Tag Archives: private kitchen

KimChi Private Kitchen

1 Mar

the dim sum diaries hong kong

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

The best private kitchens are the ones that take some good navigational skills to find and are housed in a nondescript apartment block, allowing for a truly private meal. Newly opened KimChi in Hung Hom ticks both these boxes.

Unless you’re very Hung Hom street-savvy, I’d recommend getting a $20 taxi from the MTR station, as KimChi really isn’t easy to find. Once you’ve located it and gone up to the seventh floor in the rickety old lift, you will find an elegant, shiny-wallpapered dining room set up for a maximum of 12 people.

Despite the name, KimChi does not serve Korean fare. The name is actually an amalgamation of the two owners’ names: Kim and his girlfriend Chi, the chef behind the incredible food. There are two choices of set menu – Molecular Cuisine Set or Red Chamber Banquet Set, both priced at $350. We chose the latter, which was especially tailored to include traditional Chinese New Year dishes, with a slight molecular twist. What surprised me is that Chi can create the sort of intricate, beautifully presented dishes you’d expect to find at a Michelin-starred restaurant, yet she has never had any form of professional training; she taught herself by watching hour upon hour of cooking programmes through her sheer love of cooking.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

The first dish to be served was the fried eggplant cube. This combination of finely diced aubergine with garlic, ginger, peppers, mushrooms and minced pork, served with optional chopped nuts was exceptional. It was absolutely bursting with flavour, causing silence around the table.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

To follow, the Lotus seed with green delight soup was slightly less impressive, although I still polished mine off. The lotus seed and chicken component of the soup was rich and creamy, balanced by the slightly lighter spinach and fish component. I liked the added texture of the whole lotus seeds but found the soup as a whole a little too heavy, especially as it was only the second course of the night.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

As a Chinese New Year special, we were served some sticky rice lollipops. I don’t know why I’ve never had these for CNY before and I’m sad there was only enough for one each! They had a slightly crispy exterior that gave way to a wonderfully chewy interior, all sprinkled in grated coconut to create an unexpected yet delicious dessert-like treat.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

People often ask me what the strangest things I have ever eaten are. I think I can now add braised deer tendons to this list. I had no idea people even ate such things! The presentation was beautiful, like a flower emerging from a plant pot. Inside this ‘plant pot’, beneath the delicious pak choy, was a melange of deer tendon and fish maw. Although I enjoyed the taste, I couldn’t really get over the slimy, unusual texture of the tendons, a view shared by most people around the table.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

The half boiled pigeon egg with white mushrooms had a very delicate flavour, which some argued could be described as bland. Once the soft-boiled egg yolk was mixed with the mushrooms and shredded pork, however, it was excellent; all the textures and flavours worked well together to create a lovely, warming dish.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

Having given up wheat for Lent, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to eat the crab dumpling. We asked Kim, however, and he completely made my evening when he confirmed that the dumplings were made with rice flour. The huge dumpling, served in a light tomato sauce was packed full of fresh crabmeat, delivering an amazing taste, enhanced by the perfectly chewy dumpling skin.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

As a palate cleanser, a cute fish-shaped chestnut and carrot juice sorbet served its purpose just right, ready for possibly my favourite dish of the night.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

Just a glance at the chicken stuffed with frogs legs was enough to wow us all; encased in crispy tofu skin, topped with chestnut paste and sprinkled in icing sugar, it looked like a decadent dessert. Although the thought of eating frogs’ legs scared a few around the table, one bite of this dish and their fears were long forgotten.

kimchi private kitchen hong kong

Unfortunately my decision to give up wheat for Lent did get in the way of the crispy cream pine nuts puff; all I could eat was the delicious custard, pine nut and cream centre, of which I definitely made sure I scooped up every last bit! Judging by the sounds of delight I heard around the table, apparently the flaky homemade pastry was also incredible.

Service at KimChi is efficient and you can tell that all of the team are passionate about what they do. Albeit a little after we’d started eating each course, the lovely Chi came out to explain each of her dishes to us. I am still amazed at what she is capable of doing without a hint of training.

As with most private kitchens, KimChi is BYOB, with the most bizarre yet endearing corkage policy: you pay $150 per colour of wine! The total bill per head including service charge is therefore around $420 – definitely a reasonable price for well thought out food that is as delicious as it is interesting, and will certainly take you far out of your comfort zone.

KimChi Private Kitchen

Flat C, 7/F, Loong Wah Building
36-42 Baker Street
Hung Hom
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 5364 6623

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Thinkers Balcony, London

27 Nov

the thinkers balcony secret supper club londonDo we ever really think about what it is we are eating and why we are eating that particular thing? Of course we think about how much we enjoy that food (hopefully), but most of the time, eating is never really a very meditative experience. Ilyas Kassam, an old university friend and now a writer of philosophy, begs to differ, believing that food can indeed be tied to thought. Taking this a step further, by associating food with the specific thoughts of well-known philosophers, Ilyas set up The Thinkers Balcony, a secret supper club, to encourage his diners to ‘engage with their desires, their beliefs, and of course their stomachs!’

the thinkers balcony supper club london

The Thinkers Balcony is not like any private kitchen we know in Hong Kong; it is located in a beautiful traditional London town house in Notting Hill, in fact in Ilyas’ very own living room. The room is artistically decorated, with a gramophone, stacks of philosophical books, unusual hats, and most importantly a low table made from old wine cases, around which diners sit on cushions on the floor. As we sipped on glasses of Champagne (it’s BYOB – it would have been rude not to!) whilst we waited for the food to be presented, we took in our surroundings and knew we were in for an unforgettable experience.

