Shanghai surprise

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A bunch of local foodies gathered tonight at a Shanghainese private kitchen. We had never been to Gong Guan (公舘), but it looked interesting enough. I don't usually go to Chinese private kitchens, but it's fun to do it once in a while with a group of people.

First we popped open a bottle of white. The 2005 Bannockburn Chardonnay was not bad at all. Nose of lemon citrus, honey and butter. A little ripe on the palate with a "hot" and long, spicy finish. Quite a big wine on the palate.

We began with a series of cold starters, as is traditional for a Shanghainese meal. These were all rolled out at the same time, making our task of tasting them a bit tougher.

Jellyfish with zucchini in sesame seed oil - the jellyfish came in thick cuts, making it slightly chewier than normal. The combination with strips of zucchini was interesting, as it's not a traditional ingredient in Shanghainese cuisine.

Eggplant with pork floss (豬香茄子) - this is another interesting combination. The sauce was sweet and there were sesame seeds sprinkled on top. Pretty decent.

Cucumber in sesame paste (麻醬黃瓜) - at first glance this was nothing but some strips of cucumber that came with some regular sesame paste. But there's actually some honey mustard mixed in with the sesame paste, giving it an extra dimension and a slight kick.

Cold tofu (涼拌豆腐) - this is the traditional block of tofu that is drenche in soy sauce and topped with bonito shavings and spring onions. Pretty ho-hum.

Stir-fried gluten with mushrooms (烤麩) - the classic Shanghainese starter, but the taste of star anise is a bit more prominent here.

Before we had a chance to go through all the starters, the staff put a bowl of soup in front of us. This was tofu and fish maw soup, with egg drop and spring onions as garnish. Everything was diced up and the fish maw (花膠) makes for an interesting texture.

As there were still lots of food on the table, we asked that the kitchen slow down a bit so we could have enough time to properly enjoy our food. This was met with the unfortunate response in the negative. As this was Sunday night, the chef wanted to finish cooking all the dishes so that s/he could go home! So the lesson is...don't come on a Sunday, and start your dinner earlier!

I brought my last bottle of 2005 Guigal La Doriane. I wanted to give this wine one last try, but it still wasn't what I wanted out of a Condrieu. Color was golden and indicated advanced age, but the wine is less than 4 years old. Nose of straw, paraffin, a bit burnt and clearly oxidized. A little spicy and ripe on the palate, but surprisingly not sweet and a little metallic. Waaaay too ripe for a Viognier. What happened to the crispy freshness, and beautiful floral notes I was supposed to get out of this wine?

The traditional ham in honey (蜜汁火腿) came with a twist. Instead of the ham being soaked in a puddle of honey-based sauce, it was the deep-fried tofu skin that had a coating of osmanthus honey. Not bad.

The steamed fresh abalone sat on top of a block of radish, with a generous sprinkling of dried scallops. The usual chewy texture applies for the abalone, but the crunchy dried scallops made it even more interesting. And I really liked the pairing with radish...the flavor was light.

Sweet and sour chicken with Chinese crullers was absolutely divine, and my favorite dish of the evening. We were thinking that the chicken was local and free range, and it was drenched in this wonderful sweet and sour sauce made from Chinkiang vinegar (鎮江醋). This is the vinegar that I grew up on, and it is so fragrant. Totally awesome!

The deep-fried yellow croaker was pretty disappointing. The fish was sliced and diced into little cubes and then deep-fried. It came with lots of deep-fried chillies, garlic and some water bamboo (茭白筍). The only flavors really came from the garnish, and they actually had the gall to put a plate of sauce on the side that was based on fish sauce...

The 2003 Kirwan was a surprise. Nose of lovely tangerine on top of classic smoky and brett notes. The wine is still young but the tannins are already very silky on the tongue.

The braised fatty layered pork came with preserved plums and Chinese hawthorn (山楂). This was really soft and melts in your mouth. Lovely combination of sweetness and the acidity from the plum and hawthorn. Very nice.

Stir-fried mung bean flat noodles (粉皮) was really good, and came with mushrooms, dried shrimps, ham, bamboo shoots and sesame. Love the soy sauce flavoring and the texture.

Stir-fried Chinese cabbage with wolfberries and bamboo tips was a nice way to finish. Very refreshing and palate-cleansing.

The dessert was glutinous rice balls with fermented rice and coix seed. The soup was flavored with ginger sauce and the traditional osmanthus sauce. Kinda different.

