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The Great One needed to bail on her booking at Hidden (秀殿) due to her babysitting duties on behalf of the tourism board, so Foursheets and I were only too happy to take it over. As this was a foursome, I asked a couple of other friends to join us. As it turned out, one of them was making his first visit after years of reading about my visits.
The boys were pretty happy to follow our lead and just raise their hands when we were doing the ordering. As I knew they don't visit as often as I do, this meant I was ordering a bunch of stuff just so they could try more items. Methinks I ordered a tad too much...
Awa-odiri fried chicken wing (阿波雄鶏手羽唐揚げ) - we always, always start with the chicken wing. One of my favorite chicken wings in town, with the wonderful acidity in the sauce being the perfect complement to the delicious deep-fried chicken skin.
A chronicle of all things fun - eating, drinking, traveling... plus the occasional ranting
October 24, 2024
October 22, 2024
Guess who's coming to dinner, 2024 edition
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Gaggan is on a short trip to Hong Kong and only staying 2 nights, but he very kindly reserved tonight so we could eat out together. Just as I was starting to think of which Cantonese or Chinese restaurant to take him to, he mentioned that he would like to go to Neighborhood. I was, of course, overjoyed at his choice, since it is the one restaurant where I have visited more than any other restaurant in Hong Kong. I wasted no time in getting us a table, but I didn't want to tell The Man in White T-shirt who I was bringing tonight. I kept being told that the boss' new lounge was "just around the corner" but no one ever told me exactly where it is. So I asked Shirley to take me there, and it really was as described... Paragon was a chill place to hang out. Blue Note - any time I see a cocktail with Blue Curaçao as an ingredient, I MUST order.
Gaggan is on a short trip to Hong Kong and only staying 2 nights, but he very kindly reserved tonight so we could eat out together. Just as I was starting to think of which Cantonese or Chinese restaurant to take him to, he mentioned that he would like to go to Neighborhood. I was, of course, overjoyed at his choice, since it is the one restaurant where I have visited more than any other restaurant in Hong Kong. I wasted no time in getting us a table, but I didn't want to tell The Man in White T-shirt who I was bringing tonight. I kept being told that the boss' new lounge was "just around the corner" but no one ever told me exactly where it is. So I asked Shirley to take me there, and it really was as described... Paragon was a chill place to hang out. Blue Note - any time I see a cocktail with Blue Curaçao as an ingredient, I MUST order.
October 21, 2024
I Want It That Way
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I'm still biased against most "four hands" or so-called collaborations among chefs, as many of them simply showcase signature dishes from the participating chefs. Since many of these events have been hosted by restaurants where I know the chef, the reality is that I'm probably already familiar with at least half the dishes... so these meals become less of a discovery for me. There are exceptions, of course, and over the last couple of years we have seen more and more events feature dishes where all the chefs contribute to each and every dish - resulting in a "true" collaboration. Historically the collabs I looked forward to the most were ones with Gaggan Anand. As long as I have been going to collaborations like GohGan and others involving him, they have generally insisted that all the chefs work together on all the dishes so that each chef contributes to every dish. I was, however, left a little disappointed at the second GohGaDen pop-up in Singapore last year, where I thought the chefs got a little lazy and a few dishes were simply lifted from the menu at their respective restaurants... but that was an outlier. Gaggan was coming back to Hong Kong for the second leg of his collab with Vicky Cheng, and this time it was at VEA. My last visit to VEA was some 4 years ago, and this seemed like the perfect occasion to revisit the top floor of the building instead of the floor just below. I quickly messaged both Gaggan and Vicky asking for seats, insisting to both of them that we would gladly pay for our meals. I was glad to be told that seats had been reserved for our usual quintet. We arrived a little early so I had time to drop off goodies with the boys and do a proper greeting before things started to go crazy. It worked out well that our little gang was seated in the middle of the counter area so it was easy to watch the action going on. First, a little sip of Champagne. As Vicky is one of the Krug Ambassade, this was naturally a glass of Grande Cuvée. Krug Grande Cuvée, 172ème Édition, ID 123005 - initially this was served too cold, but after warming up a little using my hands, the nose opened up to show the classic toasty brioche notes that I love so much from Grande Cuvée. The acidity was fairly high, and we had a little tartness and tannins on the finish. As is often the case, there was no menu given upfront so we didn't know what was coming our way. I did receive word that changes had been made for me when it came to the first bite... Yogurt explosion 💥shirako, Champagne - these days the dish comes with pop rocks which, if you had asked me a few years ago, I would have said was "so last decade"... So we now have to pop the yogurt ball on the "lotus leaf" cone immediately before eating. But wait! This version came with a Champagne beurre blanc with salmon roe, but apparently the instruction to hold off on eating came too late for some people, and they popped it into their mouths before the sauce was spooned on top...
I'm still biased against most "four hands" or so-called collaborations among chefs, as many of them simply showcase signature dishes from the participating chefs. Since many of these events have been hosted by restaurants where I know the chef, the reality is that I'm probably already familiar with at least half the dishes... so these meals become less of a discovery for me. There are exceptions, of course, and over the last couple of years we have seen more and more events feature dishes where all the chefs contribute to each and every dish - resulting in a "true" collaboration. Historically the collabs I looked forward to the most were ones with Gaggan Anand. As long as I have been going to collaborations like GohGan and others involving him, they have generally insisted that all the chefs work together on all the dishes so that each chef contributes to every dish. I was, however, left a little disappointed at the second GohGaDen pop-up in Singapore last year, where I thought the chefs got a little lazy and a few dishes were simply lifted from the menu at their respective restaurants... but that was an outlier. Gaggan was coming back to Hong Kong for the second leg of his collab with Vicky Cheng, and this time it was at VEA. My last visit to VEA was some 4 years ago, and this seemed like the perfect occasion to revisit the top floor of the building instead of the floor just below. I quickly messaged both Gaggan and Vicky asking for seats, insisting to both of them that we would gladly pay for our meals. I was glad to be told that seats had been reserved for our usual quintet. We arrived a little early so I had time to drop off goodies with the boys and do a proper greeting before things started to go crazy. It worked out well that our little gang was seated in the middle of the counter area so it was easy to watch the action going on. First, a little sip of Champagne. As Vicky is one of the Krug Ambassade, this was naturally a glass of Grande Cuvée. Krug Grande Cuvée, 172ème Édition, ID 123005 - initially this was served too cold, but after warming up a little using my hands, the nose opened up to show the classic toasty brioche notes that I love so much from Grande Cuvée. The acidity was fairly high, and we had a little tartness and tannins on the finish. As is often the case, there was no menu given upfront so we didn't know what was coming our way. I did receive word that changes had been made for me when it came to the first bite... Yogurt explosion 💥
October 15, 2024
Krug x Flower
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This is the tenth anniversary of Champagne Krug's single ingredient program, and as Olivier Krug likes to recount, it all started in Hong Kong with chefs like Uwe Opocensky at the Krug Room. I knew that the theme this year would be Krug x Flower asHairy Chevalier Saffron Bae had traveled to France earlier this year for a special event. I was looking forward to tasting his creation this year, but didn't get to do so when I paid him a visit last week.
I had already received an invitation to join a tasting event today, so I knew it was just a matter of time until I found out what Saffron Bae had come up with. The itinerary today included just two stops, with the first one being Caprice. A small group of us sat around a couple of tables at Caprice Bar, where Anyss and Floriane made sure our glasses were always filled - if not with Krug, at least our water glasses were never empty!
Once again Olivier Krug presided over the day's events, on what would be his last day in town during a short stopver. A few of the ladies were obviously thrilled to meet him, and why shouldn't they?
Pumpkin, corn and saffron - I didn't realize that Saffron Bae's contribution this year would be the replacement to their long-standing pita. The new version is filled with a pumpkin-based purée which also includes some saffron. Then it's garnished with a single grilled kernel of corn along with one thread of saffron.
This is the tenth anniversary of Champagne Krug's single ingredient program, and as Olivier Krug likes to recount, it all started in Hong Kong with chefs like Uwe Opocensky at the Krug Room. I knew that the theme this year would be Krug x Flower as
October 12, 2024
Still no ocean view
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It's been some time since we last had a proper catch up with The Bombay East Indian Girl, and days after stepping away from the kitchen at my favorite opening of the year, we agreed to meet up for an early lunch today near her former workplace. Hoi King Heen (海景軒) is a place we used to enjoy visiting, albeit infrequently, and it's been quite a few years since our last family gathering there. Imagine my surprise that, after not having been here for a few years, we were directed to go upstairs instead of down to the basement level. Apparently there is some renovation work being done, and the dining room is now temporarily located in one of the function rooms at the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong. We were the first people to arrive in the empty room. It's a weekend morning, so that's dim sum in my book. We refrained from over-ordering in the first round... Shrimp dumplings "har gau" (海景蝦餃皇) - this came with a whole shrimp and without any diced bamboo shoots. The shrimp was fairly crunchy, and the flavors were pretty pronounced compared to other har gau. I was left wondering if it was given a boost...
It's been some time since we last had a proper catch up with The Bombay East Indian Girl, and days after stepping away from the kitchen at my favorite opening of the year, we agreed to meet up for an early lunch today near her former workplace. Hoi King Heen (海景軒) is a place we used to enjoy visiting, albeit infrequently, and it's been quite a few years since our last family gathering there. Imagine my surprise that, after not having been here for a few years, we were directed to go upstairs instead of down to the basement level. Apparently there is some renovation work being done, and the dining room is now temporarily located in one of the function rooms at the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong. We were the first people to arrive in the empty room. It's a weekend morning, so that's dim sum in my book. We refrained from over-ordering in the first round... Shrimp dumplings "har gau" (海景蝦餃皇) - this came with a whole shrimp and without any diced bamboo shoots. The shrimp was fairly crunchy, and the flavors were pretty pronounced compared to other har gau. I was left wondering if it was given a boost...
