Zipangu and Greywacke - Exquisite match of Japanese cuisine and New Zealand wines

Regular readers (?) will know that I have issues with the Shangri-La F&B given recent visits to their outlets.  So it was with a hint of reluctance and trepidation that we accepted a wine dinner at the hotel.

In fairness it was an extremely small hint because it was a very difficult wine dinner to say no to. The wines of independent maker Greywacke were being paired with Japanese cuisine at the Shang's Zipangu restaurant. In moons past, we had spent a lot of time eating at Zipangu in the days when the Shangri-La card was well worth the wallet space. It was very, very good, especially with a bottle of the low end Sake to wash down the daintily sliced sashimi and other delicacies the chefs so beautifully prepared. When the fees went up and the benefits went down, the card left the wallet and Zipangu fell off the map. It had also got a bit ordinary (circa 2006) in comparison to other rising Japanese restaurant stars (both KL and PJ Hilton remain regular destinations, as does Kame Sushi in Sri Hartamas). So it was a good opportunity to revisit and rake over old memories.

Winewise, we had been introduced to the Greywacke (pronounced "Grey-wackee") SB by The Kiwi at a previous pairing with Nyonya style food, where we also had a Oahu 2011 Pinot Gris. The bracing zip and fruit of the SB contrasted with the crunchy sweet of the PG and cut the spice on the tongue from a fiery roar to a pleasing tingle across a range of spicy dishes. The Kiwi had been hugely enthusiastic about the Greywacke.  He had told us then that Greywacke Winemaker Kevin Judd was the brains and craft behind Cloudy Bay in its pre- and post-iconic days who had left CB in 2009 to set up his own presumably more independent operation. In pretty short time, we had become converts. 

Arriving at the venue after a swift one-for-one at Arthur's Bar, a glass of the nicely chilled 2012 SB was placed in hand by Mr Gough of Geovinum, Greywacke's rep in Malaysia. Good balance, sweet passion fruit with a crisp and crunchy citrus, a little less racy than the 2011 we'd had at a previous dinner but no matter. Steely minerality and feeling like waterfalls on rocks as it swooshed across the teeth and down the gullet. The Kiwi, the Nyonya and Winedaddy were our table guests for the evening and we spent a pleasant fifteen minutes chugging on the SB and chatting. Got introduced to winemaker Kevin and wife Katrina. Clearly serious about his craft though also clearly preferring to stay out of the limelight, he has an understated sense of humour. Being Kiwi, conversation naturally turned to the incredible turnaround by the USA over New Zealand in the Americas Cup. Eight-one down they came back to win Nine-Eight. Unbelievable. I suspect a Malaysian bookie. They can be extremely persuasive. Allegedly.

Thin-sliced salmon and avocado with wasabi dressing - yum

The SB was a surprising double plus match with the salmon and avocado. The acid minerality was undercut by the wasabi and avocado which let the acidity cut through the unbelievably fresh salmon sashimi like a samurai through one of Kurosawa's bad guys. The SB also transformed the tempura from amazing to through the roof. Imagine the freshest of juicy prawn dunked in the lightest of batter and quickly deep fried in some high grade oil. On its own it was like a whisper on the tongue until the bite released the most succulent of crunches. With the wine, the batter softened the acidity and let some wonderful floral notes sit on top of the citrus. Match of the evening. 

The outstanding Prawn tempura with tentsuyu sauce

Yellowtail sashimi, salted kelp and habanero sauce - brilliant

The PG 2010 was poured and showed a honeyed vanilla nose and spicy pear and rambutan on the palate, but came across as ligh tin acidity and ultimately unctuous in the mouth and finish. Kind of like a Black Forest German Riesling only lighter in texture. The low acidity made it a brilliant match for the full textured yellowtail. The rambutan mouth lent a pleasant fruit foundation to the magnificent fish, but ultimately felt a shade unsatisfying. Same with the braised chcken and radish - good enough match but a shade more acidity was needed for the thing to transcend. It was good to have some of the SB on the table, though - did excellent service in cleansing the throat in the absence of Green Tea. The radish was perfect texture of soft outer and vegetal crisp inner and the delicately seasoned and tender chicken made for another set of full marks to the chef. As said, the lack of acidity made for good, albeit somewhat gunky and sweet, matches with the dishes and the chicken and radish really brought out the pear in the PG. Got a hint of oatmeal biscuit as well with the radish. Interestingly, the SB took the acidic edge off the Radish and made for a softer textured bite. This is such a versatile wine.

