We finally got to mom's birthday, and decided to pick another new place to treat mom to dinner - our third straight day of dining out. I had told mom about DN Innovacíon some time ago, and thought this would be a perfect opportunity for her to try out some Spanish cuisine in Taipei. Not surprisingly, we picked up a couple of stragglers just before dinner… Last Minute Uncle and my younger cousin.
Chef Daniel was apparently down with an illness over this long weekend, and the Spanish sous-chef was left in charge. I guess business was kinda slow, so the kitchen didn't seem to have enough ingredients to provide for some added variety that I was looking for. Bummer…
Showing posts with label Cuisine - Spanish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuisine - Spanish. Show all posts
February 27, 2012
September 17, 2011
Daniel N° 4
I was in the mood to drink some wine, and needed to find a suitable venue for dinner. My recent experiences with "Western" food in Taipei have all been misses, so I decided to go back and revisit DN Innovacíon - where my first dining experience a few months ago had been pretty positive. It's not often that I choose to return to a "Western" restaurant these days, but I definitely wanted to try Daniel's food again.
Upon arrival, I told the waitress that I wanted the chef to put something together; that I wanted a taste of Spain and none of the other Italian and whatever dishes; that I didn't want any "molecular" dishes; and that I had no budget in mind so the chef had a free hand.
Upon arrival, I told the waitress that I wanted the chef to put something together; that I wanted a taste of Spain and none of the other Italian and whatever dishes; that I didn't want any "molecular" dishes; and that I had no budget in mind so the chef had a free hand.
May 16, 2011
Toro 2.0
It was 2½ years ago that I went to El Toro for some Spanish food on a friend's recommendation. That was a pretty decent meal, but I never found an opportunity to return. Apparently the chef has moved on and opened a bigger and much fancier restaurant, and I decided to check it out with a friend tonight.
DN innovacíon looks like an upgraded version, both in terms of the space as well as the menu. In addition to more "traditional" items, the chef apparently does a few "molecular" creations. I am a fan of molecular gastronomy, and although I was a little weary of this chef doing something along these lines, I decided to ask the chef to throw in something from the molecular side of things along with the traditional.
DN innovacíon looks like an upgraded version, both in terms of the space as well as the menu. In addition to more "traditional" items, the chef apparently does a few "molecular" creations. I am a fan of molecular gastronomy, and although I was a little weary of this chef doing something along these lines, I decided to ask the chef to throw in something from the molecular side of things along with the traditional.
April 9, 2011
Tapas for date night
While enjoying some tea, sunshine and breeze on a rooftop this afternoon, I received an invitation to join some friends for dinner. I haven't gotten around to trying out Mesa 15, so I was curious and happy to go take a look. After all, it has the reputation associated with a Michelin-starred chef back in Spain.
This place is the polar opposite to its neighbor Tapeo just a couple steps away. At Tapeo, customers sit on bar stools at a long, L-shaped bar counter facing an open kitchen, and are hit with the full force of the smell of food. You come here because you just want to get down to the business of enjoying the food. Mesa 15 is much more chic and upscale, where comfortable seating is available and the kitchen is visible to the customers but sealed behind glass. No fumes. Nice setting for a date or a social dinner.
This place is the polar opposite to its neighbor Tapeo just a couple steps away. At Tapeo, customers sit on bar stools at a long, L-shaped bar counter facing an open kitchen, and are hit with the full force of the smell of food. You come here because you just want to get down to the business of enjoying the food. Mesa 15 is much more chic and upscale, where comfortable seating is available and the kitchen is visible to the customers but sealed behind glass. No fumes. Nice setting for a date or a social dinner.
September 9, 2010
Jamón, Jamón
I love it. Yes I do. Truly. Jamón ibérico is hands down my favorite ham in the world. There's nothing else quite like the ham that comes from the black-hoofed (pata negra) Spanish pigs which feed on acorns (bellota). When I visited my friends Brian and Cow in Tokyo recently, I joked about their daughter's jamons since her thighs were amazingly plump. They understood completely...
So I got an email from Susan, asking me if she could interview me on how I felt about jamón ibérico. She asked: "Do you like it? Do you eat it?..." And here was my one-sentence reply:
"love it love it love it can't get enuf and definitely don't eat enuf"
Out came today's South China Morning Post, and my email reply became the opening line for her article... I'm reposting part of the article here, while the full text is available here (requires subscription).
Spanish jamon is the pork of the town
FOOD
Susan Jung
Sep 09, 2010
I love it, love it, love it; I can't get enough," says Peter Chang. The Diary of a Growing Boy food blogger isn't raving about some illicit substance, but something that's becoming much easier to acquire in Hong Kong - Spanish ham. Not just any Spanish ham, mind you, but jamon Iberico de bellota (acorn), made from pure-bred Iberian pata nega (black-hoofed) pigs that were raised free-range in oak forests.
Before tasting jamon Iberico de bellota, Chang's benchmark for fine ham was prosciutto di Parma. "I still eat it, but it's nowhere near the same," he says. "Parma is softer and pale pink. Jamon Iberico is firmer and chewier because it's dried longer; the colour is darker and prettier, and, as for the taste, it's all about the fat. It's almost liquid, it melts in the mouth and coats the meat. The fat coating makes the meat so much better."
