fleurs place an absolute must for any foodie travelling to new zealand!

if your plans for your next trip to new zealand do not include a one-night stop in moeraki, "a sleepy fishing village on the coast of otago", you must scrap those plans and start all over. 

moeraki is the home of fleurs place, an amazing and funky restaurant run by fleur sullivan who is so in tune with fresh food that she obtained her own fishing quota so that she could serve local fish and seafood that are literally "fresh off the boat".

at fleurs, the food is prepared in the slowest tradition of the slow food movement.  in fact, she claims that she was embracing the slow food attitude even before slow food started a while ago in italy.

all ingredients are fresh and sourced locally and their passion for authentic food and natural flavours can be tasted at every single spoonful.

take the seafood chowder we had on the night of our stay.  simply stunning.  the broth was so tick that my bread crumbs did not even sink in it.  the taste so intense and complex that even as i write this, 3 weeks after that fateful dinner, i can still taste it on my palate.  unlike anything i have had before...

another speciality, the blue cod wrapped in bacon was incredible.  juicy, tasty, sweet, smoky, fishy in a very delicate and savoury way.  every bite was better than the previous one and in fact, maria told me to slow down a few times so fast i was eating my dish...

a memorable dinner, probably one of my best ever and i will be forever indebted to jenny hawker of pisa range estate in central otago who suggested we go there.

you should book well ahead and make plans to stay the night in a very acceptable, if a little simple, little motel called the moeraki beach motels.  there is much nature to see in moeraki in particular the beach boulders and a colony of rare yellow eye and blue penguins.

fleurs place: at the old jetty, moeraki, otago, new zealand, tel: +64 3 439 4480

Published by jc on March 4, 2010

the pressroom - the best french fries in the world!

there are some restaurants i return to, over and over again, simply to eat the same dish.  in fact, the dish is the reason i go back and when i make the reservation, it is exactly with the dish in mind that i make it.  i should not admit it, but it's like that...  so much that the staff eventually begins to recognise me and, with a laugh, they know exactly what i will be ordering....

pressroom serves those crazy french fries i could travels on foot miles and miles just for a taste of them.  they are the best in the world i tell you.  i don't know why, may be it's the taste (perfectly salty)?  or the texture (firm, yet tender and crispy all at once)? or the fact they they are served straight in a narrow and cylindrical receptacle and in wax paper the way they do in paris??

in fact, when i go to pressroom, i feel like i am in paris, or in at a place that feels like my imagination of paris.  better yet, i feel like i am back in montreal.  home.  that must be it.  the homey feeling i get when i dine at pressroom.

the atmosphere, the dark wooden floor and furniture, the oyster & seafood bar at the door.  the huge black board with the wine list and daily specials chalked on the wall, the authentic menu, simple yet complete with all the classic french dishes...

check it out and order the steak frites with an appetiser of 3 oysters from all over the world...

the pressroom: 108 hollywood road, sheung wan, hong kong, tel: +852 2525 3444

 

 

 

 

Published by jc on December 1, 2009

le chateaubriand, paris - a cool culinary experience

"vous connaissez notre formule?" asked the person at the other end of the line, rather brusquely, "we only have one menu and it's 'prix-fixe'", he added before quickly hanging up.  and so, the tone was set for was to be, surprisingly, a fantastic dinning experience at le chateaubriand...

in fact, this "neo-bistro" is everything one can expect from a hip, up-and-coming restaurant in paris.  it's cool, it's aloof, and its a real culinary treat. 

the service was suitably distant but mindful and clearly understanding that i was there for a culinary experience and made sure of it the whole evening.

the menu is short (5-course), "fixe", and changes every day.  each dish, carefully prepared by a team led by inaki aizpitarte (in photo), a basque native, was at every bite impactful, subtle and complex all at once.  my main, simply listed as "tranche de boeuf, aubergine", was stunning.  perfect "cuisson" and served on a bed of "burnt" eggplant.  a stunning taste.  i was told afterwards that the eggplants are baked twice until they are slightly burnt and pureed with "secret" oils to make them taste smoky, tender, and somewhat "char-grilled".  with a syrah from cornas, it was a divine combination.

the wine list is organic and there is a large black board at the back of the restaurant which list the names of all wine makers listed on their wine menu.  as i always do when the menu is fix, i asked the waiter to pair each dish with a different wine so that i can explore the full spectrum of taste and matching possibilities.  i was not disappointed!

located in the 11th arrondissement, the decor is bistro of 30-50 years ago and the atmosphere, i can only imagine, feels the same.

listed for the 1st time on the san pellegrino list of the 50 best restaurants in the world (#40), le chateaubriand is moving fast up the list.

le chateaubriand: 129 av. parmentier, 11e, paris, tel: 01-43-57-45-95

Published by jc on November 22, 2009

a fantastic dinner at broeding munich

dining at broeding on my first night to munich was so good that i ended up returning on the last evening before flying back to hong kong - a big break to our rule of never dining twice at the same restaurant during the same trip.
 

each time i am about to travel, i carefully plan where i will have my dinners and i even make reservations before leaving hong kong. and so, it is through the new york times website that i found broeding.


the evening started pretty well. thanks to fantastic july weather, i was lead to their quaint little garden, served a crisp sparkling wine as aperitif, and received a full briefing of their fixed dinner menu.

in fact, you go to broeding for what the chef (manuel reheis) will cook that night and there is no other choice except than to decide whether you will have 5 courses or if you will also have the cheese plate to make it a 6 course meal.


the wine if left up to you but, as  they specialise in austrian wines, no other region is available as an option.  in fact this is what grabbed my curiosity and  made me decide to go there in the first place.  since i knew too little about austria, i thought it would be a great opportunity to learn and so i left it to the owner to suggest a match to each dish with what he saw fit.


and delighted i was.  the food was absolutely superb and each wines brought me in all kinds of directions.

but, it is the main course which made me reach reach a culinary peak i too seldom get in meals in hong kong (and pretty much anywhere for that matter).  i still remember the lamb, slow cooked to juicy tenderness, served with a dark cherry sauce and a delightful zucchini flower.  it was paired with a moric necken markter blaufrankisch 2005 (ripe raspberries, luscious dark cherries, plum, spicy and smoky with an incredibly long length) which was so perfectly married to the ingredients on my plate that i frankly do not remember another match that gave me so much sensations.

the rest of the meal ended up so well that after my deserts i changed my mind and asked them to bring me the cheese and make it a 6-course meal.


i highly recommend broeding for the food, the wine, but most importantly, for the passion for owner/manager gottfried wallisch who started his restaurant almost 20 years ago, against all odds and with a formula that has changed little since its beginning when he was told he would not last 6 months.

for sure, i will make this a compulsory visit each time i travel to munich.


broeding, schulstrasse 9, munich, 80634, tel: 089/16-42-38, web: www.broeding.de

Published by jc on November 12, 2009

paris gourmand - so many options, so little time!

for a gourmand like me, travelling can be a major source of stress.  after all there are so many meals one can have in one day and there is so much wine one can drink before losing the plot and if you go to a city like paris for a short stay, the food and wine opportunities can be frustratingly limited.

the pressure can be tremendous and to cope, a gourmand must plan in advance to optimise his/her restaurants occasions. normally, he/she will be adventurous and therefore tries to visit new places to expand his/her horizons - an added source of stress but he/she will also plan some old favourites as an insurance policy...  therefore, he/she will study all options ahead of time and will rely on advices to make his/her selection:  from books, magazines, friends, and worst of all, from hotel concierge.  adding insult to injury, the best laid plans can sometimes go awry, especially during the christmas period (or the month of august) in paris when a great deal of restaurants are closed for the holidays.

and so, the high value of information.  this is why guides like michelin are so important to so many gourmands and also why restaurant reviews and word of mouth can kill or make a place.  unfortunately, good reviews can also kill a place because some restaurant owners are simply not able to deal with success, but this is for another post.

after such hard work, when you hit jackpot, what a reward it can be!  what a delight, what a feast you have! you normally float 6-inches above ground and swear that this meal by itself was worth the trip!  with great joy and happiness, you wake up in the next morning singing "je vois la vie en rohhzzze!"

on the other hand though...when you hit a dog, what a disappointment, what a waste of opportunity, how deep your sorrows and rage can be!!!  you promise yourself that you will tell all who want to hear and also those who don't!  with great despair you wake up the next morning with only one scream in mind: what a waste of opportunity!

so stressful, i tell you!