the thinkers balcony supper club london

Normally, diners coming to The Thinkers Balcony are aware of who the philosopher inspiring their meal is before they begin their feast. Ilyas had something different in store for us, however; our meal was entitled Mystery and the Unknown: An Existential Adventure of the Stomach, so the philosophy was not revealed until the end of the meal. Until then, each course led us on an inquisitive journey where we were encouraged to think really hard (seriously hard in fact) about what the thought governing the meal could be…

the thinkers balcony supper club londonThe first course, or the ‘prelude’, was Bergamot Ponzu Oyster with Ikura. I’m not always enamoured by oysters, yet I definitely was by these. The citrusy flavours of the bergamot and ponzu shone through and contrasted with the delicate chamomile leaf oil to create a delicious yet not thunder-stealing backdrop for the oyster.

the thinkers balcony supper club london

‘Chapter 1’ was an incredible Japanese Tuna Tartare beautifully presented with edible flowers. With strong hints of sesame, buttery chunks of avocado and of course melt-in-the-mouth tuna, all you could hear around the table was the sound of delighted diners and cutlery scooping up every last crumb.

the thinkers balcony supper club london

the thinkers balcony supper club london

Our main course, ‘Chapter 2’, was Smoked Cognac Chipotle Beef and Tamago Donburi. As you can tell, Ilyas takes most of his inspiration from Japanese cuisine (and quite rightly too, as it’s one of my favourites). This dish arrived in three parts: first the sticky rice topped with tamago (Japanese omelette) and sesame, followed by a wooden board laden with rare chunks of steak that caused a tablewide round of ‘oooohs’, and finished off with a jug of chipotle sauce. Although the beef was a little chewy, it was beautifully infused with cognac, which tasted even better with a generous dash of the smoky, slightly spicy chipotle sauce.

the thinkers balcony supper club london

‘Chapter 3’ was dessert: Black Truffle Ice Cream with Argan Baked Fig served on a pumpkin, date and hazelnut ‘sand’. Putting truffle in a dessert is a very brave move, as it isn’t to everyone’s taste. So, although there were a few confused and perhaps displeased palates around the room, those who did like it (including me!) made up for the haters and made sure every plate was licked clean. The combination of the unique flavours and textures really demonstrated Ilyas’ passion and skill in the kitchen.

the thinkers balcony supper club london

Last but most certainly not least, for the ‘Epilogue’, we were presented with a plate of homemade Saffron Chocolates, the perfect end to a delicious meal. I wish I could have taken a box of these home with me.

the thinkers balcony supper club london

Aside from the Champagne and wine we had brought ourselves, we were also served some exceptional teas from Ilyas’ vast collection from around the world; a unique touch to complement such a fun and adventurous meal.

After we had racked our brains to try and determine who the philosopher behind our feast was, we lifted our plates to reveal the absurd answer. I’m not going to give the secret away, just in case Ilyas uses this idea again, but I can tell you that it definitely surprised us and made us think.

Dinners at The Thinkers Balcony occur roughly every three weeks and cost between £20 and £40 per ticket (HKD240-480) depending on the nature of the meal and number of courses. You can be added to the mailing list to find out about upcoming events by entering your email address here. There are only six tickets each time, so make sure you get yours early. You will meet some interesting people, eat some incredible food and be wowed by how philosophy can be reflected in what we eat…

The Thinkers Balcony

Notting Hill (exact location will be given when tickets are purchased)

http://thethinkersbalcony.com

Contact: ilyaskassam@gmail.com

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Eclectic

10 Sep eclectic private kitchen hong kong

 

 

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Besides the numerous taco shops that are currently filling our bellies, Spanish cuisine is the flavour of the moment, with tapas restaurants galore enticing us in with their jamón Ibérico and queso Manchego. Newcomer Eclectic, set up by charming chef Juan Martínez Gregorio is a cosy little private kitchen tucked away in Sheung Wan, serving traditional home-style Spanish fare in a relaxed, humble setting.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The space is very intimate and homely; it isn’t just an empty space with a table and chairs, but actually looks like it could be someone’s dining room, ready and waiting for the dinner party guests to arrive. As you enter, there is a Hong Kong-sized open kitchen (I’ll get back to the cooking appliances later!) that opens on to a long dining area with comfy sofas at the back, perfect for enjoying your complimentary glass of sangría.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The first course, which we also savoured on the comfy sofas, consisted of simple and classic cold cuts: 16-month aged Manchego cheese, chorizo Ibérico and pan tumaca (country-style bread topped with a gorgeous tomato and garlic purée): this was the perfect start to our dinner party.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Seated at the rustic wooden table, our second course was an empanada de frito from Cartagena, Juan’s hometown. Whereas South American empanadas come as individual pockets of delight, this one was more of a giant pie, which was shared between us. Inside the lovely, flaky pastry were black olives and tuna, bathed in a delicious tomato-zucchini sauce. I later discovered that Juan’s ‘oven’ is just a tiny tabletop oven, much smaller than the one I have at home! It’s amazing that he can run his private kitchen with this, but honestly, looking at and tasting the empanada, you could never tell!