All that fat would seem like a cardiologist's nightmare. But Oliver Win, managing director for Olivier Pacific, which supplies jamon to Estudio Iberico, a jamon and tapas bar in Great Food Hall, says it is healthy fat. "With this type of jamon, there's [fat] marbling in the muscle. The Iberian breed of pigs, fed on a diet of acorns, means a high amount of oleic acid. It's about 67 per cent similar to olive oil."
...
Win's company sells about 14,000 legs of jamon a year to restaurants, hotels and private clubs, with sales divided almost equally between jamon from Cinco Jotas, a company that's been in business since 1879, and the far less-expensive jamon Serrano.
"Spain is the centre of gastronomy and it revolves around jamon," Win proclaims. "I love the whole idea of the purity of the Iberian breed - the diet, range and the oleic acid. It's a speciality animal from Spain - Iberian pigs are black pigs and you can tell Iberian jamon from the marbling. The leg is elongated and narrow; Serrano is rounder and shorter. Only a small percentage of pure Iberico jamon is available, with some, it's a crossbreed, and they aren't all fed solely on acorns. Only a few producers have enough money to manage the selection process."
...
"The Pata Negra House concept is that we buy jamons made in limited quantity the old-fashioned way," says Saint-Raymond. "We buy jamon from different areas of Spain, from different suppliers. We have a wide range of Iberico ham - 10 to 12 types.
"Jamon is not as famous as French jambon," the Frenchman adds. "But it has a specific taste that's not found in other types of ham. The Iberico breed is only grown in Spain and Portugal. The pigs are raised in the forest and eat acorns and grass. The acorns give the fat oleic acid, which gives the jamon a long-lasting flavour."
Not all jamon is created equal. "Basic Spanish jamon is jamon Serrano, made from Duroc, a special breed of white pig, and it's aged for 20-plus months," says Saint-Raymond. "It's still good quality pork but it doesn't have a special acorn diet. The jamon from the white pig has a plainer flavour, it's not as long lasting on the palate and the fat isn't as healthy.
"Some Spanish ham can be aged for more than 50 months. We have two legs that are 50-plus months. It's of limited quantity. You have to start with a bigger pig. With drying and time, the weight is reduced so if it's starting off small, it will be too dry. With ageing, it becomes more intense, with more flavour. It's like wine - more flavours develop."
However, Win feels that too much emphasis is placed on ageing.
"I'm fed up with everyone talking about age," Win says. "At Cinco Jotas, they stop ageing it when it's right. In Spain, they don't talk about ageing; the important thing is the feed. It makes sense that the bigger the leg, the longer it's aged. A Duroc pig is fed on formula and can weigh more than 200kg; Iberico, fed only on acorns, weighs about 180kg."
...
Although it would seem to make economic sense for producers to increase the number of pure-bred Iberian pigs and let them range freely to feed on acorns, they can't, says Saint-Raymond. "There's not enough land. For top-quality Iberico, there's a limit by law - each pig must have one hectare of forest. And the area of forest isn't growing."
Win says one reason the sliced jamon is so expensive is that there's only a 40 per cent yield on each leg. But the remainder isn't wasted. "The bone is used for soup, the fat is used to fry omelettes and scraps are used for croquetas and scrambled eggs."
Richard Ekkebus, culinary director at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Central, used to serve jamon in traditional thin slices at the hotel's outlets such as Amber and the Mo Bar. But it's so popular he prefers to serve it in other ways.
...
"We still love the product but we use it in a less obvious way - like a salty element in the dish. We grate it with a microblade, and love to use the bone as the Chinese would with Yunnan ham in soups, where it adds flavour but it's not obvious. We sometimes sweat vegetables with it, and the trimmings - not the skin, because it's bitter, but the dried parts - we'll infuse them into sauces.
...
Ekkebus' favourite jamon is the Joselito brand, available at the Bon Bon Bon shop in Central.
Chang doesn't have a favourite - although he'd jump at the chance to sample a few more.
"When I was in Spain four years ago, I went to Jamonisimo in Barcelona and bought three of the top-end jamons, the ones based on the source. I also bought regular jamon Iberico without a premium rating. Unfortunately, I didn't taste them side by side, so I couldn't tell you which one I like best. But I'd definitely like to taste more."
______________________________
I still remember my visit to Jamonísimo. The place is literally a temple of worship for jamón lovers. I didn't even hesitate before buying 300g each of the 3 "reserves" - Salamanca, Andalucia and Extremadura. I would have bought more, except that they needed to be sliced by hand and it simply took too long and too much effort. Each pack of 100g consisted of about 20 slices of 5g each, all sliced by hand with a long and thin blade. The lady kinda got a little tired in the middle of slicing, and when the owner walked in he decided to take off his jacket and relieve his staff. I knew I was in good hands.
My friends and I actually contemplated buying a whole leg, but realized we would have to buy a jamonera... The combination would be a little too much in itself, not to mention that we were heading to El Bulli and didn't want the hassle. I did take home an additional 1kg block of "regular" jamón ibérico, which helped satisfy my cravings for a while.
