鯛 (Snapper)

日本料理 鯛 Ugata, Ise Prefecture

Client dinners can bring you to the most unexpected of places.  There are various reasons as to picking a particular venue for a client dinner: in our case, the host (my company) wanted our guest/client to experience a little bit of the local culture or traditional food in Ise prefecture.




I was hoping that since we were in Ugata, we'd be feasting on lobsters this evening.  Ise prefecture is more known for its lobsters than its snapper fish however this restaurant is known as an institution for fish rather than more popular crustacean. 

FIRST DISH:  Assorted Sashimi

Snapper, tuna, and squid.  All perfectly acceptable however I'd have to note that the sashimi could have been a bit cooler.  I think it was just below room temperature which it shouldn't have been.

SECOND DISH: Sazae (otherwise known as conch)

A speciality in certain parts of Asia however not one that I enjoy.  Beneath the prickly exterior of this shell lives/ (lived) a sea slug.  Indeed very meaty in texture however if I have to be blunt, it was a bit gross to look at it and it made me lose my appetite temporarily.

THIRD DISH: Ise Ebi Salad

The salad was great.  A wonderful array of vegetables were used in composing the salad but unfortunately, the famed lobster from Ise, dissapointed.  How could they get this wrong??? 

FOURTH DISH: Assorted Deep Fried Fish Bones

A truly underrated food snack which I haven't seen in too many countries fish-wise.  It's a great mix of different fish skins that have been deep fried and salted.

FIFTH DISH: Stewed Fish Head in Sweet Soy Sauce

Yes, it is a common dish throughout Japan and I won't say it wasn't good but picking meat off of a fish head is an interesting task.  Even more amusing is the client who sits next to you and plucks out the eyeball and sucks the gelatinous bits around it before slurping it down.  The taste was fine though and the sweet soy really gave a good contrast to the strong smells of the fish.

SIXTH DISH: Shrimp Tempura with Green Peas

I love, love, love tempura.  There is something very addicting to deep fried foods and so I thank my lucky stars one of Japan's specialities is tempura.  This particular arrangement of shrimp and pea worked great but the batter was still a bit doughy.

7TH DISH: Ochazuke of Red Snapper

Ochazuke is another sublime dish which is composed of tea, rice, and sometimes a topping.  In this case, yes you guessed correctly, more snapper fish. It also included seawood and spring onions. Ochazuke is a light dish where tea is poured on top of rice and is loved by many of Japan's citizens.  I would be sure that this dish actually wasn't served with tea however but hot water that might have been flavored with fish stock.   

AND FINALLY: Pickles

By the end of the meal, all of our group were bloated and lamented ordering too many dishes.  I really would have liked to say that it was a tasty meal however I think this is one restaurant that fell slightly short of a personal recommendation that I would offer to someone else.  The food was acceptable and for 5,250 Yen (equivalent of 52 Euro) per person we sure did eat quite a bit. 

Sadly, there are a multitude of restaurants throughout Japan that serve the same amount of dishes and perhaps better in quality than this one.  Should you be passing through the Ugata area in Ise prefecture, I would heartily recommend 'Te chan' (please see my post for that restaurant) as a much more suitable venue for Japanese classics in an Izakaya styled restaurant.

My Score:




日本料理 鯛 (Nihon Ryouri Tai) - Shima City, Mie Prefecture Ugata

http://shima-tai.com/

Tanto Piatto

Tanto Piatto - Kobe, Japan

So...Google tells me that the Italian words Tanto Piatto translates to ''so flat'' in English?  I'm really not sure what that means or how it is supposed to boost the restaurant's image.  In the case of this eatery, maybe names are not so important.  It's one of those hidden gem restaurants that no one really speaks of unless you were in an area nearby.  Tanto Piatto is tasty, it's cozy, and it's unpretentious.  The chef/owner doesn't say anything to his guests except give them a polite bow for entering the restaurant as well as when they exit.

Our group took the ￥1250 3 course lunch set.  (Roughly 12 euros)

APPETIZER: Mixed Green Salad with Lemon Vinagrette

Simply a salad with crisp fresh vegetables, crunchy glass noodles and one hell of a punchy lemon vinagrette.

