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Got together with a bunch of WSET students for dinner and wine tasting. Venue was Babylon, a new restaurant on Gough Street. Honestly the food was nothing to write home about.
While I realize the food was cheap, I was expecting somewhat better spring chicken than what I got. The starter of Boston crab claw salad was also only so-so. Happy to have pumpkin pie for dessert, as it is Halloween after all.
We had 11 people with 11 bottles of wine, which was more than plenty. We were blind tasting, and with this crowd anything goes.
2000 Nyetimber Cuvee Classic - an interesting sparkling wine made from all three Champagne varietals in West Sussex, England. Toasty oak, yeast and minerals on the nose, while slightly acidic on the palate.
Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blanc NV - a very vibrant wine, crisp but not too acidic - a tad sweet even. Unfortunately the finish was a bit short.
1975 Pichon Lalande - classic Bordeaux nose, with plum and some red fruits left. Very smooth to drink but a bit flat on the palate.
2007 Novy Family Blanc de Noir - a very interesting wine made by the people at Siduri, from Pinot Noir grapes. Lots of tropical fruits like banana and pina colada, with nutty almonds, floral and sweet nose. Really enjoyable and my white wine of the evening.
2004 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc - a classic white from Graves, with very heavy, toasty oak and lots of minerals. It's surprisingly ripe on the palate with good acidity balance.
2000 Siduri Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard - really big and powerful sweet nose, a classic Californian Pinot, with a hint of orange rind.
2004 Pauillac - interesting and surprisingly good for the 3rd wine of Chateau Latour. A bit plummy, smoky and sweet, ripe fruit. Not sweet on the palate, however.
2001 Mustuguillo Quincha Corral - a Spanish wine made from Bobal, this was my red wine of the evening. Explosive sweet nose, very jammy with lots of power and oomph! A bit high on the alcohol and could use a bit more aging.
2001 Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No.1 - very sweet nose with a hint of stewed prunes, grilled meats, smoke and coffee. The nose was a bit sharp but the wine fell a bit flat on the palate.
2004 Camille Giroud Corton Les Chaumes - a typical Burgundy with sweet fruit and black cherries. A bit more alcoholic than I expected.
1988 Hugel Gewurztraminer Selection de Grains Nobles - very floral nose with acetone, orange, pink grapefruit notes. Sweet on the palate but finish was a bit bitter. I'm glad I finally had a chance to open this bottle.
Needless to say, this was another evening of drunkeness...
October 31, 2008
October 30, 2008
Harlan on top
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We had another MNSC gathering tonight, held at Tuscany by H. I haven't dined here since Harlan Goldstein became the chef here after some shuffling among the group of restaurants that bear his name, but I'm happy to report that the concensus among MNSC members is that the man is back!
It was a pretty awesome meal. We started with a plate of antipasto, with a huge chunk of very soft and yummy buffalo mozzarella on top of a slice of tomato, some sweet Italian sausage, and parma ham with melon. Everything was simple yet delicious.
Next up was a bowl of pasta with wild boar ragout. This was simply awesome as I love wild boar ragout. Harlan also added little chunks of pancetta to give it added texture, which was a very nice touch. I think most of us inhaled or wolfed down the pasta in no time.
We also really enjoyed the ocean trout with hazelnut crust and caramalized onions. It's easy to mistake the trout for salmon due to the appearance and the texture. The trout today was oh-so-tender and melts in your mouth.
I was very, very full by this point, and so could not finish the lamb chops I asked for. The meat was soft, tender and juicy - done perfectly. The black truffle mash was amazing - for a guy who doesn't eat mashed potatos, I found myself scooping it up again and again because I couldn't resist the perfume of the black truffles. My only gripe (if I am allowed one) is that the lamb wasn't smelly enough... I love the distinctive flavor of the lamb fat, and this was the "sanitized" version which appeals to a wider audience. I guess I have to go back to areas populated by Muslims to get the yummy lamb I want...
I finished with a bowl of pistachio and latte gelato. The gelato was light and airy, and worked well with some fruit topping. A perfect way to end the meal.