Labels:
Cuisine - Cantonese,
Dining,
Hong Kong
October 10, 2024
No flowers for fourth anniversary
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Four years ago at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the two of us exchanged our vows to be with each other for the rest of our lives, in the company of just two witnesses and a lawyer. Tonight we are back at the place where it happened - Caprice - so that I could celebrate the fact that I'm still alive after four years of marriage. When I booked the table, Saffron Bae had asked me whether we were there for a special celebration, but I pretended it is "just dinner". I figured there was no reason to make a big deal out of it. I told the chefs that we didn't want to have too much food, and the kitchen was kind enough to set up a menu based on the bottle of wine I had brought. I just love the way they cater to the needs of their clients. As usual, Victor very graciously came to pour us a glass of Champagne to start our evening: Leclerc Briant Réserve Vendages 2018, dégorgée Decembre 2023, en magnum - acidity was pretty high on this, so the palate was pretty crisp. The nose was pretty metallic on the first whiff, but then turned pretty yeasty as the wine opened up in the glass. For the first time in quite some time, all three of the amuse bouches inside the boîte à bijoux were new. They finally switched out the pita with curry chicken mousse.
Four years ago at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the two of us exchanged our vows to be with each other for the rest of our lives, in the company of just two witnesses and a lawyer. Tonight we are back at the place where it happened - Caprice - so that I could celebrate the fact that I'm still alive after four years of marriage. When I booked the table, Saffron Bae had asked me whether we were there for a special celebration, but I pretended it is "just dinner". I figured there was no reason to make a big deal out of it. I told the chefs that we didn't want to have too much food, and the kitchen was kind enough to set up a menu based on the bottle of wine I had brought. I just love the way they cater to the needs of their clients. As usual, Victor very graciously came to pour us a glass of Champagne to start our evening: Leclerc Briant Réserve Vendages 2018, dégorgée Decembre 2023, en magnum - acidity was pretty high on this, so the palate was pretty crisp. The nose was pretty metallic on the first whiff, but then turned pretty yeasty as the wine opened up in the glass. For the first time in quite some time, all three of the amuse bouches inside the boîte à bijoux were new. They finally switched out the pita with curry chicken mousse.
October 8, 2024
Last call at Nine One
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Mr. Christmas is back in town for a short few days, and I relished the opportunity to catch up with him. As he was making his way around different parts of southern China, I knew that Cantonese food wasn't a must for him. I was somewhat surprised when he suggested we go for Indian food, and I knew just where to take him! I quickly checked in with the Bombay East Indian Girl as I knew she was off on holiday, but would be back in the kitchen at Nine One tonight. We were all set. Early this morning I began receiving messages from my friend. She had returned from her travels yesterday, and has decided to leave the restaurant concept that she has spent the better part of the year building. She was clearly unhappy with whatever was happening in her absence and decided it was better to walk away than be part of it. However, she would be in the kitchen tonight for one last evening, as both another friend and myself had booked tables tonight, and she wanted to take care of us. The mood was clearly a little awkward when we arrived. I could see it on Johnny's face, and of course my friend the Bombay East Indian Girl. I ordered a few dishes that I wanted Mr. Christmas and his family to try, and left the rest up to the chef. Khakra, chundo - I've always enjoyed the spice in the khakra (ખાખરા) and especially the chundo (छुन्दो).
Mr. Christmas is back in town for a short few days, and I relished the opportunity to catch up with him. As he was making his way around different parts of southern China, I knew that Cantonese food wasn't a must for him. I was somewhat surprised when he suggested we go for Indian food, and I knew just where to take him! I quickly checked in with the Bombay East Indian Girl as I knew she was off on holiday, but would be back in the kitchen at Nine One tonight. We were all set. Early this morning I began receiving messages from my friend. She had returned from her travels yesterday, and has decided to leave the restaurant concept that she has spent the better part of the year building. She was clearly unhappy with whatever was happening in her absence and decided it was better to walk away than be part of it. However, she would be in the kitchen tonight for one last evening, as both another friend and myself had booked tables tonight, and she wanted to take care of us. The mood was clearly a little awkward when we arrived. I could see it on Johnny's face, and of course my friend the Bombay East Indian Girl. I ordered a few dishes that I wanted Mr. Christmas and his family to try, and left the rest up to the chef. Khakra, chundo - I've always enjoyed the spice in the khakra (ખાખરા) and especially the chundo (छुन्दो).
Labels:
Cuisine - Indian,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
October 7, 2024
Birthday in the Valley
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It's that time of the year again, and we needed to find a place to pop open a bottle. This year Foursheets decided that she would want to go a little casual and didn't want to eat so much, so we decided to go back to Locanda for some of their great pasta. What is also perfect is the ability to order à la carte so we can decide both the amount of food we want to take, and the dishes to match the wine we brought. Carta musica - I really love these Sardinian crisps, and now they come in different flavors.
It's that time of the year again, and we needed to find a place to pop open a bottle. This year Foursheets decided that she would want to go a little casual and didn't want to eat so much, so we decided to go back to Locanda for some of their great pasta. What is also perfect is the ability to order à la carte so we can decide both the amount of food we want to take, and the dishes to match the wine we brought. Carta musica - I really love these Sardinian crisps, and now they come in different flavors.
Labels:
Cuisine - Italian,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
October 6, 2024
Hanwooooo in Hong Kong
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We've known for some time that Born and Bred was coming to Hong Kong. 30K had been having discussions about this since at least 2019, although that obviously got derailed thanks to the pandemic. There had been sporadic talk about updated opening plans but none of those ever came to fruition. A few months ago we started seeing signs outside a space being renovating, so we knew that 30K was opening some kind of noodle shop in town. A bunch of us were very excited and waiting for this opening, because we knew that whatever project 30K decides to do, he would put full effort into it and deliver results that are up to his standard. I hadn't been paying attention about their opening timeline, and certainly hadn't heard anything from PR8. So I was a little surprised when 30K asked me to join him for lunch today at Moo-Lah (牟樂). The raison d'être, of course, was to bring Born and Bred's Hanwoo beef into Hong Kong. But instead of just copying the concept from Korea, 30K decided to open a place serving dishes that locals are already familiar with, and upgrade it with "better beef from Born and Bred". I was eager to see how that would work. A set lunch menu is a 3-course affair, starting with a simple salad, a main dish with noodles or rice, and dessert. Tonight we would taste through a few options from the menu. Tomatoes marinated in plum juice (話梅番茄沙律) - the salad is light, and the tomatoes which had been marinated in preserved plum (話梅) sauce were pretty interesting.
We've known for some time that Born and Bred was coming to Hong Kong. 30K had been having discussions about this since at least 2019, although that obviously got derailed thanks to the pandemic. There had been sporadic talk about updated opening plans but none of those ever came to fruition. A few months ago we started seeing signs outside a space being renovating, so we knew that 30K was opening some kind of noodle shop in town. A bunch of us were very excited and waiting for this opening, because we knew that whatever project 30K decides to do, he would put full effort into it and deliver results that are up to his standard. I hadn't been paying attention about their opening timeline, and certainly hadn't heard anything from PR8. So I was a little surprised when 30K asked me to join him for lunch today at Moo-Lah (牟樂). The raison d'être, of course, was to bring Born and Bred's Hanwoo beef into Hong Kong. But instead of just copying the concept from Korea, 30K decided to open a place serving dishes that locals are already familiar with, and upgrade it with "better beef from Born and Bred". I was eager to see how that would work. A set lunch menu is a 3-course affair, starting with a simple salad, a main dish with noodles or rice, and dessert. Tonight we would taste through a few options from the menu. Tomatoes marinated in plum juice (話梅番茄沙律) - the salad is light, and the tomatoes which had been marinated in preserved plum (話梅) sauce were pretty interesting.
October 5, 2024
A golden shower
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We received a proposal from the couple in the Tiny Urban Kitchen. As Mr. CSO's birthday is just a day earlier than Foursheets', they wondered if we would be interested in doing a joint celebration. They are big fans of Wagyumafia and have joined as members, and invited us to share this unique experience. I know of a few people who were among the earliest members of Wagyumafia when they first opened in Tokyo, but I have never really had much interest in the kind of performative dining experience that they are known for. I see them as a more modern version of Benihana, and chuckle at the memory of my one and only meal spent at their original New York City location more thn 30 years ago - when the chef spent the whole evening been pissed that my friends and I completely ignored his theatrics. But hey... I know these guys at least serve up some pretty good beef, and our friends are a lot of fun, so we readily agreed to a joint celebration. The entrance to the dining space is through Mashi No Mashi - the ramen joint from the same group. As this was our first visit, Foursheets and I were kinda clueless about what was supposed to happen. There wasn't exactly an area for us to cool our heels while we waited for our friends to arrive, and it felt ridiculous to stand in an open area behind people on stools slurping down ramen, so we asked to be seated ASAP. We were then led into this small, enclosed space where it felt like an intermediate step before stepping into a clean room or a freezer. It was here that we would get our "welcome" bite and drink. I was a little bewildered, and as the whole thing felt a little rushed, it didn't exactly feel very welcoming to me... Had I known about this little step, I probably would have chosen to wait for our friends so that we could do this together. We were given a piece of beef ham to start. Sharaku Junmai Ginjo (寫楽 純米吟醸), R5BY - seimaibuai of 50%. The nose showed a lot of musk melon and banana, along with a very sweet, starchy rice profile. After that little ritual, the two of us were led into the dining space, featuring a C-shaped counter around the prep/cooking area. I could see a Josper grill, so I assume that's where the chunks of beef would be cooked. The stools we would sit on were just a little high for someone of my stature, and it was a pain in the ass to have to get up and down. A couple of minutes later our hosts arrived, and we could finally get this party started!
