Joie de Vivre - Blog by g4gary

Roganic 2.0 x 2

2025-04-28T23:39:00.004+08:00

The team at Roganic certainly did a good job building up our anticipation for its re-opening at Lee Garden after a 6-month hiatus. While we enjoyed the food at its old location numerous times (both at Roganic and Aulis, their experimental kitchen next door), it always feels like the restaurant was in a borrowed space at a random shopping mall corner. Still in a shopping mall, albeit a fancier one, on the side of Causeway Bay, the new space is now properly designed from ground up with everything built to fit the restaurant's style, from the wooden decor connecting the restaurant to its British Lake District roots, to the spacious open kitchen showcasing the team's cooking and the dedicated outdoor area where some of the ingredients were grown in-house highlighting the dedication to the "farm-to-fork" philosophy which restauranteur-owner Chef Simon Rogan has been a champion for.

I had the opportunity to eat here twice in quick succession - lucky me considered the waiting list has now grown to months long ever since the reopening date was confirmed. While they stayed true to their philosophy of focusing on sustainable, local and seasonal ingredients with modern techniques, they did make refinements to many of their dishes and menu now exclusively served family style for the whole table.

The menu was categorized into snacks, mains, desserts and sweet treats and we got to pick a few of those for the whole table to share. A few dishes were particularly remarkable on my first visit for dinner which was an arranged tasting. The slice of Spanish mackerel - one of the first snacks course served - was gently cured and served with beetroots crisp, hawthorn and dill, giving this a slight acidic flavor. Locally grown tomatoes were presented as one of the mains courses but I thought it worked equally well as a starter salad. They were so colorful and sweet with tomato water and vinegar jelly and ponzu dressing adding to the acidity as balance and green perilla and shoots adding on the vibrant presentation. That along with the pistachio puree in the dish and a glass of tomato water on the side just completed this perfectly executed dish. Simply delicious.

I was torn between the scallops and the duck as my favorite of the evening. The scallop was cured and served in thin slices, and on top, the nasturtium leaf just harvested from the on-premise farm along with grilled Oscar peas, white asparagus, all right in season at the time, plus dashi steeped with pea shells - the dish said just about everything about what the restaurant is trying to do which earned them the Michelin green star two years in a row. At the same time, the roast duck reminded me of the Cantonese roast meat style with the crispy skin, basted with local hundred flower honey with smooth and sweet butternut squash puree and even sweeter plum puree. Meanwhile the duck leg was served as a "second" dish, slow-braised into ragout and topped with crumbled pickled walnuts. No doubt a well-thought dish with so many textures, colors and flavors in play with a mix of British and local cooking styles.

The strawberry tartlet was also star of the night, with such vibrant sweet flavor in the couils balanced by the earl grey tart shell with a hint of tartness and acidic frozen sheep's yogurt sorbet. The Roganic waffle, made with the leftover wagyu fat, got an interesting savory hint and was the perfect base for the passionfruit puree dipping sauce. The restaurant's non-alcoholic beverage pairing was probably the best in town so this time I asked for a customized pairing with a bit of both. The Lapsang Kombucha with Tomato Water was perfect for the tomato dish given the similar flavor profile with a touch of bitterness from the fermented black tea. The Riesling was super dry and crisp with touch of citrusy and green apples, working well with a few dishes with slight fermented flavor.

A couple of weeks later I returned for lunch for our family gathering and this time they put us in the private room. The natural light coming through the floor-to-ceiling window made that an awesome spot to eat (and take pictures) and the room was cozy but more than comfortable for the 8 of us at the long table made from the whole piece of wood saved from a fallen tree from typhoon. We made a repeat of a few dishes I had the previous time and worked out just fine. (and I finally decided the duck dish was my favorite after trying it for the second time) This time we went for a single bottle of Austrian Gruner Veltliner while the kids enjoyed the non-alcoholic pairing of Jamine Kombucha and Red Dragonfruit, and Coconut Water with Fermented Marigold Honey.

More photos:
Dinner: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720324265308
Lunch: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720325655938

When? March 5 and 16 2025
Where? Roganic, Shops 402-3, Level 4, Lee Garden One, Causeway Bay
Menu Highlights? Dry-aged Guangdong Duck, 100 Flower Honey, Butternut Squash, Plum
Drinks?
Day 1:
2012 Champagne Thienot
2019 Peter Jakob Kuhn Sankt Nikolaus Riesling Trocken, Rheingau, Germany
Day 2:
2023 Weingut Fred Loimer Gruner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria
Web: www.roganic.com.hk

Chef Tam's Late Supper (and More)

2025-04-17T11:08:00.001+08:00

I think the "Siu Yeah" supper hosted by Chef Tam at Wynn Palace has become the unofficial after-party at the Michelin ceremony. I was lucky enough to join a few of those previously which were nothing short of spectacular, but this year was extra special as Chef Tam's restaurant at Wynn Palace, Chef Tam's Seasons, has just been awarded the second star for the first time this year - so there are more excuses for a grand celebration, as if we needed one for an evening of fun and food and drinks.

Over the next 2 hours we were literally showered with non-stop dishes coming out from the kitchen. The Char Siu - roasted with the best cut (the tip of pork collar a.k.a. "The First Cut" - got the nice slightly burnt crust and the classic Chiuchow cabbage and pork rib casserole and the congee with crabs and meatballs were the ultimate comfort food well suited for late-night dining.

But the stars of the night, well other than the chefs who dropped by to celebrate their latest accolade, were the few seafood dishes that Chef Tam prepared, with the ingredients freshly sourced by the chef himself just earlier this afternoon. (how he managed to do grocery shopping, dressed up for the ceremony, mingled with the crowd and then cooked for us in the same day was beyond my imagination) The oyster casserole was a twist to the traditional Chiuchow-style oyster pancake and the Cantonese baked egg casserole with fish guts, with the baby oysters baked in a shallow casserole with the fluffy eggs. Surf clams, prime in season this time of year, was done "Mecanese Portuguese" style, stuffed and baked with an aromatic sauce made of turmeric and coconut milk. Even the simple dish of sauteed baby squid with Chinese chives tasted so good when the place was gifted with so many fresh seafood ingredients caught in local waters.

The Wynn Palace team was having a double celebration with Mizumi, their Japanese restaurant, also received its first star after relocating from Wynn Macau across the harbor, so Chef Hironori Maeda also joined the fun with a few of his dishes brought to our table - those deep-fried baby shrimps were addictive as cracks!

Other than all the delicious dishes, a lovely series of Chinese wines was also on offer. The small production Sho Fang, an orange wine blended with Black Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc and Aranel, was perfect for Chinese dishes with its good acidity, floral aroma and a hint of nuttiness and apricot - kudos to the effort by young female winemaker Shofang Hu and her team at the Hebei vineyard she founded a few years back. Jia Bei Lan from Helan Qingxue Winery in Ningxia helmed by another female winemaker with a slightly longer history, was my favorite bottle of red - done in classic Bordeaux Left Bank style with full, concentrated body and plenty of black fruits with some notes of oak and some smooth tannins from a few years of extra aging.

The night was only half-done after a dozen of dishes and countless glasses and bottles. After supper a few of us continued the fun at the newly revamped Wing Lei Bar on the other side of the Wynn Palace building, where head mixologist Mark Lloyd and the flamboyant red-haired guest bartender Patrick Zhou from Shanghai's Union Trading Company bar fixed us a few drinks with interesting, food-inspired combinations such as "Tastes Like Crab" using Yellow Wine and Zhengjiang Vinegar, or "Shanghai Breakfast", the creamy one with Chinese Huangjiu, cognac and banana. Love the lively vibe at this cozy bar with dark wood furniture, crystal chandelier and bottles on full display behind the bar counter and just the perfect time to sit back and relax - we literally stayed until the bar has to close at wee hours.

When? March 13 2025
Where? Chef Tam's Seasons and Wing Lei Bar, Wynn Palace, Cotai, Macau
Menu Highlights? Oyster Baked Egg Casserole a la Chiuchow Style
Drinks?
Devo Winery Sparkling Wine MV03 (2024 Release), Helen Mountain, Ningxia China
2023 Sho Fang Muscat Hamburg-Sauvignon Blanc-Arandel Orange Wine, Qinhuangdao, Hubei China
2020 Mystic Island Winery Yihu Chardonnay Reserve, Qiushan Valley, Shandong China
2021 Fei Tswei Winery Marselan Reserve, Helen Mountain, Ningxia China
2018 Helan Qingxue Winery "Jia Bei Lan" Grand Reserve, Ningxia China

Canto x Chiuchow

2025-04-14T22:45:00.000+08:00

I was a Ming Court Wanchai a couple of weeks for the special collaboration event featuring the dishes created by their Chef Tsang Chiu King and guest chef Cheung Yat Fung from Beijing's Michelin 3-starred Chao Shang Chao Restaurant.

The special menu offered a rare glimpse of Chef Cheung's cooking which earned him numerous accolades and a homecoming of sorts for the Hong Kong-born chef which made his name in Mainland China in recent years with restaurants now spanning from Beijing to Shenzhen, and I am glad they prepared a special lunch for a few of us as a preview in the restaurant's private room right before the actual 4-day, dinner-only event.

Most of us are familiar with Chiuchow cuisine given the proximity of Guangdong Chaoshan region in which the regional cuisine was rooted, but both chefs designed the menu based on the most traditional style taking inspiration in both Chiuchow and Cantonese cuisines that required more refined techniques using premium ingredients.

One perfect example is the double-boiled pigeon which was presented as the soup course by Chef Tsang. The young pigeon was deboned by hand, stuffed with delicacies such as abalones, sea cucumbers, fish maw, crab meat and bamboo pith, then slow-boiled with Cantonese superior broth for hours, so the soup absorbed all the flavor from the ingredients. Chef confided to us that the team started preparing 3 days prior to the event.

Equally, the braised fish maw presented by Chef Cheung required days of preparation taking the premium ingredients over a multi-day process and slow briasing using the rare 30-year-old aged pickled radish on top which the chef sourced from Chaoshan Region which gave the dish a unique mellow flavor. The green olive sorbet that served right after this as a palate cleanser was a nice touch, making use of the common local ingredients in a western cooking style.

My favorite dish of the day was the stuffed pig intestine which was served as part of the appetizer trio in a Japanese Arita-ware porcelain layered dome. The tradition of using animal innards ran deep in Cantonese cuisine (long before there's the concept of head-to-tail cooking) and here the dish involves long preparation of the intestine (cleaning, soaking, drying, deep-frying) and the freshwater eel separately and then stuffed to become one before finishing and served. I love that interesting combination of land and sea flavor, and the contrasting textures too.