MAIN COURSE: Spaghetti with Sweet Shrimp, Broccoli, and Sour Plum.

No way would anyone think that this is an Italian dish.  Shrimp and red plum?  Orthodox? No, hardly so.  Tasty?  It was a complete delight.  The sourness of the plum worked perfectly with the sweetness of shrimp in such harmony that you could almost think that this a perfect combination.  I later found out that the chef had used live shrimp because he could only find the sweetness he required from market fresh shrimp.

ADDITIONAL COURSE:  Shrimp Sausage with Medley of Vegetables

Yes, I agree.  This looks peculiar.  A colleague of mine insisted we order this dish as it was his absolute favorite.  At ￥1680 (approximately 17 Euros)  by no means was this an affordable plate of food, but we were utterly convinced that if we didn't try the shrimp sausage; we'd be making a huge mistake.  The sauce was rich, the vegetables well cooked and the shrimp nicely prepared.  So why was I not sold on it after the first bite?

It's 100% shrimp.  I also think this was way too hyped up.  Sure it wasn't bad but an absolute favorite?  No thank you.  I'll stick to conventional pork sausages next time. 

DESSERT: Hokkaido Vanilla Ice cream with Cornflakes 

Simple dessert.  Simple tastes.  Very Good. 

The last word:

Tanto Piatto is a one chef's take on Italian cuisine and blending them with Japanese flavors and tastes.  For ￥1250 yen, I could tell you that I would have paid that amount just for the spaghetti dish alone.  The green salad and ice cream were welcomed additions to the lunch menu, but the star of the show was indeed the shrimp, plum, and broccoli spaghetti.  The chef on his website declares that all the food used at Tanto Piatto is market fresh every day. 

As I've said before, Tanto Piatto is a hidden gem.  I've tried on different occassions variations of pasta dishes.  One such example was cold spaghetti with white fleshed peaches.  I do know that around the Amalfi coast, some chefs in the region have made Spaghetti al Limone but nothing comes close to Tanto Piatto's Peach Spaghetti.  It's a dish only served in August and sells out immediately.  Again, not conventional dishes but perhaps flavours that blend well with Japanese citizens and foreigners such as myself.  Should I happen to be walking near Tanto Piatto during lunch on another occassion, I'll certainly make the effort to enjoy an always exciting and tasty lunch.

My Score: 14.5/20


Food: 4
Presentation: 3
Ambiance: 3.5
Staff: 4

Tanto Piatto - 12-6 Kano cho, Kobe

http://tantopiatto.com/index.html

Cuisine Cuisine @ The Mira Hotel

Cuisine Cuisine, Mira Hotel, Kowloon - Hong Kong

Dim Sum is traditionally served at breakfast or lunch.  Dimsum dishes are meant to be shared too.  It is also an outing which usually comprises of families going out to eat together or perhaps larger groups of friends/colleagues.  However, it is rarely a solo dining experience.  I've never dined at a Michelin rated restaurant alone and I wanted to get an idea of what a lunch might be like for a solo diner at the popular Cuisine Cuisine restaurant housed in the Mira Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.

When I entered the restaurant at about 1:45 pm, I signalled to the hostess that I'd be only one person dining for lunch.  She didn't flinch and I was promptly seated.  I did draw some attention from the manager and head waiters for some reason.  All of them were friendly but I kept getting asked what was the reason of my visit to the restaurant.  That seems rather strange when they work in a 'restaurant'.  It seemed to me at the time that they probably thought I was a critic.

(A stylish dining room for a modern approach to Chinese dim sum)

Amuse Bouche: Double Boiled Fungus and Bitter Winter Melon

For an amouse bouche, this must have been one of the worst ones I'd ever had.  The fungus was passable even for a bland dish.  The Winter Melon on the other hand I gathered was an acquired taste but I hardly stomach the pickled taste of this odd vegetable. 