We received a proposal from the couple in the Tiny Urban Kitchen. As Mr. CSO's birthday is just a day earlier than Foursheets', they wondered if we would be interested in doing a joint celebration. They are big fans of Wagyumafia and have joined as members, and invited us to share this unique experience. I know of a few people who were among the earliest members of Wagyumafia when they first opened in Tokyo, but I have never really had much interest in the kind of performative dining experience that they are known for. I see them as a more modern version of Benihana, and chuckle at the memory of my one and only meal spent at their original New York City location more thn 30 years ago - when the chef spent the whole evening been pissed that my friends and I completely ignored his theatrics. But hey... I know these guys at least serve up some pretty good beef, and our friends are a lot of fun, so we readily agreed to a joint celebration. The entrance to the dining space is through Mashi No Mashi - the ramen joint from the same group. As this was our first visit, Foursheets and I were kinda clueless about what was supposed to happen. There wasn't exactly an area for us to cool our heels while we waited for our friends to arrive, and it felt ridiculous to stand in an open area behind people on stools slurping down ramen, so we asked to be seated ASAP. We were then led into this small, enclosed space where it felt like an intermediate step before stepping into a clean room or a freezer. It was here that we would get our "welcome" bite and drink. I was a little bewildered, and as the whole thing felt a little rushed, it didn't exactly feel very welcoming to me... Had I known about this little step, I probably would have chosen to wait for our friends so that we could do this together. We were given a piece of beef ham to start. Sharaku Junmai Ginjo (寫楽 純米吟醸), R5BY - seimaibuai of 50%. The nose showed a lot of musk melon and banana, along with a very sweet, starchy rice profile. After that little ritual, the two of us were led into the dining space, featuring a C-shaped counter around the prep/cooking area. I could see a Josper grill, so I assume that's where the chunks of beef would be cooked. The stools we would sit on were just a little high for someone of my stature, and it was a pain in the ass to have to get up and down. A couple of minutes later our hosts arrived, and we could finally get this party started!
Labels:
Cuisine - Chinese,
Cuisine - Japanese,
Cuisine - Western,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Videos,
Wine
October 3, 2024
Kosher in Ningbo
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The Hungry Tourist is working his way through restaurants on his next tour, and one of the places that I've recommended to him is Yong Fu (甬府). While it's not Cantonese and therefore not "local", in my opinion it's one of the best restaurants in town for Chinese food, and often on the list of places I recommend to friends visiting from overseas. As I was one of the people who recommended the place to him, I felt kinda obliged to join him for dinner so that he would be able to taste through more dishes. So... in spite of a heavy week of eating, and the fact that I had already indulged in a big lunch earlier in the day, I dutifully showed up to dinner. We were set up in one of the small private rooms upstairs, with a menu pre-set by Ms. Yu the manager. This would be really interesting, as one of the guests requires food to be kosher and it just happens to be Rosh Hashanah (רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה). So we would have neither shellfish nor pork - two types of ingredients the restaurant is known for. Chinese kale's heart ball (芥蘭球) - I do love the way they created a dish out of something that is often overlooked as too tough to be served at a nice establishment. These local kailan (芥蘭) stems were peeled, fermented in brine, and cut to break the fibers in order to tenderize them. The flavors from fermentation were definitely noticeable, and we've got some acidity as well as a hint of spicy kick. Such a great way to whet our appetites to start our meal.
The Hungry Tourist is working his way through restaurants on his next tour, and one of the places that I've recommended to him is Yong Fu (甬府). While it's not Cantonese and therefore not "local", in my opinion it's one of the best restaurants in town for Chinese food, and often on the list of places I recommend to friends visiting from overseas. As I was one of the people who recommended the place to him, I felt kinda obliged to join him for dinner so that he would be able to taste through more dishes. So... in spite of a heavy week of eating, and the fact that I had already indulged in a big lunch earlier in the day, I dutifully showed up to dinner. We were set up in one of the small private rooms upstairs, with a menu pre-set by Ms. Yu the manager. This would be really interesting, as one of the guests requires food to be kosher and it just happens to be Rosh Hashanah (רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה). So we would have neither shellfish nor pork - two types of ingredients the restaurant is known for. Chinese kale's heart ball (芥蘭球) - I do love the way they created a dish out of something that is often overlooked as too tough to be served at a nice establishment. These local kailan (芥蘭) stems were peeled, fermented in brine, and cut to break the fibers in order to tenderize them. The flavors from fermentation were definitely noticeable, and we've got some acidity as well as a hint of spicy kick. Such a great way to whet our appetites to start our meal.
Labels:
Cuisine - Ningbo,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Michelin-starred Restaurants,
Wine
Lunch with the ladies
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An invitation was extended by PR8 to taste the new, seasonal menu at Andō. It has been a few months since I last paid Goldfinger a visit, so I thought I could take time out of my very free schedule to say hello. I never know who PR8 will arrange for me to sit next to, although I'm confident he knows not to have me sit next to some bitches. Today it would be Giona's responsibility to babysit us, and I would have the pleasure of the company of a few ladies who lunch. So the conversation turned out a little different today. Carlito gorgor very kindly poured us some bubbly while we waited to everyone to arrive: Krug Rosé, 28éme édition, ID 123009 - very fragrant nose with lots of red fruits, so sweet on the nose with a little caramelized sugar around the edges. Good acidity on the palate with a long finish. As usual, we started with a series of snacks:
An invitation was extended by PR8 to taste the new, seasonal menu at Andō. It has been a few months since I last paid Goldfinger a visit, so I thought I could take time out of my very free schedule to say hello. I never know who PR8 will arrange for me to sit next to, although I'm confident he knows not to have me sit next to some bitches. Today it would be Giona's responsibility to babysit us, and I would have the pleasure of the company of a few ladies who lunch. So the conversation turned out a little different today. Carlito gorgor very kindly poured us some bubbly while we waited to everyone to arrive: Krug Rosé, 28éme édition, ID 123009 - very fragrant nose with lots of red fruits, so sweet on the nose with a little caramelized sugar around the edges. Good acidity on the palate with a long finish. As usual, we started with a series of snacks:
October 2, 2024
Six years on
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I haven't seen the Hungry Tourist for more than 6 years, as that was the last time he came to Hong Kong. He's back in town for a few days scouting out locations for his next tour, and this offered me a chance to catch up with my friend. He was having lunch at Lung King Heen (龍景軒) today, and as it has been 6 years since I last stepped foot in the restaurant, I figured I'd join him today. We decided to focus on dim sum today, although my friend had also pre-ordered the roast chicken from Chef Chan Yan Tak (陳恩德) that he loves so much. I relished the chance to see how they have updated their limited dim sum menu, but sadly we dropped from a party of 3 to 2, so we were limited in the number of dishes we could try. Our amuse bouche was a crispy rice cracker with vegetables on top, plus a couple of deep-fried whitebait. I was honestly a little shocked at the sight of this. Yes, the crispy rice cracker was very, very tasty... but that topping, seriously?! It looks like the frozen mixed vegetables (三色豆) that one finds in every supermarket's frozen food section. Not befitting a Michelin two- (and formerly three-) star restaurant at all.
I haven't seen the Hungry Tourist for more than 6 years, as that was the last time he came to Hong Kong. He's back in town for a few days scouting out locations for his next tour, and this offered me a chance to catch up with my friend. He was having lunch at Lung King Heen (龍景軒) today, and as it has been 6 years since I last stepped foot in the restaurant, I figured I'd join him today. We decided to focus on dim sum today, although my friend had also pre-ordered the roast chicken from Chef Chan Yan Tak (陳恩德) that he loves so much. I relished the chance to see how they have updated their limited dim sum menu, but sadly we dropped from a party of 3 to 2, so we were limited in the number of dishes we could try. Our amuse bouche was a crispy rice cracker with vegetables on top, plus a couple of deep-fried whitebait. I was honestly a little shocked at the sight of this. Yes, the crispy rice cracker was very, very tasty... but that topping, seriously?! It looks like the frozen mixed vegetables (三色豆) that one finds in every supermarket's frozen food section. Not befitting a Michelin two- (and formerly three-) star restaurant at all.
September 30, 2024
Spicy Bordeaux
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The Compatriot is in town on a short stopover and had time for one dinner. I rattled off the names of a few restaurants but the one that seem to have caught his attention was Mián (紅棉), as it's more than just your box standard Cantonese restaurant. Foursheets and I also love the place for its pet-friendly outdoor terrace, but as the weather has been unstable lately, we played it safe by getting a table indoors. I've got a list of favorite dishes based on multiple visits, but I wanted to make sure our visitors got to try things that interested them. Thankfully the dishes they chose were ones I would have probably ordered, anyway. We started a little late because of a late arrival, but I was wondering why it was taking so long for food to arrive after we had asked the staff to alert the kitchen... when all four starters we had ordered came at the same time. Boiled sliced pork ∙ garlic ∙ chili oil (蒜泥白肉) - pretty spicy, but perhaps a little less than I remembered. Lots of diced garlic delivered that familiar flavor profile, and the heat was somewhat tempered by the celtuce wrapped inside the pork.
The Compatriot is in town on a short stopover and had time for one dinner. I rattled off the names of a few restaurants but the one that seem to have caught his attention was Mián (紅棉), as it's more than just your box standard Cantonese restaurant. Foursheets and I also love the place for its pet-friendly outdoor terrace, but as the weather has been unstable lately, we played it safe by getting a table indoors. I've got a list of favorite dishes based on multiple visits, but I wanted to make sure our visitors got to try things that interested them. Thankfully the dishes they chose were ones I would have probably ordered, anyway. We started a little late because of a late arrival, but I was wondering why it was taking so long for food to arrive after we had asked the staff to alert the kitchen... when all four starters we had ordered came at the same time. Boiled sliced pork ∙ garlic ∙ chili oil (蒜泥白肉) - pretty spicy, but perhaps a little less than I remembered. Lots of diced garlic delivered that familiar flavor profile, and the heat was somewhat tempered by the celtuce wrapped inside the pork.
