Dunno why but this has been the week of crap meals...
My friend Linda came into town from Singapore, and as usual, she craves Chinese food (especially Shanghainese). So we ended up at Xiao Nan Guo (小南國) in Man Yee Building in Central. I hadn't been there in a while so it was a good opportunity to revisit. What a mistake that turned out to be...
The two starters, century eggs with tofu (皮蛋豆腐) and jellyfish head (海蜇頭) were OK but nothing to write home about. Then they served the noodles with oil and scallions (蔥油拌麪) before other dishes came, which is a big pet peeve of mine. The noodles were as bad as Linda had warned me about (she came two nights ago) - flabby (instead of nice and chewy) and uninteresting.
The tofu skin with veggie (小唐菜百葉) was OK if a little bland. The hairy crab stir-fried with rice cakes (毛蟹炒年糕) was terrible. The crabs had an awful taste to it, which Linda described as tasting of dirt and I certainly thought it was not the freshest. I didn't bother finishing my half of the small crab. The rice cakes weren't that great, either.
Linda and Chris were still a bit hungry, so they ordered two more dishes. By that time I was upset with the quality of the food and everyone knew it. I didn't feel like eating anymore, but didn't want to discourage others from ordering more food. Well, the restaurant didn't redeem itself with the next two courses.
The fatty pork belly (東坡肉) came in an intersting earthen pot and was cut into small pieces. It was not bad but, then again, was far from what it could have been. Chris ordered the deep fried spicy chicken with chili peppers (炸子雞), which is actually not Shanghainese but a dish from Sichuan. Nobody was impressed with this dish, either.
I don't know what happened to this restaurant in the last few years to cause this huge drop in food quality, but I certainly have no reason to go back again.
November 29, 2007
November 27, 2007
Yummy burger
Tonight my friend Chris, who has been staying with me, wanted to have a burger for dinner, so we agreed to meet up at Shake 'em Buns in Causeway Bay. Neither of us have had burgers at this place, even though I had passed by the outlet on Star Street.
We arrive and the restaurant looks busy. There seems to be only single free seats here and there, and we are asked by the waitress to wait for a while. We can't quite understand why a customer waitng for his take-out order has to block off two seats at the counter, so we ask the waitress. She finally, unwillingly, ask the customer if he minds moving to the side.
We sit down at the counter. But we are warned that the food is delivered through the opening facing one of the two seats, and we are asked to keep it open. I am unhappy.
We are told that 2 customers have left and we can now be seated at the counter facing the window. We move over, and quickly realize that there has actually been a free table all along, immediately next to a couple. Why did the waitress not point us to it? I am at a loss.
We sit down, and quickly realize that we need to order and pay upfront at the cashier. Why did the waitress not tell us, before letting us wait 5 minutes for a seat? We are upset, but proceed to order the food and wait to be called.
The food arrives in dribs and drabs. First comes Chris' strawberry milkshake, which he sips happily. Then the burgers come together: Red on the Neck for me (with chili on top of the patty and coleslaw underneath) and South of the Border (not 100% sure of the name) with extra egg for Chris (with guacamole and sour cream). We both decided to forgo the Gang Bang since neither of us thought we could finish it with two patties.
I cut the burger in half while I watch Chris grab his burger and start chomping. Egg yolk and guacamole drips from his burger. I grab a half of mine and bite into it. Soft buns, and very, very juicy beef patty. I start smiling, and quickly finish this half. Both of us turn to thoughts of redemption for the restaurant.
I start on the other half, and by the time I am done redemption has been achieved. The chili cheese fries arrive, and Chris starts to work on them. I decide to let Chris take all the chili, and pick on a few fries. I generally prefer the thin fries served by Mickey D's and Al's Diner, so Chris ends up taking most of the fries. I am satisfied. Chris tries to convince me to order some more food, but I decide to leave well enough alone.
I do have to say that this is probably the juiciest burger patty I have had in Hong Kong in a long time, surpassed probably only by the sirloin burger from Morton's in Central (before it closed). The beef patty is much more fluffy and tender compared to most other burgers. It absolutely kicks Triple-O's butt, and now I have no excuse not to walk the extra few hundred meters from Pacific Place to Star Street. Look forward to trying out other combinations in the future.
We arrive and the restaurant looks busy. There seems to be only single free seats here and there, and we are asked by the waitress to wait for a while. We can't quite understand why a customer waitng for his take-out order has to block off two seats at the counter, so we ask the waitress. She finally, unwillingly, ask the customer if he minds moving to the side.
We sit down at the counter. But we are warned that the food is delivered through the opening facing one of the two seats, and we are asked to keep it open. I am unhappy.
We are told that 2 customers have left and we can now be seated at the counter facing the window. We move over, and quickly realize that there has actually been a free table all along, immediately next to a couple. Why did the waitress not point us to it? I am at a loss.
We sit down, and quickly realize that we need to order and pay upfront at the cashier. Why did the waitress not tell us, before letting us wait 5 minutes for a seat? We are upset, but proceed to order the food and wait to be called.