FIRST DISH: Steamed Carrot Rice Flour Rolls Stuffed With Barbecued Pork 48 HKD

True, it was ''orange'' like in nature however I found the rice roll to be nice in texture but lacking in any subtle carrot flavors.  The mix of barbecued pork with chives was a welcome addition to the overall taste.

SECOND DISH: Crispy Mini Gultinous Rice Balls With Green Tea And Red Bean 38 HKD

I wish someone had told me to order this last instead of my second dim sum choice.  It was almost too sweet and I would have rather preferred to eat it as a dessert.  Pretty good though.

THIRD DISH: Pan Fried Pork Bun With Chives and Chilli 75 HKD

If you slice this pork bun open, it would have revealed it's grey and unappealing contents.  The grayish mixture of pork and spices was better in taste than in sight.  No heights, no lows.  Just an ordinary pan fried pork bun with some serious heat from the chillies.

4TH & 5TH DISH: Steamed Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Dumpling 38 HKD / Steamed Sweet Potato with Shrimp and Vegetables 48 HKD

The instant this dim sum basket was served to me, one of the head waiters eyed it extremely carefully.He looked at me, he looked at the food and then thrust his hand out to reclaim the dim sum basket and return it to the kitchen.  ''Woah, whats happening'' I asked?  He made no eye contact with.  A mellow voice now repiled, ''Sir, I can't serve it to you like this''.  Just as soon as he was going to make a bee-line for the kitchen, I saw the problem.  Both of the casings housing the indiviual pieces of dim sum had been left too long to steam and were starting to crack.

The steamed wild mushroom and black truffle dumplings were sublime.  A very pleasant and welcomed mixture of mushroom and truffles were full of flavor and a delight to eat.

The sweet potato and shrimp dumplings were equally as good however I was more impressed by the presentation and look of the dumpling.  The purple color really made it appealing and had a certain wow factor that was missing in so many other dim sum restaurants.  Just a personal observation. 

The last word:

I don't think I'd do the dim sum experience solo again.  Everyone working at the restaurant recognized that I was the only person eating by myself so a few people came and tried to help in their own ways.  One brought a newspaper so I could pass the time away, two waitresses made friendly conversation and the manager repeatedly came over to see if I was ok and needed anything else.  If you notice the portions of the food, they are in smaller versions that normally served.  What they gave me was the single portion amount for less money and thankfully the bill reflected this.

Is it worthy of all the hype in the guide books? That's a hard question to answer.  Cuisine Cuisine, with or without its coveted michelin star, does a wonderful creative version of Chinese dim sum classics for the 21st century.  As of recently, I don't think I have been to any Chinese place yet which is worthy of a Michelin status for dim sum.  It's going to have to take more than just modernized dim sum to get an accolade such as as a Michelin star.

My Score: 15/20


Food: 3.5
Presentation: 3.5
Ambiance: 4
Staff: 4
Cuisine Cuisine at the Mira Hotel

http://www.themirahotel.com/en/dining/cuisine-cuisine.aspx



 

Glass Hostaria

Glass Hostaria - Rome

Cobbled streets, noisy students, empty beer bottles.  Windy alleys, neon signs, dingy pubs.  These are the sights and sounds of funky Trastevere.  One of Rome's members to the Michelin Guide System have settled down here as well.  Head Chef Cristina Bowerman runs Glass Hostaria serving up modern takes on Italian classics and other nouveau dishes here since 2005.

After countless trattorias my wife and I visited during our sojourn in Rome, we decided to try Glass Hostaria for a different approach on Italian cuisine.  Instead of choosing the affordable 4 course @ 65 Euro set dinner, my wife and I opted for choosing specific dishes off the menu instead. 

BREAD

Of the six different bread variations that they brought before the amuse bouche, only two are worth mentioning.  The large crispy fennel cracker and the black squid ink with dried fruits bread.

AMUSE BOUCHE: Lettuce Soup, Bacon, and Ricotta

Our amuse bouche was this lettuce soup that our waiter said was a cold amuse bouche.  To their correction however, the soup was indeed not cold but pretty much lukewarm.  It was garnished with bacon bits and ricotta cheese.  They served the same dish to my wife who had informed them that she doesn't eat meat (nonetheless bacon bits were still on her portion). 
Also, if it was supposed to be a cold soup, why was the dish almost tepid in temperature?  Shouldn't it have been served in cold plates? 