September 27, 2024
The usual good stuff
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We have a friend in town for the first time in 8 years, and a mutual friend who dined with us last month while he was in town insisted that we must take this friend to Noble Imperial (尚御潮滷居). This happened to make total sense, as our visitors were staying in an area not far from the restaurant. Unfortunately I had to navigate rush hour traffic across the harbor in a Friday night, so I ended up being pretty late... and quite a few of the cold dishes had already arrived at the table before I even stepped into the restaurant. I'm grateful that everyone waited for me. Goose liver marinated in Chinese wine (極品酒香鵝肝) - after our experience last time while comparing the two different versions of goose liver, we decided that the one marinated in wine was superior. And indeed, not only is the liver really smooth in texture, but the marinade was just much more fragrant in the mouth.
We have a friend in town for the first time in 8 years, and a mutual friend who dined with us last month while he was in town insisted that we must take this friend to Noble Imperial (尚御潮滷居). This happened to make total sense, as our visitors were staying in an area not far from the restaurant. Unfortunately I had to navigate rush hour traffic across the harbor in a Friday night, so I ended up being pretty late... and quite a few of the cold dishes had already arrived at the table before I even stepped into the restaurant. I'm grateful that everyone waited for me. Goose liver marinated in Chinese wine (極品酒香鵝肝) - after our experience last time while comparing the two different versions of goose liver, we decided that the one marinated in wine was superior. And indeed, not only is the liver really smooth in texture, but the marinade was just much more fragrant in the mouth.
Labels:
Cuisine - Chiuchow,
Dining,
Hong Kong
September 24, 2024
Chili in Wanchai
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I don't dip my toes - or more accurately, my tongue - into Sichuan cuisine very often, thanks to not having a high tolerance for heat. The rare exception has made for a pair of meals at Deng G (鄧記) over the past few years, as they serve up some dishes which are more traditional and not everything is smothered in chili oil. When an invitation came from Mr. Chichi (吃吃君) for a dinner there while Chef Deng Huadong (邓华东) was back in town, I checked with Foursheets - who is always up for something spicy - and happily accepted the invitation. The menu was, of course, composed by the chef. Foursheets and I did object to the inclusion of shark's fin, so we were promised a substitute that would not alter the experience significantly. We started with six cold appetizers (鄧記六小碟): Chayote shoots with Sichuan pepper (川椒龍鬚菜) - very refreshing, and not really spicy at all.
I don't dip my toes - or more accurately, my tongue - into Sichuan cuisine very often, thanks to not having a high tolerance for heat. The rare exception has made for a pair of meals at Deng G (鄧記) over the past few years, as they serve up some dishes which are more traditional and not everything is smothered in chili oil. When an invitation came from Mr. Chichi (吃吃君) for a dinner there while Chef Deng Huadong (邓华东) was back in town, I checked with Foursheets - who is always up for something spicy - and happily accepted the invitation. The menu was, of course, composed by the chef. Foursheets and I did object to the inclusion of shark's fin, so we were promised a substitute that would not alter the experience significantly. We started with six cold appetizers (鄧記六小碟): Chayote shoots with Sichuan pepper (川椒龍鬚菜) - very refreshing, and not really spicy at all.
Labels:
Cuisine - Sichuan,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
September 21, 2024
2024 Mooncake roundup
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I wasn't feeling particularly festive this year, and I couldn't travel to be with the Parental Units for a family reunion this Mid-Autumn, so I didn't buy many mooncakes this season. Foursheets has absolutely zero interest in mooncakes, so anything that comes into our home will be consumed exclusively by moi. And I don't need to grow any more than I already have... I was walking past Pak Po Vegetarian Kitchen (百寶齋廚) when I noticed that they were selling mooncakes that I would be interested in, so I just bought myself a single one to try. Jujube and walnut mooncake (棗泥核桃月餅) - this was actually pretty good. The flavors of the jujube paste was nice and strong, but I do wish they added a little bit more walnut and not just at the bottom. I'd definitely buy this again.
I wasn't feeling particularly festive this year, and I couldn't travel to be with the Parental Units for a family reunion this Mid-Autumn, so I didn't buy many mooncakes this season. Foursheets has absolutely zero interest in mooncakes, so anything that comes into our home will be consumed exclusively by moi. And I don't need to grow any more than I already have... I was walking past Pak Po Vegetarian Kitchen (百寶齋廚) when I noticed that they were selling mooncakes that I would be interested in, so I just bought myself a single one to try. Jujube and walnut mooncake (棗泥核桃月餅) - this was actually pretty good. The flavors of the jujube paste was nice and strong, but I do wish they added a little bit more walnut and not just at the bottom. I'd definitely buy this again.
Labels:
Cuisine - Cantonese,
Dining,
Hong Kong
September 20, 2024
From Sai Wan Ho to Central
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After a happy dinner last week hosted by the Mushroom Supplier, we received word that the Tea Supplier - who was a few seats away from me - was inviting us to dinner at Hop Sze (合時小廚). I was somewhat surprised by the invitation, but decided to respond positively to the kind gesture. Hop Sze used to be a simple restaurant in a residential neighborhood which served decent classic Cantonese fare at a reasonable price. Foursheets and I used to drop by for lunch after we took Kuma the Asshole for his bath, and while we thought the dishes we had were well-made, we never thought about organizing big meals there with groups of friends. We did hear stories of other friends who didn't live in the neighborhood starting to gather there, and the place started to get a reputation among the foodie crowd in the latter half of 2019. We didn't join those meals, and our last visit was a lunch in October 2019. Then the pandemic hit and the place became one of the place that were impossible to book. I never understood why, but my usual reaction to watching places like that go up in popularity was to stop patronizing them. There are very few places in the world where I feel that I must dine at, and if lots of people are tripping over themselves to book seats somewhere, well, I'd rather give my business to others whose cuisine I like and who genuinely need my business. So I watched with passing curiosity as they opened a second, larger outlet near our old apartment, but still never bothered to try and book. Tonight turned out to be a great opportunity for us to try many dishes that this place was known for. The original location in Sai Wan Ho had closed and will be rebranded, while Brother Kuen and his team have relocated to Central and now serve the members of Club Batard. Operations began 10 days ago, and the Tea Supplier has booked the largest private room - where the original signage is now hung, and which is set up for people to enjoy karaoke.
After a happy dinner last week hosted by the Mushroom Supplier, we received word that the Tea Supplier - who was a few seats away from me - was inviting us to dinner at Hop Sze (合時小廚). I was somewhat surprised by the invitation, but decided to respond positively to the kind gesture. Hop Sze used to be a simple restaurant in a residential neighborhood which served decent classic Cantonese fare at a reasonable price. Foursheets and I used to drop by for lunch after we took Kuma the Asshole for his bath, and while we thought the dishes we had were well-made, we never thought about organizing big meals there with groups of friends. We did hear stories of other friends who didn't live in the neighborhood starting to gather there, and the place started to get a reputation among the foodie crowd in the latter half of 2019. We didn't join those meals, and our last visit was a lunch in October 2019. Then the pandemic hit and the place became one of the place that were impossible to book. I never understood why, but my usual reaction to watching places like that go up in popularity was to stop patronizing them. There are very few places in the world where I feel that I must dine at, and if lots of people are tripping over themselves to book seats somewhere, well, I'd rather give my business to others whose cuisine I like and who genuinely need my business. So I watched with passing curiosity as they opened a second, larger outlet near our old apartment, but still never bothered to try and book. Tonight turned out to be a great opportunity for us to try many dishes that this place was known for. The original location in Sai Wan Ho had closed and will be rebranded, while Brother Kuen and his team have relocated to Central and now serve the members of Club Batard. Operations began 10 days ago, and the Tea Supplier has booked the largest private room - where the original signage is now hung, and which is set up for people to enjoy karaoke.
Labels:
Cuisine - Cantonese,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
September 14, 2024
Dry aged piece of ass
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S hasn't been in town for 6 years so, naturally, there is a long list of places she wants to hit. She rattled off the names of a few places, and I made the executive decision to book us a table at Wing (永). It has been much too long since I last visited Vicky's restaurant, and I feel a little indebted from that last visit as it ended up being just three of us in the room. Tonight, though, we would be squeezing 9 of us around that table thanks to a late addition. It was gonna be a cozy evening. Our visitor was stunned by the balcony attached to our private room, and that wicker hanging chair that Foursheets loves so much. I do have to admit that I myself find it a really nice perk, to be able to step out and take in the view of the city... and also enjoy a cigar after dinner. That will come later. As always, I left everything in the hands of Chef Vicky Cheng. I know there would be a lot of tasty goodies, and it would finally be my turn to taste that abalone. I was also wondering at what point I would see some gold... Coastal glehnia root and longan tea (北沙參桂圓茶) - we are now in the season of "white dew (白露)", and we started with our seasonal drink. I have no idea what glehnia root tastes like, but the longan flavors were certainly prominent and recognizable.
S hasn't been in town for 6 years so, naturally, there is a long list of places she wants to hit. She rattled off the names of a few places, and I made the executive decision to book us a table at Wing (永). It has been much too long since I last visited Vicky's restaurant, and I feel a little indebted from that last visit as it ended up being just three of us in the room. Tonight, though, we would be squeezing 9 of us around that table thanks to a late addition. It was gonna be a cozy evening. Our visitor was stunned by the balcony attached to our private room, and that wicker hanging chair that Foursheets loves so much. I do have to admit that I myself find it a really nice perk, to be able to step out and take in the view of the city... and also enjoy a cigar after dinner. That will come later. As always, I left everything in the hands of Chef Vicky Cheng. I know there would be a lot of tasty goodies, and it would finally be my turn to taste that abalone. I was also wondering at what point I would see some gold... Coastal glehnia root and longan tea (北沙參桂圓茶) - we are now in the season of "white dew (白露)", and we started with our seasonal drink. I have no idea what glehnia root tastes like, but the longan flavors were certainly prominent and recognizable.
