Saint Clair Wines at Stoked. Fierce!

Menu and Saint Clair

August 10th 2015

One of those evenings where the company and food totally outshone the wine. 

Yin-How's wine dinners are always good fun and we generally get lucky in getting selected to attend. so when the notice for a Saint Clair winemaker dinner came through the inbox, we snapped at it. We have been drinking Saint Clair wines for a good number of years now. Their Sauvignon Blancs are traditionally well made and eminently drinkable both as a crisp pick me up after a day at the office or as a starter to a boozy evening of Chinese cuisine and party. One of our favourites. 

It has to be said that parking at the Stoked is getting increasingly difficult, and tonight was no exception - lots of Beamers and Mercs and other snazzy cars taking up the spaces. I dropped off Lenglui and friends and headed back up the road to park up and walk back. Gets a bit embarrassing when you see your contemporaries getting dropped off by their drivers whilst you are plodding your way to the venue. There is also a hint of occasional lording it as they mention they saw you walking. There you go - we've all of us reading this made it far more than most of the world's population can ever imagine. And some made it billions more than others. Is all relative, n'est-ce pas?

Entering the Stoked felt like an IWFS dinner - pretty much all the usual suspects had equally signed up for the dinner and parked on a table that stretched pretty much the length of the restaurant! Though there were a few faces from elsewhere on the wine dinner circuit, and it was fun catching up with them. Though all they seem to want me to do is sing Chinese songs. I generally refuse these days - not everyone wants to hear a white man singing well loved Chinese songs quite badly. 

Yin-How was quick to point out the absence of elevator music and indeed the music (when it could be heard above the cacophony) was nicely judged and upbeat. 

Trio of Canapes

We were seated in the private room at the back, though when the doors are open then everyone is in one room. I got handed a large glass of the St Clair Sparkling by the lovely Ying, which was electric and fiercely acidic with seemingly little in the way of fruit.  A real cheek stinger, like having a dab of after shave but on the inside of the cheeks. The canapes helped tame the acidity and render it more user friendly. Of these, the tuna was very tasty and had great texture, whilst some finely diced cucumber on what felt like day-aged bread also tamed the sparky fizz. Missed the third canape. Though the bread rolls were wonderfully crusty and delightful with the truffle butter. Which again helped to tame the electric fizz. 

Yin-How called the evening to order and introduced Saint Clair senior winemaker Hamish Clark. Hamish spoke well and knowledgeably, though perhaps a shade long for some people's level of patience. Always difficult to judge how much to say. Seems he started working life as a CSI developing DNA databases and ended up making wine. Go figure. He also shared that Saint Clair is 100% family owned which is becoming increasingly rare and the winery harvested its first grapes in 1978.

The Vicar's Choice was gooseberry green, good whack of alcohol, lacks acidity. Firm and fair light to medium body, reasonable finish. Lacked the balance we are used to with previous incarnations - low acidity gave a flabby-ish feel to the fruit. I blended it with the sparky fizz - it worked! The overly acidic fizz boosted the flabby first SB and resulted in a sparky Vicar about which we could sing some praises!

Sashimi of Amaebi and Avruga Caviar

First course was a stunning meld of zip, goo and mouth melting prawn that set off buzzers and bells like a manic pinball machine. The fruit crunch of a perfect grape contrasted with the soft firm mush of a ceviche style sweet prawn topped off with caviar zip and swimming in a sharpish sweet white wine jelly. There was also a drizzle of Olive Oil to line the mouth to receive this amazing blend of tastes and textures. Gunk, crunch, sweet, prawn - so much going on in the dish. Really tasty. Would definitely come back to Stoked for this. 

Some more wine madame?

The Vicar (both blended and unblended) didn't quite work with the dish. Both wer ezippy in their own ways and seemed to fight with each other rather than support. Perhaps if the wine gains a bit of bottle age and the spark fades will it be a better partner. On this showing, it was all Rocky Balboa - whack you in the chest with a big hit of alcohol and put some hair on it.

We were presented with two SBs to sip with the Steamed Grouper - the 2014 Marlborough and the 2014 Pioneer Block 2 (though it may have been 3 - some confusion due to differing info on differing bits of paper). Doc wine said the Marlborough retails for about NZ15 at home. On the night it was clean and balanced, not much of a nose at first. Not much at second either, really…  Got green grass flint and minerality, lot of stone, sleek finish. An easy drinker - ordinary, but solid and more balance than the Vicar. Winemaker Hamish said we should be looking for guava and nectarines. Nope - missed these. 

Block 3 has a bigger nose of greengage and gooseberry and a little zap of honey with a slightly grippy throat but a long lingering finish of crisp apples and citrus. Better balanced than the others and the table preference for drinking.  But it needed to be cold - once it warmed a bit in the glass it lost its tongue and saliva puckering crisp acidity. Friend Molly liked it. We see it as being a match with early course Chinese cuisine - four seasons salty crustacean style. We bought a case.