here is a report on our food experiences in paris last week:

le comptoir - hotel relais st-germain, 9 carrefour de l’odéon, 6th, tel. 01.44.27.07.97  - lunch, saturday 20 december: a referral from my most trusted source who until this visit never failed me.  apparently an outstanding menu for dinner and booked up to 6 months in advance.  disappointingly, lunch was below average: my meat, even raw, was tough, the veggies overcooked, soggy, and tasteless, and the dessert inedible - even to my super sweet tooth.  however, and coming form hong kong, the atmosphere and service was everything one could hope for in a parisian bistro experience and the cheese plate looked disgustingly delicious.  disappointing for me and maria as well, we will have to go for dinner before we recommend the place to anyone.  going to an old favourite, "la crêmerie", just around the corner would have been a much better food experience.

fish la boissonerie, 69, rue de seine, 6th, tel. 01 43 54 34 69 - dinner saturday 20 december: an old favourite.  more for the atmosphere and the wine. but also for the food, which is always reliable and excellent.  the menu focus mainly on fish which can be a nice change from the classic parisian côte de boeuf and is prepared "modern" with classic touches.  a good place to go when alone to sit at the bar and soak in the ambiance.  the wine list by glass is excellent and you can buy bottles at their sister shop: la dernière goutte, just around the corner on 6, rue bourbon le château. this place will stay for me an old favourite.

l'estaminet des enfants rouges, 39 rue de bretagne, 3rd, tel. 01 42 72 28 12 - lunch sunday 21 december: a referral by time out paris - always for me a good source of information.  in fact, i chose the place mainly because we were heading to the market by vélib and it seemed a good place to go for brunch.  we were not disappointed.  slightly off the beaten track, probably because it is so close to the more touristy "les marais" area.  smack in the middle of the marché des enfants rouges, the place was full with parisiana: families and gorgeous young people.  the brunch portions were super generous, beautiful, and the foods super tasty.  the house wine a great value for money.  i had l'assiette de charcuterie which was an absolute delight.  a great brunch and i will absolutely make this an old favourite.  the shops on rue de bretagne are great and the whole area very paris and worth the efforts to reach it.

ma bourgogne 19, place des vosges, 4th,  tel 01 42 78 44 64 - dinner sunday 21 december: to meet a friend.  right on the place des vosges, i can understand why this place is an old favourite of many people.  very touristy during the day, it is mainly parisians who come for dinner.  i am sure the place has seen better days.  the food was good, reliable, and classic french bistro.  i will probably go back if only to meet my friend there again but will not make this an old favourite of mine.  worth to consider if you are in the area at lunch time but l'estaminet above, just a 15 minutes walk away, is, in my opinion, a much better, albeit different, experience.

l’atelier de joël robuchon, 5 rue de montalembert, 7th, tel: 01.42.22.56. 56 - dinner monday 22 december: an old favourite.  in fact, i visited before and also dined at the hong kong restauran. last week though, it was by far the best meal i have had in a long long time.  faithful to its concept, spanish tapas/japanese sushi bar style, each dish on the tasting menu we selected were exquisite, tasty, flavourful, elegant, aromatic, orgasmic. classic dishes made from outstandingly high quality ingredients prepared in their purest form.  we let the sommelier pair our wines and i was in heaven.  this is definitely what life is worth living for.  no reservations are taken except for the 18h30 sitting, so, come early or very late.

comptoir de la gastronomie, 34 ru montmartre, 1er, tel. 01 42 33 31 32 - lunch tuesday 23 december: off the street on the way to visit kitchen accessories shops around the area (which are many) of les halles.  part of a food & wine shop selling typical foods of the south-west (foie gras and the like).  service a little aloof and snotty, decor and atmosphere very typical parisian bistrot but good food, sturdy, reliable, delicious and authentic.  full of locals, always a good sign.  good, but simple wine list.  will go back there when in the area.

aux bons crus, 7, rue des petits champs, 2e, tel. 01 42 60 06 45 - dinner tusday 23 december.  a referal and for his reputation, i will have to gently and diplomatically tell him to stop referring this place.  though it met the breif for a typical, local, low key, traditional parisian bistrot, it turned out to be a very disappointing food experience.  in fact, a complete disaster:  maria's magret de canard came completely carbonized and my risotto was drowing in a sea of balsamic vinegar which reminded me of those disgusting concoction i was making with rice and soya sauce when i was akid.  amazingly though, it was full when we left.  nothing on our plates will make me return however and i doubt it was simply bad luck.  a much better experience would have been had across the street at bistrot vivienne, 4 rue des petits champs, tel. 01 49 27 00 50 and definitely around the corner at juveniles, a wine bar, 47, rue de richelieu, 2e, tel : 01 42 97 46 49. 

le procope, 13 rue de l'ancienne comédie, 6e, tel. 01 40 46 79 00 - dinner, friday 26 december.  a referal from the hotel concierge. typical, authentic, but huge parisian brasserie close to st-germain des prés.  a place definitely living on its reputation and good location.  overpriced.  perhaps a good place for tourists and locals who care more for the size of the portions than for the delicacy of the ingredients.  reliable food, ok quality, but nothing special.  not even the atmosphere that also feels tired and passed its prime.  not a place for foodies and not a place i will recommend.

bouillon chartier, 7 rue du faubourg montmartre, 9e, tel. 01 47 70 86 29 - lunch saturday 27 december.  an old favourite of anita and romolo.  after meeting my waterloo the night before, my confidence was shattered and so to cheer me up, anita suggested we come here.  a huge line up was waiting for us but the place looked so great we decided to brave sub-zero temperature and wait.  and worth it was!  a total experience.  super typical paris bistro.  you enter and you feel like you travel back in time.  extremely authentic, extremely reliable, extremely parisian.  the food is not subtle.  it is bistrot in its full glory: museau de boeuf vinaigrette, escargots, entrecote, frites, profiteroles.  it taste exactly what you would expect.  the atmosphere itself was worth the trip to paris.  the kind of place you feel has a soul, ann energy, and authenticity you can not find anywhere else and i doubt can be recreated.  definitely an old favourite from now on and a spot i will visit each time i go to paris.  go.

buddha bar, 8 rue boissy d'anglas, 1er, tel. 01 53 05 90 09 - dinner saturday 27 december.  a request from milena who wanted to celebrate her 40th there.  a surprising choice for my last dinner in paris you will likely think.  i will not blame you.  dark and über-cool, the place is more for seeing and being seen than for eating.  having said that, the food, asian in style, was good, reliable, and actually tasty. the most difficult palate among us, maria's 76-year old mother, actually enjoyed her herself very much and i am told she said afterwards that it was a highlight of her stay...  an interesting, if overpriced, concept that was worth the visit and the experience.  in fact, come to think of it, perhaps a very good way to crown our week in paris.  if you go, dress up, top up the credit on your charge card, and let yourself be charmed by the razzle-dazzle of a chic-paris-night-out.

Published by jc on January 7, 2009

the glamour bar - shanghai

m on the bund is the kind of place that makes you think shanghai is cool.  It's glam, it's stylish & sophisticated, it's cosmocrat. and the food is fab, tasty, and the pavlova is absolutely to die for.  the people watching beautiful, and the atmosphere so luxurious, it makes me feel I am hot.it's what shanghai is in my mind.  i never fail to come here each time i visit the city and i am always delighted.

this time around though, i decided to focus on chinese food and so will not eat here for dinner.  nevertheless, faithful to my chickens, I made sure to come to the glamour bar, their sister operation one floor below, for happy hour.

with basically the same breathtaking view over the bund and pudong, albeit without the stupendous balcony of the 7t floor restaurant, the bar is as cool, if not more.  the decor is semi shanghai-of-the decant-20s with a touch of kitsch-meets-glam-meets-modern-art.  it's definitely cool, it makes me feel cool, and it reminds me that i am a lucky guy to have the chance to travel as much and have the chance to visit places like that.

the happy hour has a nice little antipasto offering (italian style) and the bar is opened until the wee hours.  i am told the people watching here is something else and all of the cool cats and the beautiful people of shanghai stop by at different hours.

decadent, lush, glamorous, hip, stylish, and cool, that's the glamour bar.

not to be missed on your (my) next trip to shanghai.

the glamour bar - 6/f, no 5 the bund (corner guangdong lu), shanghai tel. +86 21 63 50 99 88

Published by jc on November 27, 2008

surprising dinner at cococabana

a big treat in hong kong is the beautiful hiking we can do not only in the new territories where there are fantastic beaches and you can believe to be in the absolute middle of nowhere, but also right here on hong kong island, not even 10 minutes from my flat.

and so, very often on a a sunday, we go for a 2-3 hours walk and end up for a long and lazy lunch at cococabana in deep water bay.  we usually, we go for the set lunch of tasty mediteranean dishes washed down with the house rosé.