In true collaboration spirit, the chefs also created a new dish just for the event, combining the traditional Chiuchow dish of stir-fried beef with satay sauce with Japanese style Kamameshi. Slices of Australian wagyu was grilled on charcoal then stirred with rice cooked off the traditional Japanese casserole with satay sauce mixed in while the pot is still sizzling. Love the smoky, savory flavor with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness. Even the dessert was presented with a mix of Chiuchow and contemporary local styles, with steamed egg white with taro cream and milk, Hong Kong-style candied winter melon pastry and pineapple bun served in mini sizes.

The meal left us wanting for more - maybe a visit to Chef Cheung's restaurants in Shenzhen or Beijing is in order.

The Special Event is by invitation. More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720325074632

When? March 26 2025
Where? Ming Court Wanchai, 2/F Great Eagle Centre, 23 Harbour Road, Wanchai
Menu Highlights? Deep-fried Crispy Pork Intestine stuffed with Eels
Drinks? 2020 Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Setilles
Web:
Ming Court Wanchai: www.mingcourt.com.hk
Chao Shang Chao (Beijing) (Michelin Guide) guide.michelin.com/hk/en/beijing-municipality/beijing/restaurant/chao-shang-chao

Drunken Fish

2025-04-04T23:42:00.001+08:00

Been a while since I was staying in Macau so I am glad to eat my heart out while staying at Wynn Palace during the Michelin ceremony week. I arrived late morning right on time for lunch and they whooshed me to Wynn Macau where I met Chef Henry Zha ng and had a feast at his new-ish restaurant Drunken Fish.

I enjoyed Chef Henry's dishes at Golden Flower before where he re-created traditional Imperial Tan Cuisine with his unique interpretation. At Drunken Fish, he took up a notch in his own style while focusing on seafood, with a mixed of local and imported ingredients and some Northern Chinese dishes in a casual space right above the Wynn Macau lobby with the perfect view of the signature water fountain. (a perfect spot to see the famous water fountain show, by the way)

We started with a couple appetizer dishes - the abalone was slow braised with tender texture and topped with the crispy scallions, carefully fried with the golden color, giving the dish a slightly smoky flavor. Black cod fillet was basted with black vinegar reduction with the acidity and sweetness matching that of the fatty fish. The soup combined the classic Northern pickle soup cooked with fish and pickled tomatoes with the golden superior broth famous in Tan Cuisine with star grouper fillet. The touch of balsamic vinegar and sweet candied tomatoes on the side gave the dish a balanced flavor profile too.

The restaurant was also famous for its Moutai collection (catering to their Mainland Chinese clientele obviously), and Chef Henry also made use of the famous Chinese liquor in some of his dishes, including the crispy chicken flambe with Moutai and served table side with the crispy skin and juicy meat carefully torn by hand. I also enjoyed the glass of Moutai prepared at the bar in rather theatrical manner with smoke and all.

"Still have room for more?" I thought I was completely stuffed as I finished the crispy rice with Lobster and Shrimp soup, but Chef insisted that we also tried the hand-pulled noodles in chili oil, a specialty dish from his home province of Shanxi. And 10 minutes later, a gigantic "bowl" arrived at our table with three type of thick hand-pulled noodles (with ones kneaded with spinach and carrot to give them the green and orange colors) with scores of ingredients swimming in what looks like a super spicy soup base. Turned out underneath the spicy flavor there's a good balance of acidity. Chef told us that the portion was the normal individual size but I felt that could feed a village. Luckily a few cups of teas brewed by chef himself using some of his own collection of premium Wuyi rock oolong tea from Fujian got a nice soothing flavor. That and the Northern Chinese style dessert of homemade yogurt were perfect to ready myself for the non-stop eating throughout my stay.

When? March 13 2025
Where? Drunken Fish, Wynn Macau, Rue Cidade de Sintra, Nape, Macau
Menu Highlights? Slow braised abalone with crispy scallions
Web: www.wynnresortsmacau.com/en/wynn-macau/dining/drunken-fish

(Meal courtesy of Wynn Macau)

All's well that ends well

2025-01-12T00:11:00.003+08:00

I wrapped up the year 2024 with a bang with a fine dinner at Sushi Kumogaku on the last week of December. I have been to the restaurant a few times before but this was my first time coming here for dinner - partly because the restaurant is super popular and kind of hard to book. Chef Kin and his team was making final preparation behind the counter already as we walked in and seated at far end of the L-shaped counter in the main dining room, which could seat up to 12.

Overall I had nothing but praise of the meal with everything done at the highest level one could expect in town. Arguably one would say Winter represents the best season for sushi with many top ingredients available this time of year and Chef Kin showcased quite a number of those during the course of our dinner. And it's a pleasure watching Chef Kin working with such flair, consistency and smooth skills even when he's busy serving a full counter filled with eager customers.

In terms of food itself, here are some highlights - for otsumami courses, I like the Ankimo prepared a la minute and brought to us warm and soft with a mild sauce. The delicate texture was impeccable. Katsuo (skipjack tuna) was prepared in the traditional manner, seared in charcoal fire and finished with the straw smoke. Iwashi (sardine) was beautifully presented, with the firm and fatty fish rolled with scallions.

Moving onto the sushi courses, I could tell the quality of the Kasugo-dai (baby snapper) just by looking at the fish when chef was preparing and the first bite confirmed just that, with such nice delicate flavor and great texture. I am amazed by the other pieces as well, including Aori-ika (cuttlefish), Buri (wild yellowtail) and Aji (horse mackerel) The pair of tuna came from two different fish caught in two different regions - the leaner piece was briefly marinated in soy and got nice flavor, followed by the fattier o-toro with good oily balance.

Matsuba-kani (snow crabs) is a winter specialty and Chef Kin prepared them in two separate ways - the larger male crab was presented as tempura patty, while the smaller female ones (known as kobako-kani) was served as nigiri sushi with meat and roes mixed together. Happy with both versions. Fugu Shirako, another seasonal dish, came in good size and was done gently grilled on the outside with rich flavor and creamy texture inside. I also like the texture of the Anago (sea eel) which came towards the end of our meal - steamed soft with a touch of salt and finished with a generous brush of mild sauce.

This year might be a bit of drama for me personally but all's well that ends well, and the dinner was a true representation of that feeling.

*Dinner was by invitation*

When? December 29 2024
Where? Sushi Kumogaku, 8/F, Lower Block, H Code, 45 Pottinger St, Central
Menu Highlights? Everything!
Drinks?
Traditional Sparkling Mead, ANTELOPE Mead House, Shiga Prefecture
Misuzu Junmai Ginjo "The Gingerbread Man", Misuzu Isshiki, Nagano Prefecture
2023 Kamoshibito Kuheiji Betsu Shitsurae Act 2, Banjou Jouzou, Aichi Prefecture
(釀し人九平次別設～第二幕天候之惠 - 愛知県萬乗醸造)
Hiroki Tokubetsu Junmai - Hiroki Shuzo, Fukushima Prefecture
(飛露喜特別純米生詰 - 福島縣廣木酒造)
Web: www.sushikumogaku.com

End of An Era

2024-10-28T22:08:00.005+08:00

I always feel we didn't appreciate Roganic enough for what the restaurant and the team brought to the local dining scene since their opening in 2019, breathing a new life into our old concept of "fine dining" with a more casual, no-nonsense approach that's quite unique at that time and has since become more a commonplace.

A few of us went there for lunch earlier this month when words broke about their pending move to a new location after 5 years, and they conclude this chapter with the "Best of Roganic" menu with some of their classic dishes as farewell of sorts. Execution has always been consistent but this time, a few dishes stood out. The simple amuse-bouche bite of pea tartlet and smoked cod roe emulsion combined well using ingredients from local farm and the caviar on top brought great umami balance.

Then there's the Parker House Roll, which along with Soda Bread has become some of my favorite bread in town. The cultured butter that served on the side just made this even better.

The unconventional "grilled salad" with local greens slightly charred by embers and served with Corra Linn cheese course, toasted seeds and truffles for the nice rustic flavor. Chicken thigh (using local Three Yellow Chicken) was done so tender with the crispy skin, and that worked well with the sweet corns on the side and the rich jus prepared using the bones roasted and fat from the chicken.

Of course, to end the meal there's the signature caramelized apple tart with vanilla icecream, plus the pine doughnut dusted with Douglas Fir pine sugar, bringing a hint of British autumn flavor to the Hong Kong Mid-Summer.

A mix of wines and non-alcoholic drinks were served to pair with our food, including my favorite of Pineapple-Carrot-Ginger juice with the perfect balance of flavor that went well with something vegetal, like the grilled salad. Felt that hint of sweetness from the juice just added something to the dish.

The lunch was much enjoyable except it's sad to know that they intended to "retire" some of those old memorable dishes with something different when they re-open. That said, I can only imagine with the closure of their current venue and move to somewhere new, it could mean they are up their game, and hopefully one thing would remain - their stride to bring something new on the table with the exact same approach that made them an unique force.

What an end to an era and I can't wait for their re-opening, and hopefully that will happen real soon.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720320142354/

(Meal was by invitation)

When? August 14 2024
Where? Roganic, Sino Plaza, 255 Gloucester Rd, Causeway Bay
Menu Highlights? Salad grilled over embers with Corra Linn, elderflower and toasted seeds
Drinks?
Exton Park Simon Rogan Rose NV
2021 Chateau Brown Pessac-Leognan
2022 Maco de Bartoli Grappoli del Grillo Riserva Sicilia
2022 Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Web: www.roganic.com.hk

Ephernité

2024-10-12T00:15:00.000+08:00

I just stumbled across Chef Vanessa Huang and her restaurant Ephernite on social media a few months ago, but that alone has convinced me to pay the restaurant a visit when we made a quick return to Taipei in late July, our second time this year. Given the restaurant only opens during dinner service, we went on the first night we arrived in town after settling down quickly at our hotel just a few hours before.

The small restaurant was located on a busy street in Da'an District but it feel like a hidden French bistro. Inside the decor was minimalistic but chic with dimmed lighting and a handful of clothed tables (20 covers or so max with private room at the back). There's that feminine hint - like the little bud vase and crystal tomato centerpiece on each table - but then it's also very industrial, giving the place a gentle, refined balance.

Menu was simple - just the shorter Seasonal Menu and the full Tasting Menu which we chose, and both came with the optional wine pairing, which we opted for as well. The pretty of amuse-bouch trio soon arrived while the glass of lovely Cremant was poured. The crisp with camembert and ham, and the cherry glazed chicken liver parfait may be the ones with presentation (both were fine, by the way, except maybe the cherry-shaped liver parfait was a little cliche and unoriginal), I was most impressed with the pickled potatoes dressed with honey - so simple but with surprising flavor profile and good balance of acidity and sweetness.