Now onto the wines served blind by our host:
2003 Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne - very smoky and lots of toasty oak, tons of minerals and petrol over ripe fruit. Initially the wine tasted flat on the palate, but the sweetness came out later and this grew into a wonderful wine. The toasty oak is still a bit heavy given the young age of the wine, but I am sure this would be a beautiful wine in another 10 years.
1999 Shafer Hillside Select - lots of concentration here with sweet fruit and a classic Californian nose. Tannins very firm. My style of wine but a little too young. 96 pts.
1999 Dalla Valle Maya - nose was initially a little funky and stewed, with orange marmalade and a bit of smoke, somewhat rustic. Tannins were firm, but there was also a lot of sediment floating in the wine. 94 pts.
1998 Ornellaia - smoky nose with good amount of sweet grass and also grilled meats. 95 pts.
1998 Solaia - minty with a bit of smoke. Silky tannins. 94 pts.
1990 Angelus - very smoky with brett, a bit of sweet fruit and coffee in the nose. A delicious wine and a classic Bordeaux. 96 pts.
1990 Palmer - classic brett and smoky nose of a Bordeaux, with a bit of sweetness and orange, coffee grounds and sous bois. 96 pts.
We finally ended the evening almost 4 hours after we began, and I was once again both stuffed and inebriated. Looking forward to another 3 tastings in December!
We had another MNSC gathering tonight, held at Tuscany by H. I haven't dined here since Harlan Goldstein became the chef here after some shuffling among the group of restaurants that bear his name, but I'm happy to report that the concensus among MNSC members is that the man is back!
It was a pretty awesome meal. We started with a plate of antipasto, with a huge chunk of very soft and yummy buffalo mozzarella on top of a slice of tomato, some sweet Italian sausage, and parma ham with melon. Everything was simple yet delicious.
Next up was a bowl of pasta with wild boar ragout. This was simply awesome as I love wild boar ragout. Harlan also added little chunks of pancetta to give it added texture, which was a very nice touch. I think most of us inhaled or wolfed down the pasta in no time.
We also really enjoyed the ocean trout with hazelnut crust and caramalized onions. It's easy to mistake the trout for salmon due to the appearance and the texture. The trout today was oh-so-tender and melts in your mouth.
I was very, very full by this point, and so could not finish the lamb chops I asked for. The meat was soft, tender and juicy - done perfectly. The black truffle mash was amazing - for a guy who doesn't eat mashed potatos, I found myself scooping it up again and again because I couldn't resist the perfume of the black truffles. My only gripe (if I am allowed one) is that the lamb wasn't smelly enough... I love the distinctive flavor of the lamb fat, and this was the "sanitized" version which appeals to a wider audience. I guess I have to go back to areas populated by Muslims to get the yummy lamb I want...
I finished with a bowl of pistachio and latte gelato. The gelato was light and airy, and worked well with some fruit topping. A perfect way to end the meal.
Now onto the wines served blind by our host:
2003 Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne - very smoky and lots of toasty oak, tons of minerals and petrol over ripe fruit. Initially the wine tasted flat on the palate, but the sweetness came out later and this grew into a wonderful wine. The toasty oak is still a bit heavy given the young age of the wine, but I am sure this would be a beautiful wine in another 10 years.
1999 Shafer Hillside Select - lots of concentration here with sweet fruit and a classic Californian nose. Tannins very firm. My style of wine but a little too young. 96 pts.
1999 Dalla Valle Maya - nose was initially a little funky and stewed, with orange marmalade and a bit of smoke, somewhat rustic. Tannins were firm, but there was also a lot of sediment floating in the wine. 94 pts.
1998 Ornellaia - smoky nose with good amount of sweet grass and also grilled meats. 95 pts.
1998 Solaia - minty with a bit of smoke. Silky tannins. 94 pts.
1990 Angelus - very smoky with brett, a bit of sweet fruit and coffee in the nose. A delicious wine and a classic Bordeaux. 96 pts.
1990 Palmer - classic brett and smoky nose of a Bordeaux, with a bit of sweetness and orange, coffee grounds and sous bois. 96 pts.