The food arrives in dribs and drabs. First comes Chris' strawberry milkshake, which he sips happily. Then the burgers come together: Red on the Neck for me (with chili on top of the patty and coleslaw underneath) and South of the Border (not 100% sure of the name) with extra egg for Chris (with guacamole and sour cream). We both decided to forgo the Gang Bang since neither of us thought we could finish it with two patties.
I cut the burger in half while I watch Chris grab his burger and start chomping. Egg yolk and guacamole drips from his burger. I grab a half of mine and bite into it. Soft buns, and very, very juicy beef patty. I start smiling, and quickly finish this half. Both of us turn to thoughts of redemption for the restaurant.
I start on the other half, and by the time I am done redemption has been achieved. The chili cheese fries arrive, and Chris starts to work on them. I decide to let Chris take all the chili, and pick on a few fries. I generally prefer the thin fries served by Mickey D's and Al's Diner, so Chris ends up taking most of the fries. I am satisfied. Chris tries to convince me to order some more food, but I decide to leave well enough alone.
I do have to say that this is probably the juiciest burger patty I have had in Hong Kong in a long time, surpassed probably only by the sirloin burger from Morton's in Central (before it closed). The beef patty is much more fluffy and tender compared to most other burgers. It absolutely kicks Triple-O's butt, and now I have no excuse not to walk the extra few hundred meters from Pacific Place to Star Street. Look forward to trying out other combinations in the future.
November 25, 2007
My worst meal in recent memory
Tonight I had the worst meal I have had in a long time.
Everyone who knows me knows that I love food. I am known for being a gourmand, for not being shy about spending money on the good stuff. What many people forget is that I am also happy to eat a simple bowl of noodles in a cafe, and most times I have no complaints because I have no expectations.
The venue was Madeira, a Portuguese restaurant in the Grand Canal Shops at the Venetian Macau. We were at the Venetian taking a look around, and wanted to try one of the restaurants instead of eating at the food court. We definitely regretted this decision.
The waitress came and dumped 2 water glasses on our table, and one of them wobbled and almost tipped over. We were given two buns, both of which were slightly burnt. The waitress then poured too much water in the glass and it overflowed. Twice.
The Madeira salad was a shocker...I haven't seen such an unappetizing salad in a while. Two slices of processed cheese (don't think they were even Kraft mozzarella) over some canned tuna, sad (and soggy) slivers of bacalhau, dry slices of pork (I think it was pork...) and some greens.
The African chicken was a disaster. They must have put in about 2 pounds of salt in the damn sauce. I quickly understood why they sell water in 1.5L bottles...since you need to desalinate. I struggled to finish one piece and left the rest.
The curry crab was no better. The curry sauce was just a tad less salty than that for the chicken, and the spices and the salt helped to cover up the fact that the crab is less than fresh. When the meat of the crab sticks to the shell, you know something is up.
It takes a lot to get me worked up about bad food in a restaurant - it's usually the poor service that sets me off. But this place....gets the honor for my Worst Meal of the Year. Here's a picture of the restaurant, so you know to stay away.
Everyone who knows me knows that I love food. I am known for being a gourmand, for not being shy about spending money on the good stuff. What many people forget is that I am also happy to eat a simple bowl of noodles in a cafe, and most times I have no complaints because I have no expectations.
The venue was Madeira, a Portuguese restaurant in the Grand Canal Shops at the Venetian Macau. We were at the Venetian taking a look around, and wanted to try one of the restaurants instead of eating at the food court. We definitely regretted this decision.
The waitress came and dumped 2 water glasses on our table, and one of them wobbled and almost tipped over. We were given two buns, both of which were slightly burnt. The waitress then poured too much water in the glass and it overflowed. Twice.
The Madeira salad was a shocker...I haven't seen such an unappetizing salad in a while. Two slices of processed cheese (don't think they were even Kraft mozzarella) over some canned tuna, sad (and soggy) slivers of bacalhau, dry slices of pork (I think it was pork...) and some greens.
The African chicken was a disaster. They must have put in about 2 pounds of salt in the damn sauce. I quickly understood why they sell water in 1.5L bottles...since you need to desalinate. I struggled to finish one piece and left the rest.
The curry crab was no better. The curry sauce was just a tad less salty than that for the chicken, and the spices and the salt helped to cover up the fact that the crab is less than fresh. When the meat of the crab sticks to the shell, you know something is up.
It takes a lot to get me worked up about bad food in a restaurant - it's usually the poor service that sets me off. But this place....gets the honor for my Worst Meal of the Year. Here's a picture of the restaurant, so you know to stay away.
Stupid Americans
I know many of you will have seen this circulate on the internet, but I just have to post it here coz it's sooooo funny and so true! Having lived in the US for a number of years, I can completely relate to this...
November 24, 2007
An Excellent Substitute
Last night a friend from Taipei was in town, and a few of us got together with him as it's been a while since our last gathering. I had completely forgotten that Thanksgiving this year was a little early, but as it turns out we had an excellent substitute for turkey...since the venue I chose was San San Trois.