Steamed Grouper and Jumbo Asparagus

The Steamed Grouper was perfectly poached, and the meat was excellent - slightly sweet but with that briny hint of the sea and tighter texture of meat that suggested wild rather than farmed. Someone remarked that labelling the Asparagus as Jumbo was a bit optimistic, though it was wonderfully crunchy and bitter but not unexpectedly killed the wine - asparagus always does, it just makes wine taste metallic and bitter. It was the sauce that brought the dish together - a ginger citrus lemony lime buttery creation that was a total delight on its own and totally cracking with the fish. Here, the asparagus came in with a vegetal hit to take the edge off the citrus and add balance across the ensemble. This one worked and totally rocked. 

It's a hard life in the tropics...

Unfortunately, the wines didn't really work with the dish. There was too much acidity going on in both the wine and the citrus ginger that it became a battle as to which had the better acetic level. The Marlborough gave total GAAAAHCK in the throat as it reacted with the citrus and butter - felt like the throat was having the toilet brush treatment. The Block 3 fared slightly better, with the leaner wine easing the ginger and citrus to let some floral notes poke through. Though a good Chablis would have knocked the dish into perfection. So it goes - we know for next time. 

The Pinots came out after a brief intro from Hamish. The first was the 2013 Block 14 - light cherry nose, medium texture, which I found a bit harsh on the finish. Didn't see the alcohol content, but must have been a bit on the high side. Quite fierce overall, not desperately friendly.

The second was the 2012 Omaka - not much immediately apparent on the nose, lean and a bit austere in taste and texture, and still at least 3 years too young to drink. Very frisky, not in balance. Similar in finish to the Block 14, something not quite….  proper. Not to say the wines were bad, just not much out of the ordinary and missing something in terms of being something I would buy and happily consume. One for the Orcs from the Lord of the Rings movie rather than the elves. Maybe.

The Double Duck

The double Duck came out and was excellent - perfectly done, great skin, tasty meat and brilliant jus, though the Breast was better than the leg on the night. It was also drenched in some vinegar sauce which (of course) didn't sit well with the acidic Pinot. But then neither of these Pinots really gave much to the dish even though as Hamish said the pairing with duck is traditionally a match from the gods. Not tonight, old son. They just came across as harsh, and clearly needing time. Though the Omaka did show some class when supped with the remains of the bread and truffle butter - it enhanced the cream and the butter cut away the harsh acidic finish. There you go.

Cheers!!

People were getting up and getting nicely raucous, clinking glasses and calling for more booze to cheer friends and neighbours. What booze remained in the bottles made it to thrusting glasses thanks to the standout service of the wine staff at Stoked. I notice one gets less fussy about what is in the glass when there is a need to raise it to some long lost friend (though long in this context can be about three to four weeks). It became a big noisy party, so from this perspective the Saint Clair wines did their convivial job. 

Cheers back!!

The evening ended with a delightful Longan Parfait - cold ice cream and crunchy crisp longan, with passion fruit giving zap and the cold frozen mousse-like parfait giving a smooth butter creamy chew for everything to swim in. Totally lovely and lively blend across textures and sour fruit and milky cream tastes. Come back to Stoked for this one too. 

Longan Parfait

So - excellent food (though generally cold - we were the farthest from the kitchen so I guess that explains this one), average wines, excellent company. All of the food was pretty standout, especially the fish with its ginger lemon sauce.  

Cheers three!!

The wines I found generally disappointing. The reds were a bit mean and fierce, and the whites were lean and green though we did buy the SB Block No 3. Yin-How gives great discounts when you buy on the night. Saint Clair is our house wine and our normal go to for taking to the Chinese restaurants. Though not the 2014 vintage at this point - they all need time to let the massive green even out. We'll revisit the Vicar next year at sale time, though whether he will take us to church remains to be seen. Didn't quite get us there on this night.

Peace and lurve!!

STOKED CHARCOAL OVEN / RESTAURANT + BAR

SAINT CLAIR WINEMAKER'S DINNER

MONDAY 10TH AUGUST 2015

Trio of Canapes

Saint Clair Bubbles Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sashimi of Amaebi and Avruga Caviar

Sweet Spot Prawn with White Wine Jelly and Shiso Cress

Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Steamed Grouper with Jumbo Asparagus

with Ginger Citrus Sauce

Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Saint Clair Pioneeer Block 3 Sauvignon Blanc

O you cheeky boy...

Duo of Duck Leg Confit and Roasted Duck breast

served with Braised Belgian Endive and a Framboise Vinegar Sauce

Saint Clair Pioneeer Block 14 Pinot Noir 2013

Saint Clair Omaka Pinot Noir 2012

Longan Parfait

with Passion Fruit and Vanilla Ice Cream

Coffee or Tea

Petits Fours

IWFS Kampachi Sake Dinner - Averagely All Right

August 22 2014

The August shindig for the IWFS Kuala Lumpur was to be quite an auspicious affair. Big Tony had been contacted by the Kampachi people and advised of an upcoming promotion of produce from the Okayama Prefecture in Japan. Some more, the Governor of the Prefecture would be coming and did we want to hold a function there with him as guest of honour. Committee considered and yes please was the decision. 

Kampachi used to be legend for Japanese Cuisine in the early days when it was at the Equatorial Hotel on Jalan Sultan Ismail. Seems it has been around for more than forty years and was a regular winner of awards from the Food and Beverage industry. Indeed, our IFWS KL gave a Certificate of Commendation for a pairing dinner held at the Jaya 33 outlet in 2013. 