This was a really enjoyable dinner. Other than the yellow croaker, most of the dishes were very, very good with a few clear winners. I look forward to coming back with another group of friends...

Acker Hong Kong IV: pricing gets silly

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I stopped by the Acker auction today for a few hours, and sat through about half the lots. Contrary to the last couple of auctions, I decided not to show up until after lunch, and also didn't stay till the end. Quite a few friends had decided not to show up this time, so I didn't have much of an incentive to hang around.

In view of the results from recent auctions at other houses, it appears that bargains were no longer to be had. The hammer prices before buyer's premium were already more than what one can get from reputable merchants in London. So I went to the auction more to observe the action and to keep my finger on the pulse of the market.

The room was noticeably emptier than previous auctions. I did arrive towards the end of lunch so that may be one reason, but the reserved tables were not full and the back was virtually empty.

The action was slow. John was running behind schedule as usual, as he tried to work the room to ensure that the lots received every bid out there. The addition of internet bidding made a lot of difference, as many lots were pushed up by bidders not in the room, and there were plenty of times when an internet bid came up "on the hammer" and bidding continued. 

Prices went the way many of us expected, with very few bargains to be found. By my estimate most lots sold for above the low estimate, with many changing hands near or above the high estimate. Irrational bidding - spurred on by ego - has returned to the room. When wines not considered ultra-rare and desirable sell for double of the low estimate (or more), it makes you wonder.

There were no superlots this time. The highest-priced lot was 6-bottles of 1985 Richebourg from Henri Jayer, who is being described in the Chinese press as the "wine god of Burgundy". No doubt the Japanese comic Les Gouttes de Dieu (神の雫) had a big hand in this...

I didn't stay till the end of the auction, as it was taking way too long to finish more than 1,100 lots and I had other commitments. Having failed in several attempts to bid on small lots of good Burgundies, I had to be content with one small lot from a birth year vintage that I bought just above the high estimate... I guess I didn't want to walk away empty-handed...

A Spanish evening

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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...

Some good ol' classic French

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It's the season to try out restaurants I haven't been to, and tonight I went to Green Mouse. It's an odd name for a restaurant, and I'm not quite sure of the origins. Well...the decor is a bit green and the chef has a squeaky voice...

We sat down and chatted while the waiter brought us the menu. I used the singular form because, for the three of us, we were initially given just one menu. This soon became two, but I was still puzzled by their refusal to give each one of us a menu, when there's clearly a whole stack of them by the door!

We were presented with a pork and mushroom terrine as the amuse bouche.

I decided to pass on the seafood specials as well as the foie gras that the chef is famous for, and instead start with venison tartare. I've always liked venison, but was a little hesitant because I wondered how this gamey meat would taste in its raw form. The venison came in cubes like the salmon and tuna tartare commonly seen, instead of beaten like steak tartare. Thankfully the taste wasn't too heavy after the chef mixed in some spices.

I saw duck confit on the menu and immediately went for it. The leg that came before me surprised me a bit. There was a lot of fat here, and while the skin was still crispy and yummy, it wasn't as "dry" and crunchy as I had pictured in my mind. But hey, that meant the meat was moist so it's a good thing. I also liked the numerous condiments on the side - especially the caramelized shallots and truffled scallop potatoes.

I again went for something classic when it came to dessert - tarte tatin. As this wasn't a big restaurant with a dessert cart, they produced an individual portion instead of giving me a slice of a larger tarte. The apple came in chunky cubes instead of really thin slices, so overall the tarte was wet and became a bit soggy. I would have much preferred the thin and crispy type, but I understand the difficulty of doing that at a place like this.

I brought a bottle of 2001 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock. This was a little disappointing. Nose was metallic with iron rust, mint, a bit of caramel and some red fruits. Finish was pretty short.

I think overall my meal was a pretty satisfying experience. The impact of having Green Mouse right across the street from Chez Patrick was pretty evident, as the former remained open with customers while the latter was dark and closed by the time we left at 10pm. I'll be sure to return and try out the foie gras offerings another day...

Say cheese...

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I'm back at Caprice tonight for a cheese fest. I had promised a group of friends that I would introduce them to the awesome cheese cellar kept by Jeremy, the restaurant's maître d'. And so it was that on this Friday night, we convened in the private room located behind the kitchen to forget about our troubles for a few hours...

