Quadruple celebration

It was an evening full of celebrations, and as usual the gang gathered at Fook Lam Moon (福臨門) for a feast. We were celebrating a number of happy events - the successful completion of a first marathon; a birthday as well as a fast time for a marathon; a promotion; and the birth of a second child - a son - to a young (?) mother.  There was a lot to be happy and grateful for.

The menu was a collection of the usual dishes - nothing new tonight.  Even though the number of dishes seemed to have decreased, we seemed to have gotten full a lot quicker tonight.

Roast suckling pig (大紅片皮乳豬) - still one of the best (if not the best) pigs in town - tough to find skin this thin and crispy elsewhere.  I held back a little and only allowed myself to gnaw on the ribs, without taking one of the delicious legs.

Conch and chicken feet soup with Chinese yam and wolfberries (淮杞鳳爪燉螺頭湯) - very nice and clear broth, with all the benefits of the herbs.  I kept myself to only one bowl.

Stir-fried lobster with black beans and green peppers (豉椒炒龍蝦球) - still one of my favorites at the restaurant, although the execution today seemed a tiny bit below previous levels.  Texture seemed a teeny bit soft.

Fried giant pomfret (沙律煙鯧魚) - what else can I say?  The flesh was moist enough, although some parts near the edges were a little dry.  I do prefer having this with the mayo, although it's good on its own, too.

Leaf amaranth in superior broth (上湯浸莧菜) - this was good, but surprisingly I was captivated by the superior broth... The fragrance seemed irresistable so I ended up drinking all the broth.

Steamed goose with plum and taro (梅子芋頭蒸鵝) - flavors were nice but the goose meat was a little bit overdone.  The gizzaard was nice, too.  As usual I didn't finish my taro.

Fried glutinous rice with preserved meats (生炒糯米飯) - yum-my!  I really wanted to have seconds (and thirds) but I was mindful of my expanding waistline, so I left it to the others to finish off the rice.  Execution was just about perfect.

Yolk and lotus paste birthday buns (蛋黃蓮蓉壽包) - we were celebrating a birthday, so two dozens of these delicious buns were on the table.  That delicious lotus seed paste was just.... hmmmm.....

Glutinous rice balls steamed in apple leaves (蘋葉果) - I was debating about whether to have one, as I was already pretty full.  In the end I couldn't resist - the red bean paste was just too yummy.  There was just enough paste to make these things yummy, without being an overdose of sweetness.

Steamed traditional brown sugar sponge cake (杬仁馬粒糕) - this was nice.  Light and airy, with the fragrance of caramelized brown sugar.

Coconut milk jello (椰汁凍) - not bad at all.

I brought a few bottles of wine for us to share.  First we had the 2003 Kongsgaard Chardonnay.  Lots of toasty oak here, with minerals, ripeness, sweet butter in the nose.  Pretty sweet and ripe on the palate, with a bit of sweet grass and a little tart on the finish.  A nice Cali Chard but not something that everyone would like.

I also brought 2 bottles of 1999 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon, which I picked up while visiting the winery years ago.  The nose was initially muted, as we started drinking only 20 minutes after decanting.  The wine was clearly a little sweet on the palate.  The tannins were still firm, with notes of soy sauce, black fruits and mint in the nose.  I was slightly disappointed in the wine, although the crowd seemed to like it.

A very good evening.  Lots of old friends sharing the joys in their lives.  Great food, good wines.  Exactly what I needed tonight...