Dec

more stars: ming court

After yesterday’s mess hall meal it was a no brainer to accept the invitationÂ to dine at Ming Court, the Michelin two-star restaurant at Langham Place, Mongkok. I’ll be moving to Langham Place in a few days, too, so not only did it give me the chance to do a bit ofÂ neighborhoodÂ reconnaissance, but it also gave me the leisurely opportunity to sample the contemporary CantoneseÂ menu of chef Tsang Chiu King. Sophisticated yetÂ approachable -Â and very, very comfortable – it’s an engaging dining experience of traditional fresh flavors, creatively presented: a trio of dim sum;Â bean curd three ways – with prawns, braised with black truffle & gold leaf, and stuffed inside whole abalone with black mushroom; subtly elegant matsutake and bamboo funghi soup; stir fried giant garoupa; award-winningÂ pan-fried chicken skin filled with chicken and black truffle, accompanied with sliced pumpkin;Â baked rice with chicken and cheese served in bell pepper; and a refreshing tofuÂ bird’s nest “extravagance.” Best of all, the food doesn’t takeÂ itself too seriously. Chef Tsang is obviously – thankfully – focused on form following flavor. Which makes for happy palates – not to mention empty plates.

Nov

under the spell of amber

My first Michelin-starred meal in Hong Kong turned out to be quite the doozy. UnderÂ theÂ guidanceÂ of Dutch chef Richard Ekkebus,Â Amber at The Landmark Mandarin OrientalÂ has two of those coveted stars. But wait, there’s more: Â the San Pellegrino “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” Awards rankedÂ theÂ eatery at number 37 earlier this year. Not only is it the only Hong KongÂ restaurantÂ on the list, it’s the onlyÂ restaurantÂ in Hong Kong to have madeÂ theÂ list since 2005. (I’d been told the city is emerging with enormous gastronomic energy – this factoid only served to solidify my stomach’s growing expectations.) Needless to say lunch at Amber did not disappoint. From the amusing amuse of foie gras lollipops shellacked with beetroot to the perfectly-formed olive-studded focaccia, my meal was a languorous mix of creative aesthetics and fresh, contemporary flavors grounded in traditional French technique. Dungeness crab with crÃ¨me fraiche, avocado, Granny Smith apple and cucumber was so composed I almost hated to mess the plate. Line-caught Atlantic cod was roasted with the skin on and served with salted celeriac and Iberian pork neck in a Cabernet reduction that perfectly played off the meatiness of the fish. For dessert aÂ terrarium of tiramisu was inspired – so, too, the cheese trolley – yet theÂ bliss of darkÂ chocolate gunaja with speculoos crumbs was downright genius.Â This wasn’t at all what I expected of Hong Kong – but I’m so happy to have had my expectations thoroughly upended.

Aug

last supper at le bernardin

When friend and photographer Lyn Hughes called inviting to me a literal last supper at Le Bernardin last weekend I didn’t hesitate. I also didn’t bother taking out my camera phone – when you’re with the court photographer it’s not only considered unseemly but redundant. Rather I relaxed – if you can call it that – over a leisurely orgasmic eight courses of Michelin three-star cuisine at its finest. Eric Ripert and Maguy la Coze’s seafood temple is shuttering for a summer renovation rumored to be costing in the neighborhood of a few million dollars – its first since bursting on the New York dining scene 25 years ago. (Not that you’dÂ guessÂ the old girl’s age fromÂ her perfectly pristine interiors) Here then a tasting menu of Lyn’s imagesÂ fromÂ our Last Supper to get you through the August drought. Â You can see plenty more of her food porn on the restaurant’s website, too. Or better still, book a SeptemberÂ table now and beat what’s sure to be an onslaught of old flames out to check if the collar still matches the cuffs