Another beautiful course soon arrived, and this time it's Kinmedai tartare served with bell pepper and pineapple sorbet and myoga with a butterfly-shaped crisp on top. Another great example of perfect acidity and sweetness balance with local ingredients prominently featured, and the hint of sweet pepper and myoga made this interesting.

The scallop dish was done in classic French style. The piece of Hokkaido scallop was seared and served in its own shell, underneath was the sweet petit pois and Absinthe beurre blanc done with seaweed and on top, clam juice espuma and Astrea Oscietra Caviar. Plenty of seawater umami flavor was in play in this with hint of sweetness and herbs from the little peas and absinthe in the sauce, and that paired well with the Viognier with perfume-like floral aroma.

Execution of the sweetbread course was excellent - rustic, rich but not overbearingly so, with the porcini sauce complementing the dish nicely. I wish the piece of morel served on top was more distinct but this won my heart with another perfect pairing with a subtly rustic Beaujolais with hint of smoke, sweet spice and plenty of black fruits.

Chef did a great job featuring local ingredients whenever she could without limiting herself to just that. Our next course of sea cucumber was definitely more Asian than French. Sea cucumber was poached with a tender and bouncy texture and in the center it's stuffed with the rustic chicken mousse (made with local Huadong chicken with more dense in texture rather than bouncy and airy like some others might do). It's served a light chicken consomme which highlighted the leek flavor as much as the meat. It was delicious and I like this as an "in-between" entree course.

So many ingredients came together in the fish course, featuring lobsters from Canada and squid from Penghu and served with a rich tarragon beurre blanc. They may all have contrasting origins, flavors and textures, but coming together, they complemented each other. Picking duck as the ingredient for main course may be a common choice in Taiwanese fine-dining restaurant - after all they were proud of their Yilan Cherry Valley Duck - but Chef Vanessa did well with her unique version with the rich sauce inspired by local smoked duck (鴨賞) and a splash of Taiwanese whisky, another proud product from Yilan County on the eastern coast of the island. The medium-bodied Bourgogne went well with the dish with nice red fruit on the palate.

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The cheese plate was a simple one with young comte, camembert and gorgonzola served with fruits and jam, followed by the palate cleanser of guava sorbet topped with marigold foam served in a cute glass "bowl". The main dessert was a medley of citrus, with Satsuma Mandarin done in various form with yogurt and lime sorbet on top and a brush of pomelo-flower honey on the side. A glass of sauterne was a no-brainer choice, but this one was a young one so being over powerful either.

We ended with a series of Mignardises - that's when Chef Vanessa came out from the kitchen and shared with us two special bottles of local liqueur - one infused with atemoya fruit (鳳梨釋迦) and the other Taiwanese "Oriental Beauty" oolong tea. The former was good for the dessert and the latter was the perfect digestif with the soothing tea aroma and tartness.

Before I left the restaurant, I couldn't help but shared to Chef Vanessa that our meal was star-worthy in my opinion, and this turned out to be our best meal of this trip without a doubt. Well, end up they didn't get one this year when the guide was announced a month later (maybe I have jinxed it - sorry), but my feeling remained the same - chef poured her heart into the dishes and it showed, so if she kept doing this it shouldn't be an issue of whether but when.

When? July 26 2024
Where? Ephernite, 233, Section 2, Anhe Road, Da’an District, Taipei
Menu Highlights? Aged Duck Breast, Candy Beetroot, Smoked Duck Jus
Drinks?
Domaine de Nerleux La Folie des Loups Cremant de Loire NV
2015 Dominique Piron "Cote du Py" Morgon
2019 Jeanne Gaillard Clos des Camiers Viognier
2022 Domaine Alexandre Parigot "Clos de la Perriere" Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune
2020 Maison Sichel Sauternes
"Sanyang" Atemoya Liqueur, Kano Winery, Taitung, Taiwan 嘉農酒莊山漾鳳梨釋迦酒
Ainsi The Oriental Beauty Taiwan Tea Liqueur 萃釅東方美人茶酒
Web: ephernite.com.tw

Second Visit

2024-09-10T10:48:00.001+08:00

On the whole nothing much has changed since my last visit to The Cristal Room 6 months ago, well, except now they are bestowed with a star in the latest edition of Michelin Guide. It's well-deserved, by the way, and certainly helped their cause to become one of the hottest restaurant openings in town in recent times.

Of course, with the menu rotation they did bring about a few new dishes which we were presented with in my second visit to the restaurant up in Gloucester Tower at The Landmark. A few amuse bouche bites to start with were cute, and I particularly like the South Asian touch with the Pie Tee with sea urchin, French apple and coffee. I love the soft airy texture with the sea urchin mousse with a touch of acidity. The Yunnan peas tartlet with Kaviari Oscietra Caviar, showcased the creativity and clever combination of Asian and Western ingredients by the team, with Roasted Geranium Leaves and Gyokuro Green Tea infused in the crispy shell. The IG-worthy presentation wouldn't hurt its course to become of the more recognizable dish at this young restaurant.

A couple seafood courses followed, with both featuring ingredients from Brittany with bold flavor. First was the blue lobster tail was fire roasted with rhubarb tartlet and tumeric and pink pepper sabayon on the side, with a nice combination of sweetness, smokiness and exotic spices with a slight kick. The John Dory fillet which came next was prepared with an even more distinct flavor profile, cooked Meuniere style and served with smoked beetroot and barberry and watercress coulis. The main course of tender and young Aveyron Lamb from Provence gently grilled with a spice rub with cinnamon and eucalyptus leaves, and on the side, baby eggplant and olives. It's so perfectly executed.

The unique cheese course with St Marcellin Cheese mochi and smoked vanilla that I had the last time made a return, and that was followed by a beautiful chocolate dessert with cherry sorbet and local beer cremeux as our main dessert. I enjoyed the mix alcoholic and non-alcoholic pairing last time and gladly did the same with an entirely different flight. The glass of Buddha Amacha infused with beetroot was a refreshing one to go with the rich John Dory fish, and I love the Barolo Chinato as the perfect pairing to the chocolate dessert and as a digestif at the end.

More photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720319519005/

When? July 24 2024
Where? The Cristal Room by Anne Sophie Pic, Forty-Five, Level 45 Gloucester Tower, Central
Menu Highlights? Wild John Dory from Brittany, Cooked Meuniere, Smoked Beetroot, and Barberry watercress coulis
Drinks?
Champagne Billecart-Salmon "PIC" Brut
2022 COS Zibibbo in Pithos Terre Siciliane IGP
2021 Vanguardist "V" McLaren Vale Mourvèdre, Barossa, Australia
Giuseppe Cappelano Barolo Chinato NV
Web: cristalroombyasp.com

Hidden Gem in Gangnam

2024-09-08T22:00:00.001+08:00

My friend G introduced me to Summer who's a food and travel writer based in Seoul, and we met up at her restaurant Onyva in Gangnam District one night while I was in town for work. Many describes Gangham District lined with multi-level designer boutiques as "Beverly Hills" of Seoul, with the main throughfare Apgujeong bearing the nickname of "Rodeo Street". Onyva was located just one block behind the busiest section of the street, which turned nice and quiet at night when the shops are closed.

There's a speakeasy vibe of the place with the unassuming entrance with just a small sign and a dimly lit flight of stairs leading down to the basement where the restaurant is located. The restaurant was surprisingly spacious, with the long L-shaped counter and open kitchen being the centerpiece of all. Food menu was simple with a la carte choices or the easiest yet, Menu Carte Blanche which let the chef decides what to serve - I went with the latter obviously, curious to know what Chef Park Jin Yong was going to bring me.

Mixing traditional Korean ingredients and cooking with contemporary western style have been a common theme among the new generation of local chefs who started to make a name of themselves in local scene and aboard. In that aspect I wouldn't say what Onyva offers is something groundbreaking, but I think the team did one step further than most in originality and creativity.

Starting with a couple seafood appetizers, first the oyster with citrus granita and then crab with assorted root vegetables and soybean paste. Root vegetables played a prominent role in Korean cuisines and in this dish, several of them - lotus roots, burdock, artichokes - were showcased here with various textures and flavors. The soybean paste and lemon cream brought a hint of umami and acidity to this overall interesting dish to start my dinner. I also enjoyed the buckwheat galette that was served next, with the pancake seared with caramelized onions, smoked eel and ginger as filling.

The seafood theme continued to run through my next 2 courses. The colorful presentation of red, white and green showed up first, with thin slice of tuna belly paired with thin layer of ham and beets on top and served with a Korean herb sauce underneath and clotted cheese on the side. The smoked beet was the dominant flavor but it's refreshing with layers of ingredients and a hint of toasted pine nuts. Next was poached monkfish fillet served with various forms of citrus fruits, and on the side was monkfish liver terrine with cabbage. I like the fatty fish well balanced by the acidity with rather straight-forward, natural flavor.

Main course was chicken with breast and thigh and wings served with local wild mushrooms and Vin Jaune beurre blanc sauce. The chicken thigh was slow-cooked to perfect texture and skin crisped up on the pan just before it's plated and served. It's cooked in French style in every sense but with a distinct Korean influence. I would describe the dessert as being the most "Korean" course of the evening with interesting flavor profile, with a small scoop of perilla seed icecream served with perilla oil, buckwheat crisps, seaweed powder and drizzles of perilla oil served in a small bowl. The spoonful of soft and smooth texture combined well with the exotic yet impressive mix of flavor said to be inspired by the traditional Korean dish of Makguksu.

Onyva also have an impressive wine selection, something they were known for especially among those in the circle. Summer - who's also the sommelier at the restaurant - generously poured me a few interesting choices to go with my dishes. The riesling with its sharp acidity and raciness worked well with the oyster dish to start. The soft red Bordeaux from the Right Bank was a peculiar pairing for the few seafood dishes but I thought it worked well with its fruitiness. The Jura Vin Janue was a no-brainer pairing for the chicken and the vintage madeira was lovely with the desserts and petit fours, which was the chocolate and orange confit. That's just half of what I drank that night with more to come at Zest, an uber-popular and famous bar just a few blocks down the road.

Turned out the meal was one of the memorable ones I had in Seoul and what a hidden gem I was introduced to.

