A Short Musing on Cipriani

I have been craving for some decent Italian food for a while, and decided on lunch at Cipriani. It has been eons since I last visited this establishment, so it would almost seem like a first visit this time.

Lunch turned out to be "Tagliolini Day", as my friend and I both picked pasta as main dishes. Mine was a pesto and shrimp version from the set lunch menu, while my lunch mate took the à la carte tagliolni with crabmeat and zucchini flowers.

I thought my pasta tasted generally authentic, and I quite liked the heavier-than-expected, almost creamy pesto sauce. The shrimps tasted strangely Chinese though, crunchy like the Cantonese speciality "glass shrimp". A set lunch compromise perhaps? My friend's tagliolini was spot on taste-wise, and the crabmeat was fresh and chunky. However, given the high price tag I thought one really deserved a bigger portion.

Service was impeccable, as was expected from a restaurant of this calibre; but I wished the air conditioning was not freezing cold, and my single espresso did not come in a regular coffee cup. Nevertheless, I look forward to my next visit.

Cipriani
12/F Old Bank of China Bulidng, Central, Hong Kong.

My Alternative Take on Nino's Cozinha

Many raving reviews have been written online about the delicious and authentic food at Nino's Cozinha, a family-style Macanese / Portuguese restaurant in Wanchai. I have been a regular since they opened, and got to know the owners quite well. So I suppose my compulsion to take a different view and rant about Nino's here is justified.

Rant #1: What is wrong with the manageress at Nino's Cozinha and why is she still here? She lacks basic courtesy but is ignorant of it, has no phone etiquette, carries a rude disposition, and wants to charge me HK$700 (!) per head for Portugese food by emphasizing the need for me to cover for revenue loss by booking out the whole place. Yes I know that, but this is such a crass
way to talk to a large customer.

Good food coupled with a customer-unfriendly manageress (especially one who doesn't know it!) is not a recipe for long-term success.

Rant #2: food quality at Nino's might have gone south somewhat. I treated my best friend to a belated birthday dinner. While I could not remember all the items we ordered as the dinner was some time ago, one impression that lasted was how salty everything was, including my favourite beef short ribs and fried egg. What happened? I could tell the quality of the ingredients were the same, and I have always embraced the occasional shoddy and slow service as part of the deal with a small, inexperienced family restaurant; but such consistent over-seasoning was unexpectedly unpleasant.

Final gasp: adding more salt to injury, my tennis elbow arm was left hanging in the air for more than 5 seconds with my "credit card + bill sandwich"; the manageress decided to zone out after handing me the damage. Hello? It was a busy night at the restaurant and it was "ka-ching" time! What would I have done if Dear Joe of Nino's hadn't rescued her from the trance? That was the tipping point for me, too flabbergasted to feel anything more about this woman.

I wish Nino's well as it ponders expansion, but for now I think I have to give it a rest.

Nino's Cozinha
Ship Street, Wanchai
T: 2866 1868 (Book well in advance for dinner, and I hope you don't get to talk to the manageress)

Amused by Some "Amazing" Chirashi Sushi

I have had some misgivings about the Japanese joint "Ito-san", the next incarnation of my ex-favourite hidden gem, Sodeyama. As the only decent Japanese place in Quarry Bay, Ito-san ripped me off at dinner once; and lunch quality has gone south recently as prices increased and portions decreased. Despite this, I did not mind going there again for lunch, as the opportunity to meet up with my friend IM, who worked in the area, was more important.

As I scanned through the menu with famished eyes (I had been hungry since 12pm, and it was 1pm already), something like "bikkuri bara chirashi sushi, AMAZING sushi rice" caught my eye. Given my pretext about Ito-san, I asked the waiter just how amazing this chirashi sushi was then, not without a hint of sarcasm. Kudos to him, he proceeded to recite to me, methodically and in a deadpan tone, the usual ingredients of the dish.

Deciding between whether to laugh or to get pissed by the waiter's tone / attitude, a fellow patron at the next table chimed in and said the chirashi was indeed quite amazing: the dish it came in was extra large, but the portion was decidedly not as large. Well, if you put it that way, I had to give it a try for myself then.

I am a fan of chirashi sushi, since the day I actually made some myself in a high school class. My favourite version is the one from San San Trois, despite the fact that the portion they serve has also shrank somewhat over the years. I waited with anticipation to see how Ito-san's version would stack up.