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The pimientos del piquillo, so named for the beak-like shape of the peppers, were stuffed with a combination of fish and prawns, bathed in a red pepper and paprika sauce. The flavours were wonderfully delicate, although we all agreed that they could have done with a little more spice.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Our fourth course, not to be mistaken with a gazpacho, was a salmorejo from the Spanish region of Córdoba. This cold tomato soup contains a blend of red pepper, bread, garlic and olive oil, sprinkled with strips of jamón Ibérico, chopped red pepper and crumbled egg to add some exciting textures. For me, it was a little too intense and acidic, but I’m never a huge fan of gazpacho-esque dishes anyway.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

The papada de cerdo al vino tinto, or pork jowl slow cooked in red wine, was beautifully tender, having been cooked in Rioja for two hours. It was hearty and delicious; the perfect home-style comfort food.

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

eclectic private kitchen hong kong

Dessert was quite simply out of this world: flambé strawberries with black pepper and ice cream. As the smell of toasted almonds filled the room, we were lured towards the kitchen to watch Juan prepare the strawberries, sautéing them in butter and sugar before flambéing them in brandy. The freshly ground black pepper added an interesting and subtle warmth to the dish.

Eclectic is BYOB, but I would recommend also trying some of the gorgeous Spanish red wines sold by the bottle, starting at only around $160; cheaper than you’d find them anywhere else, but the most important fact is that you’d struggle to actually find them anywhere else…

To match the dinner party (as opposed to generic private kitchen) theme, the time between courses is somewhat slow, meaning our 7-course meal (there was also a salad but I chose not to write about it, as a salad is a salad) lasted over four hours. Taking into account that Juan’s cooking appliances consist of a teeny tiny oven and two plug-in hot plates, I’m surprised it wasn’t even slower! If you’re in good company, enjoying fine wine and delicious food, time will fly by anyway, so just embrace it and relish the fact that you can host a dinner party with someone else there to do all the hard work! All for only $400 a head too – bargain!

Eclectic

Room 603, 6/F, Cheung’s Building
1-3 Wing Wo Street (actually Wing Lok Street)
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 9158 1584

www.e-eclectic.hk

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grassroots Pantry

27 Jun

There is no denying that, as much as we love this city, all the running around and having lunch and dinner out most days (or maybe I’m just speaking for myself!) can start to take its toll on our bodies. I obviously love my food and eating out is part of what I do, but even my body gets tired of the amount of nasties I’m consuming every day. Thankfully Grassroots Pantry, a lovely new café serving wholesome, organic food has just come to the rescue.

I am by no means a vegetarian, yet when I was recently asked what I do when I’m trying to be healthy, my answer was: try to eat less meat and more vegetables.  Vegetarian food doesn’t have to be considered “boring” and “too healthy”; when it’s done right, it can be so wholesome and delicious, and I will often find myself craving vegetarian days just to feel good about myself.

Grassroots Pantry

Grassroots Pantry is a beautiful haven tucked away down a quiet little street in Sai Ying Pun, serving nutritious, homemade, plant-based dishes, inspired by cuisines from all over the world.

The space is gorgeous; every little detail has been clearly thought out by Peggy Chan, the chef behind the wonderful dishes. Outside, green bushy plants adorn the small patio, which seats up to eight diners at a time. Inside, vintage-looking furniture seating a further ten diners, with cute wallpaper, gorgeous homey rugs and sweet little knickknacks to complete the look. I described it as a happy-making place, as from the moment I entered, I simply could not stop smiling. It seems that the staff are similarly affected, as every one of them is super happy and friendly.

Grassroots Pantry

Most of the ingredients are locally sourced and brought in daily, making sure that everything is incredibly fresh; if something isn’t in season or isn’t as fresh as it should be, recipes are altered so that customers get nothing but the best. The final menu is still being developed, though there is still a significant range of choices on the temporary menu, as well as a special dish on the set menu, which changes daily.Grassroots Pantry Quinoa Salad

We started with a Quinoa Salad made with dried fruits and hazelnuts. I loved the fresh flavours, enhanced by sprigs of parsley, and the nuts and sunflower seeds added to the interesting textures.

Grassroots Pantry Sweet potato chips

The sweet potato fries, which were baked rather than fried, were incredible, dipped in a vegan mayo made from tofu, chickpeas and lemon juice. Normally I find mayonnaise completely unnecessary as it adds little value other than fat to the meal; this one, however, was delicious and healthy – bonus!

Grassroots Pantry Thai green curry

The Thai veggie green curry served with brown rice was wholesome and comforting, with a subtle, yet notable kick at the end. The main ingredient was the hedgehog mushroom (a.k.a. monkey head mushroom), which had a ‘meaty’ consistency that would almost make real meat redundant.

Grassroots Pantry Palak Paneer

The Palak paneer served with homemade whole-wheat chapati was literally goodness in a bowl. Similar to saag, but less creamy, this dish was incredibly warming and comforting.

Grassroots Pantry vegan chocolate cake

For dessert, we tried the special of the day, vegan chocolate cake with cashew nut cream. Where some healthy desserts can have a dry and crumbly texture, this one was perfectly moist, so you’d barely even know it was healthy! We were told that the secret to getting the texture right lies in adding pulp from the juicer, which also gives it a natural sweetness, meaning no need for sugar.