At one time Lenglui and I were quite friendly with Kampachi Executive Chef Cheah and occasionally went to the Kampachi at the KL Equatorial but then he moved to manage the Bangi outlet and we lost touch.  Since then, the Kampachi brand has expanded into stand alone restaurants in selected locations in the city. There has also been an explosion of competitor restaurants offering high end sashimi, and so much so that we drifted off to other new favourites - Iketeru in KL Hilton, Kami Sushi in Sri Hartamas, Kamimura in The Weld and the recently rediscovered Zipangu in the Shang. 

Table Place Setting at Kampachi

Over the years Kampachi has been sourcing its fresh produce from various prefectures in Japan. For the dinner, the fresh farm and marine produce and sakes would be sourced predominantly from the Okayama Prefecture. In this, the restaurant was seeking to "bring forward the highest level of flavour and enjoyment with each sake pairing." In particular, we were to look out for the award winning Sakura Muromachi Sake brewed from Omachi-mai rice and the famous Omachi spring water. This would be Sake One.

Executive Chef for the dinner would be Looi Weng Leong. Trained in Japan and with more than 20 years with Kampachi, it was felt his long association with the restaurant would ensure the highest standards of quality and innovation would be maintained. The showcase Sake Dinner would comprise seven "exceptional courses prepared from the freshest produce paired with carefully chosen traditionally crafted premium sakes highlighting the bountiful natural resources from Okayama". 

Kampachi Entrance

I had never yet been to any of the Kampachi outlets since it left the Equatorial nest. For some reason the locations were a bit off the usual shopping haunts. The one at Plaza 33 in Petaling Jaya is their fourth and is "the culmination of a Japanese interior designer’s effort to integrate traditional Japanese materials in a contemporary style. The restaurant is separated into two distinct zones: a stylish bar at the entrance leads guests into the main dining area. The well-stocked bar features some hard to find ‘cult’ Japanese sakes from exceptional breweries that are exclusively available only at the Kampachi."

I found it all a bit on the dark side, which was not really helped by the fact that most members had felt the need to dress equally dark. The ambience of the Kampachi felt modern Japanese with lots of traditional light balsa wood and bamboo feel yet with quite a bit of darker boardroom brown. Lighting was quite subdued for me. The IWFS had booked out the place and our 53 members and guests got separated across four tables of varying numbers. The setting was lovely and the service smooth and pleasant, though the temperature inside veered somewhat toward the chilly. 

The amazing Okayama Black Grapes

We were all greeted by a cocktail glass of something that looked staggeringly sweet and which was declined, preferring instead the wonderful looking grapes and peaches being carved and served. These were delightful. The black grapes in particular were massive - firm and crisp with a huge finish of sweet acidity. The peaches were equally stunning - a fresh clean bite and crunchy sweet pear like texture but finishing as soft as a Katy Perry teenage dream. Brilliant fruits - a total taste of Okayama sunshine and summer. There was also a Conger Eel carving demonstration. Some of us thought that we could eat the carvings and tried to pinch some of the eel but got firmly told no - demo only, no eat. 

Kampachi ambience

The Governor of Okayama His Excellency Mr. Ryuta Ibaragi was asked to give a speech and he kept it reasonably short. Quite a young chap, his speech was basically "come to Okayama and we will welcome you". Certainly the tourist brochures being given out portrayed a wonderfully fresh looking and clean part of the world. Very natural and hugely pretty. Given that they were most generous with their grapes and snow peaches as appetizers and later as parting gifts in cute bags, it became quite a tempting proposition. O how we can be easily bribed with good fruit… 

IWFS KL Past President Tony Narisawa with The Governor of Okayama His Excellency Mr. Ryuta Ibaragi

The Sakes for the night came in three separate flasks, though not all at the same time. It was all quite generous in that each of us got a flask of each sake and, being IWFS, there seemed little left over at the end of the night. Sake One was the slated Sakura Muromachi Bizen Maboroshi. The notes talked about a "sweet aroma of rice on the nose with a hint of citrus. A balanced palate that is clean and refreshing with a dry, long finish. Best served cold. Alcohol 17%, Seimaibuai 58% and Acidity 1.6." (NB Seimaibuai is the percentage of rice grain left after it has been polished - more polish equals higher grade sake). It came across as fragrant with a clean crisp and crunchy mouthfeel and a good rip on the back of the tongue. A good no-nonsense starter sake which we were all quickly quaffing and Kanpei-ing with gusto. Someone at this point asked if I like sake. My reaction answer was that I love the booze. Yes. The Kiwi thought I was being very honest. 

The opening Zensai (means Appetizer) would be two dishes. First out were the oysters which were absolutely superb - fresh, creamy and juicy and giving a fantastic sea-salt feel on the inside of the cheeks. They tamed the alcohol in the Sake to give off an odd tea tree bark feel on the salt sensitive sides of the tongue. Odd, but not unpleasant. 

Fresh Oyster with Homemade Japanese Citrus Vinaigrette

There were lots of little bits surrounding the oyster to give texture, and it was clearly a deft touch by Chef to ensure that there was not enough to overpower the main boy. In this, it would have been excellent to have had more oysters - we got two each when six would have slipped by so easily. So it goes. The oysters were generally accorded to be stunning - for me, they alone were worth the admission price. Unbelievably good. Set a high standard for the rest of town. 

