Le pigeon

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It all started with happy hour.  Meeting the Specialist and a few uncles for a few bottles of wine at Watson's Wine Cellar.  We either brought our own bottles, or bought the bottles from the shop and drank them on the spot.  Something I've participated in a number of times over the years...

2001 Musar - smoky, earthy, with a little bit of fruit.

2001 Pontet-Canet - ripe and fruity, a little oaky, with that exotic, tropical, coconut butter.

2002 Pichon-Lalande - sweet fruit, coffee, a little smoky.

1999 Gazin - smoky, a little more green, very fragrant, almost floral like violet, cedar.  Drinking very well.

2010 Le Saint Estephe de Montrose - minty, a little metallic, kinda sweet, with soft tannins.

I didn't have any dinner plans, so I got dragged / arm-twisted / decided to join the Specialist and BFF. Her new favorite venue is ON Dining Kitchen and Lounge, which is of course just a few steps away.  We walked into without a reservation, and ended up sitting on the lounge level just inside the outdoor terrace.  This would normally be fine, but we ended up inhaling some of the cigar and cigarette smoke from people on the terrace while trying to finish up the wines... Oh well.

Spicy beef and tuna tartare - just a little spicy, and not bad at all.

Ham and cheese pancake, black truffle, green salad - look at those slices of black truffle on top.  What's not to like?!  No-brainer.

Braised pork cheek, French beans, mushrooms, BBQ sauce - I had another version of this earlier, and apparently they've been tweaking the dish.  It did seem a little less dry and a bit richer than before, and with this sauce it seemed a little heavier, too.

Roasted pigeon, artichokes, baby spinach and lemon chutney - we made sure to reserve these pigeons as soon as we sat down, due to their popularity.  Last month I wrote a preview of this place for the South China Morning Post, in which I claimed that this was the best pigeon I've ever had in Hong Kong.  Last night my friend Susan Jung - the Senior Food and Wine Editor of the South China Morning Post - came for a full review and ordered the pigeon.  She sent me text messages in the middle of her meal declaring her love for said pigeon.

What I had tonight was very, very good - although it wasn't quite as good as what I had the first time.  The edges were slightly more done than I prefer, although when you get to the middle of the breast, it was just as pink, soft and silky smooth as I remembered.  Wonderful and delicious.  That lemon chutney - with what seemed to be mustard seeds - really elevated this dish.  Now, why am I not having this pigeon every week?!

I was pretty sure I'd already taken in enough calories tonight between the food and the wines, so I passed on the cheese - to the amazement of Jeremy and others...

Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Sainte Anne - yeasty nose.

A pretty good evening overall, and I must come back soon.  Like next week.