Once again the table has been beautifully decked out, with milk bottles, steel milk cans, antique butter churner and even a cow bell! Some of the candles on the table were placed inside hollow halves of Mimolette. This only added to the excitement and anticipation.

We would have two flights of four cheeses, similar to last time, but would not have a main course in between. From the experience at my last cheese dinner, just the cheese and bread would be enough sustenance. The size of the cheese is deceptive as they are very, very rich...

First flight:

Brillat-Savarin - this triple-cream Brie with 45% fat is a little acidic on its own, but still very delicious. Jeremy decided to spread a bit of the cream of Saint Félicien on top, using the light saltiness to neutralize the acidity. A little nutty in flavor and the finish becomes sweet with the blanc de blancs Champagne.

NV De Sousa Brut Réserve - the blanc de blancs has lots of smooth little bubbles, a slightly yeasty nose and surprisingly low acidity despite being 100% Chardonnay.

Picodon - from the Rhône valley. Jeremy dunked the wheels of this goat cheese in olive oil for three days with thyme and juniper berries. The taste of the olive oil is absolutely yummy, and the cheese is only slightly salty.

2003 L'Esprit de Chevalier Blanc - ripe nose of minerals, a bit nutty, citrus, chalky and gravel. The ripeness of the vintage shows through, especially in the alcohol...

Munster - we were presented with a bowl of boiled grenaille potatoes, and the cheese is placed on top to let it melt. Cumin seeds have been sprinkled on top of the cheese. The saltiness of the cheese made the new potatoes taste especially sweet.

2005 Albert Mann Pinot Gris Hengst - very fragrant nose of sweet grass, apricot, minerals and gravel. Ripe and sweet on the palate. Very classic pairing with the cheese.

Tomme de Brebis Corse Bio - this time the organic cheese was paired with black cherry jam. Reasonably mild tonight with a hint of mold. We were given a sniff of the cheese rind, which smelled strongly of ammonia as it isn't washed during the aging process.

Harvey's Bristol Cream - nutty and creamy as one would expect.

Second flight:

Anneau du Vic-Bihl - this goat cheese from the Pyrénées is very runny, with nutty flavors and high acidity.

2007 Pierre-Bise Savennières Roche aux Moines - now in its third vintage, the wine showed nose of sweet grass, a little citrus, orange rind and minerals.

Gruyère Suisse Etivaz 2007 - Although it has its own AOC, Etivaz is essentially Gruyère made the way it was in the old days. Our wheel was made 2 years ago, and had really strong grassy and farmy flavors with a nutty after taste. This was really, really yummy.

2006 André Perret Condrieu Chéry - nose of lychee, orange, apricot, osmanthus...incredibly floral. Ripe with a slightly bitter finish.

Petit Fiancé - like Munster, it's washed with goat's milk during affinage. This is sooo rich...and a bit salty. The rind is pretty bitter. Production is very small and it's from the Pyrénées.

2004 Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance - made from younger vines, this wine was a perfect partner for the cheese, with a bit of sweet grass on the nose.

Bleu de Termignon - made in the small commune of Termignon in the départment of Savoie in the Rhône-Alpes region, the production is extremely small with only 4 producers and less than 60 cows. This blue cheese is not made with the penicillium mold as is done with other blues. This cheese was really strong, really rich and really salty...smells of walnut and stinky sweat. As someone remarked this cheese really "blew my head off."

2006 Lunzer Golser Strohwein Vin de Paille Cabernet Sauvignon - this is the second time that Jeremy has served me this wine with cheese. This is really liquid strawberry jam with some orange marmalade, figs and straw. The combination turned out to be really amazing! Sipping the wine with a bit of the blue in the mouth, I swirled the wine around the cheese on my tongue, waiting as the two gradually blended together. The strong, salty taste of the blue really highlighted the strawberry flavors of the wine. It was really, really awesome and definitely eclipsed the Mimolette/Hoegaarden combination from last time.

By now I was stuffed with all the wonderful cheese and lots of delicious bread, but I wasn't gonna pass up dessert and neither were my friends. While they enjoyed the wild strawberry millefeuille, I decided to try out the salted caramel opéra, arabica coffee, dried fruits biscotti and cappuccino ice cream. This was really wonderful and all my favorite elements just worked so well together. And I even managed to put away one of those yummy yuzu macarons...

A wonderful evening made possible thanks to Jeremy's passion for cheese...