The Nyonya and The Lenglui

Next out was the Stuffed Tomato and Prawn which combined a somewhat thin vegetal taste with a shellfish texture whilst a spaghetti squash added some crunch. Though there was little taste on the prawn, the combo worked quite well with the sake to bring out a nutty fruit feel in the mouth - apples, pears and almonds. The dish showed off a nice acidity and zing on the tongue - good sparky sparks, possibly the result of the Omachi Spring Water.

Stuffed Tomato with Green Asparagus, Pumpkin, Prawn, Potato and Spaghetti Squash with Wasabi Dressing

Sake Two (Bosatsumoto Nigorisyu Hiire) came out quickly and was ice cold, same as Sake One. The notes talked about a "light style of nigori with slight cloudiness and rice sediment. Made from Omachi rice using the ancient Bodaimoto method, it is slightly sweet with a balancing citrus sourness and peppery aftertaste. Best served cold. Alcohol 17.5%, Seimaibuai 65%, Acidity 1.8."  Sake Two was indeed more structured - chewy and with a very nice balance of alcohol and sugar - and cloudy. First time I'd had one like this, and very happy to have done so. Good earthy rice feel with a soft alcohol punch on the back end.  

It was being paired with the Suimono (means Soup) and Tsukuri (means Raw, alternate word for Sashimi) courses. Very little booze offerings will pair well with soup but tonight would prove an exciting exception. Alone, the Japanese Clear Soup was light spice liquid with a hint of salted potato and leek. It did feel a little bit snuzz on its own but when supped with the sake it gave rise to a supercharged fire which cleansed the tonsils and throat like a blowtorch. All Whoosh and tickling grip. Definitely a new experience with sake. The Conger Eel got a bit lost in the mix - no note on the taste or texture.

Japanese Clear Soup with Blanched Conger Pike Eel and Yellow Chives

The Sashimi was a bit mixed - someone asserted that the Maguro (tuna) was apparently Moroccan which explained the sense of "okay only" in taste and texture, though the Kanpachi (Amberjack) was a clean bite and firm chew without coming across as overly fishy. The accompanying vegetables were way better - fresh, crisp and full of powerful tastes coalescing across the top of the mouth in a frenzy of peppery radish and carrot fireworks. But it was the wasabi that was the star - freshly grated with a brilliant zappy mustard smack up the nostrils. The sashimi did bring out a fuller body in the Sake - got smoke and bite with a hint of coffee and flinty stonefruit. 

Slices of Raw Fish: Tuna and Amberjack

Sake Three (Chikurin Fukamari Junmai) came out in a soy sauce kind of receptacle. The previous had been consumed in traditional shot ceramic style shot glass shape things. So presumably this would be the business. And it sort of was, in a hot kind of way. The notes talked about a mellow aroma reminiscent of fragrant fruit blossoms. Dry, yet with great umami from the brown unmilled rice. Alcohol content 15%, Seimaibuai 60%, Acidity 1.3. 

I got lemon curd and heat, and sherbet for some reason on this one. Someone said that heating sake should only be done with the lower level offerings since the heating process impacts the structure of the drink. It's a bit like adding ice or water to whiskey - okay with the blends but you really shouldn't mess with the single malts. Which would seem a bit strange given that the third one to come out was to presumably be the business and was being served hot. Maybe I heard wrong. It happens. Getting a bit conversationally deaf in loud environments.

Kanpei!!

Sake Three was being paired with the remaining four courses: the Yakimono (means Pan Fried), Shinogi, Shokuji and Kanmi (couldn't find definitions for these last three).  

We were all pretty merry by this time given that both Sakes One and Two were well on their way to being fully chugged. At some time in the night, one tends to stop really caring about the subtleties of the pairing and just wants to chug down and have some fun. We were pretty close to this point in the night. Though I soldiered on with notes on the food. Kind of.

The Grilled Butterfish was firm and salted, with a teriyaki-ish kind of crisp baste which thankfully had more salt umami than sticky caramel. The fish felt a shade ordinary in its grilled smoked state, but the star was the sesame paste - it totally rocked with Sake Three. Imagine the smoothest peanut butter you ever tasted and then think of a number and multiply it. This is what Sake Three did to the paste. Wicked and sinfully smooth. And boozy. Wooooooooo…. 

Grilled Butterfish marinated with Miso Bean Paste and Eggplant with Sesame Paste

The next dish out was the Tofu skin which felt a bit delicate and wispy; almost felt a bit scared to eat it in case it blew away. The Konnyaku Jelly had a firmish texture, and was nicely acetic with the vinaigrette and the mustard giving a cute kick. But not really to my taste - it came across like a two day old Tau Foo Fah, that milky gunky bland beancurd dessert you get that slips down the throat and tastes tasteless (except for the syrup that can be added to it). And two day old to boot. Not my favourite. 

Tofu Skin in Konnyaku Jelly served with Vinegared Miso and Mustard

The best thing about this one was the Sake - it cleaned off all the gunk that the tofu left in the mouth a treat. Especially at the back of the teeth which got a coating of cold cacky fur - better than a mouthful of Steradent for doing the job. Perhaps this was the charm of the dish - getting your teeth cleaned by the sake. 