Kevin Judd later shared that 2010 vintage had low acidity. One of those years. Maybe need to drink up with Thai style salad dishes and lemongrass dressing to give the PG some assistance in the mouth. 

Grilled eringi mushroom wrapped in wagyu beef with Japanese seven-flavour chili

On to the 2011 Pinot Noir which had good crisp acidity and light cherry fruit which gained a silky texture when slightly warmed. Light in texture and long in finish, it seemed to lack a bit of body especially when confronted with the tender rich Wagyu. On its own, the PN felt in the middle - neither light enough to take the breath away nor full enough to satisy. However, a second round with the beef and mushroom gave a textured crispy bite of meat and fibre which the acid and cherry permeated for a rich textured slightly sweet and slightly sour mouthful. Ah, we live for moments like this. Texture and taste heaven. 

Sushi selection (foie gras terikayi, grilled ell, avocado)

Having the Late Harvest Riesling for the Sushi selection was absolutely spot on. Both the Unagi and the Foie Gras were outstanding with this crispily sweet dessert wine and its mouth exploding nectarine knockout. The full-on gunky texture of the wine seared the eel and foie gras with a sufficiently sugary coat to soften the purines without sacrificing too much of its sweet kick to the tongue. Superb. 

The closing Japanese white peach perfectly poached in its juices on its own was a delight. And whilst you would have thought the dessert would have been a no-brainer match, for some reason they didn't really connect. Perhaps the remnants of the Foie Gras were still stuck on the palate and got in the way. Or maybe the soft easy peach didn't have enough fibre for the wine to get a hold of. 

The Company with Kevin and Katrina Judd

Ultimately, a brilliant evening of great food and tasty wines which made the company and the craique so very very good. The Shang has gone some way to redeeming itself with this outing, though we did get a special deal through the Kiwi to get access to this dinner. The food was outstanding, some of the best sashimi tasted in KL for a while - chef is a star. The wines equally shone in the company of such excellent cuisine. A wine dinner for the ages and a standard to match. Well done Zipangu. Let's hope the Shang Ballroom and other F&B outlets will similarly delight when the occasion demands our presence. 

Kevin Judd, Doctor Su and Doctor Stephen

Greywacke notes

The Greywacke SB 2012 notes say it is "A vibrant combination of fresh basil and spicy tomato leaves, tossed with tangy nashi pear and mandarin, sprinkled with a little lemon zest. A highly perfumed wine with blossom-like floral aromas and a subtle flintiness that alludes to an underlying core of minerality. A mouth-watering, refreshing style with a deliciously crisp, yet luscious finish."  RM135 from Geovinum Wines in Malaysia.

The website notes on the 2011 PG talk about "a bowl of freshly picked stone fruit – fleshy white peaches, plump golden apricots and sun-ripened nectarines – a wine with rich, ripe aromas balanced by a floral purity. The palate is luscious and textural, reminiscent of homemade apple pie with rich buttery pastry and a faint hint of cinnamon. This is a wine with considerable depth and richness."

The 2011 PN is said to be "a virtual compote loaded with black plums, boysenberries and redcurrants, lightly infused with cinnamon and cloves. An intensely perfumed Marlborough pinot with fruit sweetness, floral highlights and a distinct smoky fragrance. The full-flavoured palate has dark fruit richness with great length and freshness – finishing with a hint of Middle Eastern spice."

The 2011 LHR notes say it is "a wine of intense aromatics – exotic honeysuckle blossom, candied lemon and vanilla custard, infused with a hint of cloves. The luscious palate has a marmalade-like combination of lemons and limes mingled with the richness of honeyed apricots and a dollop of crème caramel. Silky, succulent and harmonious – finishing with a lively citrusy crispness."

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Thin-sliced salmon and avocado with wasabi dressing

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Prawn tempura with tentsuyu sauce

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Yellowtail sashimi, salted kelp and habanero sauce

Greywacke Pinot Gris 2010

Simmered daikon radish in soup with braised marinated chicken

Greywacke Pinot Gris 2010

Grilled eringi mushroom wrapped in wagyu beef with Japanese seven-flavour chili

Greywacke Pinot Noir 2011

Sushi selection (foie gras terikayi, grilled ell, avocado)

Greywacke Late Harvest Riesling 2011

Japanese whie peach

Greywacke Late Harvest Riesling 2011

Italian Fare at Bavarian Bierhaus

Brief note oon a dinner we had at Bavarian Bierhaus in Wisma UOA on Jalan Pinang last night. It was an Amante della Cuccina Italiana function. Yeah, we didn't get it at first, but the Executive Chef is Massimo Zampar who hails from Udinese in the north. 