The fresh juices are also a must. We tried the Digestion Booster (carrot, lemon and ginger) and the Mean Green (pear, green apple, leafy greens, parsley, celery, cucumber and ginger), both of which were scrumptious, whilst still clearly incredibly good for us.

Grassroots Pantry private room

Grassroots Pantry is not just a restaurant. It also offers culinary classes and workshops taught by specialists in the field. There is also a gorgeous space on the second floor that can be rented out for private parties.

As I have already mentioned, service at Grassroots Pantry comes with a genuine smile, showing that all the staff are passionate about what they do. Prices range from $98 to $168 for a main course, which is pretty spot on given you’re paying for deliciously fresh, organic produce. I’ve decided that Grassroots Pantry may well be my go-to place for those days when I need a food-hug.

Grassroots Pantry

12 Fuk Sau Lane
Sai Ying Pun
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2873 3353

Read my review of Grassroots Pantry on Localiiz. You might find some other exciting restaurants on there too!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mandy’s Private Kitchen

8 Jun

 

 

 

 

I am slowly accomplishing my mission of trying every private kitchen in Hong Kong… even if it may take me my whole lifetime to get there. The latest on my list was Mandy’s Private Kitchen, a Caribbean feast in Sai Kung set up by Mandy Nathali in her own home overlooking Sai Kung town and the outlying islands.

British-born Mandy is of Punjabi Indian descent but, after marrying her Trinidadian husband 20 years ago, moved to Trinidad with him and developed her already-strong passion for cooking by learning to cook Caribbean cuisine from her mother-in-law.

 

Mandy’s Private Kitchen stemmed from the number of successful dinner parties Mandy would host for friends and family on her beautiful terrace. We organised a dinner for 16 on one of the only sunny Saturdays we’ve had for some time… or so it began.

 

Wanting to make the most of Mandy’s terrace and pool in what was left of the sunshine, we made the winding journey up to Mandy’s house mid-afternoon. Hopes of lazing in the sun were put to bed due to the average weather and lack of lounging space; unfortunately, by the time we arrived the sun had gone behind the clouds. A few of us ignored the iciness of the water, however, and built up an appetite by trying to swim against the resistance jet, something I found incredibly entertaining.

Meanwhile, starters were served buffet-style for us to pick at at our leisure from around 4pm and included Pokora, Jamaican Beef Patties, Caribbean Potato Salad and Traditional West Indian Corn Bread. I could not get enough of the latter, with its fluffy, cake-like texture and savoury-sweet flavour. Smothered in some of Mandy’s homemade spicy sauces, it was even better. Mandy even made a gluten-free corn bread as an alternative. The beef patties were also delicious – flaky on the outside and warm, tender goodness on the inside.

A couple of side dishes of St Vincent Coleslaw and Mango Chow Chow were also served. The coleslaw wasn’t anything to write home about but I loved the sour-spicy contrast of the green mango chow chow. I also kind of loved the name.

After a few hours of enjoyment before the rain came in, the main courses were served, again buffet-style. By this time we had watched the leg of lamb and jerk chicken being cooked on the barbecue, so were more than ready to eat them!

The Steel Pan Leg of Lamb is one of Mandy’s signature dishes. Marinated for five days in a secret blend of Trinidadian spices, the lamb is then slow cooked for around two and a half hours on the barbecue, leaving it intensely flavoured and incredibly tender.

Mandy’s slow BBQed Jerk Chicken Pieces, a Caribbean must-have, were delicious: having been marinated for two days, the chicken was wonderfully succulent, with a fiery sweet flavour. Apparently Trinidadian jerk chicken differs to Jamaican in that it is sweeter and less spicy; either way, it worked!

 

Perhaps even more delicious was the Trinidadian Fish Curry. A recipe taught to Mandy by her father-in-law, known to the family as ‘Papa’, this curry is not like any Indian curry; rich and zesty, Papa’s curry is infused with a lot of fresh lime and a lot of chilli; the side dish of rice n’ peas was definitely necessary.

Other side dishes of Pumpkin Talkari and Spinach Callaloo were deliciously comforting. Both were decadently buttery and taste bud-tinglingly spicy. In Mandy’s words, “healthy with a little bit of naughty is what food is all about.” I wholeheartedly agree.

One aspect of Trinidadian cuisine that I love are the baked bread pockets. They remind me of Venezuelan arepas: just slit them open and stuff them with anything you like. I even took some home and tried them filled with cheese for breakfast the next morning – obviously not quite the same as arepas, but I wouldn’t dream of comparing the two.

Dessert, after such yummy food, for me, was a little bit of a disappointment. Although I loved the Christmassy-spiced flavours of the Caribbean rum cake, it was a little on the dry side. I’m never a huge fan of trifle, so the Rum Trifle didn’t excite me too much either. Fortunately, I had eaten so much already that I hardly needed dessert anyway.

By the time we were half way through our main courses, unfortunately the heavens opened, as they seem to do every weekend of late, and we were forced to come inside, something that regrettably did dampen our moods (excuse the pun). Inside, as we huddled around the table, we couldn’t help but feel that we were intruding on Mandy’s private home, especially as she and her family sat eating their dinner just metres away, and this inevitably took a lot of the enjoyment away.