The Veg and Rice was quite hearty and hugely welcome. Although a shade stodgy in a wholewheat kind of way, the rice helped to pacify a belly that was screaming for some carbo. 

Edible Japanese Wild Vegetables and Mushroom Rice

The dessert melon was very very sweet. The taste of the grapes somehow got reversed when they got served as dessert - the green grapes were lovely crisp and sweet fruity bites whereas the black ones were somehow off. Not sure if it was the way they had been kept in the interim or whether the Sake does something to the tastebuds. Odd. 

Japanese Melon, Okayama Pione and Muscat Grapes

Then, strange of strange, there was a Lucky Draw. Whether this is usual in Japanese Culture I did not find out. In Chinese culture for certain lucky draws are part and parcel of big gatherings, but with Japanese company this was a new one. And yes, it happened - the new friend on the table who moans that he or she never wins anything and then suddenly their number comes up and they scream in wild delight. Makes you want to spit. 

Some more Sake for you? Hai!! er, please...

The Lucky Draw necessitated translators for the number calling. The important chap making the draw had such a thick accent in his English speaking voice that he could not be understood in his pronunciation of the numbers of the winners. Thankfully someone was on hand to translate and enunciate. Could have been worse - imagine if someone had decided to have a Bingo session - nightmare.

The service on the night was mostly pleasant and unobtrusive, with staff clearing plates with minimal fuss and interference though with good humour when needed. 

Kampachi kitchen staff and crew

In sum, quite a number of people seemed to see the evening as one of brilliant oysters, good sake, but with the rest of the food a bit snuzz and not enough of it. "Averagely all right" as someone put it. I have some degree of sympathy. Although the dishes were pleasant and made for interesting pairings with the Sake, there really wasn't enough food to satisfy. I heard a few grumblings of "Let's go for Char Kwey Teow," and when I have to scarf down a hunk of bread, butter and honey on arrival home to quell the angry grumbles in the gut then something is clearly amiss. Granted that Japanese cuisine is notably lacking in the carbo stakes and granted that my Western belly demands carbo to stave off the gastric, but this felt like a larger than usual gap in the feeling full stakes. And this in the face of a decent bowl of the mushroom rice that got swiftly polished just before the dessert. More volume was definitely needed to soak up the sake. But then we did consume a fair chug of it across the evening, so I guess these things might be relative - when we drink more, we need to eat more to soak it up. Maybe. But it's not every Japanese dinner that necessitates a honey sandwich before bedtime.

IWFS KL Past President Tony Narisawa, IWFS Roppongi President Dennis Tanaka and friend

On leaving, Big Tony called us over. He had a spare jug of Sake which he was pouring for everyone and insisted on a final "Kanpei" with us and friend Dennis who had hosted our IWFS Roppongi trip in February 2014.  Which we did. Knows how to enjoy his food and wine does Tony. Top man and top marks for a good night. Just wish we could have had a bit more food…

MENU

PRE DINNER AND DRINKS

Summer Day 

Sake and Sweet Sour mix

Hamo no Honkiri

Conger Pike Eel Demonstration

ZENSAI

Nama Gaki Ponzu, tomato no Ikomi Wasabi Dressing

Fresh Oyster with Homemade Japanese Citrus Vinaigrette;

Stuffed Tomato with Green Asparagus, Pumpkin, Prawn, Potato and Spaghetti Squash with Wasabi Dressing

Pairing with Sakura Muromachi Bizen Maboroshi

SUIMONO

Togan Jiru Hamo Kuzuuchi Kinira

Japanese Clear Soup with Blanched Conger Pike Eel and Yellow Chives

Pairing with Bosatsumoto Nigorisyu Hiire

TSUKURI

Maguro, Kanpachi

Slices of Raw Fish: Tuna and Amberjack

YAKIMONO

Managatsuo Saikyoyaki Nasu Gomayose

Grilled Butterfish marinated with Miso Bean Paste and Eggplant with Sesame Paste

Pairing with Chikurin Fukamari Junmai

SHINOGI

Yuba Konnyaku Karashi Sumiso

Tofu Skin in Konnyaku Jelly served with Vinegared Miso and Mustard

SHOKUJI

Okayamasan Sansai to Kinoko no Takikomi Gohan

Edible Japanese Wild Vegetables and Mushroom Rice

KANMI

Melon, Pione, Muscat

Japanese Melon, Okayama Pione and Muscat Grapes

IWFS Tokyo February 2014 Day Four

FRIDAY FEB 21ST

Sashimi at the Sushizanmai Honten

Morning was a 6.30 wake up for a 7.30am away to the Tsukiji Fish market for sashimi and sushi breakfast with sake and green tea. It was a blazingly brilliant sunny morning, just the absolute perfect one for a hangover, and definitely getting warmer. Quite fuzzy on the bus. Had to break out the sunglasses for the ride to breakfast. The bus got parked in a temple style area with masses of space. We staggered across a road and were suddenly in the market and in the Sushizanmai Honten restaurant for our breakfast. A very unassuming place from the outside, the restaurant is legend for its fresh Sashimi. If you see the occasional news reports, it is traditionally the one that pays the record amounts for the big fish. It was on two levels, we were shuttled upstairs presumably because of our numbers. The locals were swallowing their sashimi at the downstairs bar. I was clearly too fuzzy to make notes about the breakfast, but the photos reminded that the Sashimi was indeed amazing - fresh, lean, clean and wonderful. Having sake first thing in the morning was a new experience but it did help drive some of the cobwebs away. Beer was also ordered by some but the wheat tea refills did wonders for me. 