The portion came and looked disproportionately small in the huge plate, but actually the restaurant did provide a decent mix of sake, maguro, hamachi, saba, ikura, cucumber (I requested no ebi and tako) etc. The dish was rather quaintly arranged for a lunch set and there was even a garnish of gold flakes on top. The flavour of the sushi rice was not excessively sweet, therefore to my liking. Another feature I liked was the balance between the amount of rice versus fish. I think many Japanese restaurants tend to spoil lunch sets by overstuffing with rice - I like to be full after a meal, but not in a "Cafe de Coral lunch box" way.

To my slight surprise then, I enjoyed the lunch very much. However,
despite Ito-san's comparatively delicate offering, at over HK$200 this lunch set was more expensive than Causeway Bay equivalents and almost on par with establishments in Central - not easy to justify given the service, ambience and Quarry Bay locale. San San Trois charged maybe $50 more, but the service and surrounding were in a different class.

Notwithstanding the fact that IM kindly treated me for the meal, I would go back to Ito-san for lunch; but I would go back more often if prices were more sensible. Maybe someone should enter the market to break this quasi-monopoly.

Ito-san
G/F Dah Chong Hong Commerical Centre, Quarry Bay
T: 2803 1803

普天同慶 "溏心風暴"

There are three facts to string together here:

• My cousin and his family are in town again from San Francisco for Christmas;
• Mom is old-school and is the kind of person obliged to return favours, say, if someone treats the family to a big meal; and
• A pot of dried abalone has been stewing in the electric slow cooker for 3 days.

It actually took me three days to realize that mom was making abalone for my cousin, who loves the stuff. The key question for me was, would I be able to get my hands on some of the lion's share? Thankfully, I was home in the afternoon and gladly took up the role as official taster of the abalone sauce as mom started reducing the jus in a saucepan.

Mom got it right this time. My verdict was that the sauce was totally delicious. It was sticky thick (from the chicken feet in the slow cooker) but not overbearing, and full of the intense flavour of good Chinese ham. We got to kept half of the "loot" and gave the rest to my cousin. Some delighful midnight snacking ensued, and the extra abalone sauce (in easily meltable jello form from the fridge) made rice at dinner taste a whole lot better suddenly. =)

Childhood Snack: Mom's 蟹粉 + Instant Noodles

Excuse the potentially snobby but true headline. What I really wanted to say to start off with, is that eating healthily is a difficult notion, and a somewhat depressing one also. In the summer, I yearn for yummy ice-cream; in winter time, fatty hotpots reign. One would think Autumn is a tame season but hairy crabs (大閘蟹) always creep in to ruin the health run for me.

I think my mom's homemade 蟹粉 (cooked crab meat) is special because of 3 things: mom always uses large, fresh 大閘蟹 so the 蟹粉 is always chunky and never fishy, she has good technique when extracting the meat so there are minimal shell fragments, plus she possesses the correct Shanghainese "taste" when cooking it. I almost despise the paltry, puny and overpriced varieties at restaurants as they simply cannot compare in my biased opinion. Actually, come to think of it there are many picky tongues within the family and friends circle who can attest to her 蟹粉 being indisputably #1.

We can eat 蟹粉 in lots of ways: solo from the fridge (midnight snack), on toast (hors d'oeuvres snack), stir fried with bean curd (dinner dish); but my favourite combo has to be with instant noodles, sans soup (Mom likes it avec soup). It has to partner only with 公仔麵 (replaced by 出前一丁 from Nissin now). Anything else like egg noodles, spaghetti etc. just misses the plot. You see, when mixing 蟹粉 with the piping hot 公仔麵, its ability to soak up the oil and flavour means you end up with a rich and satisfying concoction. I think this is a simple but decadent lunch, or a super after-school snack.

So with a bit of nostalgia, I had exactly this for lunch. Yummy.

P.S.: the westernized foodie in me tried to make 蟹粉 risotto myself many years ago. It was good, but you know what, it was not 公仔麵 good.

Late Surpise at 和幸 Yakiniku Restaurant

For Sunday family lunch my brother suggested a "Japanese place" in Causeway Bay, my dad announced around noon. Having overeaten on Friday and Saturday, especially at Japanese restaurants in Causeway Bay, I was initially a bit reluctant to go. But it was family day after all, so I plodded along eventually.