Prices at Mandy’s Private Kitchen vary depending on the menu you choose. Our menu was $500 a head; not too bad on its own, but once you take into consideration the costs involved in getting there and back, the added 10% service charge, on top of a $95 corkage charge per bottle (and we drank a fair bit of vino!), plus beer charges and coffee(?!), it can turn out to be quite a pricey meal, so do beware and give your wallet a little pep-talk to prepare it.

Mandy’s Private Kitchen

Sai Kung (address only given on confirmation of booking)

Tel: +852 9816 9946

Email: mandy@mandysprivatekitchen.com

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seema’s Private Kitchen – From Africa to Asia

3 Apr

There are private kitchens and there are private kitchens. There are the kind that call themselves ‘private’ when really you’re sharing the space with a bunch of people you have never seen before and never wish to see again, and there are the kind where the word ‘private’ actually means private. Seema’s Private Kitchen is of the latter variety, where usually she cooks her meal in her own private home in Mid-Levels. On this occasion, however, as her home was unavailable, Seema brought her incredible private kitchen to us.

Some very good friends of mine have the most amazing flat in the whole of Hong Kong. Perhaps this is a slight exaggeration as I haven’t seen every flat in Hong Kong, but they at least have the most amazing flat out of any of my friends, and it is the perfect place for a dinner party. We have had our share of dinner parties there, but this one managed to blow all the others away (sorry birthday girl, you are a wonderful cook, but I think Seema might be a tad better! Only a tad though, promise!)

Seema’s meal tells the story of her journey ‘From Africa to Asia.’ Born and raised in Nairobi by her Indian parents, Seema then moved to Mumbai after marriage and subsequently settled in Hong Kong. Her mother ran her own cooking school in Nairobi and wrote cookbooks, so the love of food was always embedded within Seema, and she too ran her own cooking classes everywhere she went. In Hong Kong, she holds cooking classes at her home, as well hosting amazing private dinners in which she gives her diners a taste of her travels and experiences.

Pumpkin Soup

To begin, we were presented with pumpkin soup. I love pumpkin soup under any circumstances and this one did not let me down. It was everything a pumpkin soup should be and more: creamy, comforting, and hearty, with an added Seema-style kick that left us scraping our bowls clean and wanting more.

Piri piri shrimps

The Piri-piri shrimps from the Portuguese region of Africa had an eye-watering, peppery kick to them that was balanced by the sweet and fruity chunks of mango. A crunchy salad also complemented the freshness of the prawns.

Goan fish curry

The Goan fish curry, made with meaty chunks of New Zealand sole, was beautifully rich and creamy, spiced with turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and of course red chilli, and balanced with creamy coconut milk. In one word: delicious.

Dry lamb curry

The dry lamb curry, also I believe from Goa, was even more delicious, if that’s even possible. Marinated in rum and mint, the lamb was so succulent and full of flavour that it had us all fighting for the last piece!

Garlic pilau rice

To bring out the flavour of both the curries, a dish of cardamom-spiced garlic pilau rice was served, with flavours so tasty that it could have served as a dish all on its own.

Pea-stuffed aubergine

A vegetarian side dish of pea-stuffed aubergine was incredible. I heard comments around the table from people saying they normally didn’t like aubergine but adored this one.

Dhal

The dhal was certainly the blandest of all the dishes. This is not to say that we didn’t enjoy it, as actually it was perhaps a blessing to have a more neutral, calming dish to bring our taste buds back to earth after all the other dishes had them dancing like crazy!

Rum and raisin cake

Dessert was a delicious rum and raisin cake with rum butter sauce. Normally this sort of cake doesn’t particularly thrill me, but wonder-chef Seema converted me. It was somehow light at the same time as being rich, and the vanilla-infused sponge was wonderfully soft and moist, even without adding the rum butter sauce. But, trust me, you want that rum butter sauce. I forced myself to finish my slice despite the protests my already-full stomach was giving me.

Seema’s meal at her house costs $500 a head (we paid $450 to host it elsewhere). Agreed it’s not the cheapest meal, but you will walk away full to the brim of delicious food that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere in Hong Kong. The lovely Seema spends two full days sourcing and preparing the food to ensure that every dish is utter perfection and every mouthful clearly represents the passion she so lovingly puts into it.

Contact Seema to enquire about bookings: vsafarispices@gmail.com

Or call +852 9548 5280

Tags: , , , , , ,

Comilonas revisited

12 Mar

I first went to Comilonas just weeks after it had opened its doors, and am happy to say that I believe I was the first food blogger to taste it and review it. I have now been twice since then and am still certain that this is one of my favourite restaurants in Hong Kong. It sets itself apart from other private kitchens by serving traditional Catalonian food unique to Hong Kong in a casual and homely environment without the rocket high prices other places would charge.

The menu has stayed the same since it opened, until owner Lluis and his wife Carrie, the chef behind the wonderful food, ventured back to Lluis’ home town of Barcelona for the month of February to explore new ideas and put together a new menu, which I sampled last week with a group of 16 hungry bellies.

Comilonas seats between 10 and 20 diners, and only serves one group, meaning you book the whole space and entertain as though it were your own dining room, for that is how it is designed to feel. They’ll even put the name of the host on the menu for you, an added touch that I obviously loved!

The dinner still kicks off with a Romesco dip – a beautiful blend of almonds and roasted vegetables that Lluis explains is his family’s secret recipe – and crudités to nibble on whilst the guests arrive.