When? January 17 2024
Where? Onyva, 15, Dosan-daero 75 gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Menu Highlights? Buckwheat Galette with Smoked Eel
Drinks?
2021 Dreissigacker Estate Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany
2019 Chateau Vieux Chantecaille, St. Emilion
2020 Domaine Guy & Yvan Dufouleur Bourgogne Hauts-Cotes de Nuits "Demoiselle Huguette"
2014 Domaine Maire & Fils Vin Janue Arbois
2002 D'Oliveiras Colheita Malvasia Madeira
Web: www.onyva.kr

Macau Sushi Trip

2024-08-29T05:50:00.002+08:00

Did take a bit of convincing for me to go to Macau for a quick trip just for one meal but it's a quick trip that I didn't regret making - I'm talking about the sushi dinner I had at the new Sushi Kissho at Raffles just a month ago. Sushi Kissho is the latest outpost by Chef Masaaki Miyakawa, who has a few sushi-ya under his name including the 3-star namesake restaurant in Sapporo. Handling the day-to-day cooking at Sushi Kissho were chefs Norihisa Maeda, Hironori Satake and Mitsutero Sasaki while he would make occasional trips over.

The ferry ride and chauffeured car took the three of us to this beautiful new hotel (as part of the Galaxy complex) in less than two hours. And after a drink at the crystal studded lounge (with the chandelier made with half a million crystals no less), we were led into the restaurant at one corner on the lobby floor, next door to the Teppanyaki restaurant which was also new (and just as great, I was told)

I just came back from a trip to Tokyo when I went so the bar was set pretty high. First thing that impressed me was how spacious the place is with a long counter and huge kitchen right behind that truly like a show-stage for chefs - so unlike similar places in Hong Kong or even Tokyo where space came as high premium. We were served omakase style - that goes without saying - with a series of otsumami and sushi courses served in traditional order.

With the restaurant's root in Hokkaido, there's no surprise that Hokkaido ingredients featured prominently during the course of our meal, especially uni (sea urchin) which were served first in one of the appetizer courses with Kumamoto eggplant (with both aka-uni and bafun uni), then served in a small bowl with shari and uni sauce towards the end. Both were top notch with such clean and sweet flavor of mafun uni from the top purveyor from Hokkaido that Chef Miyakawa developed a personal relationship with.

The kuro-awabi was another remarkable one and one of the signature dishes. The piece from Shimane Prefecture was slow steamed, carved into thick slices and served with the liver sauce with a milder (and creamier) flavor than the usual one for better balance. I also enjoyed the sake served this evening, with the special edition Junmai Daiginjo by Sumikawa Brewery especially done for the restaurant owner using Aiyama rice.

As for the rest, I thought they were all outstanding, especially the akamutsu done "shabu-shabu" style and the classic Kohada prepared as nigiri sushi. With the spacious kitchen and 3 chefs working the floor, they managed the pace perfectly well - like just when Chef Satake was preparing our uni sushi, Chef Sasaki already started up the fire on the charcoal grill for the anago course that was served right after. Dessert was also prepared a la minute, with the monaka ice cream sandwiches "inscribed" with the restaurant's name, which also means prosperity. Chef also told us they have an alternative version with the word "勝", which means Win, which I am sure are more welcomed for those who would like to try their luck on the casino floor after.

The return journey seems a bit longer with the boundary crossing via land and bridges, but that only meant we had more time reminiscing all the great dishes we had.

When? July 23 2024
Where? Sushi Kissho by Miyakawa, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, Cotai, Macau
Menu Highlights? Shimane Kuro Awabi with Liver Sauce
Drinks? Toyobijin x Wa Creations Aiyama Junmai Daiginjo - Sumikawa Shuzo, Yamaguchi Prefecture
東洋美人 x Wa Creations 愛山純米大吟醸 - 山口県澄川酒造

Weekend Brunch at Grissini

2024-08-11T22:51:00.005+08:00

I had a lovely weekend brunch recently at Grissini of Grand Hyatt when they invited me over at the newly renovated private room. There's no better time to visit on a perfect sunny day with sunshine beamed through the floor-to-ceiling window... felt like I was at Amalfi Coast with a glass of Aperol Spritz in hand. And I reckon the long table was just perfect for a cozy day time function with privacy.

Chef Valerio prepared us a feast with seasonal ingredients like he always does, starting with the generous spread of antipasti dishes to share along with their signature grissini sticks, delivered fresh straight from the oven. The calamaretti fritti was excellent with nice crispy batter, and I also enjoyed the poached eggs served on toast with zucchini and pecorino sauce on top - a slight twist to the traditional Eggs Benedict and I love the refreshing garden flavor.

The restaurant made the best lobster pasta in town and it's especially nice on a hot summer day such as this with salivating tomato sauce, and for main course, it was their signature baked whole chicken done in a Roman clay pot, and finished with grated summer black truffles at table side. Love the chicken done tender and moist with just the right amount of fat, working well with the rustic flavor of morel mushrooms and truffles.

Three hours easily went by as we chatted and mingled and well-fed with great dishes and drinks being passed along, but of course we couldn't leave before finishing with their outstanding tiramisu. That's the way to celebrate the summer season.

When? June 22 2024
Where? Grissini, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Pollo Piemontese Cotto in Pentola D'Argilla
Drinks?
2021 Linea Retta Colli Tortonesi DOC Timorasso Derthona
2019 Castello di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva
Web: www.hongkong.grand.hyattrestaurants.com/restaurants-and-bars/grissini

Zest x Mizumi

2024-07-21T23:38:00.004+08:00

There’s a sense of déjà vu when I dropped by Zest for a special lunch hosted by Chef Konishi with guest chef Hironori Maeda from Mizumi in Wynn Macau back in early June. I just came back from a week-long holiday in Kyoto and Osaka, but with this meal I felt like I was back in Japan once again.

This limited edition 4-hands menu was the second of the series with the first one held in Macau at Chef Maeda’s restaurant at Wynn back in January. For both times the two chefs collaborated and presented the menu featuring some of the signature dishes from both chefs prepared with the seasonal Japanese ingredients at that time.

We got off a refreshing start with Konishi-san’s signature flower crab dish with onion mousse, white asparagus and caviar. The subtle umami flavor worked well with the sweetness from the onions, accented by the caviar and ponzu sauce. There’s no other ingredients better defined “Summer of Kyoto” than Hamo (pike conger eel) and Kamo Nasu (the round eggplant from Kyoto) so no surprise Kyoto-trained chef Maeda served both as a suimono course with dashi.

Moving on to a few seafood dishes prepared by Chef Konishi, the large piece of Hotate (scallops) and Ezo Awabi was served in a shell with slash of sweet soy sauce. I love the hint of smoky grilled flavor with Chinese yellow wine marinate. The Norway Langoustine was more of a western style, served with pineapple tomato “salsa” with bright and refreshing flavor and color.

“Just like sushi but not quite,” said Chef Maeda as he dropped by our table to introduce the next course to us. In the deep dish was a piece of grilled Akamutsu (rosy seabass) topped with crispy rice “cake” plus nori and wasabi garnishes. Nothing like the traditional nigiri sushi of course, but it’s a well-executed fish course. The sauce was on the sweet side, reminded me of katsu sauce somehow and worked well with the fatty and delicate fish fillet.

Duck was served as our main course. Local rice duck was roasted with crispy skin and served with loquat, orange, parsnip and the jus reduction. That’s followed by a bowl of somen noodles with sansho flower, manganji toragashi and minced wagyu. Reminded me of Sichuan dandan noodles but then with heavy Japanese influence.

Traditional Kaiseki meal usually ended with a bowl of Koicha (thick matcha tea), but this time, we were served a variation of that in the form of ice-cream. And on the side was Warabi Mochi, served Chimaki style. Both were super tasty.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720317773915/

When? June 6 2024
Where? Zest by Konishi, Level 28 and 29, 18 On Lan Street, Central

Menu Highlights? Flower Crab, White Asparagus, New Onion Mousse, Oscietra Caviar
Web:
Zest by Konishi: zestbykonishihk.com
Mizumi at Wynn Palace Macau: www.wynnresortsmacau.com/en/wynn-palace/dining/mizumi-wp

The Magistracy "Private" Room

2024-06-14T21:26:00.001+08:00

Décor of Magistracy Dining Room definitely appeals to certain type of people – those who read and dreamed all about the Victorian era glamor or binge-watch on Downton Abby, for example. Probably same can be said about their style of dishes but to a lesser extent; after all old-school British cuisine never got a good reputation even to the locals. That mixed impression set the tone of my mood as I set foot into the restaurant – now in its second year of operations - for the first time recently and checked out their latest menu, reinvented by Chef Alyn Williams who just came on board.

We were seated in one of their private rooms, away from the splendid, IG-worthy main dining room with the castle-like interior, big round tables, leather couches and high ceiling. What we got instead was an intimate space comfortably sit around 6-8 with all the privacy you want plus the terrace. We had our fair share of dishes from the special menu catered specifically for us with many of their signature and new dishes showcasing chef’s cooking style.

Even the bread course has British-style written all over the place with the freshly baked sourdough paired with whipped marmite butter on the side. The Dungeness Crab course was prepared in front of us by carefully mixing the picked fresh crab meat with mayo and condiments and served with the fluffy toasted crumpets (that’s like the griddle pancakes from you non-Brits) Can’t go wrong with the bright seafood flavor well mixed with mayo with the piece of warm, soft, buttery pancakes. We continued with a second cold seafood course of lobster salad with greens, avocado and dressing – standard steakhouse fare with good quality ingredients and flavor.

Moving on to even more appetizer dishes, this time with ones served warm. The Souffle Arnold Bennett was the most impressive, with the Fish Souffle made with Smoked Haddock and Lincolnshire Poacher cheese and served with a creamy beurre blanc sauce and root vegetables. It’s rich, fulfilling yet comforting.

Three main courses were served, first the steamed Atlantic cod fillet with crispy caviar, then the Roasted Three Yellow Chicken with shortcrust pastry pie filled with braised leg and vegetables. The piece of local chicken was roasted perfectly with nice juicy meat and crispy skin, but I was more impressed by the pot pie with the crumbly pastry crust and creamy chicken stew underneath, something I am happy to have every day. The Roast Beef served from the silver trolley always wow the crowd, but this time it was the side order of Confit Potatoes that was worth mentioning, done Pommes Pont Neuf style with nice golden crispy crust and soft interior done with repeated cooking in hot oil.

Glad I did save room for desserts as Chef Alyn decided to serve us an additional sweet course after the Salted Caramel Tart that was listed on the menu. But I am glad he did – it will be a crime not finishing with the delicious Sticky Toffee Pudding wih vanilla ice cream (and extra warm caramel poured on top), just about the only British dish I normally would crave for.

I confess I did come with certain degree of cynicism but I went home somewhat convinced by the dishes we managed to try and agreed there are more substance than what I saw on the surface. For one who craves for British food or those who looks for a venue for celebration or just to dress up, this is the place to be.