It turned out that my brother had chosen Wako (和幸), a yakiniku restaurant famous for a walking piece of Kobe beef outside Sogo department store. To me, the human prop was where the attraction ended. My brother had not been to the place before actually; I knew the choice was an nice, innocent gesture to try something different on his part. As such I tried hard to keep my mouth shut in an effort to contain my pre-conceived biases.

Admittedly however, there was really nothing I wanted to write about this place - that is, until our server decided to give us pro bono some homemade cheesecake and started grilling them. "Stop, I will just eat it like this," shrieked my mom - but I sensed something more interesting than the set lunches eaten, and insisted that she let our server continue the task.

The grilled Japanese-style cheesecake was yummy! Toasty on the outside, soft and melty on the inside; it was neither too sweet nor heavy. Kudos to Wako's chef as I had not tried this before at other yakiniku restaurants in HK or Japan. Redemption for an otherwise mediocre lunch menu, or reward for my lip biting? Anyway, the best part of lunch was actually chatting non-sense with my brother, since he is a busy bee at work and I usually only see him once a week.

Wako Yakiniku Restaurant: 3/F 496 Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay. T: 2117 4268

Two Pieces of Real Japan in Causeway Bay

My good friend DGT
organized dinner with me and another partner-in-crime last night. The evening turned out to be a charming experience evoking the "feel" I have of Japanese urban life, which I quite miss as I haven't travelled to Tokyo much since my work project finished a few months ago.

DGT booked a table at Ajitomi, a Japanese homestyle fusion restaurant I haven't been to in years. It was nice to see the place still going strong, especially during these trying times. I also came to appreciate the level of care and detail only a Japanese owner-chef could instill in the food, decor and ambiance.

We ordered a lot of food as usual. Notable mentions included a Kyoto green salad with black vinegar and a Jap style ox-tail curry rice. The black truffle mushroom spaghetti was nice but DGT reckoned the cream-based pastas tasted better. Our absolute favourite was a stewed pork meatball, with a sweet and highly flavourful dark sauce. It almost tasted like a good Shanghainese "lion's head". We loved the dish so much we ordered seconds and ended up having 10 golf-ball sized meatballs between the 3 of us.

But alas, we loved the sauce even more. We ordered extra rice to lap up the remains and repeatedly banned the waitress from taking away the plate. The owner chef was quite pleased and told us that her sauce had been essentially stewing for 4 years - no wonder!

To continue the theme of the night, DGT suggested drinks at the nearby "b.a.r. Executive Bar" operated by Ichiro Hiidome, who used to be the bar manager at the Tokyo Westin amongst other hotel credits. Coupled by the mentioning of the fact that the bar served whisky with a ball of ice, I knew instantly that this b.a.r. should not be missed.

The meticulous and quintessential Ichiro-san did not disappoint. Watching him construct cocktails was like a mini show. He stirred glasses swiftly with his end finger stuck out, and his arms would vibrate an at ultra high frequency when using the shaker. The rest of his body would follow his arms and his mouth even twitched somewhat to one side due to the intensity. This was rather mesmerizing if you were witnessing the act for the first time.

As for the results: his "green tea milk" cocktail had distinct hints of the key ingredients without being overwhelming. A "Starbucks #2" had layers and layers of milk and rich coffee, a torched top, and coffee ice cubes to ensure no taste dilution until the end. My Yamazaki 12-years was no slouch, although I preferred something stronger for sure. Anyway, the chilled glass and ice ball made up for the experience. Subsequent orders of fresh mango champagne and Japanese pear juice with red passion fruit liqueur were of decent quality - but we were probably longing more for concoctions named "XYZ" or, simply, "Special" that Ichiro-san made for other customers. Hmm...next time, I know I will be back soon.

Ajitomi and b.a.r. both made me feel like I stepped into actual pieces of local Japan in HK, a rarity in my experience. My thanks to DGT for bringing me along.

Ajitomi - 7/F Circle Plaza, 28 Tang Lung Street T: 2836 0671

b.a.r. Executive Bar - 27/F Bartlock Centre, 3 Yiu Wat Street T: 2893 2080

A Japanese Lunch Thrill

Japanese food is just one of those fixes I need every now and then. I probably can almost eat it everyday, but I won't - don't ask me why because I can only give you a contradictory answer that I cannot explain. I was in a Japanese lunch mode today so I went to Sakaegawa in Causeway Bay, operated by the the same crew behind the namesake restaurant at the bygone Ritz Carlton. I have always wanted to try out this place but never got around to it until now.