September 13, 2024
A shroomy Friday
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It's been a while since I last saw the Mushroom Supplier, so I was pretty glad when he extended an invitation to join them for dinner at Man Ho Chinese Restaurant (萬豪金殿). Chef Jayson Tang has been doing a mushroom themed menu for some time now that is supplied by, of course, the Mushroom Supplier. I had missed out on joining the big gathering a while ago, so it was very kind of our friend to arrange another gathering for us. We have an expert in Chinese tea in attendance, and he very kindly shared some Puer tea whose vintage dates to 1983.
It's been a while since I last saw the Mushroom Supplier, so I was pretty glad when he extended an invitation to join them for dinner at Man Ho Chinese Restaurant (萬豪金殿). Chef Jayson Tang has been doing a mushroom themed menu for some time now that is supplied by, of course, the Mushroom Supplier. I had missed out on joining the big gathering a while ago, so it was very kind of our friend to arrange another gathering for us. We have an expert in Chinese tea in attendance, and he very kindly shared some Puer tea whose vintage dates to 1983.
September 12, 2024
Three white tees in the 'hood
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Having been away for the last 6 years, S is finally back in Hong Kong on a stopover for her work trip. The last time I saw her, she was trying to keep up with Geruhage and his son in a gyoza-eating competition at 4 a.m. in Fukuoka while I quietly slurped down some tonkotsu ramen (豚骨ラーメン)... We missed each other by a few weeks in Japan last year, so I was pretty happy that she finally found an excuse to come back to Hong Kong. She chose to make Neighborhood her first stop in the city, and stepped into the Kingdom of White Tee a mere two hours or so after landing. RAW Yeah and I both showed up in white T-shirts to match the Kitchen Nazi, and when the boss came to join us for the latter half of our dinner, we had three white tees around our table. S, of course, didn't get the memo... I had warned S about the Kitchen Nazi and that we'd end up with stuff that we didn't order. Sure enough, the first three dishes that showed up were all items we hadn't ordered. Deep-fried sillago / yogurt - always happy to have deep-fried sillago (鱚) here, and tonight this came with a yogurt sprinkled with some spices on top... and reminded S and I of Indian raita (रायता).
Having been away for the last 6 years, S is finally back in Hong Kong on a stopover for her work trip. The last time I saw her, she was trying to keep up with Geruhage and his son in a gyoza-eating competition at 4 a.m. in Fukuoka while I quietly slurped down some tonkotsu ramen (豚骨ラーメン)... We missed each other by a few weeks in Japan last year, so I was pretty happy that she finally found an excuse to come back to Hong Kong. She chose to make Neighborhood her first stop in the city, and stepped into the Kingdom of White Tee a mere two hours or so after landing. RAW Yeah and I both showed up in white T-shirts to match the Kitchen Nazi, and when the boss came to join us for the latter half of our dinner, we had three white tees around our table. S, of course, didn't get the memo... I had warned S about the Kitchen Nazi and that we'd end up with stuff that we didn't order. Sure enough, the first three dishes that showed up were all items we hadn't ordered. Deep-fried sillago / yogurt - always happy to have deep-fried sillago (鱚) here, and tonight this came with a yogurt sprinkled with some spices on top... and reminded S and I of Indian raita (रायता).
September 1, 2024
Stuffed in the East
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Foursheets and I were crossing the harbor on a mission today, so I came up with the idea of lunching at Nine One. I have paid them three visits since their opening, but have never found occasion to do lunch. After seeing some idiot on social media complain about their thali (थाली), I figured I owed it to myself to check it out. It would be the perfect lunch after a fairly heavy dinner last night. We rocked up unannounced and, of course, the Bombay East Indian Girl was surprised to see us. What I clearly hadn't planned on was the restaurant serving a different lunch menu on the weekends, which made total sense when one thinks about it. Instead of 1-dish meals like thali, sandwiches, and paos (पाव), the restaurant simply offered a tasting menu for lunch. I guess the lightest option we could choose would be the 3-course lunch, then... Khakra, chundo - the sight of the khakra (ખાખરા) along with chundo (छुन्दो) at the very start of the meal always feel pretty dramatic, thanks to the size of the chips. Chundo is much more up my alley than Foursheets' so I happily lapped it up.
Foursheets and I were crossing the harbor on a mission today, so I came up with the idea of lunching at Nine One. I have paid them three visits since their opening, but have never found occasion to do lunch. After seeing some idiot on social media complain about their thali (थाली), I figured I owed it to myself to check it out. It would be the perfect lunch after a fairly heavy dinner last night. We rocked up unannounced and, of course, the Bombay East Indian Girl was surprised to see us. What I clearly hadn't planned on was the restaurant serving a different lunch menu on the weekends, which made total sense when one thinks about it. Instead of 1-dish meals like thali, sandwiches, and paos (पाव), the restaurant simply offered a tasting menu for lunch. I guess the lightest option we could choose would be the 3-course lunch, then... Khakra, chundo - the sight of the khakra (ખાખરા) along with chundo (छुन्दो) at the very start of the meal always feel pretty dramatic, thanks to the size of the chips. Chundo is much more up my alley than Foursheets' so I happily lapped it up.
Labels:
Cuisine - Indian,
Dining,
Hong Kong
August 28, 2024
Seventeen going on eighteen
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Ahleeso is busy going through her birthday month at full speed, being wined and dined just about nightly. Since they were kind enough to take time to help me celebrate my birthday earlier this year, it was only right that we return the favor. Foursheets has been telling Ahleeso about her new favorite Chiuchow place, and taking a Chiuchow girl for a birthday meal out at a Chiuchow restaurant just seemed perfect... so we rounded up a couple of more people for a night out at Noble Imperial (尚御潮滷居). This was, actually, my second visit this month. Our focus last time out was on the lo shui (滷水) dishes marinated in masterstock, but we had heard that the hot dishes coming out of the kitchen were not to be missed. The task of pre-ordering dishes then went to RAW Yeah, and within minutes of us sitting down, the first dishes started to arrive in rapid fire fashion... There was a bowl of pickled radish, and I liked the citrus notes coming from the orange. Chilled razor clams Chiuchow-style (潮式凍蟶子) - very nice and refreshing. Just a little touch of kick from the chili.
Ahleeso is busy going through her birthday month at full speed, being wined and dined just about nightly. Since they were kind enough to take time to help me celebrate my birthday earlier this year, it was only right that we return the favor. Foursheets has been telling Ahleeso about her new favorite Chiuchow place, and taking a Chiuchow girl for a birthday meal out at a Chiuchow restaurant just seemed perfect... so we rounded up a couple of more people for a night out at Noble Imperial (尚御潮滷居). This was, actually, my second visit this month. Our focus last time out was on the lo shui (滷水) dishes marinated in masterstock, but we had heard that the hot dishes coming out of the kitchen were not to be missed. The task of pre-ordering dishes then went to RAW Yeah, and within minutes of us sitting down, the first dishes started to arrive in rapid fire fashion... There was a bowl of pickled radish, and I liked the citrus notes coming from the orange. Chilled razor clams Chiuchow-style (潮式凍蟶子) - very nice and refreshing. Just a little touch of kick from the chili.
Labels:
Cuisine - Chiuchow,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
August 23, 2024
Bongwater and old school Canto
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Bong Girl and I wanted to get together for dinner along with her friend who was escaping Paris for the summer, and we had originally planned to introduce a few people to a restaurant I used to love. When I discovered that, for some inexplicable reason, the owner of said restaurant chose to block me on social media, I decided to no longer patronize them and introduce more of my friends. I asked Bong Girl to suggest an alternate venue, and as it turns out, Yung Kee Restaurant (鏞記酒家) is just down the street. I haven't been back to Yung Kee since the last year of the dragon, as I wasn't too impressed on my last visit. And I certainly don't need to go there for roast goose or anything. But tonight I'm going with a regular, so maybe that makes a difference - as it does in many, many restaurants the world over. The menu had already been set by restaurant management, so we didn't have to do too much in that department. I did, however, ask for a last-minute addition when I was shown a picture of the dish. Deep-fried bean curd with special sauce (金鑲脆皮嫩豆腐) - the skin on that tofu looks beautifully golden brown, and I don't think I've ever had this here.
Bong Girl and I wanted to get together for dinner along with her friend who was escaping Paris for the summer, and we had originally planned to introduce a few people to a restaurant I used to love. When I discovered that, for some inexplicable reason, the owner of said restaurant chose to block me on social media, I decided to no longer patronize them and introduce more of my friends. I asked Bong Girl to suggest an alternate venue, and as it turns out, Yung Kee Restaurant (鏞記酒家) is just down the street. I haven't been back to Yung Kee since the last year of the dragon, as I wasn't too impressed on my last visit. And I certainly don't need to go there for roast goose or anything. But tonight I'm going with a regular, so maybe that makes a difference - as it does in many, many restaurants the world over. The menu had already been set by restaurant management, so we didn't have to do too much in that department. I did, however, ask for a last-minute addition when I was shown a picture of the dish. Deep-fried bean curd with special sauce (金鑲脆皮嫩豆腐) - the skin on that tofu looks beautifully golden brown, and I don't think I've ever had this here.