(Meal was by invitation)

When? April 29 2024
Where? The Magistracy Dining Room, 1 Arbuthnot Road, Central, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Poached and Roasted Three Yellow Chicken served with Shortcrust Pastry Pie filled with braised leg and vegetables
Web: www.themagistracyhongkong.com/magistracy-dining-room

Soigne

2024-06-11T09:05:00.000+08:00

Soigne looked more “industrial” than I imagined and I didn’t know what gave me such impression when I visited the restaurant for dinner one night, whether it was the location in the lower floor of an office building, the bright white lighting or the open kitchen with light color decor that felt like a lab, or the quiet dining room with furniture that looks more like corporate office.

I arrived promptly for my 7pm booking and surprised I ended up to be the last table they served that evening. Menu was presented in a tablet (back to my point of feeling industrial) with only simple description of the dishes (“Lotus Root, Mackerel & Persimmon…”) and the choices of drink pairing.

The menu looks daunting at first with 15 courses listed but turned out the portion was just right. The first three “courses” were actually amuse bouche that was presented at the same time. The Lotus Root chips got a nice crispy texture, served with fig jelly for nice creamy and sweet taste combination; the seafood “tartlet” served in a dried persimmon shell was delicious, with slices of dry-aged mackerel and shiso garnishes adding to the aroma. Last one was the sweet shrimp with nice rich flavor and a hint of sweetness, served in a crunchy tartlet with crunchy vegetables and trout roes for some nice contrasts in textures.

Continuing with a few more bite-sized canapes, “Sikhae” was the sauce made with fermented millet and sticky rice and on top, a piece of flatfish wrapped with daikon and served with local osteria caviar on the side. I like the creamy texture and exotic flavor. The hairtail beignet was another seafood appetizer, with finger-sized beignet filled with hairtail fish, chives, dills and other herbs. The sauce was more sweet than acidic and slightly aromatic too with all the herbs.

Kkaennip Jeon is a dish inspired by ancient recipe and in this version, the pancake was done with scallop with a vin janue sauce underneath. I love the celeriac puree served on the side too. “Chestnut and Yuza” was introduced as a “pasta course”, served in the form of roasted chestnut tortellini filled with chestnut mousse, yuza zest and marmalade and finished with a simple butter sauce with white asparagus.

The Hairtail and Gondre was one of my favorite course of the evening with a good fusion “land-and-sea” combination. The fish from Jeju was gently cooked and served with seasonal gondre namul, toastged nuts and seaweed on top, and a sauce prepared with oysters for the rich flavor. The peppery flavor was almost medicinal, reminding me of Chinese dong quai or Malaysian Bak Kut The. That’s followed by another “Land-and-sea” course, this time King Crab leg paired with cabbage, pumpkin and enoki.

The last course before the main was said to be inspired by the classic “ginseng chicken” but in a much fancier presentation. Chicken was stuffed with mushroom mousse and mixed with minced leg meat, with sauteed pine mushrooms served on top, and I like the rich mushroom sauce too. Right next to this was the side dish of “risotto”, prepared using sticky rice prepared with chicken oil and dusted with mushroom powder on top. I love the intense flavor and very much different than any other mushroom dish I have tasted.

Seems like Hanwoo is the main course of choice for many local chefs – nothing wrong but thought they ought to be a bit more creative and go for something more technically challenging. The piece of beef striploin was decent, thought I prefer to be a little less cooked and the sauce (prepared with meat jus and port reduction) less sweet. The deep-fried burdock and black bean puree on the side was a great local touch though.

I finished with a few sweet courses. I especially enjoyed the “Rice & Rice Syrup”, with rice ice-cream paired with smoked rice mousse and drizzled with caramel on top. It was unique and delicious.

Went with a single glass of champagne and then right before dessert, I was served a glass of house-made Gose as palate cleanser – tasted like kombucha for a hint of fermented flavor and with sharp acidity. At the end of the meal, they passed me an envelope with each of the courses in detailed descriptions – I could easily just copy and paste everything here and it probably better captured everything in the meal than what I have jotted down.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720314313832/

When? January 19 2024
Where? Soigne, 652 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Menu Highlights? Hairtail and Gondre
Drinks? 2015 Champagne Benoi Dinvaut Meunier/Chardonnay Extra Brut
Web: (Michelin Guide) guide.michelin.com/hk/en/seoul-capital-area/kr-seoul/restaurant/soigne

Strong Contender

2024-06-09T21:25:00.019+08:00

Work brought me to Seoul for a few days in January and I did find time to check out a few restaurants on my free time. I was quite looking forward to the trip because it's literally been decades since I last set foot in Korea, but then I wasn't as excited when I knew Korea is freezingly cold at this time of year. (one morning the temperature changed from -6C the previous day to -2C and they called this warm - go figure)

Dinner at Born & Bred was one of the most anticipated meal of the trip because I heard so many good things about it from my foodie friends. I actually moved my eating itinerary a little so I could eat there on the only evening they had a spot available at the legendary basement with special tasting menu served to only a handful diners over counter seatings.

The restaurant was a bit off the beaten track, located in Majang a.k.a. Seoul's "Meat Packing District" with many butcher-houses in this neighborhood is located in the eastern fringe of the city. The standalone 3-level building was hard to miss, prominently located at a street corner with a fancy metallic facade in stark contrast to just about everything else in that block. Through the little entrance on the side I was led into the cozy dining area downstairs where my feast took place. They really have a speakeasy vibe to the place, with half a dozen comfy leather seats placed around a horse-shoe shaped open kitchen in an intimate space finished with dark and metallic decor resembling a classic American steakhouse or someone's secret basement hideaway.

Soon after all six of us arrived and settled at our seats. "Today you will be served around 500-600g of hanwoo beef over around 20 courses - if at the end you would like more food feel free to ask for more...," our young chef of the night began by carefully explaining the rundown for the evening. That did sound like a decent amount of meat (about 18-21 ounces in traditional steak terms) but then I told myself that's still manageable (given I already skipped my lunch). Well, little did I know...

I would describe my experience for the next 2 hours as one of the most memorable and nothing short of spectacular - I had hanwoo before but those were nothing compared to what I was served this time. The sheer amount of food was just the beginning - I swear they hugely under-represented and I felt like I had a ton of meat and double the number of courses they said to be serving. And every dish was presented to us in such detailed explanations often before they were cooked right in front of us, both in terms of the cut used and how they would be prepared, and I am impressed by the variety of both.

We started with a few courses in small(er) portion, including the beef broth with stuffed morel then yokhoe served beef tartare style with minari (water parsley) and caviar garnishes on a dehydrated bone marrow chip. The whole beef ham was presented to us before sliced by the classic slicer machine and served with strawberries and a touch of vanilla oil. The ham has an intense flavor and a touch of nuttiness, and that paired well with the ripe strawberries.

While the appetizers were served, a pair of meat courses were being prepared in the traditional charcoal grill - first the tenderloin with shaved fresh truffles, then the striploin with a dab of yuzu mustard. Some cabbage kimchi was served on the side then the cold meongge (sea pineapples) was served as palate cleanser. Chef explained the meongge is a common street snack loved by the butchers to be had with soju shots during their break.

We then continued with countless more grilled beef courses. The thick slices of oyster blade (aka flat iron) were so good with perfect texture - the piece was grilled in high heat, than flash-cooled by ice, and then placed on the grill again, and this ancient "fire and ice" approach was said to tenderize the meat (well, ice came handy in winter around the region, in case you wonder) There's also the tri-tip, or the skirt, the "chain" of tenderloin and skirt, or the "lesser" cut such as hanger steak or the outside skirt (called the "butchers cut" because of the rich flavor) Each of the courses were prepared slightly differently and different condiments were used too - the skirt went with burdock kimchi and gojujang, the tenderloin chain with soy sauce and fried garlic, the tri-tip done with truffle dressing, and some just a simple dab of salt, etc etc.

I was introduced to a new dish called saseul jeok, the traditional Korean version of "surf n turf" with slices of cod fillet and finger rib beef placed in alternate order in hanji (traditional Korean paper), cooked en papillote style with soybean paste on top, and served after finishing with blow-torch. Two seemingly different ingredients worked surprisingly well with the hint of sweetness from the marinate used. Next was jeolliptu, or helmet hotpot, for which thin slices of beef plate was grilled than boiled with vegetables in a special helmet-shaped cast iron pot, with the broth served in small cup to us.

Bulgogi and Banchan was the start of the long series of finale courses. Upper loin meat was cut paper thin and grilled on the metal hot plate and served with small plates of pickled and fermented seafood, plus rice and lettuce/condiments to roll the meat with. Burger and Pho were the famous final dishes at this speakeasy and they were super delicious. A quarter of the burger was just the perfect size for tasting.

My jaw was dropped when chef brought out even more food, saying these are the special off-menu ones just for tonight. I was so stuffed by then and felt one more bite I was going to throw, literally. But I soldiered on and enjoyed the next two "encore" courses, which were the grilled chuck flap and Jappakuri (stir-fried two kinds of instant noodles) made famous by the movie Parasite. There's a sense of accomplishment as I wiped the plates clean.

I carried my own bottle of wine in specifically for the meal, partly because I thought this bottle suited the food they served and mainly because imported wines in Korea are prohibitively expensive. The Barbaresco was fruit-driven with plenty of red fruits, but also some cedar, herbal aroma. Young but was given time to age and develop. I love the rounded tannins which went well with the subtly sweet flavor often used as the marinate for the meat.

I know this is only January but I am sure my dinner at Born & Bred will surely be a strong contender to be my Meal of 2024. Without a doubt this is a must-stop for anything coming to Seoul, well of course unless you don't eat beef.

A lot more photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720314318021/

When? January 15 2024
Where? Born & Bred, 1 Majang-ro 42-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Menu Highlights? Just about everything
Drinks? 2018 Sottimano "Cotta" Barbaresco DOCG
Web: bandb.co.kr

New Hokkien Place

2024-06-07T21:44:00.001+08:00

New restaurant openings in this area were not common let alone a decent one, so Ming Pavilion came as a welcoming addition when they opened their doors inside Island Shangri-la. The restaurant specializes in Hokkien Cuisine from Fujian Province, surprisingly another rarity in local dining scene.

The restaurant took up the space that used to be part of the spa/fitness center just right next to the pool. The tropical garden-like interior decor sounds cliche but was quite tastefully done, giving the dining area a casual, homey vibe, and perhaps a subtle nod to the Southeast Asian root of the hotel group. The a la carte menu offers a wide range of dishes from the casual street snacks to the more elaborate courses prepared with seafood delicacies, some deep in the original Hokkien root and some evolved and modified by the immigrants that made their way to Southeast Asia over the last few centuries.

The deep-fried five spice pork roll arrived crunchy and hot and the touch of Five Spice flavor was salivating. The Xiamen-style Popiah was presented with a spread of all condiments and we were asked to make our own by spooning them as we chose on the steamed pancakes and then roll to eat. That sure would be a fun dish to have with a group. The Drunken Clams were seasoned with a chili vinaigrette and classic red glutinous rice wine from Fujian, and worked well with the ocean-fresh clams sourced locally.

The oyster pancake was served in individual portion rather than the familiar style but they did keep the traditional flavor and texture, with fish sauce and chili paste served on the side. Meanwhile, the 2 seafood courses were served family style, first the mud crab with sticky rice, followed by the sauteed lobster with red wine lees. I love the punchy flavor with a hint of sweetness of the South Australian Rock Lobster, sauteed using the red glutinous rice lees, "leftover" from the wine-making and often used as seasonings in Hokkien Cuisine.

Xiamen Ginger Duck was another traditional dish served. To me it's a bit too sweet but then that's the way the dish was prepared, and the duck was done tender and juicy. Other dishes we tried included the stir-fried Fuzhou "Shan Shu" with crispy pork lard (with the texture similar to gai lan but more slimy) and seafood mee goreng - didn't quite have the same level of "wok hei" as one done at hawker center, but then it's prepared with more premium ingredients.

We finished with a few desserts. The peanut sweet soup was the most interestingg one, with black sesame mochi and youtiao served on the side. It's subtly sweet and hearty. Same with the "Orh Nee" sweet taro paste with pumpkins - it's done with less oil (hence more healthy) yet keep the smooth texture.

(Meal was by invitation)

When? May 2 2024
Where? Ming Pavilion, Level 8 Island Shangri-la, Supreme Court Road, Admiralty, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Xiamen-style Popiah
Web: www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/islandshangrila/dining/restaurants/ming-pavilion

Speakeasy in the Alley

2024-05-30T08:41:00.001+08:00

"Do you serve any food?" It's probably a bit rude to walk in to the bar and immediately ask for food, but then we were desperately hungry (and thirsty too, but in this order) after the concert late evening so we got to have our priority straightened out first.

Bar Zeshan in Taipei's Zhongshan District came highly recommended by a local friend of ours and the speakeasy bar sat in the quite side alley not far away from where we stayed. The name of the place may sound Japanese (Takusan) but owner picked this name out of a hexagram in I-ching, an old Chinese book of divination. The bar setting was intimate and cozy, dark with only a handful of seats over the counter plus a few tables at the back for bigger groups or those who wants more privacy. We didn't make a booking but luckily we got the last 2 seats at the bar when we arrived at the door at around 11pm.

Turned out we did come to the right place to fill our appetite as they have a serious menu for both food and drinks. In fact, their menu started with food on top and then drink pairing recommendations at the bottom. Just like their name, it's hard to pinpoint the exact style of their cooking but it's more like a fusion between Japanese, Chinese and Western cuisines, and on the playful, adventurous side, and the menu changes frequently to keep things interesting.

We started with a couple cheesy dishes. The fries looked ordinary but with grated goat cheese it's far richer and punchier than the normal version with parmesan. Our second course of Cheese "Tofu" looked like a normal bloc of soft tofu but was mascarpone cheese mousse topped with oolong tea powder and a slightly sweet honey-maple syrup sauce underneath. What an interesting appetizer with such unusual combination of ingredients and flavors.

Another playful "tofu" dish was served next, this time, a variation of the classic Sichuan "Jidouhua", or chicken "tofu". Chicken was finely minced and steamed to the texture of "Tofu" and served with a rich broth prepared with dried scallops and kombu and dusted with dried ham powder. Not as sophisticated as the most authentic version one would have at a proper restaurant, but tasty nonetheless. The chicken liver and apple puff pastry was served in generous portion with the buttery, golden crust with the creamy and rich peanut butter sauce on the side.

The eggplant "spring roll" was a twist to Nasu Dengaku with the grilled eggplant glazed with miso and served in a crunchy pastry roll. Chicken Karaage was perfectly done, served piping hot straight from the kitchen with excellent textures, and I also love the tamarind sauce. Our last savory course of rice was said to be done in Tenshindon style; it's more like a kamameshi with crab meat and scores of other ingredients mixed into steamed rice cooked with dashi. Only one dessert available on the menu, and it's the house-made velvet cupcake with nice moist texture.

They offered drink pairing recommendation for each of the dishes, but at the end I managed just two cocktails. The classic Manhattan with the hint of smoke and sweetness worked well with the cheese "tofu", and after seeing their Mezcal selection on the rack, I asked Hank their bartender for a Mezcal-based cocktails so my second drink is a Naked and Famous with equal parts of mezcal, Aperol, chartreuse and a splash of citrus juice. Another smoky drink with slight bitterness that I love with my chicken karaage.

Happy to discover this hidden gem (thanks Deb for the recommendations) and it's an enjoyable spot for late night eat and drink.

When? Apr 13 2024
Where? Bar Zeshan, No 19 Lane 65 Section 2 Zhong Shan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan Bar澤山台北中山區中山北路二段65巷19號,
Menu Highlights? Chicken Karaage with Tamarind Butter Sauce
Web: (Instagram) www.instagram.com/bar_zeshan/

the mind blowing logy

2024-05-26T10:56:00.001+08:00

Our short trip to Taiwan was about eating and drinking as much as about concert-going - well, almost. But with us focusing on Taipei alone we got time to visit a few of the best restaurants in town, places that I have always wanted to try.

Among those places, logy was definitely top of my list. The young Chef Ryogo Tahara moved to Taipei to open logy (normally styled in all lowercase) a few years ago after spending time at Tokyo's Florilege working under Chef Hiroyasu Kawate. Within the first year of opening (2019), the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, followed by a second one just 2 years later. They are also a regular at the Asia's 50 best Restaurants award, being ranked 22 this year, the highest ranking for restaurants in Taiwan.

It’s next to impossible trying to get one of the 26 spots available at the restaurant. (13 in a single seating and they did 2 seatings every day) They are often fetched up minutes after they became available for booking exactly 30 days in advance in their online reservation system. For us, let's just say we are very grateful that Chef Ryogo-san cleared us off the waitlist for 2 early dinner spots just before we flew over to Taipei.

The restaurant sat in a quiet residential neighborhood with a long and tall granite façade (with the restaurant logo engraved). Through the small door on the side we were led into the open kitchen with an L-Shaped Bar where every one was seated. I do like the intimate setting with dimmed lighting and everyone got a perfect view of the kitchen actions from their seat. Before our meal began, the server came over and gave us a brief intro to the restaurant and the menu format. That’s when I came to know why they are called logy and how it’s related to the style Chef Ryogo is trying to convey through his cooking.

No written menu was provided (before, during or after the meal) but all the dishes were explained to us in details while they were presented. We kicked off with a small canape of beetroot tartlet with sesame and perilla leaf, with the earthy flavor plus a hint of refreshing herbal aftertaste. The bloc of tofu looked simple but the hint of sweet honey flavor with clear consommé-like clarified tomato water and whey gave this cold appetizer an interesting flavor profile, along with caviar and toasted pine nuts on top.

Tuna (chu-toro) was served like a roll with yam and sea grapes, a thin sheet of roselle jelly on top and ponzu sauce plus wasabi flower as garnishes. There’s a bit of everything – minerality, sweetness, acidity, floral aroma and umami – works like a fine wine. Mud crab chawanmushi is the restaurant’s signature dish, and iconic really, capturing all logy is about. The silky egg custard was at the bottom of a small porcelain tea cup with dollop of picked mud crab meat. On top was an angelica 當歸 icecream with the distinct Chinese medicinal flavor. The intense and warm consommé (with a hint of goji berries) was poured on top just as it’s served to give this a rich flavor and hot-and-cold sensation on the palate. It’s truly a Taiwanese x French x Japanese dish that’s well thought of and well executed.

The "risotto" was prepared with sticky rice, topped with slices of saba, slightly smoked with hay and served with dashi, red wine vinegar and toasted hazelnuts. There’s a good combination of different textures, and I love the smoke and nut aroma and flavor. Then a piece of Amadai was served tempura-style; on top was a warm salad with tarragon, asparagus and endives, and underneath, beurre blanc and clam juice. The slightly fermented flavor in the vegetables and herbs plus the acidity in the sauce worked perfectly well with the piece of fatty fish with a delicate crispy batter.

Main course was Omi Wagyu. The piece has a nice marbling and it’s served with wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, broccolini and a demi-glace with radish, shiitake, jus and a touch of miso. The accompaniment reminded me of Japanese sansai (mountain vegetables) that gave a slightly bitter hint and the sauce was heavenly with rich but comforting flavor.

Desserts were served in the form of four separate courses – first the granita with a mild cheese icecream and dehydrated peach crisp on top, followed by the Sakura mochi with lily bulb filling (and wrapped in a cured Sakura leaf for a hint of savory taste) The Chamomile ice cream was the most interesting one, with a light drizzle of honey and a yoghurt-based sauce with white asparagus and lavender. The slight acidity and the floral aroma from the lavender did give a nice flavor of springtime. Ai yu, an unique Taiwanese ingredient, was presented in its original form, and served as jelly (through a lengthy preparation process) with coconut jelly.

The reputation of Kevin their head somm certainly precedes him as we heard from many friends that he offered one of the most impressive drink pairings. The risotto was a bit too rich on its own but with the nice bottle of chardonnay (from Long Island New York, in all places) it’s perfectly balanced. Other bottles we enjoyed including a Blanc de Blancs from Kent, England to start, the cult-like white from Mahina, Spain (using Palomino Fino/Listan grapes), a few more whites (including the chardonnay I mentioned earlier), a Brunello (familiar flavor but well-aged) and finishing with an off-dry Tokaji (with just the right amount of sweetness for the desserts).