I think Sakaegawa is a nice lunch thrill (I think Qube is the best lunch thrill, but that's another story). Its neighborhoody, rustic, fish-markety, rowdy ambiance is decidedly different from the typical attempted serenity at most other Jap eateries in the area. It is also unlike izakayas like The Mon, which tries to be dark and trendy instead. Being not completely authentic (as IMHO none are in HK) and a tad Hong Kong-esque (e.g. greeting in Canto-Japanese) actually added charm to Sakaegawa's personality. I quite like this setup, if in the mood for some fun.

I ordered the Hokkaido donburi @ HKD 138, and a stewed baby awabi for HKD 25. The awabi came first. Small indeed it was, not too much bigger than that "HSBC abalone" for online transactions. Cut in half, the taste was rather good, not overally chewy, but too icy cold - clearly it was served just out of the fridge. Anyway, this has the basics for a nice snack I think, maybe at dinner time it would be served at a better temperature.

The donburi came with the usual salad-soup-pickles accompaniments. The soup stood out for me because it was so MSG-sy, almost like the instant noodle variety except lighter in colour and came with good portions of tofu and kelp. Strangely this was a change from the norm and I liked the fact that it reminded me of childhood instant noodle fixes.

The quality of the sashimi in the rice bowl was acceptably fresh and fine for the price. Variety was nice - Canadian(?) uni on cucumber (a nice touch), hotategai, ikura, sake...the best bit was the big botan ebi. This was quite scrumptious, and not normally found in a donburi of this price. My picture of the bowl doesn't quite do the trophy botan ebi justice, with it hidden behind the shiso leaf!

The finale green tea ice cream surprisingly passed my "test". Often Japanese restaurants in Causeway Bay skim on cost at lunchtime and serve green gunk that looks like mint ice cream and tastes like plastic. This time the portion was small, but the flavour was dandy for me.

In all, I look forward to coming back for a proper, noisy dinner with a bunch of friends. The pictures I saw in Openrice.com (stewed kinki fish, tai sashimi etc.) looked very promising and the waitress said she would make sure the head chef gives me something fresh and special next time! There is a good sake collection too. Yeah!

Sakaegawa, 7/F Continental Building (aka Geech Building (private joke)), Causeway Bay

Freshness Burger....Fresh is Not Enough

Like many Hong Kongers, I have been a rather frequent traveller to Japan - for pleasure mostly and until recently, also for business. While I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with the country, I have always enjoyed pretty much everything it offers in the culinary department.

It was in Tokyo a few years ago that I gained exposure to Freshness Burger as an alternative to MOS Burger, whose WOW factor (important for me when visiting Tokyo) had been gradually subsiding. Freshness had soft pumpkin buns, meat sauce and mayo to go with the beef patty, thick tomato slices, and even cute mini burgers - everything was made fresh. Freshness Burger to me equals yummy snacks in a cute package.

Well Freshness Burger was not quite the same though when it crossed the seas to Hong Kong, maybe more than a year ago. I have not really had the urge to retry it since my first experience was bland, which I attributed partially to an operation that was not run-in.

I had no idea what besotted urge came over me , but I decided to give Freshness another shot today. At 5.30pm the place was surprisingly deserted for a location in the heart of Causeway Bay, for good reason I was to discover. I waited more than 10 minutes for a supposedly freshly prepared burger - so much for fast food... Meanwhile I observed 4 or 5 teenagers in the back kitchen pretending to be busy but at a slow pace, slotting small salads in plastic boxes rather unsuccessfully into larger plastic bags. My patience was running out.

The clock struck 5.44pm, it was finally my turn to claim the prize. Alas I was rewarded with a lukewarm piece of beef, a frigidly cold tomato chunk, mediocre pumpkin buns, and onions that tasted distinctly independent from the whole package. To be fair, the store manager was attentive, and I felt the sincerity in her "thank you" when she gave me my burger. Yet something larger was missing. Is it the financial tsunami dampening motivation, or is it that young Hong Kong workers who grew up in this era of "instant gratification" just don't give a damn about anyone but themselves?