Seems he offered to do an Italian dinner for the Amante for the usual price as a buffet style dinner - plates shared between diners and RM50 corkage instead of the usual RM80. Which is stiff given the context of the place. The wines on offer there were pretty low end and charging RM120 a bottle is quite an ask. Also trying to get a wine list from the (I presume) manager proved impossible. He kept saying "Red or White?" and it ended up feeling a little like we were in Petaling Street where I could negotiate the price. He didn't really know his wines and seemed not to appreciate that I did, which became a bit irritating. In the end we went for beer and got stiffed RM60 for two German style grogs. Memo to self - next time go for the Happy Hour Guinness. 

We had a brief lesson on Italian from Eik Ming (a language teacher) and out came the food, a bit late due to traffic delays from a massive rainstorm (indeed our geusts had to give up on getting into town - standstill traffic).

First was an Antipasto of mix cold cuts, Mozzarella caprese salad, Grilled scallops with bacon and mushroom ragout and bruschetta with tomato and sardine. Bruschetta was lovely with the sardine giving an anchovy salt bite to the butter toasted bread. Salad was fine, the scallops were a bit strange as a result of the bacon and ragout mix - it pretty much drowned the scallop and relegated it to texture more than anything to taste. Very nice texture it must be said, but it felt as if the ragout was fighting with the fish and the whole felt a bit snuzz. Cold cuts were okay, but there's always a context in what can be imported and when. Given this, the inclusion of the cold cuts of salami, parma, lardo and cooked ham was fantastic and well appreciated. Nothing like a plate of pig meats to get people in the mood.

Primo dishes were homemade Ravioli with ricotta, spinach and tomato and Homemade tagliatelle with scallop mushroom and bacon. The Ravioli was brilliant - full bite pasta around fresh spinach ricotta in a herby tomato sauce. Total authentic and wonderful taste - the dish of the night. The Tagliatelle was runner up in the dish stakes - full and hearty it satisfied as only pasta and mushroom sauce can. 

The Secondo Main courses were pork ribs, a mixed sausage platter and the roasted pork knuckle. These were a bit of a disappointment. The ribs were well cooked but the marinade felt a bit overdone, with the result that there seemed to be a vinegar tinge on the rib. They had been well braised in the oven, so tenderness was very good. The sausages were filling and hearty and a great selection, but somehow oily. The Knuckle felt dry and tired. Again, there's a context and perhaps all this protein coming at once was a bit overpowering. It was explained that this was a similar style to that of the German neighbours to the north but that this offering had an Italian twist to it. Well, and maybe, though it is difficult not to wonder if this is more needing to maintain the image of the Bierhaus as a masculine pig knuckle and beer place and I guess Chef having signed up top cook for the place pretty much has to get on with it and deliver what the boss wants. it feels like Chef's calling is clearly with his homeland roots. Should be interesting when he gets his own Italian place. Which he will. Talent always outs. 

Dessert of Marscapone cheese on ladyfinger was pleasant and creamy. Didn't try the mousse but the ice cream was also creamy in a less sugary kind of way. Pretty much out of belly space by this time. Service was quick and efficient, and a nice smile from the little girl who got a tip from me. Not sure I enjoyed being sat up on a stool German bar style eating Italian food, but that was the deal. No one could have any complaints about the food quality nor the amounts served. Great value from the Amante perspective. For me, not sure that I'd go back for the knuckle on this outing, more so given that the beer and wines felt pricey. Would love to find a really good knuckle place. The Eurodeli that used to live on Jalan Yap Kwan Seng is sorely missed whilst I refuse to go to Changkat Bukit Ceylon due to the lack of parking and the sleazy feel of the area. 

Good evening at the Ichiban Boshi at Solaris

Got invited to a Thank You for a vocal stint performed for the Phoenix Welfare Foundation. They raised funds through "A Hat Affair" at the Renaissnce and I did a song for them. 

The Thank you was at the Ichiban Boshi at Solaris, a Japanese Bento and Sushi style outlet at the Publika in Kuala Lumpur.  Choices included Unagi, Chicken, Steam or Garlic Rice or Udon with the set.

We started with some Tempura and Sashimi which were nicely fresh and succulent. Should have called for some horseradish sauce for the tempura but trying it with wasabi was a new and not unpleasant experience.

The Bento came out with the usual assortment of Udon soup, Steamed egg. I opted for Unagi and Garlic rice.

