db Eats HK: Nur

While you may have never heard of him, remember the name Nurdin Topham, as he’s one of Britain’s brightest rising star chefs.

Having worked with Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons for a decade, ending his stint as Blanc’s development chef, and later with Rene Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, last April Topham opened his first solo venture, Nur (meaning light in Arabic), in a tiny terraced space above the buzzing thoroughfare of Hong Kong’s Central district.

Topham is the progeny of rock royalty – his dad is Anthony “Top” Topham, the original lead guitarist of The Yardbirds, who was replaced by Eric Clapton shortly before the British rock band hit the big time in the late ‘60s.

A qualified nutritional therapist, Topham junior has used his knowledge to create seasonally focused, nourishing dishes that pack a flavour punch but leave you feeling pleasantly satiated rather than button-poppingly full.

Passionate about sourcing locally wherever possible, Topham works with a number of farms in the New Territories, receiving three deliveries of fresh produce a week. Highlighting his farm to table philosophy, he decorates his dishes with leaves, herbs and flowers grown in a tiny herb garden on Nur’s terrace.

Tomato

Described as a “casual fine dining experience with a conscience”, Nur, which scooped a Michelin star mere months after opening last year, offers a nine-course tasting menu that focuses largely on fish and vegetables, with the option of organic and biodynamic wine pairings from an 800-bin list.

A number of Topham’s painterly plates are composed using the principles of molecular gastronomy in order to reduce ingredients down to foams, broths and suggestions of how they began life. Noma’s locavore ethos is very much in play here.

The small open kitchen fits elegantly into the light and airy dining room, giving the impression that you’re eating in a friend’s living room rather than a Michelin-starred restaurant. The open terrace brings the outside into the cosy 45-cover space, whose dreamy José Gonzalez soundtrack accentuates the laid-back vibe.

Visiting on a balmy Tuesday evening in spring with db’s Rupert Millar, our feast began with a trio of amuse bouche, including a beetroot taco filled with an intense watercress foam and a refreshing disc of jasmine-scented melon and cucumber that whetted our appetites and set the tone for the dishes that followed.

Squid

Next came three more light bites that showed off Topham’s attention to texture, including a barley crisp rammed with musky mushroom butter and a delightful rye cracker topped with crumbly ricotta and crunchy fennel. The first of the dishes on the nine-course tasting menu was simple titled “Tomato”.

Topham’s signature dish is inspired by Raymond Blanc’s tribute to his mother that conjures the essence of tomatoes and the enjoyment of mopping up the juices in the bottom of a bowl with a hunk of bread.

Topham uses a quartet of green, red and orange organic heirloom tomatoes in his take on the dish, which is prettified with Thai basil and coriander blossoms. Swimming in a pond of clear consommé, the tomatoes have a sorbet-like texture and the dish is a triumph of simplicity over fussiness, offering a super fresh and intense expression of itself.

Having been wowed so early on, next was an equally impressive flavour feat in the form of a tiny bowl filled with a scallop and peas covered with a gossamer-thin layer of lardo and traces of Japanese citrus fruit yuzu. Light, fresh, crunchy and clean, the elements collided beautifully in a dish easily devoured.

Mackerel

Our sommelier paired it with a waxy 2011 Condrieu from Domaine Georges Vernay, whose notes of nectarine, pineapple and white flowers cut through the lardo fat.

Next up came an intricate lattice of chewy mushrooms atop a mushroom broth that failed to woo me, though the following dish: squid noodles with cultured butter, rang all my bells, the squid crafted into delicate ribbons floating in a creamy, umami-rich broth.

I only wish there was more of it to enjoy with the unctuous, citrus-laced 2011 Jean Philippe Meursault paired with it.

In a bizarre change of gear, we were then served a dish called “Egg” that wound back to clock to breakfast. Formed of sunshine yellow scrambled egg topped with puffs of wheat, edible flowers, broccoli and seaweed, while it seemed out of kilter on the menu, it was hugely enjoyable nonetheless, and would be an ideal Sunday brunch option after a heavy Saturday night.

The wine pairing – Nicolas Joly Le Vieux Clos 2008 Savennieres, was on point with its autumnal, savoury character and notes of crab apple and forest floor.

Ox tongue

One of the least fussy but most delicious dishes of the night was a simple hunk of swan white mackerel cooked to perfection by Topham and served with cubes of cucumber and nasturtium leaves that added freshness, crunch and vibrancy.

The fish itself was moist, fluffy and fresh, proving that quality ingredients in the hands of a skilled chef don’t need to be dressed in elaborate layers to shine.

Slightly squeamish about the prospect of eating beef tongue, rather than tough as old boots the meat was salty and tender, and reminded me of salt beef sarnies, given a lick of fire by a swoosh of mustard and texture by tangy pickles.

To pair, the sommelier treated us to a library wine: Nicolas Potel Chambolle Musigny Roche de Bellene Les Amoureuses 2001, which charmed with notes of juicy cherry and raspberry. Of the duo of desserts, the aerating and sweetly aromatic apple, cucumber and dill concoction won out over the nostalgic sugar-coated doughnut with strawberries and Thai basil.

Topham and his team offer one of the most innovative, exciting and deliriously delicious dining experiences in Hong Kong. Dishes are robust without being rich and intense but never overpowering. There’s a linearity, a lightness of touch and a purity of flavour in play, as if you’re encountering familiar ingredients for the first time.

But a night at Nur doesn’t come cheap – the tasting menu costs HK$1,188 and an additional $788 for the wine pairings, so you’ll have to have deep pockets, a rich boyfriend/girlfriend or a lenient expense account to be able to enjoy it, though it does offer a reasonable HK$500 corkage fee for up to two bottles of wine.

Next month Topham will fly to London to cook at the Bloodshot Supper Club, a late night dining society for chefs that takes place on the last Saturday of every month. Dinner begins after midnight, giving chefs somewhere to unwind after work. Eight of the 36 seats are available to the public – grab them while you can.

Nur, 3^rd floor, Lyndhurst Tower, 1 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong