First over-indulgence of the year

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I was definitely not in the best shape today.  I had a 19-hour work day yesterday, and was feeling very low on energy - yawning in spite of an espresso doppio.  Therefore I wasn't as excited about going to dinner tonight as I should have been.

Early January generally means dinner at Fook Lam Moon (福臨門), as a bunch of us gather to celebrate the birthday of a New Year's baby.  The dinner is always arranged by a regular of the restaurant, which ensures we get treated properly.  It's been a while since I came with this gang, and I definitely miss the VIP treatment.

Can't come here without having the roast suckling pig (大紅片皮乳豬).  I can never get tired of this pig, although I felt somewhat unsatiated after 3 pieces of the crackling and nibbling on some ribs.  I guess I probably should have chomped on a leg…

Snake soup (菊花燴蛇羹) came next as we're still in season, and the temperature was getting pretty chilly.  Not bad, but I would later regret having a second bowl…

Steamed double garoupa (蒸雙斑) - always happy to have Cantonese steamed fish… Yummy.

Stir-fried pea shoots and winter bamboo shoots (豆苗炒冬筍) - both veggies are in season, and the sweetness of the bamboo shoots was very evident.  Love this.

Salt-baked chicken (鹽焗雞) - not bad at all.

Beef tendon and brisket clay pot (牛筋腩煲) - this was simply awesome!  I wish I had double the stomach space so I could eat about half the clay pot… Soooo rich in flavor.

Claypot rice with preserved meats (腊味飯煲) - we only get to have this in winter, but I wish I could eat it year-round.  The line up of preserved sausages, duck and pork belly just make me drool…

Load the meats on top of the duck fat-infused rice, drizzle some sweet soy sauce, and I'm ready to go!

Fried glutinous rice with preserved meats (生炒糯米飯) - some of us voted for this to be the rice dish, which I thoroughly enjoyed only 3 days ago.  In the end we had two different types of rice…

The birthday boy had a bowl of noodles all to himself, on top of the rice...

Yolk and sesame paste birthday buns (蛋黃麻茸壽飽) - in honor of the birthday boy.  Apparently there were two different flavors - white sesame seed paste or lotus seed paste.  Methinks I got the sesame seed paste, but in my inebriated state I honestly thought both types of fillings were there in addition to the egg yolk…

I was so stuffed at the end it got a little bit painful.  Didn't think I ate that much tonight…  In terms of wines, a couple of people weren't drinking tonight, so the alcohol consumption was way down...

2009 Delaire Graff Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - very young and tannic.  Nose of dried herbs and black fruits.  One of us had just returned from South Africa, and brought back this offering from the family known for their shiny diamonds...

1970 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial from magnum - opened an hour before dinner and decanted for 30 mins before serving.  Nose was already open and fragrant, minty, sweet, a little savory, a little wood.  Slightly acidic on palate, as expected.  Not much tannin left.  For the birthday boy.

2007 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - ripe on the nose, with plenty of toasty oak.  Buttery.