We finally ended the evening almost 4 hours after we began, and I was once again both stuffed and inebriated. Looking forward to another 3 tastings in December!
October 29, 2008
A nice little Portuguese/Macanese joint
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Tonight I met with with a couple of wine lovers, and we had some very interesting wines over a very simple dinner. The venue was Nino's Cozinha, a new Portuguese/Macanese place in Wanchai. We had an al fresco table, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The food was simple yet simply awesome.
Bacalau frito com batatas fritas - bacalhau in potato croquette. Very awesome. The thin outer layer is really crispy and fragrant, while the inside is mushy and - amazingly - light.
Chouriço assadas - really tender and juicy, with just a bit of spice. Goes very well with the spicy Zinfandel.
Camarao assado na panela com alho e cebola - the shrimps have had the shell removed, and sit in a wonderful sauce made of garlic and olive oil. You can smell that garlic from a mile away.
Bacalhao a bras - this is one of my favorite dishes, and they do a pretty good job here. Strips of bacalhao fried with red bell peppers, onions and eggs. I could come and just eat multiple portions of this!
Rabo de boi guisado - the surprise of the evening. The oxtail is not stewed with red or port wine, so the taste is very light. Lots of carrots, tomatos, celery and herbs. Actually this paired better with white wine compared to the heavy reds we brought.
Frango assado com piri piri - kudos to the chef for cooking spicy chicken the way I had it in Lisbon. This is not the Macanese African chicken drenched with lots of sauce, but the real deal with some piri piri sauce kinda sitting at the bottom of the dish. You scoop the sauce onto the chicken only if you think you can handle it, coz it sure is hot! The tiny Sichuan pepper is ground into powder here, and soon the tip of your tongue goes numb...
Camarao com pimenta no forno - the shrimp with pepper in claypot was a good way to finish the evening. The claypot came about 4/5 full of white peppercorns, and the shrimps were buried underneath. The shrimps were fresh and sweet. As for the peppercorns, I can tell you that the fragrance was amazing. When the waiter first lifts up the lid for the claypot, the fragrance hits you immediately. I am immediately reminded of the Singaporean bak kut teh (肉骨茶) that I had at Ya Hwa (亞華) last month, because that also had a heavy dose of white pepper. At the end of the evening, I found myself playing with individual peppercorns, holding one between my fingers and just sniffing it, enjoying the perfume.
But let us not forget the real reason for getting together - wine! John brought 2 bottles while I contributed one, and three bottles was definitely more than enough for the 3 of us, especially given the high alcohol levels of all three!
2001 Marcel Deiss Mambourg - this is a very interesting wine as it is a blend of all Pinot varietals: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Pinot Beurot and Pinot Meunier. At 13.5% alcohol it tasted spicy and ripe on the palate, and was a bit fizzy on the tongue with a long finish. The nose was initially very muted, belying the complexity of the wine, but showed minerals and a hint of sweetness coming from ripe pears. A very tasty wine, and I'd love to get my hands on some of this.
2000 Turley Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard - the star of the evening, and at 16.7% alcohol packs quite a big punch. The wine was very sweet on the palate, but a bit spicy on the tip of my tongue. Nose was classic Turley sweet red fruits, but with some marmalade and a hint of acetone.
2002 Pax Syrah Alder Springs 'the Terraces' - I double-decanted the wine at home because of my last experience with Pax wines. These wines need lots of time to breathe. Unfortunately the result was that at dinner, the nose of the wine was initially muted without a lot of fruit. There may have even been a hint of TCA. But the nose did eventually come out about 3 1/2 hours after opening, with iron, cotton candy, marmalade and red fruits. The tannins were firm and chewy, and the wine was spicy on the palate. A bit disappointing, but maybe it's just bottle variation. 15.2% alcohol.
I was pretty drunk by the end of the evening, and very satisfied with the cuisine as well as the casual atmosphere. I am definitely going back for some yummy Portuguese, and soon!
Tonight I met with with a couple of wine lovers, and we had some very interesting wines over a very simple dinner. The venue was Nino's Cozinha, a new Portuguese/Macanese place in Wanchai. We had an al fresco table, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The food was simple yet simply awesome.