Waking up with Tea and Sake

Breakfast : Sushizanmai Honten 朝食:寿司ざんまい 本店 

Date: 21st, February 2014

特選寿司ざんまい 刺身 / にぎりセット(おまかせ 6 貫) 

Tokusen Sushizanmai Sashimi / Nigiri Set

(6 kinds of Nigiri)

Drink

冷酒『喜び』 

*すしざんまいオリジナル特別純米酒【秋田】 

Yorokobi *Original Sake of Sushizanmai

Buying Chopsticks and Scallops

Then off for a wander around the market, where we bought some raw horseradish and large chopsticks for Sifu and Duchess back home. The market is a warren of food and kitchenware stalls, and every now and then guys on motorcarts with styrofoam boxes full of fresh fish would barge their way through the narrow tracks. We got some scallops and dried shrimp and more chopsticks, figuring they would find homes back in Malaysia and they were way less expensive than the crazy prices available at the Taka. Saw Jan and Barry drinking coffee in a coffee stall which looked a fantastic idea so we joined them. He repaid us the coffee we got for him on first morning at Rainbow Bridge when he had little cash. Very nice, especially being able to use the WC in the cafe at the back. Bumped into John Dixon looking for the actual fish market where all the auctioning and buying of the fish went on. We figured it was further behind in the market and a bit more than we were prepared to walk (he did eventually find it). Had we been more awake, we could have followed the little motorcarts that were bringing fish to the stalls back to where they coming from. But fuzzy is as fuzzy does and we stayed with the coffee and chopsticks. Good visit, enjoyed this. 

Buying the Beef

Next up was more shopping in an area called Ameyoko. This is located in the North side and near the Ueno Tube station. This was where our guide suggested we buy our beef. The big stuff of legend was at a department store called the Matsuzukaya and retailing at Y4800 per 100g (about RM180) and Y2000 (RM70) per 100g whereas the Food Street market around the corner was Y1000 (about RM40). Nakamura-san kindly took us to the Matzusukaya to look at the good stuff. And it did indeed look good. The marbling was magnificent. In the end, we decided to opt for the open air market. We are not that expert in Wagyu and perhaps there was too much marble in the good stuff for our taste. So we trooped off to the market where Nakamura-san took us to his favourite beef place. He helped tremendously in the negotiations and sale and we bought up some frozen Wagyu rump steaks, some beef cubes for stew and Karubi cuts for the fridge back home. It all got packed in polystyrene and Nakamura took it back to the hotel for storage in their freezer. We would later unpack it and wrap in all in newspaper and in the suitcase before we took the Airport Limousine bus for the flight home. Polystyrene boxes attract attention which is better avoided. 

Whilst buying the beef, I found a nearby stall selling some Yow Char Kwai on special and bought some for sharing with Nakamura and Jaya and Geeta who had joined us at the butcher. They also bought steaks and lamb. 

Entrance to Imahan

We wandered up and down the food streets before returning to the Matzusukaya department store for a looksee and a pee before heading back to the bus. The store is quite pleasant, though was undergoing some renovation which made navigation a bit awkward. Without our guide we would easily have got lost. On the way back we stopped for a coffee at one of the ubiquitous Lawson shops which seem to dot every other street across Tokyo. The coffee was terrible. Thin and watery. It was supposed to be Gourmet; more like Gourblimey. 

Back on the bus and off to lunch which was to be at the Imahan in Asakusa and would prove lovely. The entrance was through a cobble stone pathway and we were invited up a few steps (after kicking off the shoes) to a large room with two tables and frosted windows. Total isolation. Service was from Geisha clad mature ladies and was unobtrusive and excellent throughout lunch. Lovely setting and ambience, though the choice of music was a bit strange - Toto's "Africa" followed by Louis Armstrong with "Wonderful World".  Most pleasant though not exactly what one might expect in a Japanese restaurant.  

Getting served by Imahan Geisha

The beef was cooked in Soy Sauce sukiyaki style in a clay pot on a burner and dipped in raw egg before being chewed through. Total delight, with the excellent beef getting a coat of the whipped up eggy gunk. Choice of beer or sake to accompany, we chose beer starter with sake and green tea to follow. The sake was light and fine, almost wine like. Easy and fruity with good body.

Accompanying the beef were leek, glass noodles, enoki mushrooms and some green leaves which looked like dandelion. All got cooked in the Soy sauce which gave the salt yet still let the great tastes and textures of the ingredients come through. The pot got refilled throughout lunch with Soy Soup and the bits got added as and when needed. Rice and Miso soup with chives and cabbage also came out, though the soup was a bit thin and watery. Someone quipped that the soup was like "kissing your sister." 