Chinese people stereotypically are more flexible than the Japanese, but we should probably learn from their heart, discipline and execution. Cultural and historical differences aside, recession or no, I really respect the Japanese people for their dedication. Anyway, I would rather go to McD's next time for my trans fat fix - at least everything is piping hot and I get instant gratification too!

Freshness Burger
Windsor House, Causeway Bay - ain't worth the wait

Davis - a Hidden Gem

I have known V and D through a friend since a few years back, when they ran (and still run) a quaint, cozy eatery on Gough Street in Soho. Thai fushion food, my friend claimed. Honestly, anything with the word fusion in it I approached with skepticism; but with D's cuisine, I have since been won over, and am a declared fan.

Recently the duo opened a new bar called Davis in the up-and-coming Kennedy Town neighbourhood. At V's urging, I checked out the place one evening, only to discover that D was there too, which meant a full food menu was available at this little bar - I was not expecting that at all.

The small tables and stools precluded extensive ordering, but I was able to sample quite a few new dishes from D. To itemize, V and D served salmon marinated with Chinese "fa diu" and rose wines, sardine bruschetta, warm beef salad, mixed sausages with toast, and M&M's cheesecake.

Nevermind that the sardine bruschetta had absolutely no fishy taste, was complemented well by a tomato sauce that was fresh and absent from normally detestable excess acidity; or that the sausage platter comprised of hearty, flavourful, sweet and salty varieties from Spain; what really impressed me was D's heart in this cooking.

I liked the fact that he seasons strongly but his food is never overly salty or peppery. I liked that he cares about the quality of side salads and garnishes, which were good enough to pass off as a standalone dish but he doesn't charge you extra for it. I appreciated that he is a chef who can make the best out of his ingredients. And I accepted the fact that he can give you a black face sometimes when you have done absolutely nothing more than being a normal customer.

I really hope more people will be able to see through the facade of V and D's rustically decorated bar and discover the real gems of the place. It would be a shame if Davis remained hidden for long.

Davis @ Davis Street, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong

K.I.S.S. Keep it Simple Stupid

Quite a while ago an Italian deli opened in the heart of Sai Kung.

Thelma, the proprietor, is an enchanting and energetic lady from the Philippines who speaks fluent Italian with more fervor than natives. She sells every Italian grocery you can imagine and stocks a kitchen that can whip up a few wicked bowls of pasta. Apparently she can out-swear her Italian husband in his own language too...

Upon a recent weekend re-visit, the place was thriving. I guess the secret is out.

Hungry as ever, an antipasti misti, formaggio and prosciutto platter came and went quickly. The highlight was a simple trofiette with pesto which looked and tasted like nothing but the real thing from Tuscany! What a pleasant surprise to find this in Sai Kung, of all places. Turns out from later experiences that the chef is a tad temperamental and inconsistent with his cooking – but hey, that’s the charm of the place, in a way.

Indeed I suppose the best thing about this place is that there is nothing pretentious in the package, from food to décor. The food didn’t need to be perfect. Simply it was more about having a rustic, hearty and homey dinner surrounded by racks of wine and pasta galore. As vintage 80’s Duran Duran and Human League chanted from background speakers, the whole experience fell into place.

I cannot forget to mention the Lavazza espresso they served was fragrant and yummy too, biscotti included. Sure beats the hell out of that bland, 1849 HK$40 stingy cup place at the IFC!

Appetito
T: 2791 5666

Ode to Mom 世上只有媽媽好?!

Lately I have been trying to encourage my mom to move with the times and learn internet surfing. Her resistance is a blessing in disguise since she will not (yet) be able to read what I am going to write about her here.

Cooking a nice meal for the family is a common thing most mothers do everyday, but in my family this is one of a few limited ways affection is shown. I have learned to accept this with great appreciation and not take a decent meal for granted. And why not since mom's cooking is the best in the world (isn't it always?!).

Broad beans are in season so tonight mom whipped up her famous Shanghainese-style green bean dish with green onion and a litte bit of sugar. She used to do a mashed version but nowadays does only a skin-less version. Perhaps the beans are not pretty in presentation, but they are soft and sweet when warm, and are a great snack with congee when cold. Plus, they ain't greasy like what you get in restaurants. Comfort food that is healthy, what a concept.