I drink Sherry with my jamón, and switch between drier versions (González Byass Del Duque, an amontillado muy viejo) and the sweeter styles (González Byass Metusalem, an oloroso dulce muy viejo). I'm sure I could just as easily pair the jamón with something simpler like Tio Pepe, but... I am who I am.
 |
| Courtesy of Brian |
So I got an email from Susan, asking me if she could interview me on how I felt about jamón ibérico. She asked: "Do you like it? Do you eat it?..." And here was my one-sentence reply:
"love it love it love it can't get enuf and definitely don't eat enuf"
Out came today's South China Morning Post, and my email reply became the opening line for her article... I'm reposting part of the article here, while the full text is available here (requires subscription).
Spanish jamon is the pork of the town
FOOD
Susan Jung
Sep 09, 2010
I love it, love it, love it; I can't get enough," says Peter Chang. The Diary of a Growing Boy food blogger isn't raving about some illicit substance, but something that's becoming much easier to acquire in Hong Kong - Spanish ham. Not just any Spanish ham, mind you, but jamon Iberico de bellota (acorn), made from pure-bred Iberian pata nega (black-hoofed) pigs that were raised free-range in oak forests.
Before tasting jamon Iberico de bellota, Chang's benchmark for fine ham was prosciutto di Parma. "I still eat it, but it's nowhere near the same," he says. "Parma is softer and pale pink. Jamon Iberico is firmer and chewier because it's dried longer; the colour is darker and prettier, and, as for the taste, it's all about the fat. It's almost liquid, it melts in the mouth and coats the meat. The fat coating makes the meat so much better."
All that fat would seem like a cardiologist's nightmare. But Oliver Win, managing director for Olivier Pacific, which supplies jamon to Estudio Iberico, a jamon and tapas bar in Great Food Hall, says it is healthy fat. "With this type of jamon, there's [fat] marbling in the muscle. The Iberian breed of pigs, fed on a diet of acorns, means a high amount of oleic acid. It's about 67 per cent similar to olive oil."
...
Win's company sells about 14,000 legs of jamon a year to restaurants, hotels and private clubs, with sales divided almost equally between jamon from Cinco Jotas, a company that's been in business since 1879, and the far less-expensive jamon Serrano.
"Spain is the centre of gastronomy and it revolves around jamon," Win proclaims. "I love the whole idea of the purity of the Iberian breed - the diet, range and the oleic acid. It's a speciality animal from Spain - Iberian pigs are black pigs and you can tell Iberian jamon from the marbling. The leg is elongated and narrow; Serrano is rounder and shorter. Only a small percentage of pure Iberico jamon is available, with some, it's a crossbreed, and they aren't all fed solely on acorns. Only a few producers have enough money to manage the selection process."
...
"The Pata Negra House concept is that we buy jamons made in limited quantity the old-fashioned way," says Saint-Raymond. "We buy jamon from different areas of Spain, from different suppliers. We have a wide range of Iberico ham - 10 to 12 types.
"Jamon is not as famous as French jambon," the Frenchman adds. "But it has a specific taste that's not found in other types of ham. The Iberico breed is only grown in Spain and Portugal. The pigs are raised in the forest and eat acorns and grass. The acorns give the fat oleic acid, which gives the jamon a long-lasting flavour."
Not all jamon is created equal. "Basic Spanish jamon is jamon Serrano, made from Duroc, a special breed of white pig, and it's aged for 20-plus months," says Saint-Raymond. "It's still good quality pork but it doesn't have a special acorn diet. The jamon from the white pig has a plainer flavour, it's not as long lasting on the palate and the fat isn't as healthy.
"Some Spanish ham can be aged for more than 50 months. We have two legs that are 50-plus months. It's of limited quantity. You have to start with a bigger pig. With drying and time, the weight is reduced so if it's starting off small, it will be too dry. With ageing, it becomes more intense, with more flavour. It's like wine - more flavours develop."
However, Win feels that too much emphasis is placed on ageing.
"I'm fed up with everyone talking about age," Win says. "At Cinco Jotas, they stop ageing it when it's right. In Spain, they don't talk about ageing; the important thing is the feed. It makes sense that the bigger the leg, the longer it's aged. A Duroc pig is fed on formula and can weigh more than 200kg; Iberico, fed only on acorns, weighs about 180kg."
...
Although it would seem to make economic sense for producers to increase the number of pure-bred Iberian pigs and let them range freely to feed on acorns, they can't, says Saint-Raymond. "There's not enough land. For top-quality Iberico, there's a limit by law - each pig must have one hectare of forest. And the area of forest isn't growing."
Win says one reason the sliced jamon is so expensive is that there's only a 40 per cent yield on each leg. But the remainder isn't wasted. "The bone is used for soup, the fat is used to fry omelettes and scraps are used for croquetas and scrambled eggs."
Richard Ekkebus, culinary director at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Central, used to serve jamon in traditional thin slices at the hotel's outlets such as Amber and the Mo Bar. But it's so popular he prefers to serve it in other ways.
...
"We still love the product but we use it in a less obvious way - like a salty element in the dish. We grate it with a microblade, and love to use the bone as the Chinese would with Yunnan ham in soups, where it adds flavour but it's not obvious. We sometimes sweat vegetables with it, and the trimmings - not the skin, because it's bitter, but the dried parts - we'll infuse them into sauces.