We started with some South African oysters, which were amazingly sweet and creamy on the palate, but at the same time felt very solid and chewy in texture. Not a bad start.
Next we had the two sushis: seared kama (tuna neck) and foie gras. I have always had the seared toro sushi but this was the first time I've had the kama done as sushi (I usually get big pieces of it grilled). I have to say that this was very well-received.
The first courses were paired with the 2003 Guigal Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit, a wonderful Rhone white. Although I did not find it so, my friends commented on the wine being "super dry." In any case, this is a wine that I love from my favorite winemaker in the region.
Next was angel hair with abalone and salmon roe. Normally this is done very nicely, but somehow I'm a little disappointed today with the quality of the pasta - too flabby and soft. We were also served a bit of grilled fish neck.
The highlight of the evening, of course, was the roasted Bresse chicken. As usual, this was done to perfection and so delicious. The crispy skin paired with a thin layer of fat underneath (in some areas) impart wonderful flavors to the meat.
We drank the 1999 Kistler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, which received good comments from a friend. I thought it was the perfect accompaniment to the chicken.
Finally we had the slow-cooked US ribeye steak. Normally this is served in thin slices, but today the chef decided to serve it to us as whole pieces of steak, to better complement the 1995 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection. The steak was tender (although again, slightly disappointing compared to previous experiences) and the wine was classically full-bodied. Looks of satisfaction all around.
We were all too full for dessert, so we left early for the next round of drinks...
We started with some South African oysters, which were amazingly sweet and creamy on the palate, but at the same time felt very solid and chewy in texture. Not a bad start.
Next we had the two sushis: seared kama (tuna neck) and foie gras. I have always had the seared toro sushi but this was the first time I've had the kama done as sushi (I usually get big pieces of it grilled). I have to say that this was very well-received.
The first courses were paired with the 2003 Guigal Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit, a wonderful Rhone white. Although I did not find it so, my friends commented on the wine being "super dry." In any case, this is a wine that I love from my favorite winemaker in the region.
Next was angel hair with abalone and salmon roe. Normally this is done very nicely, but somehow I'm a little disappointed today with the quality of the pasta - too flabby and soft. We were also served a bit of grilled fish neck.
The highlight of the evening, of course, was the roasted Bresse chicken. As usual, this was done to perfection and so delicious. The crispy skin paired with a thin layer of fat underneath (in some areas) impart wonderful flavors to the meat.
We drank the 1999 Kistler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, which received good comments from a friend. I thought it was the perfect accompaniment to the chicken.
Finally we had the slow-cooked US ribeye steak. Normally this is served in thin slices, but today the chef decided to serve it to us as whole pieces of steak, to better complement the 1995 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection. The steak was tender (although again, slightly disappointing compared to previous experiences) and the wine was classically full-bodied. Looks of satisfaction all around.
We were all too full for dessert, so we left early for the next round of drinks...
November 22, 2007
Delicious Piggy
Last night I invited some friends from a local wine shop for dinner, and they chose the Chinese restaurant at the Kimberly Hotel as the venue. We had a private room and we agreed that I would supply most of the wines for the evening. The sole exception was a bottle of Burgundy that Raymond, another client of the shop, was going to contribute. This was meant to be a treat for the staff at the shop.
We started with 2 bottles of Californian white, because Sunny had requested for "interesting white wine." They were already slightly chilled when I arrived at the restaurant, but were stuck into ice buckets (against my better judgement). The first wine was the 1998 Sine Qua Non Backward and Forward, which is an interesting blend of 40% chardonnay, 30% roussanne, and 30% viognier. During our last gathering (a more intimate dinner for 4 instead of 9 last night) Elen had thoroughly enjoyed the 1996 Sine Qua Non Omadhaun & Poltron. She loved the funky label as well as the interesting blend of roussanne and chardonnay. So I figured the Backward and Forward would also be a hit. I wasn't wrong. Everyone thought the wine was very interesting, although it needed some time to warm up before the nose really developed in the glass. The nose was pretty buttery and nice, and typically viognier.
Next up was the 2003 Kongsgaard Viognier/Roussanne, which was a blend of 55% viognier and 45% roussanne. This was amazing and actually more popular than the first wine, due to its explosive nose of tropical fruits and floral notes. Lots of pineapple, lychee, coconut notes. Wonderful.
As we started with the meat courses, the 1998 Sine Qua Non Veiled was served. This is a pinot noir from Oregon and was pretty well received. A few people were surprised that an American pinot could have such a pleasant nose. But most people were more interested in the labels, where the front label depicted a pair of eyes peeking through a chador, and the back label had Arabic translations to the English text.
The second red was Raymond's Burgundy - the 1999 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanee Les Malconsorts. Expectations were high for this wine as it comes from both a stellar vintage and a vineyard situated net to DRC's famed La Tache. Unfortunately, as Raymond and I suspected, the wine was very closed - a condition suffered from quite a number of Burgundies from '99.