The Unagi was very tasty, having a seared Foie Gras texture yet undercut with that sweet barbecue sauce unagi always seems to come with. The steamed egg had a good light fluffy texture, whilst the Garlic Rice was a shade salty. Green tea got refilled quite often as a result to desalt the tongue and throat.

The Bento came with grilled Mackerel which was really good - oily and crisp if a bit overcooked but making for a fabulous match with the rice, soaking up the oil which also offset the salt. Accompanied by the house sake heated in its ceramic jug, the whole was most enjoyable. The Puan Sri bought a big 1.8 litre bottle and insisted the table had to finish it. We couldn't. 

Would return to the Ichiban with the Lenglui if we are passing. Heard say that the Burger man at Red Bean Bag is no longer there, so the burgers may be less than their usual stellar. Should try again some time though Ben's gets our nod at the moment for the steak sandwich and the salads. Prices are inching up, though, and portions seem to be shrinking of late. 

2008 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte with T-Bone steak

Quick note on the 2008 Alexandria Nicole Quarry Butte red blend we had with a T-Bone steak at home last night. We'd bought it from the vineyard during a road trip through Yakima Valley and loved the taste. Figured seven years in bottle was about right. 

Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Syrah, also small amounts of Malbec, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Aged in 60% new French oak and 40% Two year old French Oak for 20 months. Whatever that means.

Lovely voluptuous chewy body, full sweet plums yet low sugar with good acidity, and a chewy finish with velvet tannins. Had that unmistakeable Washington terroir, a rich cherry note in the mouth. Lovely balance with the tannins evened out and the balance probably at its peak. Great with the steak. Sadly was the last bottle, but got some of our favourite Stella Maris tucked away for future steak. Washington red blends are total belter with steak. 

Amazon notes say "Quarry Butte is an elegantly expressive five varietal blend that packs a punch for the value, capturing the unique terroir of Destiny Ridge Vineyard. Itas beautiful bouquet is loaded with an alluring, aromatic mix of black currants, vanilla, peppercorn, and cocoa. The palate is ripe with blackberry, cherry, rich and supple tannins, hints of cedar and elegant oak-spice that lead to a balanced structure and lengthy finish."

YEAST in Bangsar - Great ambience and food!

Went for a second time to Yeast in Bangsar and was again impressed with the food. The Oeuf au Lait de Comte (poached egg with spinach and cheese sauce) was robust and filling with the home baked bread fingers whist my Boeuf Bourgignon was excellent - rich red wine reduction sauce over tender wagyu like beef strips. The garlic mash was sweetened with glazed (what I guess was) parsnip shavings and was superb. 

In contrast, both the chicken roulade and skate felt oversalted, and the tagliatelle sauce a shade frich in texture. All gets forgiven with the Chocolate souffle and dollop of Ice Cream that sinks slowly through the crust and mingles with the hot sweet sponge into a chocolate goo that is perfect sugar heaven. Profiteroles with green tea ice cream had potential, though the profiterole felt a shade firm and dough like. 

Previous visit found the duck breast outstanding and gthe Catch of the Day very good. Ambience is such that all the kitchen staff are working their magic along a main bar in full view of the audience. In sum, a delightul French bistro tucked in the heart of Bangsar. Hope they can survive when the landlord ups the rent. 

PS the name seems to conjure up some amusement in my medical friends. They immediately assume a reference to a fungal condition when to the rest of the world it is the stuff that makes bread rise. Guess they should get out more.

POSTSCRIPT TO IWFS NOBLE MANSION DINNER - East vs West

Had a thought provoking conversation about the IWFS Noble Mansion dinner with the Doc who argued passionately that what we had been served was essentially not representative of a real Chinese Banquet dinner. His point was that in my insisting that the food should follow the weights of the wines, the entire balance and content of the dinner had failed miserably. 

What we had was a standard East / West paradox. In the West we take it as read that lighter body wines get consumed before heavier ones and a menu will be adjusted accordingly. In contrast, a proper Chinese style banquet would oscillate between light and heavy textures with delicate tastes and seasonings which would allow for the palate to rest between the more challenging dishes. 

At Noble Mansion our wines were Australian bubbles, Aligote, White Burgundy, Red Burgundy and Red Bordeaux which was determined to be the best serving order. In the Noble Mansion menu (and in retrospect the Noble House menu of last year) we had adjusted the suggested menus to fit this type of sequence. Consequently, this impacted the textural contrasts and harmony of progression across that sequence. The Doc had observed that for the Noble Mansion dinner we had effectively had four Chinese style starter dishes followed by beancurd and duck (NB in this, the duck was originally before the beancurd but was switched by me to effectively prevent the beancurd becoming seen as a main course). There was little textural or taste difference across the first four which impacted the last two, and switching the duck to the end killed off the rice. So in selecting and forcing the dishes to fit the wines we had destroyed the sequence of the whole which, as a result, had become far less than the sum of its parts.