...
Ekkebus' favourite jamon is the Joselito brand, available at the Bon Bon Bon shop in Central.
Chang doesn't have a favourite - although he'd jump at the chance to sample a few more.
"When I was in Spain four years ago, I went to Jamonisimo in Barcelona and bought three of the top-end jamons, the ones based on the source. I also bought regular jamon Iberico without a premium rating. Unfortunately, I didn't taste them side by side, so I couldn't tell you which one I like best. But I'd definitely like to taste more."
______________________________
 |
| From Spain |
I still remember my visit to Jamonísimo. The place is literally a temple of worship for jamón lovers. I didn't even hesitate before buying 300g each of the 3 "reserves" - Salamanca, Andalucia and Extremadura. I would have bought more, except that they needed to be sliced by hand and it simply took too long and too much effort. Each pack of 100g consisted of about 20 slices of 5g each, all sliced by hand with a long and thin blade. The lady kinda got a little tired in the middle of slicing, and when the owner walked in he decided to take off his jacket and relieve his staff. I knew I was in good hands.
My friends and I actually contemplated buying a whole leg, but realized we would have to buy a jamonera... The combination would be a little too much in itself, not to mention that we were heading to El Bulli and didn't want the hassle. I did take home an additional 1kg block of "regular" jamón ibérico, which helped satisfy my cravings for a while.
I drink Sherry with my jamón, and switch between drier versions (González Byass Del Duque, an amontillado muy viejo) and the sweeter styles (González Byass Metusalem, an oloroso dulce muy viejo). I'm sure I could just as easily pair the jamón with something simpler like Tio Pepe, but... I am who I am.
April 4, 2010
Tapas delight
I went back to Tapeo tonight for some tapas. It's been too long since I was last here, and I decided to pay the affable Piero another visit with my favorite cousin.
I took a glass of 2008 Altozano white, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo. Nose of peach and tropical fruits, with a little oak and some white flowers. There was almost a hint of fizziness. The wine was a little ripe on the palate with medium acidity.
Gambas pil pil - simple yet delicious, fried in olive oil with plenty of garlic and red chili peppers.
Ham croquetas - very creamy and gooey inside, with little chunks of ham inside. A tad on the salty side, but otherwise pretty decent.
Sardines a la plancha - the minute these were put on the grill I could smell nothing but the fat of the fish being cooked. Always wonderful, served with some red chili peppers and romesco sauce on the side.
I took a red as my second glass, choosing to go with 2006 Altozano red. This was a blend of Temperanillo and Shiraz, which produced a very interesting nose. Mint, pine needle, fragrant and floral notes. Lots of plum and very ripe fruits, almost raisin-like.
Iberian morcilla and duck egg - I love morcilla and any kind of blood sausage. Chunks of this were fried with onions and topped with a single duck egg. Flavors were pretty heavy here, especially after the chunks of fat inside the sausage were heated. Actually tasted better with some bread. My favorite dish of the evening.
Crispy pork belly with quince alioli - I saw chunks of this being cut down to size when I first sat down, so of course I wasn't gonna pass this up. Pretty decent, especially the crispy crackling. But the portion did shrink from 3 pieces to 2 over the last year...
We were pretty full, so I went for the churros. I loooooooove churros, and wish that I could have these for breakfast. Dipped, double-dipped and triple-dipped in the chocolate sauce. Slurp...
I'm glad I came back tonight. Since this place is so close to the office, I think I should stop by more often!
I took a glass of 2008 Altozano white, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo. Nose of peach and tropical fruits, with a little oak and some white flowers. There was almost a hint of fizziness. The wine was a little ripe on the palate with medium acidity.
I took a red as my second glass, choosing to go with 2006 Altozano red. This was a blend of Temperanillo and Shiraz, which produced a very interesting nose. Mint, pine needle, fragrant and floral notes. Lots of plum and very ripe fruits, almost raisin-like.
I'm glad I came back tonight. Since this place is so close to the office, I think I should stop by more often!
March 20, 2010
The dessert of Can Roca
A bunch of foodies gathered at the Mandarin Grill tonight for a dinner featuring the cuisine of El Celler de Can Roca, the Michelin three-star restaurant in Girona, Spain. Jordi Roca was here and presided over a very special menu, and I also took the wine pairing.
We were fortunate to have extra special service tonight, thanks to Antoine and Pierre. This would probably be the last time I see Pierre at the Mandarin, and I'm a little sad. But then again, hopefully I'll end up seeing him a little more now that he's no longer tied to a job as the sommelier...
Ostra al cava (cava sólid agusti torelló i mata) - this is an interesting interpretation of cava... it's oysters with oyster leaf (which tastes just like an oyster), candied citrus rind with the taste of preserved orange rind (陳皮), cava caviar (molecular), and a bit of a particular cava that was made in conjunction with Can Roca that is especially viscous - thanks to the addition of gelatin. Very nice.
2004 Augusti Torelló Cava Kripta Gran Reserva - very refreshing, with notes of pear. Became more acidic and the toasty oak more prominent with the oysters. A little ripe on the palate.
Parmentier de calamar - with squid caparccio, potato mash with paprika made from pimentón de la vera, and foam from the broth that the squid was cooked in. Very nice. The baby squids were a little bland, and was much better with a pinch of sea salt.