The last red was meant to be the highlight of the evening - the 1998 Dominio Pingus - a request from Elen for a Spanish red (she was expecting Rioja). Most people at the table had never tasted this wine, with the exception of Riz and myself (since I held a '98 Spanish tasting in 2003). The wine was opened at 7pm, stoppered until 8pm, and we started serving it around 10pm. However, it was never decanted and arguably was served in the wrong glass. So it was not surprising that the nose was fairly muted and hence a disappointment to me (as well as others). It eventually opened up in the glass around 11pm, just before we called it a night.
Finally we served the 1995 Egon Muller Riesling Auslese Scharzhofberger with the fruit and dessert - a request from Sam for a German sweet wine. This was my only bottle which fit the request, so I brought it despite the slightly protruding cork indicating a bit of heat damage. The nose was very nice, showing floral and lychee notes. But the acidity was higher than I expected, and it was clear that the wines was going downhill.
Some words about the food - which was fantastic. The Eastern star garoupa was nice and tender. The highlight was the roast suckling pig - a tiny piglet stuffed with sticky rice and rolled into a cylinder. It was served on a cutting board and the waiter simply cut cross sections of the pig. The piglet was fat underneath while nicely crisp on the outside. The stick rice was just right - the Chinese version of al dente? And the oxtail stew was a good compliment to the full-bodied Pingus.
A very enjoyable evening - we were stuffed to the max. Looking forward to going back to the restaurant for the next feast.
We started with 2 bottles of Californian white, because Sunny had requested for "interesting white wine." They were already slightly chilled when I arrived at the restaurant, but were stuck into ice buckets (against my better judgement). The first wine was the 1998 Sine Qua Non Backward and Forward, which is an interesting blend of 40% chardonnay, 30% roussanne, and 30% viognier. During our last gathering (a more intimate dinner for 4 instead of 9 last night) Elen had thoroughly enjoyed the 1996 Sine Qua Non Omadhaun & Poltron. She loved the funky label as well as the interesting blend of roussanne and chardonnay. So I figured the Backward and Forward would also be a hit. I wasn't wrong. Everyone thought the wine was very interesting, although it needed some time to warm up before the nose really developed in the glass. The nose was pretty buttery and nice, and typically viognier.
Next up was the 2003 Kongsgaard Viognier/Roussanne, which was a blend of 55% viognier and 45% roussanne. This was amazing and actually more popular than the first wine, due to its explosive nose of tropical fruits and floral notes. Lots of pineapple, lychee, coconut notes. Wonderful.
As we started with the meat courses, the 1998 Sine Qua Non Veiled was served. This is a pinot noir from Oregon and was pretty well received. A few people were surprised that an American pinot could have such a pleasant nose. But most people were more interested in the labels, where the front label depicted a pair of eyes peeking through a chador, and the back label had Arabic translations to the English text.
The second red was Raymond's Burgundy - the 1999 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanee Les Malconsorts. Expectations were high for this wine as it comes from both a stellar vintage and a vineyard situated net to DRC's famed La Tache. Unfortunately, as Raymond and I suspected, the wine was very closed - a condition suffered from quite a number of Burgundies from '99.
The last red was meant to be the highlight of the evening - the 1998 Dominio Pingus - a request from Elen for a Spanish red (she was expecting Rioja). Most people at the table had never tasted this wine, with the exception of Riz and myself (since I held a '98 Spanish tasting in 2003). The wine was opened at 7pm, stoppered until 8pm, and we started serving it around 10pm. However, it was never decanted and arguably was served in the wrong glass. So it was not surprising that the nose was fairly muted and hence a disappointment to me (as well as others). It eventually opened up in the glass around 11pm, just before we called it a night.
Finally we served the 1995 Egon Muller Riesling Auslese Scharzhofberger with the fruit and dessert - a request from Sam for a German sweet wine. This was my only bottle which fit the request, so I brought it despite the slightly protruding cork indicating a bit of heat damage. The nose was very nice, showing floral and lychee notes. But the acidity was higher than I expected, and it was clear that the wines was going downhill.
Some words about the food - which was fantastic. The Eastern star garoupa was nice and tender. The highlight was the roast suckling pig - a tiny piglet stuffed with sticky rice and rolled into a cylinder. It was served on a cutting board and the waiter simply cut cross sections of the pig. The piglet was fat underneath while nicely crisp on the outside. The stick rice was just right - the Chinese version of al dente? And the oxtail stew was a good compliment to the full-bodied Pingus.
A very enjoyable evening - we were stuffed to the max. Looking forward to going back to the restaurant for the next feast.
November 19, 2007
White truffles again
I was craving for some white truffles so we went to Toscana, the Italian restaurant at the soon-to-be-closed Ritz-Carlton in HK. Chef Bombana has always been the one people trust for white truffle in HK, so I wanted to pay them a visit before the place closes at year end.