The dish reminds me of my beloved grandma too. Her version was simply the best that I have ever had, and she would cook it for me whenever I wanted as a child. Grandma always left the skins on. While instant gratification is great sometimes, there is just more texture and fun eating through the skins because of the tasty gravy that gets trapped in between.

Forget about restaurants and their fancy presentations. The best food in this world only needs to be cooked with love.

Mahler and a Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich in Kowloon

What does a Bohemian-Austrian composer have to do with a Franco-inspired Vietnamese street snack? Not as far-fetched as one may think if you are very hungry after a moving (albeit sad) and scintillating performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 5 by the London Symphony Orchestra at Tsim Sha Tsui's Hong Kong Cultural Centre.

Desperate for some uplifting consolation but wary of an ailing stomach that should rest after 10.30pm, partner-in-crime Golfess and I went on a mission to locate a nice snack somewhere in the nether regions of Kowloon, some 5 to 7 minutes from the Cultural Centre by car.

After a couple of turns, stops and map consults, a small, bright, hole-in-wall joint called "Tim Kee" (添記) finally peered out of a dark and mouldy side street off a series of vibrant dai-pai-dong's. Pretending to be old-timers, we ordered a "big one" and a "small one". Cutting open 2 self-baked baguettes, the maestro proprietor deftly stuffed each with 3 types of Vietnamese sausage concoctions (扎肉) and baked them in an industrial oven. After a few minutes, the baguettes enjoyed nuoc mam-marinated carrots and cucumbers as garnishes, and were finished off with dashes of pepper and alas - Maggie Sauce! =)

The result was complex. Just like how Mahler's Fifth went from horns and banging cymbals in C sharp minor to A minor to D major......each bite offered its distinct stimulus from a slow, careful initial crunch into a frenzy of pepper sting, sausage jus and carrot tang. Bread flakes were flying everywhere in the car, and the devouring took less than a milli-fraction of the First Movement.

"Sha sha nong" Golfess for a wonderful snack discovery together, and enduring an evening of cackle.

Address: 添記, 26 Man Yuen Street, Jordan, Kowloon. T: 2385 7939.

“Softbank” in Central

I have long relished an opportunity to sample a much-raved private kitchen in Central that serves traditional, bona fide Cantonese banquet dishes ("dai sung" as opposed to "siu choy"). Lucky me I finally had the chance last week. I think the chef descended from the famous “Liu Chong Hing” (now “Chong Hing Bank”) house chefs.

The restaurant was tucked away secretly next to the Softbank Building and looked contrarily unappetizing. After deciding whether to take 4 dangerously narrow flights of stairs or spend 10 seconds in a death-chamber elevator that stank like hell, I entered a pleasantly decorated private room, greeted by the overwhelming aroma of a rare, 30-year Chinese “fa diu” wine (花雕) courtesy of my generous cousin. So, Italians made wines from sangiovese as such because they go well with their predominantly tomato-based dishes. I think “fa diu” is analogous for the Chinese, but why can’t most people in modern times appreciate this simple idea? I don’t believe in, for example, a “perfect Riesling for Sichuan food”.

Since I couldn't drink much, allow me to jump to the appetizer – 3 big slices of giant conch (螺片), cooked to perfection. Flavourful and softly chewy, small dashes of shrimp paste sauce made it even better. The baked crab shell was another classic flawlessly executed. It was all fresh crab meat and contained no distractions like onions or mushrooms. Rightly suggested by my cousin, eating without the accompanying Worcestershire sauce was a superior option.

Then I had the traditional “glass prawn” (玻璃蝦). Almost 2/3’s the size of a tennis ball, it was fresh and almost crunchy in texture. "Tim's Kitchen" (of Hang Seng Bank house chef fame) in Sheung Wan does a great job with this dish as well, but I think tonight Liu Chong Hing won out.

Top quality clear conch soup, stir fried shark's fin (貴花翅), Cantonese-style fried chicken (炸子雞) and veggies all came and went in a swift. Even though I was quite full by then, I just could not resist the final satay beef "cheung fun" (腸粉 rolled rice noodles) and lotus leaf rice. The cheung fun was smooth and slurpy, but I absolutely cherished the rice because its rich lotus fragrance reminded me of my favourite dish when I was little. How I miss this "gau sung" (traditional, old dish) flavour versus dingy nouvelle Chinese cuisine today.