i always thought coco to be the perfect sunday after-noon lazy lunch kind of place.  the music is mellow, the service a bit disorganised, the food super tasty, the view over the beach fantastic and usualy, as the sun becomes increasingly mellow in the after-noon, a perfect place to let time pass and recharge.

and so, i never thought of it as a dinner place until mario suggested we go there last sunday.  wow.

the service was as disorganised as during the day, but the whole atmosphere was even more mellow and relax.  the moon replaced the sun over the bay and the night time menu was more sophisticated than the ones we normally have for lunch. as a starter, i had the oven roasted goat cheeze wrapped in pancetta: the first bite made me stop and mark my appreciation.  delicious.  for my main, i had the lamb rumpsteak grilled with rosemary and in its "jus", together with summer vegs and butter-mashed potatoes.  delicious, perfectly grilled and super tasty.  i closed my eyes and reopened them and i thought i was back in a nice little village on the coast south of france.

the first bottle of rosé we had was disappointing (the only pinot grigio rosé on the list - dont'take it) but, thankfully, the bandol we had after that made up for it.

a very nice place for a nice dinner.  romantic, but also mellow with a small group of friends.

cococabana:  deepwater bay, tel: +852 2812 2226

 

Published by jc on October 30, 2008

a peacock's tail at pierre gagnaire's in hong kong

call me a groupie if you will, i do not mind.  i love pierre gagnaire's food and there is no denying i am start-struck each time i meet him.

and so, last night was his last evening in hong kong (for this time around that is) and i decided to surprise maria to a date and book a table at "pierre" for a break to my october diet (yes mom, a diet...).

not surprisingly, i was completely transported by the food...  and the wines selected by pierre legrandois, the excellent sommelier at the mandarin oriental hotel in hong kong.

firstly, i must confess that i was totally enchanted by the table they reserved for us.  a fantastic view over the harbour and a intimacy of the surroundings that i could only hope for in my best of dreams.  what a way to impress maria on the first "date" we have had in a long long time!

then, the extremley attentive and super kind care from everyone in the restaurant.  many people claim that french restaurant's service is cool, distant, and intimidating.  not here at pierre.  they were respectful, mindful, caring, and only enhanced the experience we had the whole evening.

and then, the food...

many people asked me today how i compared the experience with the one i had at the french laundry last month.  how can i compare, i asked, it is like asking me to compare picasso with rembrandt...

the food was certainly exotic, using asian ingredients that are not so uncommon in hong kong's fresh food markets.  the combination of those ingredients was definitely surprising and unusual.  combinations of ingredients that you would absolutely not believe they can pair together.

and that is, i am starting to believe (or, dare i say, to understand, as i am still new to this wonderful world of fine dining), the genius of pierre gagnaire.  he mixes and matches ingredients that defy conventional wisdom and food logic.  he creates a "third way" with food that is almost, i dare venture, "child-like", in the sense that his combinations can only come from the creativity of young, fresh, and widely imaginative minds that us, "grown-ups" would only frown upon. 

and yet...

yet, a mouthful of his creations carries us to another world altogether.  an intellectual challenge and a pleasure of the senses that i have only imagined in my most torrid dreams.  a gastronomic "orgasm" in all sense of the word.

all of this stimulation paired with the other pierre's wine selections.  a challenge that only a very sensitive palates must be able to accomplish.  legrandois' choices of wine have always opened new and wonderful vinous horizons for me.  each time i taste wines selected by pierre legrandois, i have learned something new and wonderful and i have discovered a higher plane of pleasure that wine could bring to my epicurist adventures.

one in particular last night give me a new sensorial sensation that i only knew existed from the books that i had read previously.  the sensation of the "peacock tail" so described about a wine that has a very long lasting after-taste that it so good in quality that it actually opens up like a peacock's tail long after you have swallowed the divine nectar.

the saint-joseph cuilleron st-pierre 2005.  to me an absolutely new and wonderful experience.  the body, the intensity, the length, the peacock tail...  what else can i say???  for me a new standard has been established in my short wine tasting career.  an experience not unlike "my very first time"....

what a night...

 

Published by jc on October 18, 2008

dinner at the french laundry

the first time I heard there was a restaurant in napa valley called the french laundry, I had a bit of a laugh.  after all, I had never associated fine dining with dirty linens… 

 

but then, my friend told me that it was considered the best restaurant in the usa, if not the world and that it strictly accepted reservations 2 months ahead (and took a mere 15 minutes to become fully booked).  not surprisingly, right then and there i made it a personal priority to go as soon as I possibly could… in the end, thankfully a bit wiser, it took 4 years… and even then, it was jason who secured the reservations by some extraordinary stroke of fortune…

 

the french laundry is in a small, very humble-and-easy-to-miss 2-storey building in the now foodie capital of yountville, napa valley. 

 

in an excellent book by michael ruhlman, “the soul of a chef”, I learned that it was once a brothel like the ones you see in old western movies but that it did house a steam laundry maintained by french people.  in 1976, the building which had been vacant for years was purchased by a couple who decided to turn it into a restaurant and keep its nickname “the french laundry” and in 1992, thomas keller, unemployed and cash-strapped, found out it was for sale.  he was able to convince the owners to keep it for him until he was able to secure the funds and turn it into his dream restaurant. ruhlman devotes 1/3 of the book on thomas keller and his philosophy and it was well worth the read before going.

 

the french laundry is, unfortunately, for many people a thick mark on a list of things they want to do before they die.  thankfully for others though, it is the ultimate temple of food pilgrimage where food is elevated to a god-like status.  the whole dining experience is focused on the food, giving it full priority and deference.  in fact, keller’s philosophy is all about purity of and respect for the food.  nothing goes to waste and each ingredients are used to their pure and absolute maximum effect on combination and flavours all the while obsessively striving for perfection in order to, ultimately, make people happy.  simple enough?

 

two chef’s tasting menus were on offer: the meat menu and the vegetable menu.  of course, foodie as I now am, I had to have the fois gras (yes mom, foie gras..) and the pigeon. and the lamb. and the oysters…  for the wine, I let the somelier decide on pairings to each of my courses.

 

here is our menu – my mouth is watering as a write this:

 

oyster and pearls (a classic) - sabayon of pearl tapioca with island creek oysters and white surgeon caviar paired with 2001 scramsberg vineyards, j. schram, napa valley

 

moulard duck foie gras au torchon – belgian endive, green grapes, toasted oats and mustard-verjus emulsion paired with 2005 becker gewürztraminer estate auslese, pfalz

 

cuisses de grenouilles croquantes à l’aigre-doux – cauliflower fleurettes, crispy capers, red chili, cilantro shoots and marcona almonds paired with 2004 toni jost riesling bacharacher hahn, mittelrhein

 

sweet butter-poached maine lobster mitts – yukon gold potato purée, sugar snap peas, baby corn and black truffle sauce paired with 2004 patrick javillier les tillets meursault burgundy

 

scottish wood pigeon rôti en cocotte – k&j orchard chestnut purée, sunchokes, watercress and pomegranate jus paired with 2000 auguste clape cornas, rhône valley

 

ribeye of elysian fields farm lamb en persillade – petit salé, cassoulet of jacobsen’s farm beans, garlic chips and sauce d’agneau paired with 1998 azelia bricco fiasco barolo, piedmont

 

tomme brulée – fennel bulb, sweet peppers, niçoise olives and arugula paired with 2004 martinelli zinfandel jackass vineyard russian river valley, california

 

diane st-claire buttermilk sherbet – pain perdu and huckleberries

 

domori sambriano chocolate mille-feuille – tahini ganache, sesame seed cake and shiso sorbet paired with 1968 d’oliveira bual madeira, portugal

 

 

an amazing food and wine experience. supplemented by a superlative service and attention to details…

 

in fact, I had a buzz the whole night not unlike the buzz I get each time i see a cirque du soleil representation.  in those, acrobatics, colors, and sounds defies my imagination and awes me that the human body can achieve such feats.  at the french laundy, every bites, every sips awed me that human beings can create, from ingredients provided by mother nature, such sensations, such pleasure, and such feeling of well being.

 

bliss.