2007 Pazo de Señoráns Albariño - I really like Albariño from Rias Baixas...it's always so exotic! The first whiff produced nose of ripe cheese like Manchego, giving way to minerals, ripe and oxidized pear, sugar cane and tropical fruits. Acidic and alcoholic on the palate.
Lenguado Mediterráneo - this was pretty special... filet of sole with 5 different sauces, representing 5 different shades of the Mediterranean sun. Dill: not bad; Bergamot: a little tart unless you chew on the flower; Orange: my favorite of the 5, with sweet caramel; Pine nut: nice and toasty, with the full flavors of the nutty oil; Olive: very much the green olive flavor. At the end we also mixed the 5 sauces together, which was not bad.
2008 Torres Fransola - made from old Sauvignon Blanc vines, this was my favorite white of the evening. Nose was really tropical fruit, with telltale muscat, minerals as well as floral notes. You can definitely smell the toasty oak barrels.
Cochinillo ibérico - Spanish piglets which weigh only around 4kg... slow cooked for more than 12 hours. Nice layer of full-flavored fat underneath a layer of skin that was paper-thin. The meat wasn't as flavorful, but I thought the skin and the fat kinda made up for it. The shallots were soooo nice...
2003 Alion - wow! I was so surprised by this second wine from Vega Sicilia... Nose was really open and beautiful, with lots of sweet fruit and a bit of forest. It's from a very hot and ripe vintage, but it was so well-balanced that I didn't really feel the alcohol.
Adaptación del perfume; Terre de Hermes - this was a chocolate dessert made with patchouli ice cream. But in reality I did not detect any trace of the mossy, musky fragrance of the plant. Instead I picked up the clear orange flavor (like Grand Marnier) which is another component of the perfume. The crumbs around the dessert was meant to represent flavors of the earth, of which there was a little bit... But I think the chocolate was just a little overpowering.
1969 Mas Amiel Maury - nice to be able to drink a sweet wine from this vintage. It is clearly an oxidized wine, with nose of caramel, raisins, roasted coffee beans in addition to the sharp alcohol.
Postre láctico : leche de oveja ripollesa - Wow! This dessert got everybody excited. Jordi created this dessert after being inspired by his baby nephew, who always smelled of milk. It consists of 4 different forms of sheep's milk: caramelized milk, mousse, ice cream and yogurt. The whole thing was covered in cotton candy, and paired with guava sauce. The first bite produced clear flavors of sheep's milk, but it wasn't overpowering. Everyone's favorite dessert of the evening.
Emilio Lustau Moscatel Reserve - very nice... Notes of forest, pine needle, mint, walnuts and a little bit of smoke. I kept refilling my glass at the end of the meal...
This was certainly a very good meal. I am really happy that the Mandarin managed to get Jordi here, and I definitely want to go visit these guys in Girona on my next trip to Spain!
We were fortunate to have extra special service tonight, thanks to Antoine and Pierre. This would probably be the last time I see Pierre at the Mandarin, and I'm a little sad. But then again, hopefully I'll end up seeing him a little more now that he's no longer tied to a job as the sommelier...
2004 Augusti Torelló Cava Kripta Gran Reserva - very refreshing, with notes of pear. Became more acidic and the toasty oak more prominent with the oysters. A little ripe on the palate.
2007 Pazo de Señoráns Albariño - I really like Albariño from Rias Baixas...it's always so exotic! The first whiff produced nose of ripe cheese like Manchego, giving way to minerals, ripe and oxidized pear, sugar cane and tropical fruits. Acidic and alcoholic on the palate.
2008 Torres Fransola - made from old Sauvignon Blanc vines, this was my favorite white of the evening. Nose was really tropical fruit, with telltale muscat, minerals as well as floral notes. You can definitely smell the toasty oak barrels.
2003 Alion - wow! I was so surprised by this second wine from Vega Sicilia... Nose was really open and beautiful, with lots of sweet fruit and a bit of forest. It's from a very hot and ripe vintage, but it was so well-balanced that I didn't really feel the alcohol.
1969 Mas Amiel Maury - nice to be able to drink a sweet wine from this vintage. It is clearly an oxidized wine, with nose of caramel, raisins, roasted coffee beans in addition to the sharp alcohol.
Emilio Lustau Moscatel Reserve - very nice... Notes of forest, pine needle, mint, walnuts and a little bit of smoke. I kept refilling my glass at the end of the meal...
This was certainly a very good meal. I am really happy that the Mandarin managed to get Jordi here, and I definitely want to go visit these guys in Girona on my next trip to Spain!
May 29, 2009
A Spanish evening
It's Friday and I'm drawing a blank on where to go for dinner. I told my friends that I would come up with some ideas, but by early afternoon I still had nothing. I discussed with my friend and we decided to continue with the Spanish theme of our last couple of meals. Tapeo was full, I was told. I called up Uno Mas, which had just been reviewed by the South China Morning Post. Of course they were full, too...on the Friday after the review came out.
As a last resort, I called Olé. Yes, they could accomodate us right away. And what did I say to that? Olé! of course... We were seated at a small table by the door, which turned out to be the only table free for the evening. Lucky us!