Labels:
Cuisine - Cantonese,
Cuisine - French,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
August 22, 2024
Nippon Italian
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Our foursome has been busy traveling over the last few months, so it's taken us more than half a year to meet up after our last gathering. Ms. Hurricane had enjoyed her meal at Citrino da Yoshinaga Jinbo and suggested the rest of us check it out. I'm always happy trying out recommendations on Italian restaurants in town, as there really aren't too many that I would return to, so I showed up with an open mind and managed my expectations after having spoken to someone else about their experience. We started with a slight hiccup in service. I brought a bottle of white wine that I placed on our table. For some reason no one came to inquire about this bottle and what should be done with it, while the bottles brought by the others had already been dealt with before I arrived. Of course, by the time someone finally realized that we intended to open this bottle - which, thankfully, wasn't an eternity like what happened here - the wine had warmed up a little too much. These days it's wonderful to find restaurants above a certain price point that doesn't force diners to take a tasting menu. Not only do we get to choose exactly what we want to eat, we are also able to decide on how much food we take in. I was happy to enjoy this freedome tonight, and we decided to share all the dishes. Marinated yellow tail carpaccio: avocado and wasabi, lemon mustard - this was pretty nice. Each portion (we added an extra portion on top of the three that came standard) consisted of three slices of yellowtail, including from the belly and the back. While we were told about the wasabi with avocado, the more obvious kick came from the yuzukosho (柚子胡椒) on top. Pretty nice, and pretty, too.
Our foursome has been busy traveling over the last few months, so it's taken us more than half a year to meet up after our last gathering. Ms. Hurricane had enjoyed her meal at Citrino da Yoshinaga Jinbo and suggested the rest of us check it out. I'm always happy trying out recommendations on Italian restaurants in town, as there really aren't too many that I would return to, so I showed up with an open mind and managed my expectations after having spoken to someone else about their experience. We started with a slight hiccup in service. I brought a bottle of white wine that I placed on our table. For some reason no one came to inquire about this bottle and what should be done with it, while the bottles brought by the others had already been dealt with before I arrived. Of course, by the time someone finally realized that we intended to open this bottle - which, thankfully, wasn't an eternity like what happened here - the wine had warmed up a little too much. These days it's wonderful to find restaurants above a certain price point that doesn't force diners to take a tasting menu. Not only do we get to choose exactly what we want to eat, we are also able to decide on how much food we take in. I was happy to enjoy this freedome tonight, and we decided to share all the dishes. Marinated yellow tail carpaccio: avocado and wasabi, lemon mustard - this was pretty nice. Each portion (we added an extra portion on top of the three that came standard) consisted of three slices of yellowtail, including from the belly and the back. While we were told about the wasabi with avocado, the more obvious kick came from the yuzukosho (柚子胡椒) on top. Pretty nice, and pretty, too.
Labels:
Cuisine - Italian,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
August 20, 2024
Pizza with birthday wine
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When our Asshole left us 4 years ago, we started the tradition of celebrating his birthday with a bottle of wine from his birth vintage, and we also started to dine out for the occasion during the last couple of years. This year we decided to take our CCDogcow out with us, and Foursheets decided that we should book ourselves an outdoor table at Fiata Pizza. CCDogcow has visited Fiata before, and definitely loved the pizza crust that we fed her. It rained tonight, but thankfully it wasn't a downpour. We arrived more than 20 minutes before our booking, so we strolled around a little and waited for our table to free up. It wasn't too bad, and CCDogcow was a very good girl - she just sat quietly on the sidewalk while we waited. We knew we couldn't finish all the food tonight, but we really wanted to have two different pizzas plus a starter: Caprese - made with mozzarella di bufala Campana DOP, which was pretty decent.
When our Asshole left us 4 years ago, we started the tradition of celebrating his birthday with a bottle of wine from his birth vintage, and we also started to dine out for the occasion during the last couple of years. This year we decided to take our CCDogcow out with us, and Foursheets decided that we should book ourselves an outdoor table at Fiata Pizza. CCDogcow has visited Fiata before, and definitely loved the pizza crust that we fed her. It rained tonight, but thankfully it wasn't a downpour. We arrived more than 20 minutes before our booking, so we strolled around a little and waited for our table to free up. It wasn't too bad, and CCDogcow was a very good girl - she just sat quietly on the sidewalk while we waited. We knew we couldn't finish all the food tonight, but we really wanted to have two different pizzas plus a starter: Caprese - made with mozzarella di bufala Campana DOP, which was pretty decent.
Labels:
Cuisine - Italian,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Videos,
Wine
August 18, 2024
Hikki in Hong Kong
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After seeing Nakashima Mika (中島美嘉) in concert earlier this year and missing Misia later, we were pretty excited to find out that Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル) was coming to Hong Kong. While Foursheets was initially unable to get us tickets in the mad rush, we eventually found another avenue to get ourselves seats tonight, and I have to say that the seating wasn't half bad! For me, Utada Hikaru is an artist I paid attention to during a period when Japanese pop culture featured a little more heavily in my life, back around the turn of the millenium. She got very famous pretty quickly because First Love was used as the theme song for Terms for a Witch (魔女の条件), a J-drama I was very fond of at the time. Then everything kinda exploded from there. But my enthuasiam for her music kinda faded after Deep River, and I was barely aware of her music after that - other than occasional songs like Goodbye Happiness with the fun video and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI - the latter because the piece from Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of my all-time favorites. So I showed up at the concert on her Science Fiction Tour tonight - her very first tour involving a stop in Hong Kong - expecting not to know at least half the songs she was going to sing. But that's OK. It was enough just to be here and enjoy some of the classics.
After seeing Nakashima Mika (中島美嘉) in concert earlier this year and missing Misia later, we were pretty excited to find out that Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル) was coming to Hong Kong. While Foursheets was initially unable to get us tickets in the mad rush, we eventually found another avenue to get ourselves seats tonight, and I have to say that the seating wasn't half bad! For me, Utada Hikaru is an artist I paid attention to during a period when Japanese pop culture featured a little more heavily in my life, back around the turn of the millenium. She got very famous pretty quickly because First Love was used as the theme song for Terms for a Witch (魔女の条件), a J-drama I was very fond of at the time. Then everything kinda exploded from there. But my enthuasiam for her music kinda faded after Deep River, and I was barely aware of her music after that - other than occasional songs like Goodbye Happiness with the fun video and Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - FYI - the latter because the piece from Ryuichi Sakamoto is one of my all-time favorites. So I showed up at the concert on her Science Fiction Tour tonight - her very first tour involving a stop in Hong Kong - expecting not to know at least half the songs she was going to sing. But that's OK. It was enough just to be here and enjoy some of the classics.
Labels:
Hong Kong,
Performing Arts,
Ranting,
Videos
August 12, 2024
The Olympics we sorely needed
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So the Olympic Games are finally over. Paris 2024 has provided us with more than 2 weeks' of excitement as well as a fair share of controversy. I think the overwhelming sense from many people is that Paris put on a really good show, and the athletes were genuinely excited about being in Paris and competing at many of the venues with iconic backdrops. This time around the TV rights in Hong Kong were bought by the government, who granted the four broadcasters rights to show whatever they wanted. So we had, at times, up to 7 different channels with live coverage of the games. However, the channels prioritized events where Hong Kong or Chinese athletes were participating, and since each broadcaster wanted to attract viewers, there were many instances where I would see 4 different channels - one from each broadcaster - showing the exact same event. Yes, there were times when I could only watch two different events out of 6 channels broadcasting the games.
So the Olympic Games are finally over. Paris 2024 has provided us with more than 2 weeks' of excitement as well as a fair share of controversy. I think the overwhelming sense from many people is that Paris put on a really good show, and the athletes were genuinely excited about being in Paris and competing at many of the venues with iconic backdrops. This time around the TV rights in Hong Kong were bought by the government, who granted the four broadcasters rights to show whatever they wanted. So we had, at times, up to 7 different channels with live coverage of the games. However, the channels prioritized events where Hong Kong or Chinese athletes were participating, and since each broadcaster wanted to attract viewers, there were many instances where I would see 4 different channels - one from each broadcaster - showing the exact same event. Yes, there were times when I could only watch two different events out of 6 channels broadcasting the games.
Nevertheless, I got to see plenty of action in beautiful Paris. Shots of fencing competition in Grand Palais, where Hong Kong's Vivian Kong Man Wai (江旻憓) took the gold in the Women's Individual Épée under that gorgeous glass ceiling on the first day of competition after the Opening Ceremony. Triathlon athletes bicycling and running, as marathoners did, on Pont Alexandre III and past the Tour Eiffel, and shots of them on Champs-Élysées with the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. Skateboarders jumping over obstacles with the Obelisk of Luxor as the backdrop. All memories I will cherish.
August 8, 2024
A double cross evening
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Our friend from the Big Apple is back in town, fresh off his wedding bash in Bali with his wife in tow. It's her first visit to Hong Kong so we kinda wanted to show her around a little. Our evening started with some pre-sunset cocktails at Sugar on top of East, which was easy for me to get to. I think they got some pretty good pics of Victor Harbour at sunset. For dinner, our friend decided he wanted some Chiuchow cuisine, and Foursheets booked us a table at Noble Imperial (尚御潮滷居) on the recommendations of a few people. We crossed the harbor to an area I don't visit often, but the minute we arrived and saw the marinated goose hanging in the windows we knew this place was legit. I only wish we had come with more mouths so I could try more dishes! Goose liver marinated in Chinese wine (極品酒香鵝肝) - this was very, very soft and silky... getting to be like tofu in terms of texture. Definitely melt-in-your-mouth, and the marinade was really, really fragrant.
Our friend from the Big Apple is back in town, fresh off his wedding bash in Bali with his wife in tow. It's her first visit to Hong Kong so we kinda wanted to show her around a little. Our evening started with some pre-sunset cocktails at Sugar on top of East, which was easy for me to get to. I think they got some pretty good pics of Victor Harbour at sunset. For dinner, our friend decided he wanted some Chiuchow cuisine, and Foursheets booked us a table at Noble Imperial (尚御潮滷居) on the recommendations of a few people. We crossed the harbor to an area I don't visit often, but the minute we arrived and saw the marinated goose hanging in the windows we knew this place was legit. I only wish we had come with more mouths so I could try more dishes! Goose liver marinated in Chinese wine (極品酒香鵝肝) - this was very, very soft and silky... getting to be like tofu in terms of texture. Definitely melt-in-your-mouth, and the marinade was really, really fragrant.