Herb-marinated scallops

Another dish that has fortunately remained on the menu is the Herb-marinated scallops. Thin slivers of scallops are cured in the tastiest herb-infused olive oil and lemon juice, resulting in wonderfully tender scallops that simply melt in the mouth. Here’s hoping Carrie and Lluis never take this dish off the menu!

Musclos escabetxats

To follow, Musclos escabetxats, which translates to pickled mussels, were very popular. The acidic marinade made from olive oil, vinegar, garlic and tomatoes cuts through the strong fishy flavour of the mussels, creating a lovely and hearty dish.

Esqueixada

Replacing the previous original salt-cod dish comes Esqueixada, an equally, if not more, delicious platter of salt-cod piled high with a scrumptious blend of tomatoes, olive oil, onions and olives. Although sad at first that the brandada de bacalla was no longer an option, this delicious dish quickly quelled my sadness.

Piquillo peppers with cheese

My favourite dish of Piquillo peppers with cheese, however, thankfully remains on the menu. The tender beak-shaped peppers (hence the name ‘piquillo’ which stems from the Spanish ‘pico’, meaning beak) are lovingly stuffed with buttery Manchego cheese and sprinkled with spring onions. Absolutely heavenly.

Chicken & pork canalons

Newcomer Chicken and pork canalons almost stole first place for me. These canaloni were stuffed with an interesting blend of minced chicken and pork, giving a rather crude meat flavour, topped with a cream and cheese sauce to balance it. Popped under the grill to make the cheese golden and crispy, this, for me, was the ultimate comfort food.

Fennel and orange salad

Admittedly, the Fennel and orange salad didn’t thrill me, but then again salads rarely do, as I am not much of a salad person. It was, however, a very refreshing dish.

Seafood paella

Unlike the black ink paella on Comilonas’ previous menu, the Seafood paella on the new menu is certainly aesthetically pleasing. It was quite the spectacle as Lluis carried out the enormous paellera to the somehow-still-hungry diners. The prawns were beautifully tender and full of flavour, the rice was perfectly al dente, yet as a whole, I found the dish to be slightly less tasty than its predecessor. However, this could have been due to the lack of aioli, which I fell in love with the previous two times.

Caramelised orange with ice cream

To finish, we were served individual portions of Caramelised orange with ice cream, beautifully presented inside half an orange and topped with chopped hazelnuts. This is the dessert from the original menu; the orange halves are consistently scraped clean so I think Carrie and Lluis know that this dish is a winner.

In line with Hong Kong’s private kitchen scene, Comilonas has a BYOB policy, yet unlike other private kitchens, doesn’t charge a single cent for corkage (nor, incidentally, do they charge for service). To add to the atmosphere you wouldn’t experience in any other Hong Kong restaurant, Lluis presents diners with a drinking vessel that is a cross between a watering can and a decanter; using all the skill you can muster, you are expected to pour wine directly from the porró into your mouth, from as great a height as you can without spilling wine all over yourself (bibs are also provided just in case!).

Comilonas is booked up weeks, or even months in advance (I’d like to take just a little bit of credit for this, having reviewed it for The Dim Sum Diaries, Lifestyle Asia and Foodie!). Yet where other private kitchens start to knock the price up once they gain popularity, Comilonas’ menu remains at only $380 per person. For the amount of food I’ve just described and a fun lesson in how to drink wine Barcelona-style, this is as reasonable as you’re going to get. Be careful not to miss the bib though, or your dry cleaning bill might end up being more expensive than dinner!

Comilonas

Flat 22, 1/F Yip Cheong Building
4-16 Hill Road
Sai Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 9863 2270

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Ta Pantry

10 Jan

Very few of us are fortunate enough to have the space in our Hong Kong apartments to host a dinner party for ten guests. Fortunately private kitchens abound and I’m on a mission to try them all. Ta Pantry, a gem of a private kitchen tucked away in the up and coming neighbourhood that is Star Street, did not disappoint.

Esther ‘Tata’ Sham, a model-turned-chef, has a beautiful set-up in a converted apartment that looks and feels like it really could be someone’s dining room. On warmer evenings, guests can enjoy a drink on the balcony whilst they wait for the food to be ready, or gather round the open kitchen watching Chef Tata prepare their dinner.

Esther’s dishes all reflect influences from her childhood, combined with western cooking techniques she has experienced and developed whilst working at two Michelin starred restaurant Amber and now three Michelin starred L’atelier de Joel Robuchon. Menu options include Japanese, Shanghainese, New American, Indochine and Deluxe (all priced at $600 per person, bar the Deluxe which is $850).

"Kor Fu" hand roll and drunken egg

Our choice of the Shanghainese menu began with a “Kor Fu” hand roll (a crepe filled with tofu and mushroom) and a ‘Drunken egg’. The shelled, jelly-like egg seemed a strange idea but tasted delicious and the yolk was still comfortingly runny.

"Not so Shanghainese" foie gras wontons

The “Not so Shanghainese” foie gras wontons, served in a mushroom broth, were incredible; the dough thin and delicate, just as it should be, and the filling rich and smooth, all topped off with beautifully decorative ‘egg knots’ and presented in a cute clay pot.

Melting Onion Duck

Esther treated us to a complimentary dish of Melting Onion Duck, a dish so divine that there is usually a $150 surcharge per head. The duck, smothered in a decadent onion jus, melted in the mouth and was perfectly complemented by deep fried aubergine pieces to soak up the sauce.

