Hong Kong’s Secret Indulgence at zuma

(Hong Kong, August 3, 2009) – Internationally acclaimed Japanese restaurant and nightspot zuma at The Landmark has Hong Kong’s best kept secret – an indulgence menu of unique signature desserts and one of the town’s most creative pastry chefs.

New on the menu at the venue, voted No 51 in the 'S.Pellegrino’s World’s Best Restaurants Awards 2009', are two delectable desserts: Amedei chocolate, sansho gelee, hazelnut crumble and sansho mint ice cream (HK$138) and layered rhubarb, vanilla and raspberry snowball, with crispy rice cracker and sobacha ice cream (HK$90).

The latest 'must try' creations compliment one of Hong Kong's most celebrated dessert menus, designed by Head Pastry Chef Eddy Lee, who has trained under celebrity chefs Marco Pierre White, Alain Ducasse and Alan Yau.

Among dessert aficionados, zuma is renowned for its most popular all-time favourite, green tea banana cake with coconut ice cream and peanut toffee sauce (HK$85). Another crowd pleaser, zuma’s “Special Chocolate Cake” (which is not listed on the menu) is a dessert not to be missed. Aptly named the “Special Chocolate Cake” this dessert is truly to die for.

"Once it was on the menu, it was a hit. I felt it was unfair on my other desserts so I took it off the menu," said Lee. "But even then, customers who knew about it continued to order. So it became a special word-of-mouth secret treat."

Styled especially for Hong Kong is the tasty coffee & lemon cream with espresso granite, hazelnut ‘crunch’ and Hokkaido milk ice (HK$95). "It's layered a bit like English trifle because people in Hong Kong prefer puddings eaten with spoons to cakes and pies," said Chef Lee.

His personal favourite is poached peach with jasmine and wild strawberries with buckwheat biscuit (HK$95). "It's perfectly balanced and very Japanese in style -- simple, elegant, light and delicious with bright, fresh flavours and varied textures," he explained.

Other iconic favourites on the menu include tropical fruit ‘chawan mushi’ and crispy sesame cookie (HK$75), almond milk tofu on yoghurt biscuit with Morellocherries, cherry sorbet and cherry wafer (HK$80) and tropical fruit platter with yuzu sorbet (HK$95).

Chef Lee, who joined the original zuma when it opened in London and is now based permanently in Hong Kong, adopts a simple, 'no nonsense' approach to his specialty.

"We just try to find flavors that are fresh and clean, not too complicated," he said. "Simplicity is the key. We don’t use 'out of place' chocolate as garnishes. I prefer incorporating thin crispy biscuits."

But he considers desserts an essential element of dining: "Dessert completes the experience, and zuma desserts help to define our style."

zuma's celebrated dessert menu is complimented by unique dessert wines and sakes, ranging from affordable Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora Milawa, 2008 at HK$75 a glass and Peach Sake Yamagata at HK$120 to Chateau d’ Yquem Bordeaux, 2002 at HK$5,020 a bottle.

Alternatively, they can be enjoyed with a choice of Japanese green, Oolong and black teas, and Illy coffees.

Address: Level 5 and 6, The Landmark, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

For reservations: (852) 3657 6388