Labels:
Cuisine - Chiuchow,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
August 3, 2024
A bony and sandy dinner
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It was an itch that was begging to be scratched. This place opened with such fanfare, with one of the most famous chefs in the world - whose flagship restaurant holds 3 Michelin stars and had taken the No. 1 spot on The World's 50 Best Restaurants - joining forces with one of my favorite restaurant groups in Hong Kong. It was supposed to be one of the premier fine dining destinations in town - literally a stone's throw away from the heart of Central - boasting 3 floors with a lounge and a private club in addition to the main dining room. We would all come worship at the temple of haut cuisine from the Côte d'Azur. Except that wasn't at all what happened. As I stepped foot tonight in the space that was Plaisance by Mauro Colagreco - after months of wrangling about whether or not to do it, and having been turned down by many friends including my own wife - the lounge on the ground floor had exactly zero customers. My friend V and I were the second party of two in the dining room upstairs, which would eventually grow to a total of 8 covers for the night. I'm not worthy to be a member of the private club, but word is that it's not exactly heaving, either. Chefs have come and gone, including Heloïse Fischbach who came onboard after Écriture folded suddenly last year. She literally left a few days ago, which was why two chefs from Mirazur were spending their first day in the kitchen here, supposedly passing on "the Mauro way" to Konishi Mitsuru (小西充) - whose restaurant ZEST by Konishi is part of the same group. I counted 10 in the kitchen against the 8 covers. We have long heard tales of empty dining rooms from friends who have been here, but it's not for lack of trying by the restaurant. V and I were here to take advantage of two current promotions that the restaurant is running - 50% off on the second set menu, and free corkage on Saturdays and public holidays. Maybe that's why we only saw tables of two... We did have another friend who couldn't find a fourth to get the discount, so she decided it wasn't worthwhile to join us. For a restaurant that only had one other table filled when we arrived, it was strange that they chose to seat us at the table by the entrance. Thankfully the aircon was starting to drip on my friend, which gave us an excuse to move to a more comfy setting. We chose the 6-course menu for the discount, even though I knew we would miss out on some of the most Instagrammable dishes only available à la carte. But first we started out with some canapés. Barbajuan - with ricotta and lemon confit filling.
It was an itch that was begging to be scratched. This place opened with such fanfare, with one of the most famous chefs in the world - whose flagship restaurant holds 3 Michelin stars and had taken the No. 1 spot on The World's 50 Best Restaurants - joining forces with one of my favorite restaurant groups in Hong Kong. It was supposed to be one of the premier fine dining destinations in town - literally a stone's throw away from the heart of Central - boasting 3 floors with a lounge and a private club in addition to the main dining room. We would all come worship at the temple of haut cuisine from the Côte d'Azur. Except that wasn't at all what happened. As I stepped foot tonight in the space that was Plaisance by Mauro Colagreco - after months of wrangling about whether or not to do it, and having been turned down by many friends including my own wife - the lounge on the ground floor had exactly zero customers. My friend V and I were the second party of two in the dining room upstairs, which would eventually grow to a total of 8 covers for the night. I'm not worthy to be a member of the private club, but word is that it's not exactly heaving, either. Chefs have come and gone, including Heloïse Fischbach who came onboard after Écriture folded suddenly last year. She literally left a few days ago, which was why two chefs from Mirazur were spending their first day in the kitchen here, supposedly passing on "the Mauro way" to Konishi Mitsuru (小西充) - whose restaurant ZEST by Konishi is part of the same group. I counted 10 in the kitchen against the 8 covers. We have long heard tales of empty dining rooms from friends who have been here, but it's not for lack of trying by the restaurant. V and I were here to take advantage of two current promotions that the restaurant is running - 50% off on the second set menu, and free corkage on Saturdays and public holidays. Maybe that's why we only saw tables of two... We did have another friend who couldn't find a fourth to get the discount, so she decided it wasn't worthwhile to join us. For a restaurant that only had one other table filled when we arrived, it was strange that they chose to seat us at the table by the entrance. Thankfully the aircon was starting to drip on my friend, which gave us an excuse to move to a more comfy setting. We chose the 6-course menu for the discount, even though I knew we would miss out on some of the most Instagrammable dishes only available à la carte. But first we started out with some canapés. Barbajuan - with ricotta and lemon confit filling.
Labels:
Cuisine - French,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Ranting,
Wine
July 31, 2024
Chefs with hair
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One of the best meals I enjoyed during my trip to Seoul earlier this year was at Eatanic Garden, where I was briefly introduced to Handsome Chef and also had been tasked with introducing Kutsuyama to him. I was pretty impressed with my experience and a little bummed that Foursheets didn't get to go with me. So I was pretty happy to be able to get a table when Handsome Chef came to cook with Juve Fan at Estro. I'm usually not a fan of most "four hands" events, but I was happy to discover that the two chefs are having a little fun for this event. Each chef has chosen a set of dishes from the other's repertoire and re-interpreted them. Now THAT is pretty cool, because it requires both chefs to actually put in some real effort for this event, developing new dishes and doing some testing. So... we started with some aperitivo, some of which were instantly recognizable. This was described as a 'toast' with fillings of black truffle, Robiola di Bufala, and Mortadella. This was, of course, tasty as one would expect. Pretty classic combo... simple yet satisfying. From Juve Fan.
One of the best meals I enjoyed during my trip to Seoul earlier this year was at Eatanic Garden, where I was briefly introduced to Handsome Chef and also had been tasked with introducing Kutsuyama to him. I was pretty impressed with my experience and a little bummed that Foursheets didn't get to go with me. So I was pretty happy to be able to get a table when Handsome Chef came to cook with Juve Fan at Estro. I'm usually not a fan of most "four hands" events, but I was happy to discover that the two chefs are having a little fun for this event. Each chef has chosen a set of dishes from the other's repertoire and re-interpreted them. Now THAT is pretty cool, because it requires both chefs to actually put in some real effort for this event, developing new dishes and doing some testing. So... we started with some aperitivo, some of which were instantly recognizable. This was described as a 'toast' with fillings of black truffle, Robiola di Bufala, and Mortadella. This was, of course, tasty as one would expect. Pretty classic combo... simple yet satisfying. From Juve Fan.
July 27, 2024
Occupy Amber: vegetarian prima donna
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It's that day of the year when we go out for a nice vegetarian dinner. For the fourth year in a row, I defaulted to Amber for the special occasion. We have always enjoyed our meals here, and I didn't think there was any reason for us to change this tradition. While we have opted for the lighter, 6-course option in previous years, Foursheets feared that I would go home hungry - something that has never happened on any visit here. So 8-courses it is... It has been too long since I last saw Richard Ekkebus, and he seemed very excited about the upcoming expansion of the hotel and the new additional outlets they have planned. We look forward to trying them in the not-so-distant future. Shiso sherbet - with perilla leaves on top. Unfortunately I was clumsy and squeezed a little too hard, which split the sphere into two halves... leading to the liquid center to leak all over the place. Sigh.
It's that day of the year when we go out for a nice vegetarian dinner. For the fourth year in a row, I defaulted to Amber for the special occasion. We have always enjoyed our meals here, and I didn't think there was any reason for us to change this tradition. While we have opted for the lighter, 6-course option in previous years, Foursheets feared that I would go home hungry - something that has never happened on any visit here. So 8-courses it is... It has been too long since I last saw Richard Ekkebus, and he seemed very excited about the upcoming expansion of the hotel and the new additional outlets they have planned. We look forward to trying them in the not-so-distant future. Shiso sherbet - with perilla leaves on top. Unfortunately I was clumsy and squeezed a little too hard, which split the sphere into two halves... leading to the liquid center to leak all over the place. Sigh.
Labels:
Cuisine - French,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Michelin-starred Restaurants,
Wine
July 26, 2024
The DEI Olympics Opening Ceremony
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It's that time again. The Olympics are back, and ever since the closing ceremony almost 3 years ago, I have had high expectations for the show that the French would put on for the world. In fact, the short clips from Paris 2024 that aired during the Closing Ceremony of Tokyo 2020 was the best part of that show. I went to bed after dinner tonight, and got up a few minutes before the 1:30 a.m. start time of the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 to watch it live. This time around the Hong Kong Government had purchased the broadcasting rights for the Games, and we are able to watch events via the city's four free-to-air broadcasters. The show started with a humorous clip of Jamel Debbouze carrying the Olympic flame into an empty Stade de France with no one in sight... except for Zizou tapping him on the shoulder and offering to take the flame from him. After Zizou buys a ticket to hop on a Paris Metro train but gets stuck, he passes the flame to three kids who run through the underground tunnels, catacombs, and gets invited to hop into a rowboat on a canal - probably Canal Saint-Martin - by a figure in period costume. This was the first appearance of the Mysterious/Masked Torchbearer - and we would see them run through famous sights in Paris as well as on Parisian rooftops à la Arsène Lupin - one of four inspirations for this character along with Belphégor, Fantômas, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Man in the Iron Mask - hence the fencing mask obscuring the identity. From early on, it's clear that the show would have both light-hearted as well as dark, brooding elements. It would also be obvious that with the national motto of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité included as chapters along with Sororité, this would be the "DEI Olympics"... at least when it came to the Opening Ceremony.