A5 Kobe Beef

Perfectly tender Kobe beef accompanied by spicy mushrooms, fried Chinese doughnut and sesame gai lan (a Chinese vegetable similar to choi sum) followed and again every plate was licked clean. I was particularly fond of the sesame vegetables, but thought the doughnut pieces added little value to the dish.

Crispy scallop black truffle mian

The first few mouthfuls of the crispy scallop black truffle mian (creamy noodles with crabmeat and black truffle) were delicious, although the flavour of the truffle did become a little overpowering after a while.

After five such delectable savoury courses, unfortunately we were all a little disappointed by the dessert. Po Po’s Red bean dumplings on rice wine jelly and osmanthus honey, an adaptation of Esther’s favourite childhood dessert, looked pretty, but taste-wise just did not match the high standard set by the previous dishes. The flavour was a little unusual and rather bland. However, we had all eaten more than enough and quaffed ample glasses of fantastic wine. Esther shares the space with her brother Andrew’s wine cellar, so we were surrounded by bottle upon bottle of wine priced so reasonably that it would have been rude not to tuck in, even if we were all still recovering from New Year’s Eve!

Ta Pantry seats a maximum of ten diners per night and requires a deposit to be paid in advance. It doesn’t come cheap (and is one of the few private kitchens that adds service charge), but you can certainly see the passion that goes into creating every single dish. It is a rather special place and one I would definitely consider going back to in order to try the other menus. Although before I do, I have quite a number of other private kitchens to tick off on my list first. I can already tell that my proposed detox to kickstart the year is going nowhere…

Ta Pantry

Flat 1C Moonstar Court
2D Star Street
Wan Chai
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 9403 6430

Closed on Sundays

Tags: , , , , ,

Magnolia

22 Aug

Since moving back to Hong Kong last year, I had heard a lot of hype about Lori Granito’s Magnolia, but had not had the chance to try it until this weekend for a very good friend’s birthday party. If you know how excited I get about food, you can only imagine the excitement that had been built up over the last year about trying Magnolia’s Creole cuisine.

I had been advised that a night at Magnolia involved a LOT of food, so purposefully chose to wear a very floaty dress, and I now understand that this was definitely a wise move. There is no point in going to Magnolia unless you are prepared to be very well fed. A good tip is to have a fairly light lunch and go for a run a couple of hours before dinner to make sure you are extra hungry and ready for a feast, as that is exactly what Magnolia is: a feast!

The idea is to arrive at 8pm sharp, where you are greeted by the Magnolia team with a welcome cocktail and some canapés. I unfortunately arrived at 8:25 so was not able to make the most of the reception, although I did head straight for the food table where the freshly baked bread with sundried tomato, cream cheese and pesto spread was calling out my name. I could have devoured the whole plate, but was quickly reminded that there was so much more to come.

We were led through the open kitchen, where the sights and aromas of southern American splendours made our mouths water, and upstairs into our private dining room.

The first dish to kick off the feast was a bowl of gumbo soup. With fresh prawns, crab claws, sausage, rice and a fair amount of chilli, this dish perfectly matched the standards I had been expecting for the night.

Fried green tomatoes with crayfish salad

Next we were each served a small plate of deep-fried green tomatoes with a crayfish salad. The little green tomatoes were incredible, coated in a Cajun batter, which was so good that I couldn’t care less how bad they were for me!

To follow these starters, an overwhelming variety of dishes were brought in and placed in the centre of the table to be shared, family style, including fried catfish strips, sweet potato mash, mustard greens with bacon, chicken etouffee with steamed rice, sausage jambalaya, Cajun BBQ ribs and cornbread muffins.

Cajun BBQ ribs

I particularly enjoyed the sausage jambalaya, always one of my favourite dishes, and the warm cornbread muffins were delicious. The dish that truly shone, however, was the BBQ ribs. The meat was so tender that it slid straight off the bone and melted in the mouth. Although I was almost reaching optimum fullness, I could not resist eating more of these ribs!

I had baked a carrot cake (for which the recipe can be found here), so after singing ‘Happy Birthday’, the cake was served alongside Magnolia’s famous pecan pie (pictured above). Obviously this was a little over-indulgent, but you can’t have a birthday without cake! If I may say so myself, my cake was pretty damn tasty, and several people mentioned that they actually preferred it to the pie. I do think that they were just being polite, however, as the pie was amazing! The glutton here polished off both desserts, meaning I was even more grateful to be wearing a floaty dress. Fortunately not everyone was as greedy as me, so a large doggy bag provided cake and pie for breakfast on Sunday.

Magnolia is completely BYOB, without corkage charge, and the attentive waiters are constantly on the lookout to top up empty wine and water glasses.

They request for the $450 per person (not bad at all for the amount of food on offer) to be paid prior to the meal, to avoid any cancellations, and as you do not part with any money on the actual night, it almost feels like you’re having a free meal!

Just in case you’re still hungry, as you leave, you are presented with a little gift box containing a yummy little cupcake from Lori’s cupcake company, Sprinkles. Even if the thought of ever eating again is unbearable, accept the cake, as you’ll be grateful the following day!

If you’re looking for a down to earth private kitchen that isn’t absurdly expensive yet serves deliciously wholesome food, then I would definitely recommend Magnolia. You may well roll out of there and it might not be the most conducive idea for a night out afterwards, but fight through it, and a couple of Jaeger bombs later, you’ll be right as rain!