We came with high expectations (naturally, with all the accolades and glowing comments from friends) and the team delivered above and beyond. I did enjoy watching all the kitchen actions throughout the evening – felt like everyone is working in such harmony, like an orchestra playing a symphony, yet only a few words were spoken. Before the meal we were reminded that the early dinner session (which started at 5:30 and finished before 7:30pm) could be a bit tighter in terms of pace but not a moment did we feel being rushed through the courses. That required perfect execution and precision, and they delivered just that. I love it and would love to try Chef Ryogo-san’s food again, whether be at this restaurant or at one of the collaboration meals he has while on tour (well, I heard he’s going to be in Hong Kong a few months later so I can’t wait for that)

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720316356162/

When? April 12 2024
Where? logy, No 6 Section 1 Lane 109, Anhe Road, Da'an District, Taipei
Menu Highlights? Mud Crab, Chawanmushi, Angelica Ice-Cream
Drinks?
2018 Gusborune Estate Blanc de Blancs, Kent, England
2022 Club Contubernio Blanco de Mahina, Spain
2022 Clos Bellane Cotes du Rhone Villages Valreas
2019 Paumanok North Fork of Long Island Chardonnay, New York, USA
2020 Movia Rebula Ribolla, Brda, Slovenia
2009 Tenuta la Fuga Brunello di Montalcino, Italy
2018 Budahazy Tokaji Kabar, Hungary
Web: logy.tw

The New Two Star in Town

2024-05-23T23:23:00.004+08:00

It’s somewhat an unplanned, “serendipity” moment when we got to eat at a restaurant the same day they were elevated to two Michelin stars. My whirlwind Macau stay in March (the first of the three trips I made to the town that month) concluded with dinner at The Huaiyang Garden at The Londoner.

Just earlier during the day, I was at the Michelin Guide ceremony seeing the team led by Chef Xiao received the much-coveted two Michelin stars, so I was just happy to see him again in the evening at the restaurant and offered my personal congratulations to the team for such an achievement.

And with the dishes we managed to try this evening, I felt the accolades were well justified. (other than the 2 Michelin stars, they were also recently voted one of the Top 20 restaurants in Tatler Dining Guide for Hong Kong and Macau). Our 12-course tasting menu began with a few cold appetizers. My favorite was the Suzhou-style crispy smoked cod fish, which was served in big chunks and with nice crispy texture on the crust and silky soft inside.

The shredded tofu soup was considered one of the craftiest dishes in Huaiyang Cusine (which traditional refers to the food from a few provinces around the downstream area of Yangtze River) with bloc of tofu cut into thousands of hair-like threads. What Chef Xiao did this time was a variation of the original version, with crab meat and steamed egg white custard added for some extra complexity.

The steamed Hilsa herring fish was another dish that tested the kitchen skills. The fish was known to be tasty but mixed with numerous tiny bones but here, somehow they presented this as a boneless version. The 20-year-old Huadiao wine that was used to steam the fish with gave the dish an fragrant aroma. The “lion head” was another dish I love this time, with the fatty minced pork meatball mixed with crab roes and stewed with superior soup – unlike the Shanghainese version with a much richer flavor profile, this one was clean yet intense and comforting too.

The area was well known for the seafood either from the river or the catchment area near to the sea, so we continued with a few of those in the later courses. The steamed pork patty with crab worked perfectly well with a bowl of steamed rice, with the latter taking in all the flavor from the sauce underneath. And I also like the braised yellow eel, with sizzling oil poured on top just before served at our table in a casserole.

Our dessert of Dingsheng Cake 定勝糕 is the famous pastry from the region, traditionally it’s made for well-wishes for victory using rice and sticky rice flour with a touch of sugar but no yeast (with the word “victory” inscribed on top). It's soft and spongy. Second dessert was tofu pudding, served with red bean, barley and osmanthus, done slightly less sweet than usual but equally delicuious.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720315510046/

When? March 14 2024
Where? The Huaiyang Garden, Level 2 The Londoner, Macau
Menu Highlights? Shredded Tofu with Crab Meat and Egg Whte in Superior Soup 蟹肉蛋白文思豆腐羹
Web: www.londonermacao.com/macau-restaurants/huaiyang-garden.html

Silks House Taipei

2024-05-21T13:05:00.002+08:00

We made a quick hop downstairs for dinner at Silks House on our first day in Taipei. I ate at all other dining outlets during my previous visit last year except this one so felt like I finally completed the full circle.

Chef Max Wo has quite a reputation in Hong Kong and Taiwan given his long experience working at Lei Garden of Hong Kong before moving across the strait to head up the ever-popular Cantonese restaurant at Regent Taipei. Tucked in the corner a couple levels above the lobby level, decor was tastefully done with the dimmed long corridor led to the common dining area with tables well spread apart. There's a choice of a la carte menu with seasonal specials plus a few tasting menu options in different price points.

Planning on having a "second meal" at the night market afterwards we opted for a lighter dinner with a few dishes picked from their a la carte menu. Having Cantonese food in a place far away from home seems like an unusual choice but Chef Wo and his team made good use of locally-sourced ingredients with classic techniques to create something unique. That started with their signature Empress Oolong Tea brewed using aromatic and soothing Taiwanese oolong tea leaves.

We began with a trio of appetizers. The presentations for the Preserved Eggs and Duck Eggs may be similar but both had a different flavor profile and were excellent. The pickled peppers on top of the preserved century eggs gave a nice spicy kick to the rich, slightly fermented flavor of the creamy dark custard-like egg. For the second dish, duck eggs were marinated with soy and topped with shrimp roes with a firmer texture but richer umami tastes. The dish was part of the seasonal menu for its refreshing flavor. Rounding up was a small dish of finely shredded vegetables with julienned sea cucumbers - I like the combination of crunchy and bouncy textures with hint of umami.

Normally I wasn't a fan of taro but felt we should try the classic taro duck that's also one of the seasonal specials. The whole local duck leg was steamed with meat picked off the bone, then it's coated with mashed Taichung Dajia taro 台中大甲芋頭 (which came into seasonal in late winter/early spring) before battered and deep-fried. The equal portion of duck and taro gave it a nice balanced flavor and tender texture, combing well with the fluffy, crispy crust. It's hard to find a place that does this anywhere close to home and even harder to find somewhere that does it as good as this version.

We went for two more home-style courses, including the daily soup and sauteed choi-sum, before finishing with the Fried Rice served in sizzling hot stone pot. The combination of diced preserved turnips, crispy garlic and taro gave this an interesting bite and complex flavor.

When? April 11 2024
Where? Silks House, Level 3 Regent Taipei, No. 3, Lane 39, Section 2, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan
Menu Highlights? Crispy Duck with Mashed Taro 芋蓉香酥鴨
Web: www.ihg.com/regent/hotels/us/en/taipei/tperg/hoteldetail/dining

Regent Taipei Encore

2024-05-18T09:05:00.005+08:00

“I felt I am right at home…,” this may be a little bit of overstatement as we were checking in to Regent Taipei at their top floor Tai Pan Lounge, but I did feel totally at ease to stay in the familiar ground when we spent a few days in Taipei in early April. I was there for a quick stay back in October during our whirlwind tour of Taiwan, but this time, two of us got to spend more time with this legendary hotel right in the busiest district in Taipei.

Their Tai Pan Lounge is still my favorite part, offering services round the clock with food and drinks made to order. Their breakfast offering is for sure some of the best I have ever experienced on a hotel executive lounge, to the extent we didn’t even bother to check out their main restaurant downstairs throughout our stay. During afternoon and early evening they offer a nice selection of hot and cold dishes with a well-equipped bar for wine and cocktails too. We shared a fair deal of time just chilling on one of their couches, munching and sipping on something, before we headed out for dinner or concert or departure to airport on our last day. They also helped us sort out a few minor details of logistics including making booking for massages, transportation etc, which just made our stay even more comfortable.

We stayed on the Tai Pai floor once again, just steps away from the Lounge (that’s a bonus too) so we had both the privacy and convenience, and an impressive view of the park with view of Taipei 101 on one side from the high floor.

I still didn’t manage to have a dip in the pool during our visit – it was a little crowded when we went one weekend morning, but the health club in the basement were amazing, with hot and cold tub, sauna and steam room, plus all the equipment of course. My only complaint is to get there you need to change elevator once at the lobby, and walk all the way down from our room on top floor, to the health club floor on the second basement floor. Not the easiest maneuver walking into the busy lobby in gym wear.

Overall the location was perfect for us. Our main event of the trip is the concert at Taipei Arena on Saturday, and while they may not be the closest hotel to the venue, it’s only a quick 10 minute bus ride down a few blocks on Nanjing East Road. They are also the closest in Taipei City if you came from Taoyuan International Airport – this time we arrived at lightning speed, getting off the plane, going through immigration and customs, hopping on the car and chilling in our room, all done within 90 minutes. For those frequent travelers to Taipei, you know that’s pretty much as fast as you can get.

Last trip I kept the Beef Noodles at azie to the last thing to do at the hotel; this time that’s our first order of business upon arrival from airport. Both beef noodles – the “Champion Beef Noodles” based on clear meat broth and “Regent Beef Noodles” with the richer broth – were excellent as usual, and we also loved the steamed wontons with red chili oil for the nice balance of flavor. And we also went to check out the award-winning Curious Bar one late night, with the speakeasy style bar at the basement of Regent Arcade offering a nice selection of fusion cocktails and a perfect place for a nightcap before heading back to our room after outing to the night market. That's the reason they were ranked one of the Asia's 50 Best recently.

And oh, Night Market. Last time I didn’t get to check out any night market in Taipei (stuck in a late night work meeting) but this time we walked to Ningxia Night Market 寧夏夜市 after our early dinner, which is only 10 minutes away on foot from the hotel. They may not be the largest in town but closest to the city (and our hotel), and there’s plenty of selections from oyster omelettes, to tofu desserts, to meat skewers, shaved ice, fried chicken, pig offals and anything in between. There are for sure enough choices to make it a full meal just by stall hopping over the short stretch of side street lined up with street food shops and tables and visitors.

Regent Taipei: https://www.regenttaiwan.com/
IHG Site: https://www.ihg.com/regent/hotels/us/en/taipei/tperg/hoteldetail

Bombana Macau

2024-05-11T11:59:00.003+08:00

I ate at Bombana Macau on one of the Macau trips hosted by Galaxy Macau I had back in March. Have always heard comments comparing their Macau outpost (which has one Michelin star, by the way) to their “mothership” restaurant in Hong Kong (which has 3) so I am glad to try this for the first time.

One clear difference between the two was the space – I love the vast space starting from the grander façade, to the bar and lounge area in front and dining room at the back – everything felt like it’s been “super-sized” and definitely more comfortable. They sat us at one of the long table in the dining room, and we have the pleasure of eating with quite a number of other chefs at the other tables given we ate on the night before the Michelin Guide announcement just next door.

Chef Riccardo created a special dinner menu for us to sample some of their signature dishes. I love the airy burrata espuma dusted with tomato powder as our amuse bouche course, a slight twist to the classic with the same flavor profile but different textures. Then we started right off with something rich – the pair of Spanish red tuna (chu-toro and akami cut) was sliced thin and rolled with Oscietra caviar in the center for the intense combination of fatty texture and smoky flavor. Another seafood dish quickly followed, this time blue lobster and sea urchins dressed with the rich lobster consommé sauce and broad bean fritti on the side. Milder in flavor overall and well-balanced for a nice taste of springtime.

