Classics from Oncle Joël

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After a fun evening out at Caprice last month, the Tea Supplier very kindly invited the gang to dinner at Le Jardin de Joël Robuchon. To be honest, I don't visit the Hong Kong outpost of the Robuchon empire very much, and as they've gone through an extension renovation, this was a great chance for me to see how different the place is.

We were across two tables in their large private room, which was pretty stunning. I was fortunate that the Mushroom Supplier kept us company.

Cream of corn soup with smoked duck and foie gras terrine - there was a spicy kick from the piment d'espelette. Did I mention how bling this dish was? LOVE IT.

The four Italian horsemen

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More than 3 months after our last gathering around wines from Years of the Horse, our foursome is back popping a few more bottles. When it was suggested that we open some Italians, I suggested to the group that we bid on a particular lot of wines from top Italian producers that I saw at an auction. There were exactly four bottles, and they were all top cuvées from renowned producers. Well, we managed to win the lot.

I saw a few dishes on social media posted by Chef Liu Zhen (刘震) of Yong Fu (甬府), so I suggested that we pay the restaurant a visit - especially since the others haven't been in quite some time. Thankfully the team could accommodate us, even when I insisted that they include a dish from their set dinner. Thank you so much, Yu zong!

I LOOOOOVE mahua (麻花), and it's even better when they come covered in powdered seaweed. Oh, and their peanuts come with seaweed, too!

No more meat

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Andō has recently undergone a renovation of its premises, and Goldfinger also took the opportunity to revamp the menu. One of the most notable points is that it no longer features any meat - unless guests specifically asks for an alternative to what's on offer. I had accepted the invitation from B Bestie some time ago, but when he suddenly asked me to find myself a companion for the meal, I knew that he didn't want to put me near any of the Bs he loves to invite... so I brought Foursheets along.

We started with the bocaditos:

Mid-Autumn with the team

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One of the bosses had asked me about booking at Wing (永) some time last year, but as someone who does not abuse his privileges, I offered to arrange for a team dinner but made it clear I would not book for others without being present. Well, the time finally came to take the team out, and I was very grateful that Vicky could accommodate us.

The hospitality here really is world class, and for regular customers, they tailor the menu so that they don't keep serving the same dishes and bore the diners. For this occasion, knowing that I'm bringing a group of newbies, Vicky asked whether I would want to have a mix of classic dishes along with new, seasonal offerings. Of course I said "YES"!

As usual, our welcome drink is tailored to one of the twenty-four seasons (二十四節氣), and tonight this was made with upright ladybells (沙參) and dried longans (桂圓).

Visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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Since early 2007, I have been wanting to gear my future travels towards visiting more locations which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There are so many amazing places around the world to see!

Here is the list that I have already visited so far. Click on the links to see pictures from my Google albums.

Total count: 81 sites in 21 countries

Australia
Greater Blue Mountains Area - 1976
Sydney Opera House - 1976

Belgium
The Architectural Works of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement - 2018
Belfries of Belgium and France - 2018
Historic Centre of Brugge - 2018
La Grand-Place, Brussels - 2018
Major Townhouses of the Architect Victor Horta - 2018
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex - 2018
Stoclet House - 2018

Cambodia 
Angkor - 2001