Bachan gets his first lesson in being Geisha

Lunch : Ningyo-cho Imahan 昼食:人形町 今半 

www.asakusa-imahan.co.jp

Tel 03 3841 2690

Date: 21st, February 2014

すき焼き

Suki Yaki

ご飯

Rice

吸い物

Miso Soup

漬物

Japanese Pickles

Drink 

竹鶴 純米

Taketsuru Sake

IWFS Kuala Lumpur at the Senso-ji Shrine

The Nakamise

The Imahan is in the Asakusa Kannon area which contains the Senso-ji, an ancient Buddhist temple and once a great pilgrimage location. The site is an entire complex of shrines and temples though perhaps its main attraction is now a shopping strip along the temple's main thoroughfare called the Nakamise. The Nakamise was totally charming with its fake apple blossom strung along the stalls and their tinkling strips of bells. We had been blessed with an afternoon of brilliant sunshine and the shopwalk was bustling with tourists and locals alike. The stall offerings seemed a bit expensive and Lenglui, though on the look for bits for her Japanese Dance Classes back in KL, declined to buy. We found the WC, did our necessaries, and I went off to take a few more photos. The complex is bustling and the main temple like a rugby scrum with people jockeying to get close to the gold gods. I lit a candle for my mum and dad and a photo op of the smoky fire grate offerings delayed me by five minutes. They appeared frantic in looking for me, already in the process of sending out search parties. My ear got well bent. Needlessly as it would turn out since our bus was ten minutes away and required a brisk stroll to meet it. 

View from the Shrine

Back on the bus for our last touristy trip which would be to the Sky Tree. This was a telecom tower with observation deck about 400m in the air. It was impressively well organised, with the history of the building and its erection being graphically illustrated via wall exhibitions. There are about six elevators taking people up and down in well ordered groups. We did the trip in about 50 seconds at 600m a minute. No ear pop. On a clear day you could apparently see Mount Fuji. It would have to be a very VERY clear day to see much beyond the city smog and haze, and one would best go at midday or in the morning since the setting sun was blinding in its intensity. Indeed, the original schedule showed that we were supposed to have done the Sky Tree in the morning. Perhaps our need for beef and shopping caused this changeover. 

View from the Sky Tree

The view in the tower's shadow was quite impressive in the sunshine of the afternoon, but frankly quite missable. Just a mosaic of building and brick with a motorway in the distance. Not really worth the bother for me and time might be better spent elsewhere, though its popularity was clear with families and kids. It was impressively well organised, with museum and history of the building and its erection being graphically illustrated via wall exhibitions. A roaring trade was being done with photographs of couples and groups against the backdrop. And there were hundreds more coming up and down non stop in the lifts. At Y600 a pop, it will pay for itself quite quickly. Great for families, a bit meh for us foodies. 

IWFS Council Chair Yvonne Wallis and 
IWFS Roppongi PresidentTanaka-San

Back on the bus to the hotel to get togged up for the official launch dinner of the IWFS Roppongi. It was to be a suit and tie and medallions affair at a place called the No Bird, a swish looking jazz bar and restaurant in Ginza. A long thin room with a stage at one end and a bar at the other with tables spread in between. Dark wood and glass gave a chic New York ambience on the place. Cool and laid back. Most folks were already there when we arrived at about 6.45pm with some familiar IWFS faces from around the world. Expecting a Japanese cuisine style dinner we were pleasantly shocked when the menu suggested Italian. Another surprise was that we would be having wine made from Japanese vines grown on the islands. Never knew it existed. And very pleasant it would turn out to be. 

Dr Rajan of IWFS KL presents Pewter plate to
Tanaka-San

The IWFS Roppongi launch dinner at the No Bird Jazz Cafe started off with some good crispy bubbles courtesy of Louis Roederer. I guess we were the last to arrive since we got quickly seated and dinner got called to order, with IWFS Roppongi President Tanaka-san giving his welcome address before inviting IWFS Council of Management Chair Yvonne Wallis to also say a few words. The No Bird manager was also called to speak and we got the story of why it was No Bird - it was something to do with not having Charlie Parker around any more. I think. The manager was speaking in Japanese and getting translated so maybe it lost something on the way through. Or more probably I was a bit tired. 

IWFS Kuala Lumpur President Rajan was invited to speak and presented IWFS Roppongi President Tanaka-san with a Royal Selangor pewter plate to commemorate the launch of the new chapter. Past President Tony Narisawa was to be the sponsor of the Roppongi branch and so ties between the two chapters were sought to be tied in a somewhat more tighter bind than might exist between other branches. 

IWFS Kuala Lumpur with the Heritage 2011. Yum.

As said, we were told we would be having wines made in Japan from Japanese grapes. Quite a revelation to learn that there is grape wine in Japan whilst later research found that there has been for quite some time. First out was a Special Reserve Chardonnay from the Grace Winery in Katsunuma in the Yamamachi Prefecture. This is a family owned winery established in 1923 and now being run by fourth and fifth generation successors. The name "Grace" comes from the Three Graces and seeks to produce wines that are "eco-friendly, with a natural, gallant and quietly elegant taste." The grapes came from the Misawa Estate Vineyards in Aekno-cho with parcels being fermented separately before blending in oak. 