MY APPETIZER: Tagliolini with Leeks, Oysters and Vanilla Oil

At 22 Euros, I was hoping for more than two oysters but as you can see, that was it.  It was pretty tasty though for such a simple dish.  I know less is more for the credo of most chefs but this dish needed an extra (something) just to given it some character.

HER APPETIZER: Mushroom Puree and Poached Eggs.

At 18 Euros, this was my wife's appetizer which was suggested by the waiter in lieu of what was proposed on the menu.  She said it wasn't bad but for a mushroom puree though it tasted exactly like roasted chestnuts.  I also have to add the plating skills on this dish make it look like some kind of unedible gloop rather than a Michelin starred dish.

HER MAIN COURSE: Pastificio dei Campi Linguine, Roasted Red Pepper Water, and Anchovies from Cetara

22 Euros. Unfortunately she didn't like it and neither did I.  It was kind of a mish mash of odd flavours.  Perhaps it was a question of palate, but I would never reorder to it give it another try.

MY MAIN COURSE: White Fish, Curry, Coconut and Eggplant 

This was my main course and by far the most unpleasant.  The eggplant and eggplant based capellini were not bad but the 'white fish' was flavourless and was seriously overcooked.  As soon as I had tasted the first biteful, I just wanted to ask for the check and leave.  I was really let down by such shoddy cooking.  28 Euros and hardly justifiable.

DESSERT: Banana Ice Cream, Raspberry Flakes, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sponge Cake

Ok, so their pastry chef wasn't that bad.  It was a good dessert but what you see in the picture is 12 Euros for miniscule porportions!

PETIT FOURS: Orange Lollipops, Chocolate Madeleines, Pate de Fruits, Creme Caramel, Shredded Coconut Chocolate, and Buttered Fudge

I found the petit fours to be a nice touch although their chocolate madeleines were dry and frankly, almost stale.  Other than that, we quite enjoyed the rest of them. 

The last word:

After a bill of 120 Euros for two people, in my opinion, I could definitely advise fellow gourmets (in search of fine cuisine) to steer clear of this restaurant.  I just can't see how come Michelin chose this establishment to be a 1 starred restaurant.  The chef came and spoke to us after dinner to say a quick hello and she was friendly enough but I felt it impolite to tell her that I didn't enjoy her food.  It wasn't like we were ever going to return and I decided that she was probably lucky when the inspectors came.  In retrospect, perhaps I should have said something to her.  I guess this is another (could have, would have, should have) situation.

We also had one bizarre encounter with one member of staff.  Due to the fact that my wife was pregnant, she asked the sommelier if she could order a Virgin Bloody Mary.  ''Impossible'' he replied.  He told her the best thing he could get her was water or beer.  Beer??? She had just told him that she wanted a non-alcoholic beverage and he replied that he had a good beer that he could offer instead.  Perhaps a lack of translation skills?  I think not.  Miracously, he was able to find a bottle of Schweppes Lemon which my wife happily accepted.

My Score: 12.5/20


Food: 2.5
Presentation: 3
Ambiance: 4
Staff: 3


Glass Hostaria - Vicolo del Cinque 58, Rome

http://www.glass-restaurant.it/

Da Nino, Rome

Da Nino - Rome

Recommended by a family member of mine, my wife and I eagerly awaited a lunch at the historic Da Nino restaurant located in a side street near the Spanish Steps.  Da Nino is considered an institution in the Roman culinary scene.  One interesting fact about this restaurant is the fact that when the originial ownership of Da Nino fizzled out, the waiters of the restaurant collectively joined forces and took over the management of the restaurant.

We were seated in old wooden rickety chairs and attended by an elderly Italian waiter.  He barely spoke any English and told us that everything on the menu was good to eat.