 

 

Published by jc on October 4, 2008

enoteca san marco - las vegas

a much better experience this time around at a mario batali's restaurant in las vegas.

last year at around the same time, some of you will remember that i was less than impressed with our visit to b&b ristorante in the venetian hotel.  even though, i decided to take the risk and invite bill, mike, and chris to another of batali's & bastianich restaurant in the venetian and i am glad i did.

the enoteca san marco is located right there in the "san marco" square of the hotel, in front of gondolas, opera singers, and the whole shebang.  the menu (food and wine) is a simpler version of b&b and the theme is enoteca - simple and earthy dishes.

the evening started a bit weird when the hostess did not want to sit us at our table "until all members of our party had arrived".  which was a bit annoying as we were all a bit tired after a whole day walking around the trade show we are now attending.

but the wait was well worth it.  once they brought the wine and the antipasti, the delights could be heard and felt all around the table.  delicious, mouth watering and tongue melting prosciuto & salami and beautifully fresh cheezes which merited their own separate service of "cheeze condiments".  these were super delicious black truffle honey (great with the gorgonzola and the pecorino), maraschino cherry in its sauce (beautiful with the goat cheeze) , and surprising candied apricot with a slight sparkle of chillis which was super tasty with the goat cheeze and the gorgonzola.

my main dish, veal and ricotta meat balls served on  a bed of polenta were to die for.  it seems that my 3 other guests had the same delight at their dishes: duck confit with grape & arugula, marinated chicken, and one pasta dish: bucatini all'amatriciana which was as good as the one i had in frascati just 4 days ago.

seriously.  this was beyond my expectations and, after our meal at another of batali's restaurant last night (carnovino in the palazzo), i have completely changed my mind about mario batali's food.

too bad the obnoxious music is still playing in the background though...

 

Published by jc on September 26, 2008

tastings wine bar revisited

of course, when opinionated people have something in their head, they do not have it anywhere else as they say. 

worst, they are the types who will look for and highlight every single little arguments in favour of that idea until their point is proven right.

worst still, they will gloat and seriously rub it in when they can find real life examples to demonstrate that very idea to the point of, as my father always warned me about, to "oversell" it to death.

well, i am exactly that type of people and tastings wine bar in hong kong is exactly that kind of real life experience that gets me super excited.

after dinner at yung kee 10 days ago, i brought chris, mike, alex, and jeff over for a "different" kind of wine bar to see if this new concept "sticks".

stuck around we did and seriously unstuck my wallet became!  tastings wine bar is different in that it has 5 enomatic wine dispensing machines and as i had described the concept before on those pages, the idea is that you buy a prepaid card with the amount of funds that you want to put in, go to the dispenser, select the wine you want to taste/drink and select among 3 choices of pour sizes.

the key here is that the smallest pour size is just enough for a taste, an "ombra"as the italians call it.  just enough so that it helps you decide whether you want to drink a whole glass (or the whole bottle if you are that thirsty).  my flickr contact "sunday driver" has a great set of pictures on her flicker that she took at tastings.

with 8 bottles installed on each enomatic, we had 40 wines to taste, and tasted we did!

the selection was varied and interesting, enough for us to spend the whole evening tasting the whole range available, sip by sip.  some were expensive to taste (but were great experiences in themselves), like the opus one from the famed napa valley mondavi/rothshild partnership, but most were reasonable and helped us to make some very interesting discoveries - like the south african syrah (the foundry 2004) which we all agreed was the best value for money we had all night - a wine i would have never selected from a wine list otherwise.  the owner, charlene dawes, later told me that they plan to change the selection at least once a month so that their guests have maximum opportunities to taste and discover.  a great concept and a great way to try out all kinds of wine and build a database of those that you might want to enjoy more fully later on.

well worth the visit.

tastings wine bar: basement, yuen yick bldg., 27-29 wellington st., central, hk, tel: 2523 6282

Published by jc on August 15, 2008

la festa dell'uva once again this year in hong kong

don't miss the greatest italian feast of the year where great wines and foods of italy are celebrated at the cyberport. cheezes and fresh grapes are directly flown in for this event. great night out with music, games, and all you can taste food and wine!

only 800 tickets are available (hkd 650/each) on a first come first served and i received my invitation last week. if you are interested, contact ms. Jessica Chan at tel. 2832 9799 (Dante Alighieri) for more information or get the ticket booking form here. 

Published by jc on July 17, 2008

lunch with pierre gagnaire - sort of

i love the french language, especially the one spoken by people involved with food.  when french restaurant people come at your table to ask for your order, they most invariably ask you: qu'est-ce qu'il vous ferait plaisir? which literally means: what would give you pleasure?  not: what would you like? non! non!  the french do not eat for love, they eat for pleasure...

and so today, i learned a lesson of food preparation first hand from the master chef himself pierre gagnaire at a cooking demonstration and private lunch organised by the good people of the centurion american express.  when asked if he was going to work with recipes that he designed, he simply responded: ah non!  i will cook with ingredients that will give me pleasure!

his genius is that he cooks according to very classical methods but push the envelop with modern twists and turns using ingredients that are, in themselves very tasty, but might not be obvious combination for most people.  yet, he succeeds to create dishes with textures and flavours that are completely new, yet, totally recognizable.

take the gazpacho we had as a starter.  its preparation started in a very classical way.  all the basic ingredients were there to make the gazpacho a gazpacho.  tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, garlic, red pepper, etc.  but then, he added water melon and honeydew to the mix.  kept all the vegetables and fruits nice and slightly chunky and served it on a sort of creamy base made with milk, some of the fruits, mustard, plenty of olive oil blended together and, voilà!  a totally recognisable gazpacho taste yet incredibly complex flavours that were unusual and delicate, yet powerful and succulent. perfect with the white grenache wine from côte de provence - fresh, fruity and mineraly.

we then had mullet, or small pieces of it, served with basmati rice, fresh mushrooms and sliced cuttle-fish mixed in a super tasty and unusual caramelized sauce made with a combination or soy sauce, brown sugar.  a taste perfectly reminiscent of a strongly flavoured shanghainese dish, yet, fresh, light, and tasty.  fantastic with our white chateauneuf-du-pape wine - complex, peppery, spicy.

the main dish was a "patty"of "chopped" veal slightly pan fried served on a most interesting cream sauce mixed with grappa and ginger and toped with simple yet succulent caramelized onions.  intersting dish but difficult to match with wine however.

many guests in the kitchen who were assisting to the presentation were very eager to know his recipe and took copious notes of the way he prepared his dishes.  that is one way, i suppose, to wow your guests at home.

what i learned from pierre gagnaire today in his "private" kitchen is that when you cook, you have to give yourself pleasure.  and that this philosophy can take you pretty much anywhere.  to me, that is the beauty of cooking.

 

Published by jc on May 24, 2008

breaking my pattern - dinner at zest

ok, i admit,  i am a creature of habit and it's not that easy to get me into doing something out of my pattern.  once in a while, i do and results are most enjoyable.

zest is just down from our office building so we go there a lot for lunch.  in fact some people call it my "cantine" which i guess is not very flattering a term... but, really, we do go there because the lunch special is probably the best value in hong kong.  i mean the flavours and the quality of the food they serve is just unbelievable for a lunch special. And so, we go there a lot.

anyway, i always think of zest as my "lunch restaurant".  because i have my "chicken vindaloo" restaurant just as i have my "people watching" restaurant.  you know, the kind of restaurant i go to for a specific reason and not always for the food (before i got married, i had my "favourite waitress" restaurant...).

and so, tonight, i decided to break the pattern and try zest for dinner.  wonderful idea! and how refreshing to break habits sometimes!  the team was super kind as they always are with me, bringing my cup of hot water without my asking for it. full of little attention and politeness - i feel at home here i thought!  however, equally,  it is the food i was delighted with.  the first bite of my risotto was absolutely wonderful.  an explosion of taste in my mouth.  enough to make me stop and think. Wow.

and the fillet with chanterelle mushrooms...  wonderful.  served tagliatelle style with a sweetish balsamic vinegar sauce, it was actually a perfect match to my slightly stewed, dark berries cabernet sauvignon from chile.

the only thing i do not like about zest are those odd square-shape plates that always make my knife and fork slide off and drop on my knees.  so, beware of your table manners...

a lovely dinner nonetheless.  i will consider coming for dinner again soon!

 

appetizer: pumpkin risotto, crispy sage, aged pecorino with masi pinot grigio 2006

main: beef fillet, mushroom chutney, pickled chanterelles with errazuriz cabernet sauvignon 2005

 

zest - 57 wyndham st., central, hk tel. +852 2526 7993

 

Published by jc on May 16, 2008

argentina - mendoza - cavas winelodge

another wine region another boutique hotel. or not. cavas wine lodge, part of the relais & chateaux network, is not any boutique hotel. set litterally in the middle of vineyards (the hotel make it's own bornarda wine), the place is a dream for any wine lovers. individual "casitas" (suites) are spread out around the vineyards and vines grow all around them. each are wonderfuly appointed with a modern decor and a fireplace (and the shower is also incredible). they have their own little plunge pool and access to a roof-top terrace from which you can gaze at the stunning views of the los andes mountain range.

we tried the spa for a special (and wonderful) vinoterapie treatment and after taking a 15 minutes bath in bornada wine, i can assure you that drinking it will never be the same again!

the hotel also boasts one of the best restaurant in mendoza with a fantastic wine list including the best offerings of the region especially from the super premium area of luyan de cuyo where the hotel is located. the menu is traditonal with a modern touch offering super tasty dishes with locally sourced ingredients. on our 1st night, we had the special bbq diner that including non-stop delivery of the very best meat i have had in my life.

although not cheap, i absolutely recommend it and we will no doubt stay there again next year when we return to mendoza.