We started with a 2007 white from Marqués de Cáceres. Made from Viura, the wine was a bit minerally, oaky, and smelled even a little of cheese mold.
Of course we would order a string of tapas, and the first one that showed up was boquerones en vinagre. The anchovies were marinated in vinegar and topped with lots of yummy garlic. Not bad.
Croquetas de bacalao has always been one of my favorites. Always soft and creamy inside and nice and crispy outside.
The salpicón de mariscos was excellent. Clams, calamari and shrimps were chopped up and mixed up red and green peppers, onions and drizzled in olive oil. Fresh and wonderful.
The highlight of the evening was surely the gambas al ajillo. The bowl came with shrimps buried in hot, bubbling olive oil. The shrimps were fresh and delicious. The oil was something else entirely. The olive oil was infused with the flavors of shrimps, garlic and chilli peppers, making it pure nectar in my world. I kept scooping up spoonfuls of this oil so I could soak it up with bread. I would have happily given up eating the rest of the dishes just to finish drinking the oil...
Pimientos rellenos de bacalao is another favorite of mine. Once you cut open the pepper, all the melted cheese and bacalao comes out and mixes with the garlic and pepper sauce. Yummy yummy.
We pop open the 1998 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Combe-du-Dessus, and it was beautiful as always. Minty nose with grilled meats, smoke, bacon and other smoked meats, chocolate, a bit of forest and sweet fruit.
A plate of jamón de bellota "JJJJJ" was delicious. The restaurant had just broken out a new leg, and it was fresh and moist. You can always count of these guys for good jamon.
The conchinillo asad a la Segoviana was awesome. This was just about the best suckling pig I could find outside of a Chinese restaurant. The meat was incredibly moist, falling off the bones as I poked it with my knife and fork. The crispy skin and the layer of fat underneath were heavenly. I was happy.
The manager offered us an after-meal drink, and I chose the Pedro Ximenez. Wonderfully sweet and grapey. A perfect ending to a perfect meal.
We walked over to Tapeo for our second round. These guys were still fully loaded close to 11pm on a Friday night, and we congratulated Piero on their success.
We ordered some churros for dessert, and I greedily scooped up the yummy chocolate sauce and coated the churros. At this moment, nothing beats the combination of fried dough, sugar and hot chocolate sauce...except the addition of a glass of Nectar Pedro Ximenez!
Finally satiated, I bid my friends goodnight and headed home to dream land...
As a last resort, I called Olé. Yes, they could accomodate us right away. And what did I say to that? Olé! of course... We were seated at a small table by the door, which turned out to be the only table free for the evening. Lucky us!
We started with a 2007 white from Marqués de Cáceres. Made from Viura, the wine was a bit minerally, oaky, and smelled even a little of cheese mold.
Of course we would order a string of tapas, and the first one that showed up was boquerones en vinagre. The anchovies were marinated in vinegar and topped with lots of yummy garlic. Not bad.
Croquetas de bacalao has always been one of my favorites. Always soft and creamy inside and nice and crispy outside.
The salpicón de mariscos was excellent. Clams, calamari and shrimps were chopped up and mixed up red and green peppers, onions and drizzled in olive oil. Fresh and wonderful.
The highlight of the evening was surely the gambas al ajillo. The bowl came with shrimps buried in hot, bubbling olive oil. The shrimps were fresh and delicious. The oil was something else entirely. The olive oil was infused with the flavors of shrimps, garlic and chilli peppers, making it pure nectar in my world. I kept scooping up spoonfuls of this oil so I could soak it up with bread. I would have happily given up eating the rest of the dishes just to finish drinking the oil...
Pimientos rellenos de bacalao is another favorite of mine. Once you cut open the pepper, all the melted cheese and bacalao comes out and mixes with the garlic and pepper sauce. Yummy yummy.
We pop open the 1998 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Combe-du-Dessus, and it was beautiful as always. Minty nose with grilled meats, smoke, bacon and other smoked meats, chocolate, a bit of forest and sweet fruit.
A plate of jamón de bellota "JJJJJ" was delicious. The restaurant had just broken out a new leg, and it was fresh and moist. You can always count of these guys for good jamon.
The conchinillo asad a la Segoviana was awesome. This was just about the best suckling pig I could find outside of a Chinese restaurant. The meat was incredibly moist, falling off the bones as I poked it with my knife and fork. The crispy skin and the layer of fat underneath were heavenly. I was happy.
The manager offered us an after-meal drink, and I chose the Pedro Ximenez. Wonderfully sweet and grapey. A perfect ending to a perfect meal.
We walked over to Tapeo for our second round. These guys were still fully loaded close to 11pm on a Friday night, and we congratulated Piero on their success.
We ordered some churros for dessert, and I greedily scooped up the yummy chocolate sauce and coated the churros. At this moment, nothing beats the combination of fried dough, sugar and hot chocolate sauce...except the addition of a glass of Nectar Pedro Ximenez!
Finally satiated, I bid my friends goodnight and headed home to dream land...
March 31, 2009
Crianzas and Sherries
Tonight I met up with an old friend for some simple food and a few glasses of wine. We wanted something casual so I thought we'd visit Tapeo, a tapas bar that I've read about recently. There are a few places around town which brand themselves as serving tapas, but Tapeo seems to be the only true tapas "bar". There are no tables and customers sit on bar stools in front of the long, L-shaped counter.
