Archive for 2009
Sandy Birdie – Fenghuangshan, China
I bet that all of you must have thought that I was in hibernation lately. I guess all the good food had something to do with it. Anyway, I’m back just in time for the last birdie of 2009.
After going into the bunker numerous times on earlier holes, the practice finally made perfect. On the Par 4 4th (360 yards from the blues), actually our 13th hole, a left to right wind almost blew our drive into the right lateral hazard. In the first cut of rough faced with a downhill lie, a 9-iron avoided the trees and faded perfectly towards the hole. Damn, short…in the greenside bunker. No sweat, all that practice taught us to hit a bit more sand and that’s exactly what we did. A perfect bunker shot. With the hole above R’s head he peeked up and just caught a side of me as I was falling into the hole.
Happy New Year!!!
091231 Fenghuangshan, China, Hole 4 (Par 4)
Review – Yee Shun Milk Company (義順牛奶公司), Hong Kong
Ever since C and R’s childhood days (a long long time ago), Yee Shun had always been the place they had to go during their trips to Macau. Famous for their double boiled milk/雙皮奶 (HK$20/US$2.55), they are also good for boiled milk with ginger/薑汁撞奶 (HK$21/US$2.70). The boiled egg/冰花燉蛋 (HK$16/US$2.05), however, is much better at the Australia Dairy Company (澳洲牛奶公司) in Jordon. The convenience of having a shop in Hong Kong is well worth it and saves a trip to Macau.
– 15.5/20
Yee Shun Milk Company (義順牛奶公司)
G/F, Wah Hen Commercial Centre
383-385 Hennessy Road
Wanchai, Hong Kong
T: +852 2576 1828
091227 Yee Shun Milk Company
091227 Yee Shun Milk Company
Review – Robatayaki Ichiban, Hong Kong
We only recently got around to visiting this place for our review. R has been frequenting this place for over 25 years. It is popular amongst Japanese and locals alike. A small quaint Japanese style restaurant makes you feel like you’re in a small family restaurant in Tokyo. Nothing fancy here, just good food. The Japanese owner is very friendly and some of you may recognize him from a McDonald’s TV commercial a few years ago.
Specializing in Robatayaki, that’s what we focused on. Dishes we always order include buttered asparagus, ox tongue and soft chicken bone. One thing we forgot to order (another sign of aging – C or R, not me) was the quail egg. Another favorite is the pan fried gyoza (dumplings) made with very thin wrappers. The barbecue pork ramen and beef curry are also very nice.
A friendly addition to the homeliness of the restaurant are the two cats. The dark colored one is the more aggressive and always hides under the table, but the other one is much more approachable and even modeled for us.
Always enjoyable and we’ll be sure to return soon to visit good friends.
– 18/20
Robatayaki Ichiban
21 Lan Fong Road
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
T: +852 2890-7580
091227 Robatayaki Ichiban - Main entrance
091227 Robatayaki Ichiban - Menu on the wall
091227 Robatayaki Ichiban - Ox tongue
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The French Window, Hong Kong – Revisited
On Christmas Eve, we booked a private room at The French Window. Following our first visit, we were very surprised to see less than 10 tables…on Christmas Eve!!?? Well, that’s up to the restaurant management to worry about. We were more worried about the food.
Having already reviewed the Dégustation menu last time, we didn’t want to repeat the same review as some of the dishes were repeats. Nevertheless, there was one dish that was worth mentioning – the Potato Tower. The two towers, one tall and one short, were deep fried with a very crispy crust. The highlight was in the escargots inside as well as the caviar that topped it all off. We didn’t seem to have seen this on the regular menu, and we hope that this makes the cut so that we can enjoy this tasty dish again.
As it was time for celebration, we were treated to a smashing range of fine wines. We started off with the limited production Haut Brion Blanc (1985). A very smooth and full, no wonder Parker calls it the “Rolls Royce of the dry white wines of Graves”. Christmas Eve would not have been Christmas Eve without a bottle of bubbly. We toasted to a bottle of 1989 Bollinger Blanc de Noirs. This Vieilles Vignes Françaises is made from pre-phylloxera Pinot Noir vines and ultra rare…a treat from R’s God-sister. Wines that followed included the 1953 Ch. Canon, 2002 DRC Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cuvée Duvault Blochet and to finish, a 1995 Ch. Lafite. What a way to celebrate Christmas.
– 18.5/20 (for the Potato Tower)
The French Window
3101, podium level 3, ifc mall
Central, Hong Kong
T: +852 2393 3812
E: inquiry@thefrenchwindow.hk
W: www.thefrenchwindow.hk
091224 French Window - Potato Tower
091224 French Window - Potato Tower
091224 French Window - Wines of the evening
Review – Cépage, Hong Kong
Updated with feedback from Cépage’s PR company.
After trying the new French Window, we had to go back to Singaporean chef, Justin Quek’s first restaurant in Hong Kong – Cépage we were reminded of Chef Quek’s first claim to fame at Les Amis in Singapore. Having parted ways, both with their own success, the Les Amis Group entered the Hong Kong dining scene with Cépage. It’s been a while since we last came here. Critics were doubting its survival when it opened at the end of 2008 during the height of the financial tsunami. With a HK$14 million renovation cost, you can’t blame them. However, consistent good food, excellent wines and persistence proved them wrong.
Before our dinner we were offered the 48 month Joselito ham, which was very tasty and firm, but melted in our mouths. Since it was the celebration of the Winter Solstice (冬至), we went all out for the seven course Dégustation menu (HK$1,380/US$177) instead of the Table D’Hôte (HK$888/US$114). As the Chinese say, this day is more important than the Chinese New Year. And for the superstitious part of R (which golfer isn’t), it was fortunate that we ordered the ham as seven dishes is not auspicious for Chinese…
We opted to select a wine from their extensive 2,000+ wine list rather then bring our own (the corkage was HK$500/US$64). The sommelier recommended the 2000 Chateau Trotanoy from Pomerol. A very good full bodied wine with strong earthy aromas. However, it was a bit too overwhelming for the first few seafood dishes.
Nevertheless, Chef Quek Thomas Mayr did not disappoint. The first course started with a carpaccio of Normandy scallops with citrus fruits and Osciètre caviar. Very simple and all the flavors blended well together, proving that simple is sweet.
The oxtail consommé was incredible. Just a consommé may not sound too interesting, but when a truffle-leek ravioli and poached quail egg were added… The ravioli burst with the pungent flavors of the truffle and the quail’s egg was poached to perfection, runny on the inside. That made all the difference.
Instead of the marinated pineapple and lemon sorbet (nothing sour), C ordered a selection of cheeses from their wide trolley selection. I guess different people have different ways of cleaning their palates. After dessert, R was recommended to try the lychee oolong tea. Coffee keeps him awake at night (a sign of aging) so no coffee thank you. This tea was perfect and very refreshing. It was in the form of a tea bag, so we must see if we can find it at our local supermarket. (Update: the tea was concocted by a tea artist in Singapore, so I guess we’ll have to come back for more.)
We were so stuffed after the whole dinner, but when the petit fours came, one caught our eye. It was the sesame chocolate…delicious. A must try.
– 18/20
Cépage
23 Wing Fung Street
Wanchai, Hong Kong
T: +852 2861 3130
E: cepage.hk@lesamis.com.sg
W: www.lesamis.com.sg (under Outlets)
Note: Closed on Sundays
091222 Cépage - Main entrance on Wing Fung Street
091222 Cépage - 2000 Ch. Trotanoy
091222 Cépage - 48 month Joselito ham
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