Magnolia

Shop 5, G/F
17 Po Yan Street
Sheung Wan
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2530 9880

Date visited: Saturday 20th August 2011

Have a read of my mini-review of Magnolia on Localiiz too – you could find some other exciting restaurants on there worth trying!

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Le Marron

21 Apr

On Saturday, my friend celebrated one of her last nights of freedom before her big day to be held this summer. After a beautiful day out on a catamaran in the South China Sea, her hen party of 18 girls went to Le Marron in Causeway Bay for dinner. This private kitchen, similar to its sister restaurant, Le Blanc, aims to make the diner feel like they are in someone’s very ornately decorated dining room, littered with photo frames, candelabras and all sorts of knick-knacks dotted around on every possible surface area.

The tables (for between 2 and 30 diners) are semi-curtained off with translucent screens, allowing for a bit of privacy if you want it, or they can just as easily be pushed aside to allow drunken men to come in and taunt/tempt the bride-to-be! Or likewise if other parties were outraged by our hen games, they were free to close themselves off too.  Each sectioned-off area is slightly different, with mismatching wallpaper and furniture, giving the impression that each party has their very own dining room, different to the next. Mind you, the noise levels remind you that you are indeed sharing the restaurant with A LOT of other people, so be prepared to shout in order to make yourself heard.

Although there is a reasonably priced wine-list, the restaurant offers a BYO service, without a corkage charge, which helps to bring down the cost. This is particularly useful if you’re celebrating with champagne for 18 thirsty girls. The attentive waiters make this experience even more worthwhile by insisting that your glass is never empty (although I think all of us cursed the waiters the following morning!).

A set menu of four courses, with a few choices for each course, awaited us. The overriding theme of the month (the menu changes monthly) seemed to be FUNGUS. There were mushrooms everywhere: wild mushroom quiche, wild mushroom soup, angel-hair pasta with….wild mushrooms and black truffle cream sauce. As I have mentioned previously, I never used to be a fungus person, so this many mushrooms on one menu did frighten me a little bit and I was grateful that we had the choice to opt out. I did decide to try the wild mushroom quiche, however, as it was the starter which jumped out at me the most. So, as (after a surprisingly long time) the other girls received a huuuuge plate of Caesar salad, or a decent portion of foie gras, I was served a sliver of quiche. At the time, I grumbled and probably even muttered under my breath to the waiter “where’s the rest of it?” but, considering I still had three courses to follow, it was probably a jolly good thing it wasn’t any bigger! The quiche was good, very flavoursome, but did leave me wanting more. Apparently the foie gras was the opposite – very good flavour but far too rich and any more would have been torture. I didn’t try the salad, although I did try one of the croutons which I believe I described as “outrageously garlicky.”

Unwilling, like I said, to have an overload of wild mushrooms, I chose the only other soup option – crab bisque – which I wasn’t too bothered about ordering and didn’t allow myself to eat much of as I had a big plate of beef to follow. It was a lot better than I had imagined and I particularly enjoyed the chunks of crabmeat. Don’t risk it if you don’t like crab though, as it is… well, very crabby! Mushroom soup was apparently rather watery but a good level of mushroominess.

A taste of sorbet to clean the palatte was very well received after my crabby crab bisque.

I didn’t really know exactly what I had ordered for main course. I simply went with it as it sounded better than the other options and the waiter recommended it: Grilled Angus short rib mille feuille with perigueux sauce. It was beautifully presented and wafer-thinly sliced, so that, had there not been so many fatty bits, it would have melted in the mouth. Unfortunately, there were quite a few said fatty bits which had to be discarded, leaving me with little edible meat (again probably not a bad thing as I was already becoming replete). Looking around the table, the duck was said to have very good flavour but was very dry and would have benefitted from a little jus. I tried the angel hair pasta and was blown away by the mushroominess: it was insanely powerful and one small mouthful was enough to make me down my glass of Sauvignon Blanc!

There were three desserts to choose from: Baked apple and cinnamon crumble, warm chocolate pudding or crème brulée. I ordered the choc pud but was very disappointed. Not nearly as good as Watermark‘s one, and nowhere near as good as the M&S food porn one, needless to say I took a couple of mouthfuls, pushed it aside and tried the other two desserts. Crème brulée – not amazing and the shell on top did not have that satisfactory crack when knocked with a fork. Apple crumble however, parfait! Tart apple with crisp, delicious crumble. Hands down star of the show. Well done crumble.

All in all a very enjoyable evening. The food can definitely not be described as out of this world, but it was tasty and I don’t think there are many other restaurants in HK where we could seat 18 over-excited girls on one long table and where it would be acceptable to whip out all sorts of phallic-themed accessories. Although at first sight a few of us mentioned to each other that this could be an ideal date restaurant, judging by the noise levels and the fact that, although titled a ‘private kitchen’, it is definitely not so private, it is perhaps only best kept for large groups. There is a minimum spend of $380 per head, but our bill reached $510 each with a couple of additional bottles. For a very fun evening, this wasn’t a bad price at all and I definitely think our hen had a good time as we all stumbled onwards to Wyndham Street carrying our food babies.

Le Marron

12/F Ying Kong Mansion
2-6 Yee Wo Street
Causeway Bay
Hong Kong

Tel: +852 2881 6662

Date visited: Saturday 16th April 2011

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 2,810 other followers