We started with a 20g plate of Jamon from Jabugo and a glass of González Byass Alfonso Oloroso Seco. Interestingly there is an arbitrage in the pricing. It's actually cheaper to order two 10g portions than to order a 20g plate. Anyway the jamon was only OK, as they were down to the last bits of the leg and it wasn't as juicy as it could have been. The sherry was refreshing and nice, striking a good balance between dry and sweet (hence the oloroso seco I guess).
We followed with sardines a la plancha, which were actually much bigger than I expected! Nicely pan-fried with a roast pepper sauce to go along. I tried to take in as much of the fish head as possible...
The pulpo a a gallega was very nice. I'm usually not a big fan of octopus but the pieces were soft and tender, with just a bit of chewiness. Could do without the capers but that's a personal preference. I used the bread to soak up the paprika-flavored olive oil. Yum...
With the meat dishes we ordered a glass of 2005 Bodegas Navajas Crianza - can't remember exactly which of the three but probably Navajas. Pretty decent.
I had read about the crispy pork belly with quince alioli on the internet, and wasn't gonna pass it up for sure! It was nicely roasted - no doubt a lot of the fat has already dripped away during the process. The crackling was a bit tough the way I like it - similar to Cantonese roast pork (燒肉) - but not unmanageable.
I must say that I thought the duck breast and Pedro Ximenez to be a bit ho-hum. It's not exactly a "traditional" tapas item and it was a bit overcooked for my taste, but I'm very French when it comes to poultry - I like 'em pink.
We still have some room, so we order up some lomo de Córdoba. I've always loved lomo, as the slight spiciness of it makes my mouth water. It's cheaper than jamon, but easier to chew on than chorizo. Yum...
For desserts I had my second glass of Sherry, this time the González Byass Solera 1847 Oloroso Dulce. This is definitely a sticky and good for desserts. Very nutty and grapey.
For some reason churros and hot chocolate has shown up on the menu as a dessert. This is a breakfast item and one that I enjoyed immensely on my trip to Spain. But I guess I'm not likely to have it at breakfast here in Hong Kong, so I should be happy and just take it. Actually it's not enough to dip the churro into the hot chocolate...it' better to scoop the chocolate out with a spoon and drizzle it all over... My friend was watching his diet so I ened up having most of it. Heh heh heh...
We also had the crema Catalana and the raisin and Sherry flan, as a couple of other friends stopped in to say hello at the end. Both were pretty decent.
I think it was a pretty good meal overall. It's a very casual atmostphere, sitting on bar stools and hanging your jackets on the wall hooks behind you. The open kitchen means you get to smell everything as they're being cooked - which can be a little distracting - but also fun. Piero the manager (he's Italian) was pretty friendly so that also helped to improve my dining experience. Let's see how well they do.
I think it was a pretty good meal overall. It's a very casual atmostphere, sitting on bar stools and hanging your jackets on the wall hooks behind you. The open kitchen means you get to smell everything as they're being cooked - which can be a little distracting - but also fun. Piero the manager (he's Italian) was pretty friendly so that also helped to improve my dining experience. Let's see how well they do.
December 27, 2008
The bull
No, we are not talking about El Bulli. Far from it. I did, however, nibble on some flavors of Spain at El Toro with some friends. One of the friends in attendance has sampled the food on an earlier occasion, and thought it was reasonably good.
We started with some tapas. At first I was very distressed to find the conspicuous absence of bacalao from the menu. Spanish cuisine without bacalao? My opinion of the place immediately goes down a notch...
We start with some jamon iberico, which is not bad at all. At least, it's better than the stuff that I had at Forchetta. The ham is soft and moist as it should be, with enough fat to make it tasty.
As a substitute for the classic bacalao croquette, I ordered Hokkaido scallops croquettes. The exterior looked a little too brown, but the dish was delicious nonetheless. The creamy interior had some Hokkaido scallops in the center.
The stuffed squid with confitated onion and black rice was pretty tasty. The rice was not al dente, but I didn't mind it being a little soggy. Kinda reminds me of a similar dish I had at Yin Yang in Hong Kong.
The creamy lobster and saffron rice was not bad at all. Very tasty, and much better than your standard paella. This was a very popular dish.
What came next sounded really interesting when I read it on the menu, but we all agreed that it didn't really work. Crab meat with herbs bread and white warm chocolate. Hmmm...pretty bad translation from the Chinese name... Anyway, a very ho-hum dish.
The New York cut beef with French mustard was pretty good. Nicely charred on the outside while pink and moist on the inside. I didn't take any of the mustard, choosing instead to sprinkle sea salt. One of us is off red meat at the moment, so she had to watch us devour the juicy meat, while we try in vain to convince her that the beef wasn't any good...
The stewed rabbit leg "chasseur" style was pretty delish, but more interesting because it's rare to find such a dish in Taiwan. I'm glad we decided to order it.
Finally we have the suckling-pig leg low temperature roasted, which would be the perfect last dish for any Spanish meal. Here, too, the pig was delicious. I'll take fatty, tender young meat and crispy roasted skin any day!