FIRST DISH: Boiled Asparagus with Butter and Parmesan Cheese

We selected the giant sized Asparagus on display in a showcase window and our waiter told us they only way to have them served properly would be with butter and Parmesan cheese, naturally!  They were simply delectable.  Firm stalks of green asparagus drenched with a heavy dose of butter and melted Parmesan.  An overwhelming 10/10.

SECOND DISH: Tagliatelle With Porcini

The porcini were uber tasty and meaty.  The tagliatelle was cooked to perfection.  I lapped up every bit of the sauce and wished that I had two portions of this outstanding pasta dish.  Again, a 10/10.

DESSERT: Fragole (Wild Berries)

At 7 euros for this dessert, I first questioned if it was going to be worth seven euros for mixed berries.  How I was wrong.  The berries were definitely wild with a hint of earthy sweetness.  If I'm not mistaken they were dressed with the slightest touch of a sweet alcohol.  I remarked to the waiter how delicious the berries were and he quietly nodded as if to say, ''I told you so''.

THE DINING ROOM

In my opinion, this was truly the best lunch that I had in Rome.  Everything went by without a hitch.  The food was outstanding, the prices reasonable (64 euros for two diners) and the ambiance was totally charming.

In a corner of a restaurant, two waiters were arguing what pasta would be better to use for one diner's dish.  In the center of the room sat the all powerful cashier.  A lady who oversaw every check and scoured the restaurant for regular guests to chat up.  She spoke to me in Italian when I went to pay although I had no idea what she said.  I deduced that she was claiming that the food at Da Nino was always excellent and it was my privilege to have been able to dine there - or so I guessed.

If you do visit Rome, you must visit this institution and book ahead in advance.  It's worth every penny.


Da Nino

Via Borgognona, 11  00187 Rome, Italy

www.ristorantenino.it

Gourmet Restaurant Schloss Lerbach

Gourmet Restaurant Schloss Lerbach - Bergisch Gladbach

In 1997, young Nils Henkel went to work for legendary German chef, Dieter Muller.  Through hours of hard work and experience, 7 years later, Henkel grabs a chef's position in the kitchen brigade assisting the head chef.  In 2008, the torch is passed from Muller to his protege and Henkel finally becomes Head Chef at this prestigious restaurant. Armed with this knowledge I booked a lavish lunch on Easter Sunday.  There was only one menu at 165 Euros and that was the eight course Easter lunch menu.

FIRST AMUSE BOUCHE: Vegetable Sushi and Mousse of Maize

Julienne vegetable sushi wrapped in nori, topped with jellied aloe.  Adjacent to it, mousse of maize on toasted corn cracker with sweet popcorn.  While the maize mousse with popcorn was ok, the vegetable sushi was plain weird.  It didn't work for me at all.  Not a good way to start a long lunch!

SECOND AMUSE BOUCHE: Listed Below

Left: asparagus jelly with cream cheese and artichoke puree w/ olive oil. 
Center: Asparagus foam and oxtail mousse.
Right: Artichoke tuile with Braised Artichoke and Sea Bass cooked in its own jus.

Technically, all the dishes were very well planned and created.  The artichoke tuile and braised artichoke were divine though.

FIRST DISH:  Deconstructed Millefeuile of Duck Liver With Peas

Every bite brought a smile to my face.  The combination of duck liver and peas were truly outstanding.  The crunch from the toasted bread encasing the duck liver as a sandwich also worked perfectly well.

SECOND DISH: Dandelion Surprise Egg with Brioche

The ingredients consisted of quail egg, duck rillettes, oxtail and dandelion flower mixed into the egg shell for the so called surprise.  It was good but maybe a bit overpowering with the duck rillettes? Surprisingly, the brioche wasn't tasty at all.  I was even expecting the brioche to be cut into 'soldiers' to dip the bread into the egg surprise but as you can see, this was not the case.

THIRD DISH: North Sea Shrimp, Atlantic Char, Marinated Cucumber, Dill and Fish Roe

When I was presented this dish, you had to just take a step back and admire the creativity and the vision of Nils Henkel.  I mean you could visually interpret the dish in so many different ways.  It was very tasty, yes...but I have to say bravo to the chef.  Everytime I see this photo, I just think it's brilliant.

