Homes & Estates

AMBER, HONG KONG

COURTESY LANDMARK ORIENTAL HONG KONG

with its own website.” And while the chef believes that philosophy has greatly contributed to the suc- cess of Amber, he concedes that being located in a Mandarin Oriental property has been beneficial, par- ticularly given the organization’s culture of extraordi- nary service. He also demonstrates a level of com- mitment no less intense than if his name was on the building. “I’ve been personally involved from a year prior to the opening until now, 12 years down the line, continuously refining and fine-tuning our products and services,” explains Ekkebus. The modern, Asian-accented French menu at Amber includes dishes like sea urchin and lobster gelée with cauliflower purée and caviar, and Miyazaki

wagyu beef with dulse-red cabbage slaw and horse- radish-pepper berry emulsion. Conceived by New York designer Adam Tihany, the dining room is strikingly modern, but quite sophisticated, much like Ekkebus’ artful plating. Morocco’s grand La Mamounia resort is an oasis whose opulence does not detract from the ex- otic destination of Marrakesh. Among the property’s impressive collection of restaurants is Le Marocain, which showcases elegant interpretations of the local cuisine. Traditional dishes like pastilla, a meat pie typi- cally stuffed with pigeon, is elevated with lobster, while multiple tagines (classic Moroccan stews) include a version sweetened with strawberries for dessert.

on afternoon tea.

In Hong Kong, some of the finest hotel res- taurants are not downstairs, but upstairs, such as the elegant Petrus, overlooking Victoria Harbor from the 56th floor of the Island Shangri-La. Earning two Michelin stars is Amber at the city’s Landmark Mandarin Oriental. Richard Ekkebus, the restaurant’s Dutch-born culinary director, is a recipient of the Ordre national du Mérite, a prestigious award presented by French President Hollande. “I think the main objective when starting Amber is that we never wanted it to be perceived as a hotel restaurant, reports Ekkebus, who adds, “We wanted an independent freestanding restaurant feel,

Destination Dining Rooms Alain Ducasse at Plaza Athénée, Paris, www.alain-ducasse.com • Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, London, www.alain-ducasse.com Amber , The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, www.amberhongkong.com • Imàgo , Hotel Hassler, Rome, www.hotelhasslerroma.com Le Cinq , Four Seasons George V, Paris, www.restaurant-lecinq.com • Le Comptoir du Relais , Relais Saint-Germain, Paris, www.hotel-paris-relais-saint-germain.com Le Meurice , Le Meurice, Paris, www.alain-ducasse.com • Dinner by Heston Blumenthal , Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, www.dinnerbyheston.com Le Marocain , La Mamounia, Marrakesh, www.mamounia.com • Matsuhisa , Le Royal Monceau, Paris, www.raffles.com/paris

ColdwellBankerLuxury.com | 97