Tales of a Culture Hedonist

"the drawing room" offers some gastronomic delights in Hong Kong

The quail was from France, Scallops from Japan, Wagyu beef probably from Australia and prawns from ilas canarias. It seems  the drawing room has access to some fantastic ingredients. And it's no coincidence that they have the skills and inspiration to put these produce to good use. The "quail and foie gras with over-roasted figs" was well executed and when paired with a light and aromatic Italian soave produced some surprising sensation.

The rest of the menu offered some consistently high quality dishes, such as a green pea (lightly minted) soup with scallop and caviar,  linguine with Canarian prawns (god knows how the prawns would be transported from Gran Canaria via mainland Spain, then to another port before they arrive in Hong Kong) and a pan fried brioche with a goat cheese ice cream. All matched with a 5* hotel service.

Sevva, a belated find in Hong Kong

Friends have mentioned it. Magazines and websites have reviewed it. Yet I have never been to Sevva until tonight. Well, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the roof top terrace, the buzz, and the service. Then again, there was the view of Statue Square, the live DJ and saxophonist and the (self) select crowd. Perhaps this is the perfect place for a post-work-hook-up-with-friends place in Central (if you don't mind the inflated bills).

Monsieur Pierre Gagnaire said hello to our table at Pierre at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

It was lunch en famille at Pierre today. When we walked in at 12:30 I was the only man: the rest of the restaurant was decorated with ladies-who-lunch. That "man alone" situation was quickly rectified by other business men and my dad arriving just before 13:00.

The lunch menu offered a good variety of dishes. I had the bouillabaise gelly which was rich but just right for this hot climate. My pork loin was topped with peanuts and a jus that was well balanced in taste and texture. The cheese dimsum was a bit strange. The wilted tomatoes and spinach was also tasty. Dessert was  old-fashioned marshmallow with a modern twist - pink marshmallows floating on a milky pannacotta with a light strawberry sorbet. Monsieur Gagnaire was en residence and said hello to us (well, actually each and every table).

TEN YO SHI, a decent tempura joint in Causeway Bay

On the 9th floor of Henry House in Causeway Bay is where one finds this tiny Japanese restaurant TEN YOSHI. At best it could probably sit 30 people. When I got there at 12:30 it was already well populated. The specialty of the restaurant was tempura - deep-fried battered seafood and vegetables. The menu offers the classic tempura - prawns, vegetables, and squashes. But it was the seasonal seafood that were delectable. We had tempura of thinly sliced abalone (a slight crunch and taste of the sea), Hokkaido oysters (supple) and small whole boneless fish (melt-in-the-mouth softness). There was a great variety of texture and taste. We also had amazing sashime delivered from its sister restaurant on the 11th floor. Definitely worth squeezing into this tight space.

What's the fuss about Kau Kee Beef Brisket (九記牛腩) in Hong Kong?

I have known the existence of Kau Kee for a few years. It even has its own entry in Wikipedia. Since it takes lunch and dinner breaks and doesn't open on public holidays, it has been rather difficult to check this place out. Until last night when we were so inclined (or desperate) to eat out there.

The positive thought of seeing it open (see above picture) was quickly countered by its sign (you see, we got there at 7:55pm):

I could definitely see some posturing going on here. Anyway, we went up to The Cheese Room on Hollywood Road for a beer and duly returned at 8:30pm. We managed to squeeze our party of 4 sharing with a party of 2 into a round table that could practically accommodate 3. So never mind our close proximity to fellow diners. Given the place was jam packed at 8:35pm, the food had better be good. The menu was short (see below) and straight to the point - braised beef brisket, braised beef brisket with noodles, braised beef brisket with rice noodles, braised beef brisket with curry sauce, braised beef brisket with (add your own variation). 

It's really a one trick shop - the beef brisket and stock formed the foundation of every dish. I could taste the fat-rich beef brisket alright. The judicious sprinkling of chopped Chinese spring onions and coriander added interest. The soup base was salty with sufficient umami taste (plus a hint of MSG). The noodles were fresh (not made on the premises, but probably from a reputable supplier). Its down-market decor, extreme coziness and indifferent waiters meant it's no place to linger. We were out by 8:50pm, no doubt to the delight of those still waiting outside. 

Was it worth it? If I was in the area AND desparate for a bowl of salty beef brisket noodle soup AND a beer lined up somewhere else to cleanse my digestive duct, then I might revisit.

Easy brunch at the Brunch Club, Hong Kong

As I was walking along Caine Road, I thought "where is this brunch club"? Anyway, past Shelly Street was Peel Street and there it was - an inconspicuous eatery on this otherwise quiet street in the Hollywood Road area.