Regrets I did not have a camera with me, but pictures would not do the food justice. Maybe I should wish for the day when we can capture the smell of food on bits and bytes.

Address: 3/F and 4/F, 4 Pottinger Street, Central.

Lei Garden @ IFC, Hong Kong

Celebratory dinners used to mean rowdy gatherings at fancy western or ethnic restaurants, but now I prefer a traditional Chinese meal with family and friends. I suppose this is some innate “Chinese clock” clicking in, and I can relate much better now as to why my mom and aunts insist on Chinese food when traveling even if it is awful.

Such was the mindset as I approached a birthday occasion at IFC's Lei Garden. I have come to enjoy Lei Garden’s consistency in food and quality, especially since the MSG dosage at this place appears somewhat reduced. The night’s menu had some highlights:

A crispy suckling pig complemented by a small, soft flour pancakes. I would be just as happy eating plain pancakes only.

Fresh geoduck slices (cooked by pouring hot fish soup over it) and lobster bits, crackers with noodles were both flavourful yet light on the palette.

The jumbo longevity bun was always a nice touch.

My only complaint is that prices are somewhat unreasonably expensive because of the location. Personally I always feel Lei Garden’s Wanchai counterpart is better value and even tastier.

Address: 3/F, IFC Mall, Central. T: 2295 0238

"Happy Meal": A Night of Delight at Kahala

Having been fortunate enough to sample some, by no means all, so-called fine dining locally and abroad, I find myself increasing tending towards old comforts like barbecue pork rice, which never seems to tire like haute cuisine. Maybe in this age of celebrity chefs, too many “me-too” eateries and menus have surfaced, watering down quality and the “wow” factor.

Then I thought of Kahala, an ~8-seat counter-only restaurant hidden in the heart of Osaka, under the façade of a non-descript wooden door. Three of us spent an evening there with a creative chef who cooks with his heart.

Inside, the 35-year-old restaurant had a well-kept, traditional décor. Dark wood dominated and we sat in front of teppanyaki grills. A decorated glass panel separated a small area for drinks preparation.

We took the second seating of the evening and were served ~10 courses, chef’s choice. Yoshifumi Mori-san was the main man, supported by a female sous chef and a young, friendly male assistant. The food was Japanese-French, my friend who visited before told me.

The first course was a bowl of Chinese “jin hua” ham with okra and aloe followed by a red rice pasta dish with fresh mushroom. A platter of 5 dishes were presented next that consisted of Japanese potatoes topped with cheese and dark chocolate flakes, black coal marinated garlic cloves, whale with peppercorn, fried white Japanese shrimps, and another marinated Japanese fish. I liked the potatoes and garlic very much.

Then a pan-fried shark’s fin garnished with Taiwanese “long vegetable” and noodle squash appeared. To me this was a classic example of Mori-san’s creativity, surprising me with a French-style preparation of an Asian ingredient.

Chef Mori further demonstrated his skills in a bubbling awabi (abalone) fondue composed of gruyere, emmanthal and blue cheese. Even though the dish was seriously heavy, all of us enjoyed it to the last bit including the sticky crunchy piece of hardened cheese at the bottom of the mini stone pot.

To lighten things up, a bowl of egg and mixed and fresh mushrooms soup was served next. By now I was very appreciative of Mori-san’s interplay of ingredients.

For the main course, Chef Yoshifumi prepared Japanese teppanyaki steak for us himself. The innocuous looking beef was actually a mille-feuille version composed of 5 wafer thin layers. This was the piéce de resistance, eaten with a daikon sauce, or a wasabi variety. Both were yummy but I thought the wasabi allowed the beef’s flavour to shine more.

An accompanying black sesame, greens and radish salad thoughtfully neutralized the greasiness of the beef, and allowed me to tackle the ensuing rice with fish flakes.

For dessert, we had a refreshing pear puree then egg white custard with figs and honey, a dream combo. Finally, we capped off the meal with a rich cup of masala tea, Indian candies included.

Japanese-French? We even had Indian tea that tasted authentic. And you know what - Chef Mori has never travelled outside Japan! But ultimately it was Chef Mori’s dedication and humility in his craft that impressed me the most. What a happy meal –expensive, but worthwhile.