Ian Weston, Yvonne Wallis and Tony Narisawa

"On the nose, freshness, citrus fruit of lemon, and pear, soft oak nuances reminiscent of green tea rolls.On swirling, fruit aromas of freshly grated green and golden delicious apples, refreshing herbs of mint and lemon grass and at the back, chili spiciness, with a hint of saltiness. Balanced acidity was definitely leading on the palate. Transparent and clean mid-palate, no-frill, with a yellow fruit core. From mid to finish, oak nuances wrapping around the body, showing softness.Finish is soft, and on the overall, fresh and gentle." (Tasting note according to Naohisa Itou, Nov 16, 2012)

Antipasto

We got a wonderful burgundy feel, possibly a shade oaky but a good full mouth and crunchy finish. Crispy apples, firm and robust on the palate. I have no notes on the ham, though I recall it all got finished. Rarely is ham left on a plate.

James Lin from IWFS Taiwan with Mr and Mrs Tatsuji Echle from IWFS Tokyo Bay

The antipasto came across like a blended and repacked sashimi with a resulting texture that was as light as a white crane feather in the mouth and set off by the lemon zing. On one level, one might have preferred to have had the tuna raw and untouched. As it was, the processing gave it air and made for a total revelation. Toro belly tartare - outstanding.

The first red wine was the Heritage 2011. This had a Pinot ish feel to it with very light pepper and cherry on the tongue. A light and fragrant texture with great balance and power. Nice and lean with good structure, bordering on austere yet retaining enough suppleness to remain friendly. Ranks with some of the decent burgundies I have tasted, though whether it competes with the Premier Crus must be left to those with wider tasting experience. Can't seem to find any detail on the web about this one. Write to Roppongi friends and get the name.

Spaghetti

Matched with the spaghetti was… okay. Dusted with a very light grated cheddar it was light and crunchy with fresh tomato and a hint of pepper, which when compounded by the pepper zip in the wine resulted in the tongue getting a bit, er, peppered. We hear that there are some tremendous Italian restaurants in Tokyo. This was fine enough, simple and light. None remained on the plates around me. 

Next wine was the Chateau Mercian Special Reserve, a Merlot from the Nagano Prefecture and apparently Japan's finest Merlot since 1971. Chateau Mercian boasts a host of awards at various competitions around the world and claims to be the first Japanese wine to be featured in Wine Spectator. Well, and okay. I think maybe I missed something with the Merlot on offer. I found it tending toward the bitter and quite stalky and not a lot of fruit. Stiff and a bit grim, with a lot of firm grip and a shade too close to committing infanticide as the Kiwi would say. Not a wine that felt as friendly as its predecessors. Also didn't get a sense that this would be a keeper, since the fruit tannin balance felt way in favour of tannin already and not much fruit to support it through the years.  

The Duck

The duck was excellent. Firm and full in the mouth with a good firm bite. Our Sifu might have found it a bit "ducky" since it did have a slight tinge of too long on the chopping board but the Balsamic took the edge right off. Those of us who had saved some of the first red were well rewarded since it made for a brilliant match. 

Dolce

The Dolce was a bit on the firm side, like a sweet iced milk lolly we used to get as kids but more creamy and with a lighter bite that didn't freeze your eyes when you bit into it. The strawberry sauce went nicely, giving a good cold zing on the back teeth. The sprinkle of sugar sweetened the tongue to give a not too sweet cold milky cream finish with the coffee and tea. 

Megumi Yamazaki and Saya Takahashi from IWFS Roppongi

A Jazz Band was keeping us a shade too loudly entertained through the night and Takagi-san suggested I give a song. And so it was that Mack The IWFS Knife got sung by a short fat middle aged Welshman before the gathered clans of the IWFS. Changing the words to call out the personalities of the IWFS Board and characters clearly went down well. Very kindly, everyone applauded, and I think I got a return gig at the upcoming beanos in Taiwan and Melbourne. It was great to meet with new foodie and wino friends from across the globe. This IWFS is a whole lot of fun. 

Paul and Ria Thomas with Tanaka-san

Things closed up and dinner was over by 10.30 since many needed to get back and pack for a 5.30am wake up for 6.30am off to the airport for their 10am flight. We had booked the night flight so had an extra day to relax and shop. Into bed for a decent sleep. Less booze is always good for sleeping.  

Jagjit and Bachan with Tanaka-san

DINNER - IWFS NO BIRD DINNER

CENA COMPLETA - FULL COURSE DINNER

INIZIO

Grissini Torinese e Culatello di zibello con mostarda di mele della casa

Traditional Grissini (breadsticks) from Torino and Ham from Zibello served with homemade Apple Chutney

ANTIPASTO STARTER

Bresaola di tonno alle erbe aromatiche

Bresaola (air-dried salted) of Tuna in Favigna style, serve with herb, botargo and lemon

PRIMO PIATTO FIRST COURSE

Spaghettini alla Campidanese

Spaghettini with homemade Sausage and Tomato sauce in Campidano style

SECONDO PIATTO MAIN COURSE

Anatra cotta a 50 gradi per 12 ore con salsa all'aceto balsamico ristretto

Breast of Duck roasted for 12 hours at 50 degrees served with condensed Balsamic acid

DOLCE DESSERT

Crema catalane con salsa di fragola

Catalan Cream with a hint of Orange, served with Strawberry sauce

Tanaka-san, Taiwan Eddie and Mack the Knife