Published by jc on February 26, 2008

chile - colchagua valley - casa silva

maria and franco always laugh at me so much i am fussy about the hotels i stay in. who knows, maybe i was a fengshui master in a previous life? for me, the setting must be right and that includes the smell in the room, the view, the size and comfort of the bed, and the pressure of the shower. the room must be alive, it must vibrate positive energy. i can never describe it to maria, i just feel it and when i don't, i have been known to change room 3 or 4 times before i am satisfied.

in any case.. for our stay in chile's colchagua valley, i thought we could try the newly opened boutique hotel of 7 rooms in casa silva winery.

and so, after a 3 hours drive from santiago i was a little razzled and my stomach cramped as we followed the indications to the hotel through the small country roads. we passed several ramshackle buildings and the area reminded me more of india than tuscany so i looked at maria in a near panic. until we arrived to the hotel...

wow, what a setting, what a nice little place! set in an old part of the winery, the building was tastfuly renovated with a beautiful and homey-rustic-yet-modern decor. there is a nice little terrace in the central courtyard for alfresco dinning, a super comfortable lounge with a fireplace and those big fluffy couches that reminded me of those my grandmother had in her living room. each of the 7 rooms are appointed differently depending on their size and location in the building and all have a huge bathroom with an absolutely incredible shower.

the hotel is also home of one of the best restaurant in colchagua. as mentionned, you can eat outside on the terrace, but an interesting attraction is that it's located right inside casa silva's cellar. so while you have dinner you have the decors of rows of new oak barrels ageing their best wines slowly and gracefully. we had great food there on the 2 nights of our stay and obviously their wine list, although listing mostly their wines, had great offerings from around the region.

a great place to stay and can imagine the setting during the cool vintage season must be absolutely magic. we will certainly go back if we return to colchagua valley.

Published by jc on February 26, 2008

wine 365 - santiago

last night, tired and lazy, we decided to stay at the hotel's wine bar incidentally called ''wine 365'' because they have 365 chilean wines on their list, one for each day of the year.

decor was hotel like but we sat on a nice little terrace outstide.  service is definitely lacking as we waited 1/2 hour to be asked if we wanted wine and another 1/2 to receive them.  in any case, i am not sure if this is south america or the hotel, i will let you know later.  one thing is sure is that we will not go back unless it's torrential rain outside...

i order a flight - you know i love this concept and so while i was writting my notes, my sweet maria was listening to the couple next to us having a fight...

here are my notes, the carmenère was had by maria:

Van siebenthal reserva 2006 - aconcagua - carmenere:

medium intensity aromas of forest fruits - rasberries, blueberries, blackberries, vanilla, hints of mint & eucalypteus; medium acidity, low tannins (round), medium body, high alcohol, medium intensity flavours of mint, eucalypteus, black berries, herbaceous character overall. medium lenght, simple finish

 

terrunyo 2007 - casablanca - sauvignon blanc:

medium (-) intensity aromas of grass, grapefruit, green apple, very fresh; medium (-) acidity, medium body, medium alcohol, with medium intensity flavour of lemon, grapefruits, fresh cut crass, unripe green apple, short lenght with a somewhat complex finish

 

veranda gran reserva 2006 - casablanca - chardonnay:

low intensity aromas of citrus, vanilla, hints of cream and yogurt; low acidity, medium body, medium (+) alcohol, medium intensity flavours of oak, vanilla, cream, citrus, short & simple lenght undurraga altazor 2004 - cabernet sauvignon - maipo medium intensity aromas of blackcurrents, black barries, vanilla, spices, coffee, hints of herbaceaousness; medium (-) acidity, medium ripe tannins, medium body, medium (+) alcohol, medium intensity flavours of black berries, coffee, spices, vanilla. medium & complex length.

ge 2003 emliana - bordeaux blend (biodynamic) - colchagua:

high & concentrated intensity aromas of dark fruits - blueberries, black berries, black cherries, spices - cinammon, anis, liquorice, quina, vanilla, minth; medium (-) acidity, medium tannins (unripe), medium (+) intensity flavours of dark berries, eucalypteus, mint, spices, herbaceous. Long and complex but a bitter finish

Published by jc on February 4, 2008

auberge pyrenees cevennes - paris

Its on recommendation from the concierge of my hotel that we went for dinner at l' auberge pyrenees cevennes last night. as soon as we arrived, we knew dinner would be fantastic.

located in the 11th arrondissement, it is off the tourist circuit and the clientele last night were mainly regulars who came to enjoy their "specialites lyonnaises". the menu was simple with earthy, comfort food just like my grand mother cecile used to make. the atmosphere is warm and traditonnal reminding you of a hunting lodge in the middle of "la campagne francaise".

looking around, i was amazed with the size of each portions and everything smelled and looked so tasty: i did not know what to choose from their long list. and so, i finally started with "une terrine campagniarde" which was really a dish to share (tasty, reminding me of those brunch champetre we used to have when i was a kid), and for the main "un pave de rumsteak sauce aux poivres", a humongous piece of meat served covered in a home-style black pepper sauce to absolutely die for...(my mouth is watering as i am writing this...)

for wine, we were less impressed by our selection, but the list itself was full of very interesting labels and so next time, i will be more judicious in my choice.

overall a great culinary experience in a warm (chaleureuse) and friendly atmosphere. a great dinner for the cold and humid weather this time of year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

auberge pyrenees cevennes, 106 rue de la folie mericourt, 11e arrondissement. tel: +33 01 43 57 33 78

Published by jc on January 21, 2008

"al murett" - cermenate (como)

piacevole serata in compagnia di amici, atmosfera calda e conviviale acuita dalla neve che cadeva abbondante. siamo arrivati alle 21,30 (naturalmente senza prenotazione) e abbiamo fatto fatica a trovare un tavolo libero. ampia scelta con l'aggiunta di un menu stagionale al quale tutti si sono rivolti. personalmente ho assaggiato un "RISOTTO AI FUNGHI E TARTUFI" di squisita fattura e quindi sono passato ad un "FILETTO CON POLENTA E SFOGLIA ALLE MELE COTOGNE". abbinamento perfetto, a parer mio un crescendo Rossiniano. Altri hanno scelto dei "GNOCCHETTI AL RADICCHIO E  TALEGGIO" descritti come "super". scelta obbligata di un vino bianco (per accontentare la maggioranza delle persone un bianco) perfettamente abbinabile al menu "VERMENTINO SARDO" servizio ineccepibile e veloce. alla fine della serata ero rilassato, tranquillo e di buon umore come se uscissi da uno dei miei locali preferiti di hong kong (COCOCABANA).

 

 

 

Published by jc on January 13, 2008

l'entracte - la rochelle, france

it's not always easy to choose a restaurant between two that are empty. to be fair, restaurants here in la rochelle open at 19h00 for dinner and i had been walking up and down the street since 18h30 before i short listed "la cote de boeuf" and "l'entracte". in fact, on recommendation from a friend, i was due to have dinner at "chez andre" tonight, but i decided the other two not only had a better atmosphere but the menu on presentation looked more in line with what i had in mind.

in the end, i chose "l'entracte" for 2 reasons: it had huitres in its appetizer list and it is michelin recommended. mind you "la cote de boeuf" is gault millaut recommended, so the choice was still difficult to make.

i am now learning to make the difference between michelin and gault millaud in the same way i have made the difference between gambero rosso and veronelli in italy.

i still have not made up my mind and so i will tell you about that much later.

the service was friendly although nervous. i am not sure why since i was the only customer for most of my visit. In any case, it was efficient and knowledgeable, which is always something i like.

i had les huitres, for appetizer (but of course) and the "noix de coquilles st-jacques" for the main.

oysters are oysters so i will skip that description. the coquille were served with a risotto of tomatoes and parsley and "jus de viande". although the risotto arrived yellow as mustard, it was surprisingly tasty. in fact a bit of coquilles together with risotto and jus was absolutely divine on my palate. the coquilles being in season were soft, tender, and slightly sweet tasting. first time i have this kind of taste and texture, lovely.

