Croque Hong Kong: Ain’t No Such Things as Halfway Croques

As the boys from Queensbrisdge, Mobb Deep, so timelessly rapped, “Son, they shook, ‘Cause ain’t no such things as halfway crooks croques.” And boy, am I shook. Because I just found out that every croque monsieur I’ve ever eaten in my life has been a “halfway croque.” Granted, I’ve only been to France as an enfant terrible, naively and boorishly satiated by chicken nuggets, artificial (mutant) macaroni and cheese, and Capri suns.

But today, I became a man. No. Scratch that. Today, I became a Monsieur. Complete with a black three-piece suit, bushy mustache, and monocle like the Monopoly Man. That’s all thanks to a newcomer to the SoHo restaurant scene, Croque, a new age, vibrant, cheesy oasis of unique (and classic) takes on a French classic – the croque monsieur. 

As you may have seen from several other posts on the site, sometimes a gastronomic spirit washes over me and compels me to churn out a same-day breakdown of a new restaurant. Today is one of those days, my friends. 

Here’s what I loved about my first time at Croque and why you’ll find me returning with a pep in my step and more oomph than a Zinedane Zidane headbutt. 

A Croque Monsieur For a Broqué Monsieur 

Website, Address, & Details: croque.hk

• Address: 1 Lyndhurst Tower, 78 Wellington St, Central, Hong Kong
• Price: Combo meals (drink + fries) starting at HK$136 (USD 17)

I do have to first give credit where credit is due to the Instagram account ‘foodiswhyimbroke’ whose profile reads, “I’m not broke. I’m broqué.” I had no idea what ‘broqué’ even meant until about three months ago. Simply put, broqué refers to someone without any money who still finds a way to spoil themselves with the finer things in life – like a Croque Monsieur. I don’t even know if it’s in any dictionary but if you’ve read any other posts on my site, I don’t have any problem using words that are completely made up. 

Now, onto the le détail. 

The open kitchen is a nice touch for those who want to get up close and personal with their croque monsieur.

Located on Wellington Street in SoHo, Croque is the “new kid on the block” that has a lot of hits and likes girls that wear Abercrombie and Fitch. You’ll find it situated directly across from the established culinary titans of Butao (one of my favorite ramen restaurants in Central) and Wang Fu Dumplings, and several doors down from the famous wonton noodle shop ‘Tsim Chai Kee’ and historic ‘Mak’s Noodle, rounding out a Murderer’s Row for lunch and dinner deals. 

It’s hard to miss Croque’s minimalist green and white exterior, one something akin to a free WordPress theme, the ‘q’ in the shop’s name making you question if you’re actually just staring at a backward ‘p’. It’s inviting though – like a new age diner, without all the blood thinner medication and copies of last week’s local newspaper.

The shop itself, opened by two Parisians, Rémi and Clément, informed me that they wanted to move away from fine dining (and breathing) into something more accessible – elevated comfort food. In a city of overpriced Western cuisine, I was skeptical but decided to give it a try anyway. 

Pale Ale Travel Tip: As I’ve mentioned in my pros and cons of living in Hong Kong post, lunch and combo specials are the best value meals in Hong Kong – especially when it comes to Western fare. 

A Tale of Two Sandwiches at Croque

My goal before the end of the year is to work my way through the entire menu. I see you ‘Winter Edition’. I see you.

I was fully anticipating a quick pop-in, pop-out, to potentially circle back at a later date should it pass muster (I was tempted to write ‘pass mustard’). However, as soon as I entered, I was warmly welcomed by Rémi and Clément and team members in the open kitchen. Overwhelmed (in the most positive way) by more than seven daily croques and one seasonal croque on the menu, I knew just one wasn’t in the cards. 

“The Control” Croque

Looking at those pickles so perfectly placed in the croque, I can’t help but think of that Spongebob episode where a customer complains he forgot the pickles, which ultimately leads to Spongebob descending into a state of madness and self-doubt.

Recognizing my deficiencies when it comes to assessing croque monsieurs, amongst a handful of other deficiencies my ex-girlfriend could rattle off like Twista on a T-Pain track, I opted for the ‘control croque’ to start – ‘The Classic’ – Emmental cheese, cooked ham, mornay bechamel (a standard bechamel with grated cheese added), and pickles. It’s tradition, simplicity, and comfort at its finest. However, it’s anything but ordinary. 

