Upon arriving in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, one is surrounded by pharmacies and jewelry stores adorned with neon signs, or street performances; finding a quiet place to chat after a meal is no easy task. Recently, a dessert shop named DOUX opened at 726 Nathan Road. Here, guests can look out over the bustling city from the 18th floor through large glass windows while savoring desserts that resemble works of art, enhanced by a misty smoke effect that allows one to forget the clamor of the city.
Hong Kong people love to let their cameras eat first, and the dessert shop DOUX perfectly caters to this interest. Each dessert is as exquisite as a work of art, with an interesting and eye-catching presentation, and the flavors are equally impressive. The shop is operated by six pastry chefs and bakers from hotels, with the executive pastry chef Keith possessing extensive experience and solid craftsmanship.
The menu at DOUX is different from typical dessert shops; it features only simple text descriptions without enticing pictures. It turns out that Keith hopes to leave room for the guests' imagination, creating a surprise when the dessert is served at the table. The dessert named Oxtail truly looks like an oxtail; it consists of a rich brownie wrapped around panna cotta, with ingredients including Sichuan peppercorns and star anise used for cooking oxtail. The brownie carries a subtle fragrance of star anise, offering a unique flavor, accompanied by Sicilian blood orange sauce, tomato sauce, and candied carrots, providing a balanced sweet and sour taste without any greasiness. It is served with Greek yogurt ice cream, which is refreshing upon the first bite. Guests can also watch Keith prepare the dessert art piece, Endless, on the spot. He notes that this style of dessert art, which has recently become popular in Hong Kong, originated in Chicago, USA. It uses raspberry rose panna cotta and sea salt thyme crisps to create a colorful painting, with a white chocolate ball placed in the center that emits smoke. Breaking the white chocolate ball reveals pink dragon's beard candy hidden inside, making for a spectacular sensory feast.