The set menu starts off with lobster, which are fresh and delicious, served with mixed greens. But the next two courses are the reasons why we came. The homemade tagliatelle was soft, with yummy sauce, and Chef Bombana came to shave a nice bit of white truffle on top. The perfumed, fragrant (or is it pungent?) nose of white truffle filled the air. It was absolutely lovely. I couldn't help devouring it all in a few seconds.
Next is another classic - the scrambled eggs with white truffle. Here again organic eggs were used, and the eggs appeared orange. Toscana's version seemed to be even more runny than the one I had at Tuscany by H. Very yummy. My cousin Maria wanted to lick the bowl....
Finally we had the medallions of lamb - nicely done but not quite "lammy" for me.
For wine I brought a bottle of 1999 Gaja Barbaresco. I had opened it half an hour before dinner and the restaurant decanted it when we arrived. As it is still a very young wine, it remained relatively closed through the dinner and not quite as good as I had hoped.
The set menu starts off with lobster, which are fresh and delicious, served with mixed greens. But the next two courses are the reasons why we came. The homemade tagliatelle was soft, with yummy sauce, and Chef Bombana came to shave a nice bit of white truffle on top. The perfumed, fragrant (or is it pungent?) nose of white truffle filled the air. It was absolutely lovely. I couldn't help devouring it all in a few seconds.
Next is another classic - the scrambled eggs with white truffle. Here again organic eggs were used, and the eggs appeared orange. Toscana's version seemed to be even more runny than the one I had at Tuscany by H. Very yummy. My cousin Maria wanted to lick the bowl....
Finally we had the medallions of lamb - nicely done but not quite "lammy" for me.
For wine I brought a bottle of 1999 Gaja Barbaresco. I had opened it half an hour before dinner and the restaurant decanted it when we arrived. As it is still a very young wine, it remained relatively closed through the dinner and not quite as good as I had hoped.
November 18, 2007
Krug Champagne dinner
I went to a dinner for Krug Champagne the other day, organized by a local wine merchant. Interestingly the venue was Dynasty, a Cantonese restaurant which I haven't been to in quite a while, and I eagerly anticipated the pairing of Champagne with Chinese food.
Dinner was the typical banquet menu, with the usual shark's fin (which I gave up to someone else at the table), abalone (which was done very nicely)...and it actually worked well with the champagne.
Before dinner, as well as during the first few courses, we taste the Krug Grand Cuvee, which was the non-vintage blend of the house. This has not only long been my favorite NV Champagne, but often my favorite offering from Krug. It is simply smooth and delicious. I'd be content if I could drink this daily.
The next offering was the highly-acclaimed Krug Vintage 1996. 1996 is probably the best Champagne vintage in the last 20 years or so, and the '96 has just been rated by Wine Spectator at 99 points and #10 of their Top 100 Wines of 2007 (literally just the day before the dinner). Anticipation was high as the golden liquid was poured into a glass that was smaller than our previous flute. This was met with protests from people at our table, and we proceeded to get ourselves a quick top-up.
Honestly, I thought that the nose of the '96 was very complex, and it would no doubt be a star. However, the acidity was quite sharp, especially on the finish. Clearly this is a wine that needs more time to age and is not really suited for drinking today. Better get my hands on some as people have been snapping it up.
The last wine was the Krug Rose. Roses are always nice and easy to drink, and this one is no exception. We had lots of refills of the wine, and they started bringing out half bottles of it which supposedly are only available in 5 cities across the globe (excluding Paris). Very yummy. Very enjoyable. Very drunk.
Dinner was the typical banquet menu, with the usual shark's fin (which I gave up to someone else at the table), abalone (which was done very nicely)...and it actually worked well with the champagne.
Before dinner, as well as during the first few courses, we taste the Krug Grand Cuvee, which was the non-vintage blend of the house. This has not only long been my favorite NV Champagne, but often my favorite offering from Krug. It is simply smooth and delicious. I'd be content if I could drink this daily.
The next offering was the highly-acclaimed Krug Vintage 1996. 1996 is probably the best Champagne vintage in the last 20 years or so, and the '96 has just been rated by Wine Spectator at 99 points and #10 of their Top 100 Wines of 2007 (literally just the day before the dinner). Anticipation was high as the golden liquid was poured into a glass that was smaller than our previous flute. This was met with protests from people at our table, and we proceeded to get ourselves a quick top-up.
Honestly, I thought that the nose of the '96 was very complex, and it would no doubt be a star. However, the acidity was quite sharp, especially on the finish. Clearly this is a wine that needs more time to age and is not really suited for drinking today. Better get my hands on some as people have been snapping it up.
The last wine was the Krug Rose. Roses are always nice and easy to drink, and this one is no exception. We had lots of refills of the wine, and they started bringing out half bottles of it which supposedly are only available in 5 cities across the globe (excluding Paris). Very yummy. Very enjoyable. Very drunk.
A very good dinner in Taipei
I hosted a dinner in Taipei with current and potential investors, many of whom are friends of mine. The restaurant was Forchetta, a new place that has gotten some good reviews lately from friends.