Bacalau frito com batatas fritas - bacalhau in potato croquette. Very awesome. The thin outer layer is really crispy and fragrant, while the inside is mushy and - amazingly - light.
Chouriço assadas - really tender and juicy, with just a bit of spice. Goes very well with the spicy Zinfandel.
Camarao assado na panela com alho e cebola - the shrimps have had the shell removed, and sit in a wonderful sauce made of garlic and olive oil. You can smell that garlic from a mile away.
Bacalhao a bras - this is one of my favorite dishes, and they do a pretty good job here. Strips of bacalhao fried with red bell peppers, onions and eggs. I could come and just eat multiple portions of this!Rabo de boi guisado - the surprise of the evening. The oxtail is not stewed with red or port wine, so the taste is very light. Lots of carrots, tomatos, celery and herbs. Actually this paired better with white wine compared to the heavy reds we brought.
Frango assado com piri piri - kudos to the chef for cooking spicy chicken the way I had it in Lisbon. This is not the Macanese African chicken drenched with lots of sauce, but the real deal with some piri piri sauce kinda sitting at the bottom of the dish. You scoop the sauce onto the chicken only if you think you can handle it, coz it sure is hot! The tiny Sichuan pepper is ground into powder here, and soon the tip of your tongue goes numb...
Camarao com pimenta no forno - the shrimp with pepper in claypot was a good way to finish the evening. The claypot came about 4/5 full of white peppercorns, and the shrimps were buried underneath. The shrimps were fresh and sweet. As for the peppercorns, I can tell you that the fragrance was amazing. When the waiter first lifts up the lid for the claypot, the fragrance hits you immediately. I am immediately reminded of the Singaporean bak kut teh (肉骨茶) that I had at Ya Hwa (亞華) last month, because that also had a heavy dose of white pepper. At the end of the evening, I found myself playing with individual peppercorns, holding one between my fingers and just sniffing it, enjoying the perfume.But let us not forget the real reason for getting together - wine! John brought 2 bottles while I contributed one, and three bottles was definitely more than enough for the 3 of us, especially given the high alcohol levels of all three!
2001 Marcel Deiss Mambourg - this is a very interesting wine as it is a blend of all Pinot varietals: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Pinot Beurot and Pinot Meunier. At 13.5% alcohol it tasted spicy and ripe on the palate, and was a bit fizzy on the tongue with a long finish. The nose was initially very muted, belying the complexity of the wine, but showed minerals and a hint of sweetness coming from ripe pears. A very tasty wine, and I'd love to get my hands on some of this.
2000 Turley Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard - the star of the evening, and at 16.7% alcohol packs quite a big punch. The wine was very sweet on the palate, but a bit spicy on the tip of my tongue. Nose was classic Turley sweet red fruits, but with some marmalade and a hint of acetone.
2002 Pax Syrah Alder Springs 'the Terraces' - I double-decanted the wine at home because of my last experience with Pax wines. These wines need lots of time to breathe. Unfortunately the result was that at dinner, the nose of the wine was initially muted without a lot of fruit. There may have even been a hint of TCA. But the nose did eventually come out about 3 1/2 hours after opening, with iron, cotton candy, marmalade and red fruits. The tannins were firm and chewy, and the wine was spicy on the palate. A bit disappointing, but maybe it's just bottle variation. 15.2% alcohol.
I was pretty drunk by the end of the evening, and very satisfied with the cuisine as well as the casual atmosphere. I am definitely going back for some yummy Portuguese, and soon!
October 28, 2008
The $100 (plus) lunch
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Another day, another decadant lunch while the world around us falls apart. I met up with a few ex-colleagues - our Lunch Club - and once again ended up at Cipriani.
Today's mission was simple. It's white truffle season, and I'm there to enjoy the white truffle risotto parmingiano that I had last Thursday. There was no need to order anything else to distract me.
The risotto was exceptional. A perfect plate laid out before me, on top of which the waiter proceeded to deposit shavings of white truffle. The risotto was wet and sloppy, while the arborio rice grains were al dente. Of course the perfume of the white truffle made my day, although I really thought that there wasn't enough of it. At HKD 750 a plate - with supposedly 5g of truffles - one can understand my desire to get as much of the white gold as possible.