I didn’t expect less for the pasta courses at one of the best Italian restaurants in town and they delivered. The thin tubes of Maccheroncini, handmade in house, had great bite and took in the rich sauce cooked with Datterino tomato and red prawn perfectly. Tagliatelle was served in the classic way Piedmontese style, cooked and tossed in butter and grated Parmigiano and served with black truffles shaved on top. We hit towards the end of winter truffle season but it still got amazing aroma and worked well with the excellent pasta dish.

Interestingly the Fassona beef (coming from the Northern part of Italy) was cooked Tuscan style, slow cooked with guanciale (like a stew) and gently charred on top before serving. It’s super tender, nice and fat with the rich jus reduction with grated truffles. A second main course then appeared, this time Alps lamb roasted and served with Pepperonata on the side. The sauce got a nice kick of spiciness which I thought worked very well with the meat, also cooked perfectly with tender texture.

Before moving on to our dessert course, Nancy their lovely restaurant manager arrived at our table with a fancy cart for our palate cleanser of sgroppino, hand-churned a la minute with Amalfi lemon zest grated on top in a fluted glass. Then their Pastry Chef Weekie dropped by to introduce their signature dessert of “Tiramisu, again a twist to the classic dish done affogato style with much more intensive coffee flavor.

Marino, their GM and Somm, prepared an impressive flight of wines to go with our dishes, all Italian selections of course. The pair of classic Italian red served in the latter half of the meal were my favorites, first the Barolo for the egg pasta with black truffles, then the Brunello for the meat courses. The Brunello from an excellent winery definitely benefitted from a decade of aging, rich, full-bodied with some red fruit in front followed by some woody aroma and well structured tannins. The few bottles from Sicily were great too, including the last bottle of sweet Malvasia.

After desserts we continued with more drinks at the bar and the best of all, with the hotel just across the street I just “rolled” my way “home” after such a fun evening out with the foodie gang.

More photos here: www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720316846412

When? March 13 2024
Where? 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana, Shop 1031 Galaxy Macau, Estrada da Baia de Nossa Senhora da Esperanca, Macau
Menu Highlights? Alps Lamb, Roasted Center cut chop, tenderloin, belly, Pepperonata, Lamb "Intingolo"
Drinks?
Mosnel Franciacorta Brut NV
2022 Marco de Bartoli "Pietra Nera" Terre Siciliane IGP
2019 La Monacesca "Mirum" Verdicchio di Matelica Riserva DOCG
2020 Girolamo Russo 'A Rina' Etna Rosso DOC
2018 Giacomo Fenocchio Bussia Barolo DOCG
2015 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
2020 Tenuta Capofaro Malvasia di Salina Passito IGT
Web: www.galaxymacau.com/dining/restaurants/8-1-2-otto-e-mezzo-bombana/

Zest for Special Occasion

2024-05-08T18:49:00.000+08:00

We picked one of the places we haven’t visited for a while on a night we celebrated a special day of ours. Last time I was at Zest was a few years ago not long after they first opened and before the pandemic times.

Their tasting menu was presented in the unique French-Japanese fusion style by Chef Mitsuru Konishi, combining Japanese ingredients with Western cooking techniques. The first 3 appetizer courses were served at the same time – one I enjoyed most was the pork trotters and ears served as bite-sized terrine, well seasoned with nice rich flavor and tender texture.

The botanebi and persimmon was an interesting one, with the piece of fruit hollowed and filled with Japanese spotted shrimp tartare and topped with lime zest and Oscietra caviar. I like that nice touch of acidity and hint of sweet seasonal fruit flavor. We continued with a couple more seafood courses. Nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) was seared skin-side down and served with kabu (Japanese radish) and sorrel and dry vermouth sauce. The acidity of the sauce worked well to balance the fatty fish. I also enjoyed the cod shirako (from Hokkaido), served with gribiche and sherry vinegar sauce.

Our main course was lamb. The whole piece of Avignon Lamb Saddle was presented to us before carved in individual portion to serve. On the side was the creamy mash, sauteed mushrooms and lamb jus reduction with red miso. I thought the red miso would overpower the sauce but turned out it’s just right. I also love the tender texture of the lamb saddle too, roasted to perfection.

We finished with two desserts – first Tonka Bean Mousse, then Ricotta and Pine Nuts Cheese Tart. Simple but well made with pretty presentation. Went easy on wine this time, with a glass of Chablis that worked well with the seafood courses in the beginning. Perhaps we should make a mental note to come back here more often.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720313715744/

When? December 4 2023
Where? Zest by Konishi, Level 28 and 29, 18 On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Avignon Lamb Saddle, Garlic Red Miso, Lamb Tomato Jus
Drinks? 2019 Domaine William Fevre Chablis Premier Cru "Fourchaume"
Web: zestbykonishihk.com

Wing, A Few Months Ago

2024-05-07T00:26:00.002+08:00

This is a throwback post to one of the meals we had at Wing in recent months. Chef Vicky never failed to wow us with some of the best executed Chinese dishes in town no matter what occasion we came here for, and this time there's no exception when we came with a couple of friends.

The series of appetizers was always impressive. We have had the Century Egg with Shirako here before, but this time, the century egg was presented in the golden version with the almost transcluent egg white and the runny yolk for a better contrast of flavor. Pork was one of the new dish of the evening, with the pieces of tender pork coming straight from the slaughterhouse just in the morning and prepared in the simplest manner, just poached and served with the traditional Puning soy bean paste. Stinky tofu was another new creation, combining the traditional street food of over-fermented tofu with Cantonese tiger prawn toast for the more complex textrure and hint of umami taste.

The hot and sour soup was just perfect for the weather, prepared with julienned mountain turtle “skirt”, pork, sea cucumber and woodear mushroom, and the soup base was enhanced by the grated lemon zest on top. The steamed threadfin with soybean was a tad too rich for me but the fish was perfectly done with silky texture. We have had our fair share of hairy crab this season but this is the first time we had the baked version, with the meat carefully picked and stuffed in its own shell with the roes and baked – that surely was decadent. We had a double whammy of crab with the second course of braised e-fu noodles served with crab meat and egg-drop soup, done in classic Cantonese style.

Other dishes we had included the roast and smoked pigeon, vegetable casserole with hot and sour sauce and “stir-fried king” with local squids. I love the soothing dessert of hot almond sweet soup with lily bulb, the fried donuts with lotus seed paste and the sesame mochi.

We went with a pair of grower champagne and finished with a bottle of Burgundy red this time. Interesting to try two champagnes done in totally different styles (and varietals and vintages), both of which went well with the dishes in their own unique ways. Meanwhile, the Marsannay, elegant with nice red fruit characters and hint of smoke, worked nicely with the pigeon.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720312617886/

When? November 10 2023
Where? Wing, 29F, The Wellington 198 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Shirako and Golden Century Egg in Spicy Sauce
Drinks?
2018 Champagne Pierre Baillette Le Mont Ferre Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
2000 Champagne Daniel Ginsburg Cuvee Sous Bois Brut
2020 Domaine Derey Freres Marsannay “Les Champs Perdrix”
Web: wingrestaurant.hk

Feng Wei Ju

2024-05-05T22:32:00.000+08:00

My last visit to Feng Wei Ju was definitely before COVID, so I am glad to make it back during one of my recent Macau trips in March. A quick ride in the car get us from our hotel in Cotai to the restaurant in 20 minutes, located in the older part of Macau inside Starworld Hotel. I felt the décor didn’t change much since my last visit, with the casual vibe typical of just about any Chinese restaurant, but this time they set us up in one of their private room at the back so it’s kinda nice.

The restaurant specializes in Sichuan and Hunan cuisines by the team headed by long-time veteran chef Chan Chek Keong and they got their 2 Michelin stars for as long as I remembered.

We started our tasting menu with the cold appetizer platter served in individual plates. I love the abalone with the rich flavor, having marinated with peppercorns and chilis, and the razor clams got this nice numbness kick with the grounded Sichuan peppercorns added.

I was impressed with the soup dumpling which was served next. The dumpling was huge – taking up the whole bowl – with the wrapper skin so delicately thin. We were told to break open the wrapper skin and let the soup and filling spilled into the bowl, and inside it was the silky tender pork and crab roes steamed to perfection with all the flavor infused into the superior broth. It’s more a soup course but with nice texture and lots of rich flavor.

Spicy flavor played a big part in Sichuan cuisine and this time we had a few dishes of those, each made with different level of spiciness and different flavor profile too. The mandarin fish in hot chili oil was my favorite, with the whole fish carefully carved into fillets and served with red hot chili oil and hint of herbs. The carp fish head – also known as reservoir fish head as the carp was raised in reservoirs in nearby Shunde – was poached and served with chopped pickled chilies. Similar in appearance as the mandarin fish dish but with a slightly more complex flavor profile using pickled chilies and served with deep-fried bread dough to take in some of the flavor from the sauce.

The beef was plated like western style, with pieces of beef ribs braised with chili sauce infused with lotus leaf aroma. The beef was cooked super tender and fell right off the bone, and filled with nice flavor from the marinate. The pok choi in fish broth with mashed taro was perhaps the mildest dish of the afternoon and worked just perfect to balance some of the richer dishes we had.

Dan dan noodles were made right in front of us by the specialty chef, carefully pulled from dough to thin threads of noodles which was cooked and served with the spicy meat sauce. And we finished with the cold dessert of classic Sichuan jelly noodles with Glutinous Rice Dumpling, the perfect kind of dish to counter the heat in the food and of the weather. I also enjoyed the sugar-coated purple potato fritters, made a la minute and served hot and crispy.

I also enjoyed the wine pairing, with a flight of Chinese wines to go with the dishes. The Blanc de Noir from Grace Vineyard was the most interesting one, rich enough to go with the rich flavor, but with nice vibrant taste that worked well with the spiciness.

More photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/g4gary/albums/72177720315711427/

When? March 13 2024

Where? Feng Wei Ju, Level 5, Starworld Hotel, Avenida Da Amizade, Macau
Menu Highlights? Boiled Mandarin Fish Fillets in Hot Chili Oil
Drinks?

Grace Vineyard Angelina Cabernet Franc Sparkling Wine NV, Shangxi, China

2022 Legacy Peak Chardonnay, Ningxia, China

2019 Silver Heights Jiayuan Marselan, Ningxia, China

Web: www.starworldmacau.com/restaurant/feng-wei-ju/