There were nine of us, and understandably we would get a bit loud and rowdy, although honestly I think we were mostly well behaved. We were seated at the front of the restaurant, and half of us had a good view of the deck outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The food was fairly good at the restaurant, although a little heavy on the spice (black pepper and chili) to go with the wines.
We started with lightly seared scallops, thinly sliced and topped with uni and lemon foam. This was paired with 2001 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Caillerets", a smooth and delicious wine. I really loved the buttery nose and the minerals.
The next course was la grenouille paired with a cup of consommé. We paired this with 2001 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet. This village wine had a more complex and heavy nose, with minerals, smoke peat. But as a drinking wine, especially with food, I preferred the Pillot. Unfortunately there was a bit too much black pepper in the consomme and it detracted from the wine.
We had the 1999 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin with the prawns, but the dressing was a bit spicy for my taste. The wine was pretty good but a tad expensive for a village wine, a function of both the vintage and the producer. Lots of minerals on the nose.
The table next to us was having ham, so we asked for an extra plate of it. Each of us got 2 slices of jamón ibérico that the restaurant/supplier smuggled in (since they didn't go through customs). Unfortunately we didn't have sherry so we made do with the 1990 Certan de May. My friend Victor loved it so much (he's a Bordeaux lover so this is not a surprise) that he immediately called up the owner of the wine shop where I had bought the wine, and wanted to order 2 cases!
We had a small serving of angle hair pasta with chili, black pepper...etc. It was nicely done and delicious, but, again it doesn't work with the wine. For this we had something heavier - 1994 Dominus. This was supposed to be a classic - probably the best Dominus ever. However it is also famous for bottle variation and this one was not quite as good as I had hoped. But the nose was pretty sweet with caramel a bit of tropical fruit.
The main course (either beef ribeye or lamb chops) was paired with the 1985 Stag's Leap Cask 23. This is a legendary wine, and probably the favorite vintage of Warren Winiarski, Stag's Leap's owner. I had the pleasure of tasting through a vertical of Cask 23 with Warren in 2000 in Singapore, and I loved the '85 back then.
This time I had bought 2 bottles from the wine shop, and the shop had sent the whole batch of wines to the restaurant. I meant to open ony 1 bottle for dinner and take the other bottle home. Before dinner, I called ahead to the restaurant and asked them to open all the reds. Unfortunately this meant that the spare bottle of the '85 Cask 23 was also among the opened bottles....anyway. The nose was pretty amazing, and I really had no regrets of buying the wine. Of course it had more than 2 decades to age, so it has now developed nicely.
We had soufflé for dessert, and finished it off with the 1996 Chateau Guiraud. Not a bad effort with typical tangerine and caramel on the nose.
Pretty drunk by the end as we had split 8 bottles between the 9 of us....
There were nine of us, and understandably we would get a bit loud and rowdy, although honestly I think we were mostly well behaved. We were seated at the front of the restaurant, and half of us had a good view of the deck outside through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The food was fairly good at the restaurant, although a little heavy on the spice (black pepper and chili) to go with the wines.
We started with lightly seared scallops, thinly sliced and topped with uni and lemon foam. This was paired with 2001 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Caillerets", a smooth and delicious wine. I really loved the buttery nose and the minerals.
The next course was la grenouille paired with a cup of consommé. We paired this with 2001 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet. This village wine had a more complex and heavy nose, with minerals, smoke peat. But as a drinking wine, especially with food, I preferred the Pillot. Unfortunately there was a bit too much black pepper in the consomme and it detracted from the wine.
We had the 1999 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin with the prawns, but the dressing was a bit spicy for my taste. The wine was pretty good but a tad expensive for a village wine, a function of both the vintage and the producer. Lots of minerals on the nose.
The table next to us was having ham, so we asked for an extra plate of it. Each of us got 2 slices of jamón ibérico that the restaurant/supplier smuggled in (since they didn't go through customs). Unfortunately we didn't have sherry so we made do with the 1990 Certan de May. My friend Victor loved it so much (he's a Bordeaux lover so this is not a surprise) that he immediately called up the owner of the wine shop where I had bought the wine, and wanted to order 2 cases!
We had a small serving of angle hair pasta with chili, black pepper...etc. It was nicely done and delicious, but, again it doesn't work with the wine. For this we had something heavier - 1994 Dominus. This was supposed to be a classic - probably the best Dominus ever. However it is also famous for bottle variation and this one was not quite as good as I had hoped. But the nose was pretty sweet with caramel a bit of tropical fruit.
The main course (either beef ribeye or lamb chops) was paired with the 1985 Stag's Leap Cask 23. This is a legendary wine, and probably the favorite vintage of Warren Winiarski, Stag's Leap's owner. I had the pleasure of tasting through a vertical of Cask 23 with Warren in 2000 in Singapore, and I loved the '85 back then.