No meal at Cipriani is complete without some fabulous cake. Instead of my usual vanilla cream cake, I chose the zabaglione cake that I haven't had for some time. It was wonderful, with the distinctive taste of egg yolk and Marsala wine from the zabaglione. The bottom of the cake is made from flaky pastry like a mille-feuille, which made it all the better for me.
Another satisfying lunch at my favorite Italian restaurant. I'm looking to go back while the truffles are still in season.
Another day, another decadant lunch while the world around us falls apart. I met up with a few ex-colleagues - our Lunch Club - and once again ended up at Cipriani.
Today's mission was simple. It's white truffle season, and I'm there to enjoy the white truffle risotto parmingiano that I had last Thursday. There was no need to order anything else to distract me.
The risotto was exceptional. A perfect plate laid out before me, on top of which the waiter proceeded to deposit shavings of white truffle. The risotto was wet and sloppy, while the arborio rice grains were al dente. Of course the perfume of the white truffle made my day, although I really thought that there wasn't enough of it. At HKD 750 a plate - with supposedly 5g of truffles - one can understand my desire to get as much of the white gold as possible.
No meal at Cipriani is complete without some fabulous cake. Instead of my usual vanilla cream cake, I chose the zabaglione cake that I haven't had for some time. It was wonderful, with the distinctive taste of egg yolk and Marsala wine from the zabaglione. The bottom of the cake is made from flaky pastry like a mille-feuille, which made it all the better for me.
Another satisfying lunch at my favorite Italian restaurant. I'm looking to go back while the truffles are still in season.
October 27, 2008
Burgers and wine
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Today I finally did something that I have wanted to do for a while: bring a nice bottle of red wine to wash down a burger. My partner at work was kind enough to contribute the wine, and the team went to Cafe Causette at the Mandarin Oriental for lunch.
The wine - a bottle of 1990 Gruaud Larose - was dropped off at the Mandarin and decanted about 2 hours prior to lunch. While there was a hint of TCA (commonly known as cork-taint) in the nose, the wine drank beautifully. It had the classic St Julien nose, with sweet grass, a bit of green peppers, red fruits and a bit of smoked meats. Surprisingly, the tannins were still pretty firm, while the acidity was a tad high for my palate. It's been some years since I last drank this wine, and I think it remains a beautiful wine.
We started with a nice little green salad before the main event. As for the hamburger, I thought it was very well done. The bun was very tasty, not too hard and not too flabby. The beef patty was juicy, but could use a tad more flavoring. It was, however, slightly charred to perfection on the outside, which imparted enough flavors to make it interesting. My mushroom and egg toppings were delicious. I think everyone enjoyed their burgers.
We had the F and B manager of the hotel at our table, and this was his first experience with his own burger! I think we will be repeating this experience from time to time in the future...
Today I finally did something that I have wanted to do for a while: bring a nice bottle of red wine to wash down a burger. My partner at work was kind enough to contribute the wine, and the team went to Cafe Causette at the Mandarin Oriental for lunch.
The wine - a bottle of 1990 Gruaud Larose - was dropped off at the Mandarin and decanted about 2 hours prior to lunch. While there was a hint of TCA (commonly known as cork-taint) in the nose, the wine drank beautifully. It had the classic St Julien nose, with sweet grass, a bit of green peppers, red fruits and a bit of smoked meats. Surprisingly, the tannins were still pretty firm, while the acidity was a tad high for my palate. It's been some years since I last drank this wine, and I think it remains a beautiful wine.
We started with a nice little green salad before the main event. As for the hamburger, I thought it was very well done. The bun was very tasty, not too hard and not too flabby. The beef patty was juicy, but could use a tad more flavoring. It was, however, slightly charred to perfection on the outside, which imparted enough flavors to make it interesting. My mushroom and egg toppings were delicious. I think everyone enjoyed their burgers.
We had the F and B manager of the hotel at our table, and this was his first experience with his own burger! I think we will be repeating this experience from time to time in the future...
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