We ordered all four of the desserts on the menu, and I taste two of them. I thought the chocolate warm piramid with lime was delicious - like little chocolate-flavored pyramids of madeleines.
I brought a bottle of 2003 E and E Black Pepper Shiraz, which I joked about being a cheap wine since I bought it from Costco. It wasn't a "wow" wine, at least not now, but it was pleasant and easy to drink.
The chef came out to chat with us, in particular because I had asked about bacalao and cod earlier. He tells me that the Taiwanese palate doesn't take to it well, and that the ingredient simply costs too much for the locals. He did promise to procure the materials if I gave him enough notice next time...
We started with some tapas. At first I was very distressed to find the conspicuous absence of bacalao from the menu. Spanish cuisine without bacalao? My opinion of the place immediately goes down a notch...
I brought a bottle of 2003 E and E Black Pepper Shiraz, which I joked about being a cheap wine since I bought it from Costco. It wasn't a "wow" wine, at least not now, but it was pleasant and easy to drink.
The chef came out to chat with us, in particular because I had asked about bacalao and cod earlier. He tells me that the Taiwanese palate doesn't take to it well, and that the ingredient simply costs too much for the locals. He did promise to procure the materials if I gave him enough notice next time...
December 10, 2008
Olé, olé...Olé, olé...
Tonight I caught up with a friend and unwound over a bottle of wine and some simple food. We were struggling with the choice of venue, when I suddenly thought of Olé. The idea of tapas and wine seemed exactly what my friend had in mind.
I brought a bottle of 2001 BOND Matriarch, a wine that is big enough to go with heavy food. As expected the wine was massively concentrated, with nose of vanilla and caramel on top of red fruits. The wine is still very young, and the tannins are still very much in-your-face. This would need another couple of years before reaching maturity.
We started with 4 tapas, beginning with - what else - jamón de bellota "JJJJJ". Both of us absolutely love jamón, and this was a perfect way to start the evening. The Jabugo jamón was pretty decent - not as juicy and fatty as I would have liked, but I was thankful that it wasn't dry.
Pimientos rellenos de bacalao was pretty good. Our waitress served each of us with one pepper, then scooped lots of the garlic and pepper sauce onto our plates so that we can soak it up with bread. The bits of bacalao in the pepper were yummy.
Croquetas de bacalao were delicious - done exactly the way I wanted them. Soft and creamy potato and bacalao filling enclosed inside a thin layer of crispy batter. I could have had 5 of these myself...
Finally, one of my favorites which unfortunately was not to my friend's liking: morcilla de Burgos y sobrasada Mallorquina. I have always loved morcilla, the Spanish blood sausage with lots of spices. Here it is served on top of a slice of bread, as one would see in a tapas bar. Very yummy.
The two of us shared a plate of costillas de cerdo al Mojopicón. The roasted pork ribs were pretty yummy, and the garlic sauce was absolutely delish! To top it all off, the string fries on the side - about the size of spaghetti - were heavenly. Yes, I could have eaten a whole plate of these fries...
We shared an order of cheese, and finally I took in the crema Catalan by myself... The waitress came and poured Cointreau on top of the custard, then proceeded to light it. After the blue flames died down, I started digging in. The hard sugar coating on top now tastes of oranges thanks to the Cointreau. What a way to end the evening!
We were satisfied without being stuffed, and look forward to our next meal together in the new year.
I brought a bottle of 2001 BOND Matriarch, a wine that is big enough to go with heavy food. As expected the wine was massively concentrated, with nose of vanilla and caramel on top of red fruits. The wine is still very young, and the tannins are still very much in-your-face. This would need another couple of years before reaching maturity.
We started with 4 tapas, beginning with - what else - jamón de bellota "JJJJJ". Both of us absolutely love jamón, and this was a perfect way to start the evening. The Jabugo jamón was pretty decent - not as juicy and fatty as I would have liked, but I was thankful that it wasn't dry.
Pimientos rellenos de bacalao was pretty good. Our waitress served each of us with one pepper, then scooped lots of the garlic and pepper sauce onto our plates so that we can soak it up with bread. The bits of bacalao in the pepper were yummy.
Croquetas de bacalao were delicious - done exactly the way I wanted them. Soft and creamy potato and bacalao filling enclosed inside a thin layer of crispy batter. I could have had 5 of these myself...
Finally, one of my favorites which unfortunately was not to my friend's liking: morcilla de Burgos y sobrasada Mallorquina. I have always loved morcilla, the Spanish blood sausage with lots of spices. Here it is served on top of a slice of bread, as one would see in a tapas bar. Very yummy.
The two of us shared a plate of costillas de cerdo al Mojopicón. The roasted pork ribs were pretty yummy, and the garlic sauce was absolutely delish! To top it all off, the string fries on the side - about the size of spaghetti - were heavenly. Yes, I could have eaten a whole plate of these fries...
We shared an order of cheese, and finally I took in the crema Catalan by myself... The waitress came and poured Cointreau on top of the custard, then proceeded to light it. After the blue flames died down, I started digging in. The hard sugar coating on top now tastes of oranges thanks to the Cointreau. What a way to end the evening!
We were satisfied without being stuffed, and look forward to our next meal together in the new year.
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