It's that time again. The Olympics are back, and ever since the closing ceremony almost 3 years ago, I have had high expectations for the show that the French would put on for the world. In fact, the short clips from Paris 2024 that aired during the Closing Ceremony of Tokyo 2020 was the best part of that show. I went to bed after dinner tonight, and got up a few minutes before the 1:30 a.m. start time of the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 to watch it live. This time around the Hong Kong Government had purchased the broadcasting rights for the Games, and we are able to watch events via the city's four free-to-air broadcasters. The show started with a humorous clip of Jamel Debbouze carrying the Olympic flame into an empty Stade de France with no one in sight... except for Zizou tapping him on the shoulder and offering to take the flame from him. After Zizou buys a ticket to hop on a Paris Metro train but gets stuck, he passes the flame to three kids who run through the underground tunnels, catacombs, and gets invited to hop into a rowboat on a canal - probably Canal Saint-Martin - by a figure in period costume. This was the first appearance of the Mysterious/Masked Torchbearer - and we would see them run through famous sights in Paris as well as on Parisian rooftops à la Arsène Lupin - one of four inspirations for this character along with Belphégor, Fantômas, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Man in the Iron Mask - hence the fencing mask obscuring the identity. From early on, it's clear that the show would have both light-hearted as well as dark, brooding elements. It would also be obvious that with the national motto of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité included as chapters along with Sororité, this would be the "DEI Olympics"... at least when it came to the Opening Ceremony.
July 17, 2024
Turks in East India
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I'm back at Nine One for the third time in the two months since the restaurant's opening. A friend who is a big fan of Samaira's has rounded up a few fellow winos for a dinner, with the theme being one of my favorite wines. I had initially hesitated to join this gathering, as I was already scheduled for a lunch today, but eventually the allure of drinking beautiful wines paired with delicious food from a friend proved too irresistible. So here I am... As usual, we asked the chef to decide what to serve us. With 6 of us tonight including our Indian friend, I looked forward to trying dishes I hadn't tasted on my previous visits. Khakra, chundo - the khakra (ખાખરા) and chundo (छुन्दो) are always the first order of business. Corn chips and kachumber - not surprisingly, some of our friends visiting for the first time wondered why they were eating tortillas with salsa in a place serving Indian food...
I'm back at Nine One for the third time in the two months since the restaurant's opening. A friend who is a big fan of Samaira's has rounded up a few fellow winos for a dinner, with the theme being one of my favorite wines. I had initially hesitated to join this gathering, as I was already scheduled for a lunch today, but eventually the allure of drinking beautiful wines paired with delicious food from a friend proved too irresistible. So here I am... As usual, we asked the chef to decide what to serve us. With 6 of us tonight including our Indian friend, I looked forward to trying dishes I hadn't tasted on my previous visits. Khakra, chundo - the khakra (ખાખરા) and chundo (छुन्दो) are always the first order of business. Corn chips and kachumber - not surprisingly, some of our friends visiting for the first time wondered why they were eating tortillas with salsa in a place serving Indian food...
Labels:
Cuisine - Indian,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Videos,
Wine
A different type of boozy lunch
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Louise has a new chef in the kitchen with the return of Loïc Portalier, and Julien Royer came up to Hong Kong for a proper introduction. It has been some time since I was last at Louise - and in fact any of Julien's restaurants - so when the invitation came to join a media lunch today, I accepted without any hesitation. As the shenanigans surrounding Asia's 50 Best Bars are happening in town this week, we also had a number of people from outside Hong Kong at lunch with us. There was a lot of talk around the tables about all the after parties last night, and it's obvious that all the partying has caught up with some of my friends... I wasn't in a drinking mood as I have a big wine dinner tonight, so I just accepted a glass of Chartogne-Taillet Sainte Anne, which was toasty and mineral on the nose. We then started with three amuses bouches: Angel hair with black truffle, kombu seaweed, and caviar - this was... OK lah... No doubt it will make lots of people happy.
Louise has a new chef in the kitchen with the return of Loïc Portalier, and Julien Royer came up to Hong Kong for a proper introduction. It has been some time since I was last at Louise - and in fact any of Julien's restaurants - so when the invitation came to join a media lunch today, I accepted without any hesitation. As the shenanigans surrounding Asia's 50 Best Bars are happening in town this week, we also had a number of people from outside Hong Kong at lunch with us. There was a lot of talk around the tables about all the after parties last night, and it's obvious that all the partying has caught up with some of my friends... I wasn't in a drinking mood as I have a big wine dinner tonight, so I just accepted a glass of Chartogne-Taillet Sainte Anne, which was toasty and mineral on the nose. We then started with three amuses bouches: Angel hair with black truffle, kombu seaweed, and caviar - this was... OK lah... No doubt it will make lots of people happy.
Labels:
Comped,
Cuisine - French,
Cuisine - Hong Kong,
Dining,
Wine
July 16, 2024
Stretched like a drum
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We have a visitor in town wanting to visit a few restaurants, and one of the places on the itinerary is Flower Drum (鋒膳). I had heard about this place a lot from friends for a long time - in fact one of the owners is a friend - but have only managed a casual lunch visit a few years ago. Now that I've been asked to join a table, curiosity got the best of me... and I wanted to see what the hubbub was about. Our VIP friend had arranged the meal, so we were seated in the private room that connects to the terrace where one can enjoy a cigar or two after a meal. A "short menu" was already set for us, but little did we know what we were in for... These candied cashews were pretty nice with all the sesame. But they were nowhere as popular as the potato chips that were really crunchy and tasted of fragrant olive oil.
We have a visitor in town wanting to visit a few restaurants, and one of the places on the itinerary is Flower Drum (鋒膳). I had heard about this place a lot from friends for a long time - in fact one of the owners is a friend - but have only managed a casual lunch visit a few years ago. Now that I've been asked to join a table, curiosity got the best of me... and I wanted to see what the hubbub was about. Our VIP friend had arranged the meal, so we were seated in the private room that connects to the terrace where one can enjoy a cigar or two after a meal. A "short menu" was already set for us, but little did we know what we were in for... These candied cashews were pretty nice with all the sesame. But they were nowhere as popular as the potato chips that were really crunchy and tasted of fragrant olive oil.
Labels:
Cuisine - Cantonese,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Videos,
Wine
July 12, 2024
Woodcocks in the Valley
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Some weeks ago I found that, much to my surprise, Bong Girl actually drinks wine that are not bongwater. Among the wines she posted was a bottle from Domaine de la Mordorée - a winery I had the pleasure of visiting in Tavel. I feel honored that since my visit back in 2011, Fabrice Delorme has followed my gastronomic and vinous adventures via this blog. On the other hand, I kinda feel bad that I haven't tasted many bottles from them since that visit more than a decade ago. So I decided to schedule a meal with Bong Girl in order for me to add a few more tasting notes to my library. Locanda is a place I have been meaning to revisit for years. I always thinking about going back but somehow, I end up somewhere else. Well, I finally made it back tonight. I got in touch with Gavin, who I haven't seen in a few years, and got ourselves a table. We agreed to share a few plates to start. It's always good to start with some carta musica. This was really nicely done, and came with some tomato ricotta.
Some weeks ago I found that, much to my surprise, Bong Girl actually drinks wine that are not bongwater. Among the wines she posted was a bottle from Domaine de la Mordorée - a winery I had the pleasure of visiting in Tavel. I feel honored that since my visit back in 2011, Fabrice Delorme has followed my gastronomic and vinous adventures via this blog. On the other hand, I kinda feel bad that I haven't tasted many bottles from them since that visit more than a decade ago. So I decided to schedule a meal with Bong Girl in order for me to add a few more tasting notes to my library. Locanda is a place I have been meaning to revisit for years. I always thinking about going back but somehow, I end up somewhere else. Well, I finally made it back tonight. I got in touch with Gavin, who I haven't seen in a few years, and got ourselves a table. We agreed to share a few plates to start. It's always good to start with some carta musica. This was really nicely done, and came with some tomato ricotta.
Labels:
Cuisine - Italian,
Dining,
Hong Kong,
Wine
July 11, 2024
A little more sheltering
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Everyone knows I'm an asshole. I didn't get called the Arrogant Prick for nothing, and I've got a few ongoing feuds with restaurant groups and chefs. Most PRs in the business have the good sense to stay away, so I'm always surprised when I get approached for an invitational meal. I am always nice enough, though, to remind the PRs of my reputation... and ask them to make sure that they really want me at their client's restaurant. So this was how I came to be at Arbor tonight. I waited about a year before making my first visit here 5 years ago, and returned for an MNSC dinner a few months later. While I had enjoy some of chef Eric Räty's dishes on those 2 visits, I didn't think I really "got" the cuisine. And the restaurant's corkage policy - at least in the old days - kinda put me off from paying them more visits. I had asked for the shorter, 6-course menu instead of the full 9 courses. As I'm dining out on a few nights this week, it would be best to keep things simple. And the poor PR would, presumably, spend less time suffering in the presence of my company. We started with the restaurant's signature brioche, with seaweed inside. Served with some mentaiko (明太子) butter just like it was years ago.
Everyone knows I'm an asshole. I didn't get called the Arrogant Prick for nothing, and I've got a few ongoing feuds with restaurant groups and chefs. Most PRs in the business have the good sense to stay away, so I'm always surprised when I get approached for an invitational meal. I am always nice enough, though, to remind the PRs of my reputation... and ask them to make sure that they really want me at their client's restaurant. So this was how I came to be at Arbor tonight. I waited about a year before making my first visit here 5 years ago, and returned for an MNSC dinner a few months later. While I had enjoy some of chef Eric Räty's dishes on those 2 visits, I didn't think I really "got" the cuisine. And the restaurant's corkage policy - at least in the old days - kinda put me off from paying them more visits. I had asked for the shorter, 6-course menu instead of the full 9 courses. As I'm dining out on a few nights this week, it would be best to keep things simple. And the poor PR would, presumably, spend less time suffering in the presence of my company. We started with the restaurant's signature brioche, with seaweed inside. Served with some mentaiko (明太子) butter just like it was years ago.
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