the 100-day diet of grain achieves lovely light fatty marbling – resting on a bed of Bone Marrow doused in fresh, peppery green Chimichurri Sauce that peps up the taste buds. The intense meatiness of the top-cut tenderloin is matched by a full-bodied, cherry-fruited Barbera D’Alba from Italy. Sweet, spice, and all things nice are folded into a lavish Mango Sansho Sorbet dessert.
Named after the French sobriquet for ‘beefsteak’, BIFTECK has enthralled meat lovers since opening in November 2021 in Wanchai’s QRE Plaza. It marries Japanese and European flavors with mesmerizing flair. It showcases a new perspective on refined beef dining by Chef Kwok, whose storied culinary career spans Michelin-starred Japanese and fine French and Italian kitchens.
For more information or inquiries, please visit www.bifteck.com.hk, email [email protected], or call (852) 2246-8805.
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