FOURTH DISH: Pike Perch with Spring Morels, Chives and Fried Cauliflower

This was a really superior dish throughout what I had eaten so far.  The cooking of the fish was outstanding.  The fried cauliflower worked fantastically with the strong morel flavors and it was a dish in complete unison with each indiviual ingredient.  The plating of the dish also deserves top marks.

FIFTH DISH: Icelandic Crayfish, Cumin, Purple Carrots, Pistachio Mash

This dish looked amazing.  In fact it almost felt playful and somewhat cartoonish in nature.  When I took my first bite of the Icelandic Crayfish, I knew I had reached the pinnacle of Nils Henkel's reperetoire. All I coud taste was pure bliss.  It was so tender, exquisite and full of flavor.  I have never heard of Icelandic Crayfish and I still haven't been able to find much info about on the web but I have to say, whether it comes down to the taste of this dish or to the key elements like preparing the crayfish - one thing is for sure.  This is one of the best dishes I have ever had in my life.

SIXTH DISH: Asparagus, Violet Flower, Mascarpone, Herbs & Coffee Oil

At last.  At long last.  A subpar dish.  The 3 stalks of asparagus were cooked very well as one might guess by now.  However, in this case it wasn't exactly a problem with the preparation or cooking of the dish - it was the overall taste.  The coffee bean oil mixed with the cream, violet flowers and variations of seeds made the whole dish taste too salty and lacking in finesse.  I didn't want to send it back to the kitchen, but it was really a bit too much and a small let down in the string of fantastic food thus far at the restaurant.

SEVENTH DISH: Muritz Lamb with Radish, Wild Garlic, Lamb Cheek and Fondant Potatoes

Lamb might be one of the few animals that I wouldn't choose to order to eat.  That being said, I told myself I'd make an exception to eat it at this restaurant.  I'd heard that lamb was traditionally served at Easter therefore it had to make an appearance on the eight course menu.  The lamb was great as were the fondant potatoes et al.

There was one odd feature though.  The dish was served with a bowl of tripe (not pictured) which I found lacking in flavour and not exactly neccessary. 

EIGHTH DISH: Strawberry, Rhubarb, Buckwheat, Ivory Chocolate and Chervil Ice cream

After finishing the lamb dish, I wasn't sure I could stomach anymore.  I mean the menu could have been six courses and I would have been a happy camper.  Alas, there obviously had to be a dessert dish.  The chevril ice cream was nicely done, not too overpowering and not too sweet either.  It provided an excellent contrast to the sour rhubarb which I found positively delightful.  The amount of technique that went into this dish is amazing.  Notice the tiny rhubarb like spaghetti on top of the strawberry cake followed by the rhubarb tuiles.  It was just the right amount of sourness I was looking for to tie the dessert all together.  I kept force feeding myself just to show the 'kitchen' that I didn't want to waste any of the food. 

PETIT FOURS: Apple with Salted Caramel Crumble and Assorted Chocolates

It took real courage to eat this last plate of crumble.  The crumble was just so-so.  In fact, I don't really remember much about it.  We asked for the remaining petit fours to be boxed up so we could give them to a friend of ours as a thank you for watching our dogs while we were on our Easter vacation.

Lunch at Gourmet Restaurant Schloss Lerbach was a welcomed experience.  Mr. Henkel even came out to greet us during the meal to ask if everything had been pleasant.  I had remarked that his technical skills were outstanding.  He politely thanked my wife and I for dining at the restaurant and quickly made a bee line back to the kitchen.  Although the lunch was great, I wasn't prepared for an astronomical bill.  The accompanying beverages that were not included in the lunch menu were so expensive that we could have fit in two of the regular four course lunch menu including aperitif, water and coffee for the same price.

The Schloss Lerbach hotel is a Relais & Chateaux member and part of the Althoff Hotel Group. 

Gourmet Restaurant Schloss Lerbach

http://www.schlosshotel-lerbach.com/en/cuisine/gourmet-restaurant-lerbach.html