Croque’s thick-cut fries were fried in a quality oil (or potentially duck fat), crispy on the outside yet pillowy on the inside and not overly greasy. Sprinkled with salt and served with a side of ketchup, they were surprisingly light and acted exactly as you want a fry to, as a sidekick that doesn’t overpower the main. My ‘Classic’ croque combo clocked in at HK$136, which is more than a reasonable and affordable price for a croque that also includes a basket of fries and soft drink (Coke Zero all the way). 

I felt a level of excitement only second to the time I witnessed a small Austrian man in a chef’s coat walk out of the kitchen with a Thor’s hammer of veal tenderizers in the lead-up to my schnitzel after I caught a glimpse of Rémi emphatically brushing two slices of bread with butter. It was a bit of Bob Ross meets Boris Vallejo, wholesomeness with not-so-subtle hints of eroticism. 

The result? A golden brown exterior encompassing a salty-sweet, velvety, and slightly nutty warmth. The Emmental imparts a mild nuttiness that is transferred to the thinly sliced (black forest?) slightly salty ham. The bechamel, a cheese that I would be more than happy to drink by itself, provides a silky, creamy contrast to the satisfying crunch of the griddled rustic sourdough. 

Strategically placed pickles provide added depth to both the flavor and texture profile of the sandwich, offering up a refreshing and tangy snap that prevents it from coming anywhere close to a one-trick pony. This is a sandwich of multitudes. It’s deliberate. It’s delicious. It’s divine.  

An Angry Duck For a Happy Big Body

The Emmental perfectly splits the sandwich down the middle with the duck “standing pat” on one side and the red pickles and shallots on the other.

I was so fired up from the first croque that I circled back for another. A general rule is that anytime I see a duck-related dish on the menu, I get it. It’s out of both respect and revenge. Respect, as ducks are vital actors in thriving local ecosystems thanks to their ability to help fertilize wetlands and ponds. Revenge, as I was once attacked by a swan as a young child and swans are in the same biological family as ducks – the Anatidae. 

What really came through for me in the ‘Angry Duck’ was the tang and crunch of the red pickles and confit shallots. It was slightly briny and sour and cut through the richness and savoriness of the duck confit, which was rendered down nicely into an almost melt-in-your-mouth form. 

Further, Emmental cheese and sandwiches just simply work. I’m not sure if this is a hot take or not but it might be a contender for the perfect cheese. Its sweet and slightly nutty, somewhat sturdy yet malleable texture was perfect for drawing out the natural sweetness of the duck and accompanying drizzle of orange balsamic. 

There’s an interplay of textures and flavors in the ‘Angry Duck’ that makes this the perfect sandwich for anyone seeking out decadence with familiarity. 

Pale Ale Travel Note: A fun fact about me is that I took French for one semester in college and did so poorly that the teacher basically broke up with me by saying that it “wasn’t really working out.” So, I opted for a journey with a far easier language – Chinese.

In a World of Grilled Cheeses, Be a Croque Monsieur

“Made a lot of cheese, people say I’ve changed.” – Big K.R.I.T.

I feel like there’s some sort of Steve Irwin ‘Crikey’ quote I could have attempted and failed at to turn into a croque monsieur reference. Hindsight is always 20/20 though. Croque sent me into one of those Narnia-esque states of delirium – blinded by the bechamel, ecstatic from the Emmental, and contented by the confit. Stuck wondering if this was reality or just a fantasy and eager to return for more.

In a world of below-average grilled cheeses, do something great and be a croque monsieur. That’s what Croque is striving to do and excelling at. You can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be making use of my frequent eater card they supplied me with and returning regularly. So, if you see a man in a black suit with a red bow tie, complete with a monocle, top hat, cane, and fat stack of orange $500 bills, leave me be, I’m just doing Defarge thangs.

If you’ve eaten at Croque, I’d love to hear from you in the comments or via email! Let me know your favorite croque monsieur on the menu and how you think it compares to those back in ‘L’hexagone’ (France)! 

Eat well everyone,

Le Très Big Body