This time I had bought 2 bottles from the wine shop, and the shop had sent the whole batch of wines to the restaurant. I meant to open ony 1 bottle for dinner and take the other bottle home. Before dinner, I called ahead to the restaurant and asked them to open all the reds. Unfortunately this meant that the spare bottle of the '85 Cask 23 was also among the opened bottles....anyway. The nose was pretty amazing, and I really had no regrets of buying the wine. Of course it had more than 2 decades to age, so it has now developed nicely.
We had soufflé for dessert, and finished it off with the 1996 Chateau Guiraud. Not a bad effort with typical tangerine and caramel on the nose.
Pretty drunk by the end as we had split 8 bottles between the 9 of us....
November 12, 2007
Shanghai Mag Lev, Finally
I finally got my chance to take the mag lev train in Shanghai, on my way to Pudong Airport for my flight back today. The departure time for my flight was at 6:20pm, so I wanted to make sure to take the train before the 5pm so that I could experience the top speed of 430 km/h. Unfortunately I reached the platform just as the doors closed on the 4:45pm train, so I only experienced it at a slower 300 km/h.
The ride was a comfortable one, and of course it was fast. At this speed, it took about 8 minutes for the journey of some 30 km. But it was very different from what I expected.
My first experience with mag lev was in 1985 at the Tsukuba Expo, where JAL installed their experimental mag lev. That was a very smooth ride on a short, straight track, and there were absolutely no bumps.
On the Shanghai maglev, one could experience some vibrations. Perhaps this was the result of the track not being absolutely straight since it banked to either side to suit the terrain. This ride felt very similar to being on the Taiwan High Speed Rail, which also operates at around 300 km/h. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable experience. I would definitely ride it again during peak hour to experience the top speed.
The ride was a comfortable one, and of course it was fast. At this speed, it took about 8 minutes for the journey of some 30 km. But it was very different from what I expected.
My first experience with mag lev was in 1985 at the Tsukuba Expo, where JAL installed their experimental mag lev. That was a very smooth ride on a short, straight track, and there were absolutely no bumps.
On the Shanghai maglev, one could experience some vibrations. Perhaps this was the result of the track not being absolutely straight since it banked to either side to suit the terrain. This ride felt very similar to being on the Taiwan High Speed Rail, which also operates at around 300 km/h. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable experience. I would definitely ride it again during peak hour to experience the top speed.
Two great meals in Shanghai
I was up in Shanghai again this weekend, and finally got around to dining at my new favorite Shanghainese restaurants.
For lunch we went to Jesse Restaurant (吉士), my choice for great Shanghainese. I had to order the braised pork with cuttlefish (目魚紅燒肉) , the signature dish of the restaurant and my personal favorite. We also had other favorites such as deep-fried baby yellow croaker (酥炸小黃魚) and rice fettucine with preserved vegetables (雪菜粉皮). Even Andreas, our German friend who eats everything, loved the food and kept on eating.
At dinner time we met up at XinGuang (新光), the restaurant famous for serving expensive hairy crab to foreign tourists. Since this is hairy crab season, I can't think of a better place to have dinner. As usual, as soon I entered the restaurant, I heard banter in Cantonese, Japanese and English, even Taiwanese...but no Shanghainese.
We ordered a set menu with nothing but crab, which featured the following crowd favorites: crab claws (I think about 50 of them), crab legs with asparagus, stir-friend crab roe, crab roe with rice fettucine, crab roe wonton in soup, and noodles with crab roe (have you OD'd yet?). In addition, we each got a whole crab which was reasonable in size and pretty delicious with enough roe. When that wasn't enough, we ordered crab roe with beef tendon.
All this for about RMB 700 a head, which is a princely sum to pay for dinner and makes this uneconomical for the locals. I look forward to going back to both restaurants on my next trip.
For lunch we went to Jesse Restaurant (吉士), my choice for great Shanghainese. I had to order the braised pork with cuttlefish (目魚紅燒肉) , the signature dish of the restaurant and my personal favorite. We also had other favorites such as deep-fried baby yellow croaker (酥炸小黃魚) and rice fettucine with preserved vegetables (雪菜粉皮). Even Andreas, our German friend who eats everything, loved the food and kept on eating.
At dinner time we met up at XinGuang (新光), the restaurant famous for serving expensive hairy crab to foreign tourists. Since this is hairy crab season, I can't think of a better place to have dinner. As usual, as soon I entered the restaurant, I heard banter in Cantonese, Japanese and English, even Taiwanese...but no Shanghainese.
We ordered a set menu with nothing but crab, which featured the following crowd favorites: crab claws (I think about 50 of them), crab legs with asparagus, stir-friend crab roe, crab roe with rice fettucine, crab roe wonton in soup, and noodles with crab roe (have you OD'd yet?). In addition, we each got a whole crab which was reasonable in size and pretty delicious with enough roe. When that wasn't enough, we ordered crab roe with beef tendon.
All this for about RMB 700 a head, which is a princely sum to pay for dinner and makes this uneconomical for the locals. I look forward to going back to both restaurants on my next trip.
November 6, 2007
An Italian Feast
MNSC held another tasting this past Monday, this time at Tuscany by H. This was highly anticipated as we were expecting some white truffles as part of the package, and we were not disappointed.
