MARGO, an intimate modern European restaurant headlined by Head Chef Mario Paecke (former Chef de Cuisine of SOMM and Sous Chef of 2-MICHELIN-starred Amber), opened its doors in July 2021 at The Galleria at 9 Queen’s Road, Central.
MARGO has unveiled two new dinner tasting menu experiences that pay homage to Chef Mario’s German roots and his artistic flair for urban photography. A wearer of several hats – whether leading MARGO’s acclaimed kitchen or behind the lens of his favourite camera – Chef Mario’s inimitable cuisine is a reflection of his journey growing up in east Germany, spending his formative years training as a chef in Bavaria, and ultimately moving to Hong Kong to pursue his dreams.
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Margo’s New Modern European Tasting Menus by Chef Mario Paecke
Chef Mario Paecke’s new dinner tasting menus are rooted in his extensive knowledge and experience of German cuisine, accompanied by a wine list focused on a unique curation of German and Austrian labels. A nod to Chef Mario’s beloved pastime outside of the kitchen, the menus are named after common terms in photography – “Focus” for the 6-course menu priced at HK$980+10% per person, and “Exposure” for the 8-course menu priced at HK$1,380+10% per person.
The new dining experience at MARGO draws on unique parallels between cooking and photography, which both require a similar eye for creativity and flair for finesse. Just as a chef will need the best ingredients to produce a fine meal, photography requires the best lighting and environmental conditions for a successful shoot. In the final delivery, photographers will fine tune and edit their work to create the perfect image, while the final step of serving a dish is plating the food with attention to shapes, colours, textures and spatial composition. Throughout the dining experience at MARGO, guests will be dining against a backdrop of Chef Mario’s exclusive photography works that are displayed upstairs at Kyle & Bain.
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Highlights of the new contemporary European menus start with small bites featuring elevated, seasonal Bavarian delights such as Rainbow Trout, which is cured and seasoned with smoked sea salt, served with dill mayonnaise and served on a “Flammkuchen” cracker, a German style pizza bread originated from Alsace; Foie Gras with smoked eel and preserved quince salad, served upon a five-spice filo dough shell – inspired by Chef Mario’s memory of quince being the one of the first products he ever used in an apprentice kitchen; and umami-filled bites of traditional French Toast, served with homemade fermented cabbage and cooked Le Delas ham.
Served only on the “Exposure” 8-course menu are Lobster “Leipziger Allerlei”, a re-invented regional German vegetable dish that is typically served in spring featuring white asparagus, local peas, and pike; and Three Yellow Chicken Ragout Fin, inspired by Chef Mario’s childhood memories of the traditional dish of chicken ragout in puff-pastry. MARGO’s version features local three yellow chicken ragout with seasonal morel mushrooms, creamy kohlrabi, kohlrabi shavings and caper leaves.
One of Chef Mario’s first dishes ever learnt in German culinary school, the Hokkaido Scallops served with celery, green, apple, hazelnut, walnut and Kristal caviar is a re-interpreted traditional Waldorf salad.
For the main course, guests may choose between 24-Month Local Tilapia with leek, beetroot, buttermilk sauce, basil oil, and pickled spring onions, or the Okinawan Pork Belly, a hearty dish inspired by Bavarian pork belly, where the pork is first marinated in German Erdinger beer, slow-cooked for 12-hours and finished in the oven. The pork belly is glazed with beer reduction, drizzled further with local honey from Yuen Long Farm, and served with mustard to cut through the richness.
The dessert, “Dresdner Eierschecke”, is a recreation of Chef Mario’s grandmother’s recipe originating from Dresden in East Germany. Found only in eastern towns in Germany, the dessert includes strawberry parfait, cheesecake made with quark cheese, and vanilla custard.