i ended my meal with cheese "de brebis", goat cheeze in english which does not sound nearly as nice...

a delightful meal. highly recommended if you visit la rochelle.

you can click on each photos for a larger version:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

l'entracte, 35 rue st-jean-du-perot, la rochelle, tel. +33 546 52 26 69

Published by jc on January 12, 2008

delightful dinner at l'atelier de joël robuchon in paris

on wednesday, as i arrived very late from my meeting and so i decided to have dinner next door to my hotel at l'atelier de joël robuchon. 

a delightful dinner i had, in a very lush atmosphere.  the setting is similar to a japanese sushi bar in which we sit at a counter and where you can pretty much see food preparation from their open kitchen.  the whole restaurant was dark with lighting focusing on the star of the evening which was the food itself.

for appetizer, i had the bellota jamon with a glass of chateauneuf du pape blanc.  not bad a match actually and the jamon was extra-ordinary: savoury, tender, and beautiful on pieces of amazing bread.

for the main, i had an entré of lamb w/ thym.  beautifully made with taste that still linger on my tongue...  for the wine, i had a croze-hermitage which i do not think was the perfect match. 

i speak here of an appetizer and an entré because at l'atelier, it is actually suggested that you eat their tasting menu which is a series of appetizers served tapas style.  with a very long list of appetizers on offer, you can design your own delighful menu and enjoy your heart out.

as for the service, it was outstanding, friendly, and very caring.  you can definitly feel that mr. robuchon has a very competent and dedicated team working with him.

do not expect to book as they do not accept reservations after 18h30 and so plan for a late dinner when the horde as already left.  they only have 42 seats and very regular customers.  worth a visit on your next trip to paris.

cick on each photos for a larger version:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L'Atelier Joël Robuchon, Hôtel Pont Royal 5, rue de Montalembert 75007 Paris (+33 1 42 84 70 00)

Published by jc on January 11, 2008

véda - a great restaurant in delhi

on our last night in delhi, maria and i decided to try véda. 

it's on driving around with enrico that i saw their sign from the road and from it's name, i thought it was from the same owners as veda in hong kong which we particularily like.

so we went on the 1st of january and drove there in an absolutely crazy traffic. cars. motorcycles, buses were honking at each other in an absolute mad symphony.  plus, our driver kept cursing the ''jam-jam-jam'' in this loud and thick indian accent. at one point, everthing came to an absolute standstill, everything stopped, became completely quiet and there, i think everybody realised that nothing was going to move for a long while.  indeed, it took us 1 1/2 hour to reach the place which normally should have taken us 1/2 hour.  a cultural experience, beleive me...

anyway, when we got there, we were quite happy to have made the trek.  we found out that the owners are not the same as in hong kong and, other than meaning ''knowledge'' in sanskrit, the name is actually an acronym from "very exotic dining ambiance''.

the atmosphere was quite special.  it is dark with a red glow from the lighting.  walls are covered with mirrors with all kind of shape and sizes.  it feels velvety, lush, mysterious.  the music was loungee and the overall warmth of the place made us feel quite at ease.

unfortunately, the service did not start very well when we ask the head waiter what they recommended.  ever the tradesman, he transparently advised on their tasting menu which was the top super most expensive item.  when we asked him questions about it, he seemed bothered and made us feel that he would rather have us leave the place rather than explain his menu.  so i told him to get us our wine.

the other waiters who take over from the guy, more than made up from this lapse. their recommendations and explanantions were very good and we enjoyed our food tremendously.

we shared:

- kararee bhindi - fried okra with red peppers: tasty, salty, lightly spicy but a little bit dry

- kohe awadh - lamb shank with savoury sauce: delicious, smooth, savoury spice, mouthwatering

- achari panneer tikka - cottage cheeze: tasty, perfect texture, savoury spcice, succulent

- basmati rice - plain: aromatic, flowery, not sticky, and perfect with the sauce of the lamb

all were prepared in a ''nouveau genre'' and modern style.  the presentation and taste was excellent and very tasty.  writing about it now makes my mouth water....

for wine, we decided to try indian wines (a choice the headwaiter sneered at).  so we chose the grover vineyards cabernet-shiraz which was quite tasty, very much fruity, but balanced and succulent (read some spice and complexity) enough to want to order another glass.  however, for my 2nd glass, i tried the sula vineyards shiraz which was disappointing in the sense that it was too fruity, was nnot a very good representation of its kind - it felt more like alcoholic grape juice than a shiraz.  maybe it was the storage or the transportation and this is why i brought back a bottle so that i can taste later with other people and get their opinions.

in any case, an altogether a great experience that i recommend and we will certainly go back on our next trip to delhi.

veda - h-27 connaught circus, outer circle, new delhi tel. +91 5151 3535

you can click on each photos to see larger versions

Published by jc on January 5, 2008

green t house

a cena al green t house

cibo di eccellente qualita non supportato da una lista dei vini all'altezza della cucina.Non buona atmosfera,posti a sedere alquanto scomodi e prezzi realmente eccessivi. La presentazione e' quella della nouvelle cucine cinese con piatti di stile molto occidentale e difficilmente avvicinabili come idea alla cucina tradizionale.

 

 

 

 

GREEN T HOUSE
N.208 The Arcade
100 Cyberport Road
Hong Kong
Phone 2989 6098 / 2989 6036

Published by jc on December 15, 2007

a great wine by glass at isola in hong kong

barbera d'alba la luna 2003 luca abrate - glass (hkd 98)

on the nose, perfumed, nice juicy red fruits with hints of vanilla and pepper.

in mouth, refreshing, smooth, juicy red fruits and vanilla. succulent finish and medium lenght.

nice and tasty, enough to order a second glass...

Published by jc on December 4, 2007

coolest wine cellar in the world - vue restaurant shanghai

when i told him i was staying that the hyatt on the bund in shanghai, claudio who happens to be responsible for the food & beverage operations of hyatt hotels & resorts in asia pacific told me to make sure i visited the vue bar and vue restaurant on the top of the hotel.

the whole set up is amazing, the views from the bar are simply breathtaking and while you sip your glass of chardonnay or sauvignon blanc you have this amazing feeling of being suspending over the ledge of the building, almost as if you are floating in the air over the huangpu river.

but what impressed me absolutely the most is what must be the highest wine cellar in the world (it is certainly the coooest).  as you enter the restaurant, you follow a long corridor along the west side of the building with the same amazing view as above to arrive in a kind of lobby just before entering the dinning room.  ahead, you have this amazing glass cellar and to your right, this stupendous view.  impossible not to be in awe....

you can read a full review from sh magazine.

30-31/F, hyatt on the bund, 199 huangpu lu, near wuchang lu, shanghai

Published by jc on December 1, 2007

dinner at spasso hong kong


on my way back from china by ferry, i decided to try out this new place spasso in ocean center at harbour city.  it was very early so i did not have a chance to see it in full swing.  what i saw however is that they are very serious about trainning. 

i sat on the terrace overlooking the harbour (with a partial view from central to sheung wan and kennedy town) which was spacious and airy. 

the menu is traditional italian offering guests a culinary trip around italy with full of mouthwatering & interesting dishes and a large wine by the glass list.  thanks on behalf of wine lovers, i was assured that all wines are kept at the proper temperature in a eurocave cellar.

for my main i had the "black pepper pappardelle tossed with wild boar ragout".  it was delicious and perfect with my glass of zenato ripassa.

for a style, funky atmosphere, and the prelude of a good night out, spasso is definitely the hippest italian restaurant on that side of hong kong.

RIPASSA DI VALPOLLICELLA ZENATO 2005 (hkd 118 - glass) a pleasant aromatic of young ripe red & black forest fruits with vanilla, chocolate, and pepper; low acidity and smooth tannins.  medium body and high levels of alcohol.  flavours as nose but more spicy, with a medium lenght.. Pleasant mouthfeel, fruity yet spicy - delicious.

spasso: # 403, ocean centre, harbour city, kowloon, hong kong, tel. +852 2730 8027

Published by jc on November 21, 2007

san felice wine dinner at cipriani - 19 november 2007

As strange as it might appear, I love to go for dinner by myself.  not that i do not like good company mind you. 

it is just that my imagination goes absolutely wild when i dine alone.   it gives me a buzz to watch the service, listen to bits and pieces of conversations going on around me.  but most of all, i love observing people.  how they behave in groups, how they behave towards me, alone at my table.  it is the body language that tells me so much, or rather trigger my imagination.  i love to invent stories about one or the other, to imagine what they think, where they could be coming from, where they could be going next .  sometimes, this makes me sad, especially when i see someone who appears not to be assuming himself to the extent that i feel he should.  other times it makes me laugh at how arrogant or pompous others behave towards their guests or kin.  all the while, i love to watch and to make up stories. 

perhaps it helps me learn about myself?  as they say, what we see in other people is actually what we see in ourselves...

in any case... we are here for the wine and so:

VERMENTINO DI MAREMMA 2006 - matched to tuna tartare
pale golden color, aromatic with floral aromas; nice refreshing acidity, with simple flavour as it should for its kind.  fresh pears, citrus, lime skin, slightly peppery.  medium lenght.  pleasant as appetizer.

CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA IL GRIGIO 2004 - matched to risotto with radicchio di treviso
pale ruby, nice aromatic of dark forest fruits, spices, forest underwood; low acidity, medium body & alcohol, soft tannins, flavours as nose, smoky, medium lenght, fruity finish.  pleasant.

VIGORELLO 2001 - matched with rack of lamb with vintage balsamic sauce
medium ruby with purple tints.  aromatic of dark forest fruits: blackberries, black currents, blueberries and vanilla, low acidity, medium + tannin (slightly harsh), medium + body, palate as nose with hints of chocolate and tobacco box.  medium lenght with a fruity finish.  can drink now and can age.

BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO CAMPOGIOVANNI 2001 - matched with rack of lamb with vintage balsamic sauce
deep ruby, aromatic of dark forest fruits, slightly herbaceous, with hints of minth and tobacco, vanilla; medium acidity,  medium ripe tannins, flavours as nose but fruitier and with a complex, spicy finish.   medium lenght.  a good wine, pleasant and complex.

VIN SANTO DEL CHIANI CLASSICO 2002 - matched with mango cheese cake with zabaione sauce
deep gold color, aromatic of creme caramel, slightly burnt sugar, raisins, dark honey; sweet, low acidity, full body, flavours as nose, slightly spicy: cinnamon, vanilla, long  and complex finish.  good.

GRAPPA DI BRUNELLO CAMPOGIOVANNI - matched with tea or coffee

 

Published by jc on November 20, 2007

authentic german sausage in guangzhou

each year, i visit germany for a trade show and each time i look for a restaurant that will serve good old fashioned nuremberg sausages, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes.  even though friedrichshafen is less than 3 hours drive from nuremberg, i still have not found.

and so it is quite ironic that i must come here in guangzhou to find this delicacie.  indeed, at "1920", the name of the restaurant, you can find an extensive german "octoberfest" food & beer menu that is actually as good if not better than what i had in munich some years ago.

they also have a pretty decent wine list and the food quite varied and tasty.  on the menu are have "wine" platters, one consisting of cheese, grape, and rye bread, the ohter cold cuts, lettuce, cheese, and rye bread.

maria and i arrived late and even though, their small outside terrace was full and we had to wait a while so we had a ‘paulaner weissbier’  and reviewed the day.  the wait was well worth it as when our meal arrived, it was delicious and exactly as expected. Maria had a new item on the menu which was "munich" meatballs on a bed of mashed potatoes which was a bomb of flavour at the bite.  of course i had my nuremberg sausage and sauerkraut and it brought me straight back to my student days when i backpacked across europe and stop in nuremberg on my way somewhere else.

a little bit of germany right here in the heart of guangzhou.

this photo is taken from their website: http://www.1920cn.com/



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1920: 183 yan jiang zhong rd., guangzhou, tel +86 20 8333 6156

Published by jc on October 19, 2007

guangzhou wine bar

right around the corner from maria's apartment and within walking distance from the luxurious garden hotel in guangzhou, there is a neat little wine bar called the "friend's daily".

it's location is very much in a residential neighbourhood and so it's atmosphere is friendly and casual.  the clientele is mainly local with a few expats.

it has a wine list from regions extending from argentina, australia, usa, italy, and of corse france which is the bulk of their listing.  they keep their wine in a specially built little room with glass walls that they keep at a low temperature.

wines are served in riedel glasses and they also have a small menu with the usual wine cheezes and cold meats that one can expect in a wine bar.

well worth the discovery if you want a break from chinese food.

friend's daily: g/f, 11 tao jin jie lu, guangzhou, tel: +86 20 8359 6681


Published by jc on October 19, 2007

mcdonald at the canton fair

we started this blog with the view of talking about our passion for food and for wine.  this obviously implied we would focus on what we like best.

but i think it should also be about special experiences as well and so this is why today i report about mcdonald at the canton fair.

this place is absolutely unbeleivable.  

the sheer number of people they serve per hour during lunch time is staggering.  their organisation is super efficiencient and they run it like an small army unit.  what is most amazing is that you wait for a very short time even though 25 people are standing BEFORE you get served.  all this thanks to a system in which an attendant takes your order while you are standing in line, send it wirelessly to her unit back in the kitchen, tells you how much it will cost and gives you an order number, by the time you reach the cashier, the order is already packed and you only have to pay and go.  total waiting time 7 minutes.  now, that is 25 orders processed in 7 minutes.  make that 15 cashier.  that is flabberghasting.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no matter you like or not, this to me is an incredible food experience.  of course, it is processed food and of course it is only fuel.  but the alternative at the fair is actually worst.  and so, fuel is still needed...

the other thing that is amazing about this mcdonald is the variety of nations sitting next to each other in the dining room, you have americans sitting next to pakistanis who are sitting next to israelis who are sitting next to germans who themselves are sitting next to nigerians who are sitting next to japanese....you get the picture...and this is an amazing picture.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the canton fair is the celebration of globalisation for best and for worst.  whether you agree or not, this is human evolution and it is not possible for me to look at this scenery and dismiss it as not being important.

there, mcdonald at the canton fair...

Published by jc on October 19, 2007

brunch at isola - the best in hong kong

i have just returned from a brunch at isola in ifc 2 (click on the link for stunning pictures).

considering the quality and selection of the antipasti buffet, the main course and the dessert buffet, at hkd 248 (usd 30-) is, for hong kong, an excellent value.

the terrace offers stunning views over the harbour and the people watching is probably the best in hong kong.

carlo, the manager, will make you feel at home and warmly give you the impression that you have been his best friend since childhood.

the food is under the supervision from a very talented italian executive chef who never miss to be there on sundays and the food his team prepares is authentic italian, delicious, and changes each week.

the only cloud on this picture is the wine by the glass that is, unfortunately like all of the other gaia group restaurants, lacking in complexity and research.  for the price of those glasses, they are disapointedly ordinary at best...

in any case, that is a disapointment well compensated by the rest of the experience.

book in advance!

level 3, ifc mall, central, hong kong, tel. +852 2383 8765

Published by jc on October 14, 2007

not only a wine bar but the start of a revolution!!

in london last week, i took some time to visit the wonder bar in selfridges on oxford street.  i read about it in decanter magazine a few months back and ever since i have drooled all over this concept and so i had to see it for myself.

the bar is actually tucked in between their food court and wine shop and it revolves around their idea of a ''wine juke box'' which is actually the ''wine serving system'' developped by a company called enomatic.

for a price, you buy a ''wine card'' which is a smart card that you can replenish with funds as much as you like.  you then approach the ''juke box'' which is a long row of bottles placed inside the serving system, insert your card, select your wine and the size of the poor, put your glass under the spout and ''voilà'', you can help yourself to a very wide range of wines and they change the selection on a regular basis. 

the dispenser offers 3 sizes of pour: a sip, 1/2 glass, and a full glass. it's temperature controled and, thanks to a system of pipes and nitrogen, it keeps the wine fresh for weeks and weeks.

this is an absolutely fantastic way to go about and discover wine.  you can taste before you buy and in this way discover without fear that you will end up with some ''piquette'' that will scortch your palate at every sip.

i was told by the waiter that happy hours are absolutely packed with the london smart set who come there to taste and try and get pissed on good stuff so that they can wake up the next morning without the headaches and start the whole process again night after night. 

i was also told that they put a chateau petrus 1976 of which they sold so many they had to stop to keep some bottles for their regular well heeled patrons.  people were just curious to taste the legendary wine even if it set them back 32 pounds a sip...

and this is what keeps me awake at night!!   this system will totally democratize the wine world and finally make accessible the kinds of wines that some people can not afford a whole bottle or who simply can't drink a whole one because they are not part of some wine group, or that their spouse/friends do not drink.

this system could start a revolution: finally away with vinegar by the glass that they serve us all over hong kong (and most of the world!).

i tell you, this machine will revolutionise the way wine is sold and any serious wine shop which really cares about promoting wine and worth its grain of salt will jump on this.  what better way to encourage people to discover new wines and trade up? no i do not have a vested interest into enomatic other than hoping to see more and more such system installed so that i can finally enjoy wines by the glass.

i am seriously looking into it for hong kong and i have a super great concept in mind, anyone interested to invest in my project?