The menu has everything you would want for a Sunday brunch - croque monsieur, mixed grill, continental breakfast. Like many places in Hong Kong, the orange juice was freshly squeezed (rather than just squeezed in big factory hundreds of miles away).

Simple food, nicely done.

Pierre Gagnaire cooking at "Pierre" in Hong Kong

Monsieur Gagnaire was in Hong Kong presumably checking up on his name sake restaurant "Pierre" at the Mandarin Oriental, and in the process offered a "menu d'été" for the locals to enjoy.

The summer degustation menu included many delightful dishes - the champagne sole chaud froid and apricot leaves, jellied fennel infusion with cuttle fish and green olives sorbet, etc. While the eight-course menu had many interesting textures and tastes, it was interesting to note previous few ingredients were local - was it because monsieur Gagnaire wanted to deliver consistency by sticking to European ingredients, or was it because there was no time for him to visit local food markets to see the wealth of local and regional produce? Hard to tell.

And "Pierre" should definitely invest in some sauce spoons for punters to savour the delicious sauces.

A cosmopolitan crowd at Azure, LKF Hotel in Hong Kong

"Let's meet at the lobby of LKF Hotel" was what my friend told me. OK, I turned up promptly in white Nike trainers, Diesel jeans, white t-shirt and a Prada top (i.e. desperately looking casual) not sure what to expect. We got into the lift. The lift attendant (why are there lift attendants in Hong Kong?) pressed "29". And up we went.

The lift doors opened - swish - and I was at the lower level of this chic yet somewhat bohemian joint Azure. The decor had that Soho House look - complete with a pool table in the middle. A generous curvy staircase led us to the upper floor with a double height ceiling offering a roof-top vista of Central and the Lan Kwai Fong area. The music was an eclectic mix - though we were all pretending not having heard any of those 80's tunes in order not to give our age away!

Chanel Mobile Art - is it art?

One never misses the chance to admire Zaha Hadid's architecture. So when I landed in Hong Kong in mid February for the Arts Festival, I was pleasantly surprised to find a piece of Hadid architecture being constructed on top of an old car park (see picture below). Well, the exhibition opened in early March and I took the opportunity to check out  Chanel Mobile Art.

Each visitor is given his / her own headset which plays for 30 minutes - the time that will complete a tour. This approach ensured all visitors had a multi-sensual experience of the show - with a gentle voice drawing you into one work after the other. So it's a nice way to spend 30 minutes looking at contemporary art. But then again, was it art? The entire show poked fun at the iconic Chanel quilted handbag. Some of the works were provocative (handbags made with tattooed pigs skin, with the said stuffed pigs nearby ...) It's a tough balancing act when a show like this is sponsored by a big fashion house. I think it worked - at least for a not-too-savvy audience in Hong Kong. It would be interesting to see the reaction of others in New York and London.

Is decorum compatible with individualism?

A recent visit to one of the top restaurants in Hong Kong has caused me to ponder on this question: is decorum compatible with individualism?

It was not so long ago (think pre-dotcom boom) where smart restaurants required guests to put "jacket and tie" on and investment bankers wore sharp suits to work. Just as military uniform (precursor to the modern day gentleman's suit) signified an officer's rank, one's clothing arguably provides an important non-verbal cue to one's desires, intentions and social ranking. Individuals thus observed the social contract with society and adopted their behaviour accordingly.

The dotcom era brushed much of this aside - "dress down everyday" meant out-of-shape investment bankers (or lawyers or consultants) wore ill fitted shirts and trousers, while millionaire twenty-something paraded their designer t-shirts and jeans at trendy places. Many smart establishments have succumbed to this pressure by relaxing dress code - "smart casual" signifies anything other than underwear and barefoot.

Is social behaviour going down the same social drain? As an increasing number of Asian entrepreneurs are able to afford luxuries, they are also able to wine and dine at top rank establishments. My recent experience at Pierre at the Mandarin Oriental was a perplexing one: the smart decor and elegant services demanded elegant attire and refined social etiquette, then why have some of the guests turned up in t-shirts and trainers, and yapped away so that the entire restaurant could hear  their latest financial and social escapades?

Individualism (with a health dose of existentialism thrown in) has come to the fore in Asia - "I have the financial means to do what I want, therefore I do as I please." If good etiquette represented Olde Worlde  social collectivism, is this disregard for decorum an affirmation of the individual? Is there  a meeting ground between the two? Just as many investment banks have re-instated their dress attire  (smart shirt, formal trousers, tie optional), might these nouveau riches one day understand the notion of decorum?