The dinner started out with some Parma ham and greens, which were sliced very thin and yummy. We then moved on to scrambled eggs with white truffle shavings. The eggs were imported from Italy and the yolks were supposedly more reddish (can anyone say Sudan Red dye?) which gave off a more orange tint to the finished product. The chef did it well and the eggs were still a bit runny.
Next up was the risotto with mushrooms and white truffle, a perennial favorite. Here the risotto was also a bit runny, which was very much to my liking. The white truffles were wonderfully perfumed, even though the quality was supposedly inferior compared to last year. It seems that supply is short in HK this year, and buying it from restaurants will cost around HKD 110/g, or close to USD 15,000/kg...
The main course was prime rib, which was slow cooked and so very tender. I was getting full at this point and had a difficult time finishing all the meat. But it WAS yummy.
Finally we had a cheese platter and dessert platter. We were served big blocks of gorgonzola, provolone (really nice and probably my favorite of the evening) and some others. But we were just really stuffed and had to call it quits.
Oh, and of course we can't leave out the wine! We were served a vertical of Paul Jaboulet's famed Hermitage La Chapelle, one of the greatest Hermitage around (if not THE Hermitage). The tasting was blind, of course, and we had the '79, '81, '82, '85, '89, '90 and '91 (but not in that order).
The '82 was the clear winner of the evening - it was just absolutely beautiful. The '89 and '90 were very closed, and very disappointing.
The dinner started out with some Parma ham and greens, which were sliced very thin and yummy. We then moved on to scrambled eggs with white truffle shavings. The eggs were imported from Italy and the yolks were supposedly more reddish (can anyone say Sudan Red dye?) which gave off a more orange tint to the finished product. The chef did it well and the eggs were still a bit runny.
Next up was the risotto with mushrooms and white truffle, a perennial favorite. Here the risotto was also a bit runny, which was very much to my liking. The white truffles were wonderfully perfumed, even though the quality was supposedly inferior compared to last year. It seems that supply is short in HK this year, and buying it from restaurants will cost around HKD 110/g, or close to USD 15,000/kg...
The main course was prime rib, which was slow cooked and so very tender. I was getting full at this point and had a difficult time finishing all the meat. But it WAS yummy.
Finally we had a cheese platter and dessert platter. We were served big blocks of gorgonzola, provolone (really nice and probably my favorite of the evening) and some others. But we were just really stuffed and had to call it quits.
Oh, and of course we can't leave out the wine! We were served a vertical of Paul Jaboulet's famed Hermitage La Chapelle, one of the greatest Hermitage around (if not THE Hermitage). The tasting was blind, of course, and we had the '79, '81, '82, '85, '89, '90 and '91 (but not in that order).
The '82 was the clear winner of the evening - it was just absolutely beautiful. The '89 and '90 were very closed, and very disappointing.
November 2, 2007
An Introduction to Alvin Ailey
A couple of friends at work suggested that I check out the performances of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre while they were in town. It's been a while since I saw any dance performances, so I had Quintessentially pick up some tickets for me.
The cast was almost exclusively African American, with a few other minorities thrown in. I counted 2 female performers who were white.
The first part of the program, called the River, was interesting in that it was a fusion of classical ballet and modern dance. As with many fusion efforts, it didn't quite work for me, although there were highlights. Meander featured Alicia J. Graf with two male dancers, and she had the most beautiful form.
The second program was entitled the Golden Section, and featured dancers wearing bikini tops, shorts and sneakers all done in gold - very bling! This was very enjoyable as it was set to pop, energetic dance music.
The last program was one of the troupe's best-known works, Revelations. It takes in elements of gospel music rooted deeply in the African American culture. The first part, I Been 'Buked, was exactly what I expected to see in this performance of modern dance. Wade in the Water was light and enjoyable, but the best segment was clearly Sinnerman, with the dancers displaying powerful moves. The final segment, Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham, is always a crowd favorite and draws calls of encore.
I really enjoyed the performance and will try to see more of these performances in the future.
The cast was almost exclusively African American, with a few other minorities thrown in. I counted 2 female performers who were white.
The first part of the program, called the River, was interesting in that it was a fusion of classical ballet and modern dance. As with many fusion efforts, it didn't quite work for me, although there were highlights. Meander featured Alicia J. Graf with two male dancers, and she had the most beautiful form.
The second program was entitled the Golden Section, and featured dancers wearing bikini tops, shorts and sneakers all done in gold - very bling! This was very enjoyable as it was set to pop, energetic dance music.
The last program was one of the troupe's best-known works, Revelations. It takes in elements of gospel music rooted deeply in the African American culture. The first part, I Been 'Buked, was exactly what I expected to see in this performance of modern dance. Wade in the Water was light and enjoyable, but the best segment was clearly Sinnerman, with the dancers displaying powerful moves. The final segment, Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham, is always a crowd favorite and draws calls of encore.
I really enjoyed the performance and will try to see more of these performances in the future.