 

Published by jc on October 9, 2007

paris - la crèmerie

serge, on your next stay to paris, you have to visit la crèmerie: 9 rue quatre-vents (odéon, tel. 01 43 54 99 30)  tell them you come from having seen the tv show on ''di stasio'', they will love you.

they certainly took good care of me while i was there.  they focus on organic french wine and their menu is simple antipasti (french style) and cheezes. beautiful cheezes that match perfectly their wine by the glass. a very friendly owners (they love their food and their wines) and a super cosy, local, and warm atmosphere.  perfect for lunch or a light dinner (if you can call thefood below light...).

in fact a perfect paris experience that anybody dream of BEFORE going to paris: a must not go without!

a bonus is that is is very close to st-germain and all the shopping you or your wife can possibly dream of.

the place is tiny, so please reserve ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 une berkel...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

une chèvre sèche & un côte du rhône - absolutely sublime:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published by jc on October 2, 2007

taking a flight at jfk airport

the thing i love about traveling is the discovery of new things.  to see how people of all kinds of background and culture go about being passionate about the same things i am passionate about.

while waiting for my connection at jfk on my way to paris, i had a flight at vinovolo, a nice little wine bar.  a flight is a series of wine glasses that contain just enough to taste each one and get an appreciation of each at the same price of ordering 1 full glass of 1 type of wine.

this flight was about wines from new york state:

- millbrook chardonnay 2005

- bedell cellars merlot 2005

- hermann j. wiemer riesling 2005

the experience was quite interesting and i loved it.  i wish we can have a place in hong kong that can do this kind of thing.

 

Published by jc on September 29, 2007

las vegas - bouchon vs b&b

as i mentionned previously, on my 1st night in vegas, i visted BOUCHON which was in itself a fantastic experience.  the restaurant is such a faithfull reproduction of a paris bistro that being in paris here now, i am amazed at how much being there made me feel being here....

the food was fantastic, i had a starter of oyster paired with laurent-perrier champagne (brut) which was fresh, typical, and a very delicious accompaniment to my oysters. 

i then had their special of the evening which was a beautiful beef bavette served on a bed of red cabbage and bacon sauce.  the first bit was incredible, an explosion of flavours, i closed my eyes and felts nirvana...  this was pared with a very tasty syrah TOR CARNEROS DURELL '03 specially selected by mr keller.  it was what can one expect of a high qualoity shiraz with an additional complexity of savoury spices (cardamon, white pepper, black pepper).

on the 2nd night, i invited friends to try MARIO BATALI'S B&B RESTAURANTE.  i was excited.  i was looking forward to something that i had booked 1 month piror.  i read HEAT which talks about him so much and i wanted to experience first hand what ''molto mario'' is all about.

my verdict: i will go back to BOUCHON for sure on my next trip to vegas, but will try other restaurants before i return to B&B.

jim asked me why on FACEBOOK (jc viens).  simple, the music was so obnoxious, i could not hear myself talk, let alone taste the food in my mouth.  secondly, the snotty door girl, whatever her title is was so arogant, she made me cringe (in asia we say lose face).  i mean, it is batali who is famous, NOT HER.  then our waiter asked me if i wanted to hear the sommelier's recommendation.  i said yes as i had heard their wine expertise is very good.  well she came to our table without knowing what we were eating and only suggested that we drink the wine from joe bastianich's winery (who is also owner of b&b).  she did not suggest anything else and was so busy generally that in fact seemed that she could not careless about giving us advice on this matter.  either by the look of us, she thought we knew nothing about wine, or this was a crass way too go for more margin. come to think of it, she was perhaps there for show, isn't it what las veags is about?

talking of which.  3 weeks ago at la ciau de tornavento in piedmonted, we had a gaja sori di lorenzo 1990 which we paid in the restaurant euro 420 for it.  i wondered why the 1989 of the same wine was offered usd 1300 in b&b.  really...

mind you, the pasta was very very good.  1000% what i was expecting.  but the rest was ordinary.  i ordered the rabbit which was prepared in 4 different ways (meaning the same rabbit was served in 4 pieces and each piece beingprepared differently)  that, although an interesting culinary experience, was quite an anti-climax because each piece were absolutely not as good as the other one.  a matter of personal taste you will say.  well, yes, but why serve such a dish in that case?  my guest also thought there main were a let down for various reasons and everyone agreed that the pasta and the desserts were the best dishes of the evening.  to wash down this food, we had a LORENZO BEGALI AMARONE 1999 which we paid 3 times the listed price in wine searcher and was actually not very good and felt a little bit acetic on the palate.  what made me cringe here what that prices on the wine that list started at about usd 150 except for those from joe bastianich's winery.

celebrity has a premium you will say?  well, this is indeed a learning experience for me and i will stay away from those overexposed celebrities from now on.  OVER-EXPOSED AND OVERRATED, that is what i think and all my guests including myself felt let down in some ways.  were our expectations too high?  it was ordinary, period. we indeed had a las vegas experience: the house always win...

Published by jc on September 29, 2007

piedmont - food

here, i discovered something very important on this trip:  i have found that i am much more traditionalist and conversative when it comes to food than what seems to be the current trend among foodies.

we used mainly 2 guides to select the places we wanted to eat: ''restoranti d'italia del gambero rosso 2007'' and ''osterie & locande'' from slow food.

i found that the highest ratings from gambero rosso seem to be for those restaurants that have a kind of ''modern'' take on italian cuisine.  a kind of ''nouveau'' style that i am not sure i like but i definitely lean towards not liking it. 

slow food on the other hand definitely have recommendations that are more traditional and the food in those restaurant we visited were certainly more to my leaning.

- l'osteria dell'unione: lunch - super nice location right at the entrance of the village of treiso with a small terrace outside.  as we were 10, we had a set lunch prepared for us and the food was plenty and each dishes more delicious than the others.  the antipasti were fresh, local, and absolutely savoury.  the primis were fresh and tasty and the secondo of rabitt prepared in a peidmont style divine.  they have a very good selection of wine and it is a nice place to linger the whole after-noon. i will definitely return.

 - la ciau del tornavento: dinner - the location is fantastic right in the middle of treiso and if you go there for lunch, i imagine the views of the langhe to be absolutely stunning.  however, for dinner, the atmosphere is somewhat disfunctional and a little bit cold.  the food was modern italian and this is where actually that i had my epiphany of sort.  the wine cellar is probably among the best i have seen however and the selection very difficult for anyone to make only 1 choice.  we received many recommendations about that place and gambero rated it 86 which is among the highest in piedmont.  but for us, the experience was not as good as we had experienced in similarily rated & described restaurant by gambero. i will probably return but not before i have explored other restaurants around langhe.

- l'osteria dell'arco: dinner - you see, for a 77 by gambero rosso, we had a much more pleasant dinner than at la ciau.  this is what makes me think that i am more traditionalist.  the food was tasty and the menu imaginative albeit traditional and simple.  the wine list was also simple, yet the wine we selected was of a very good quality as i imagine the other wines on that list.  one of the first ''slow food'' restaurant, i would definitely go back.

- arsivoli in barbaresco, right next to the enoteca regionale - lunch - this was recommended to us by albino from the cascina barac and to be fank, it must have been the best restaurant of the trip.  we arrived late and there was many people and so, with our group of 10, the service was a bit slow.  but when the food arrived, it was absolutely worth the wait.  it was traditional with a very light modern twist, very savoury and lip smacking.  even the bread and the grissini tasted better than what we had elsewhere.  the decor is modern but without behind devoid of warmth and the staff kindness amply made up what seemed to have been an abnormally busy day for them.  i would definitely go back.

- da cesare - dinner: a very special, albeit a bit strange experience.  first you enter da cesare from the back door of what seems to be private house straight into the chef's kitchen.  as you enter, you are struck by intense aromas coming from what is cooking on the stoves and grilling over the fire.  you do not choose what you will eat at da cesare, they serve you what cesare has decided to cook on that day.  i recomment that you bring your own wine as their wine list is a bit simple.  the whole experience was very special although i did not like everything that we had. some people are all over da cesare as an absolute must to do in langue.  i agree that this is an experience one must absolutely experience and i will difinitely go back but, like la ciau, once i have experienced other places. book in advance as he accepts no more than 20 dinners per night.

my mother and maria with the infamous cesare himself - taken straight into this kitchen!!:

with franco, valeria (cousin), maria, and i:

 

Published by jc on September 12, 2007