The Doc is clearly correct - it was not a traditional Chinese banquet and from that perspective it did fail. And whilst I think that my point was that it was never really intended to be, his position raised some interesting questions and got me wondering about the cultural presuppositions and insistences we in the West tend to place on other types of food cultures and how we can unwittingly impose our demands and expectations on them. For elaboration, let's call it the Purist position versus the Radical. 

In the IWFS KL we are predominantly Western educated and I think this instills within us the cultural mores and values associated with such. Additionally, this can include the tendency to insist on and demand that we make the world adapt to cultural expectations inherent therein; eg having food and wines served sequentially according to their weight. Anything other than this simply makes no sense. And by attempting to pair wines with food styles not native to the Base Culture, we become Radical in our actions - we pay little heed to traditions in a Target culture in our search for the next stage in this evolutionary journey of pairing wines with food. 

But serving food non sequentially in this Western sense does matter when you get to the East. The need to rest the system by contrasting textures and styles, and heat and cold is taken very seriously. There needs to be Yin and Yang and harmony across everything (which in many respects also parallels matching a Yin wine with a Yang food!). Within this, traditional Eastern banquets never had an issue of looking to match wines of varying texture and taste with individual dishes. There were little in the way of fruit wines of differing styles being produced. Tea or alcohol based rice wine or spirit like soju or sake made from abundant fermentable produce became the single liquid to aid digestion and presumably cheer health. It was also probably a lot healthier than any unboiled water from the river. 

There is a clear parallel here to the concept we see in Wine producing nations where wine styles and grapes fit the food and cuisine of the area. These types of traditions have long been in place and have rational explanations for their existence. This seeking to maintain a connection between area and cuisine and the attendant cultural and social aspects and traditions associated therewith is basically the Purist position, and protecting the recipes and traditions in preparation and serving becomes culturally important and necessary. Again this is not too distant from some things we still occasionally see in the west - formal dinners requiring a tuxedo and port still being passed to the left, for example. 

And now in this big connected globe we can have Sauvignon Blanc with Sashimi and Soju with spaghetti if we desire. And the explosion in ready availability of wine varietals and blends mean that the potential for pairing combinations has gone ballistic. Honoured demarcations continue to crumble and the Radicals are clearly in the ascendant. The downside is that by the Radical insisting on wine being the dominant determinant, the Purist concept of the Eastern cuisine can become adulterated to such an extent that it gets destroyed. The Radical ends up with something that they are happy to say is "Chinese Cuisine" but which is, from the Purist standpoint, far from it. And it gets done with little to no regard for any cultural sensitivities that may surround maintaining the purity of the cuisine. The inherent tendency that dominant cultures have to make the world fit their desired view of it and match how they would have it be traditionally impacts those less dominant cultures in a negative manner. And the Radical tends to do so with the assumption that there is a divine right to go and try the new pairing, which must be like a red rag to a Purist bull. The desire to find the next perfect pairing trumps everything. Which the now raging Purist would seek to resist absolutely. Couple this with the general Radical tendency to lump all Chinese cuisines together and the raging can get thermal. There is great pride taken in the various cuisines of China - Cantonese, Shunde, Sze Chuan - so that when both National and Regional pride take a Radical whack then the reaction can be heightened.

Another aspect to this is that there is a tendency to be selective about the cuisines that the Radical seeks to pair the wines with. In the IWFS KL, for example, we have made wines fit with Chinese and Indian and Korean cuisine styles and changed the suggested order of dishes to fit the sequence demanded by the wines. With the Korean dinner, we also introduced some Korean liqueurs to pair with the dishes. In contrast, we don't do it when we have Japanese cuisine (except for Bubbles as aperitif) and here has been to my knowledge no attempt to pair grape based alcohol liquids with the food - we just have increasing quality sakes served across the sequence. So why should we seek to force fit the other cuisines to the wines when they has never matched in the first place when we don't do it for all cuisines? Is the wasabi and sake pairing so dominant that no one would dare to challenge it? Is it that other cuisines are more texturally suitable to be possible partners with our hallowed grape juice? Or is it that Japanese cuisine just can't pair easily with grape wines?

Perhaps the upshot of all this is that the Wines of the West should not be made to fit the Cuisine of the East. There are a swathe of liquids available to consume with such cuisine that have existed for centuries and perhaps such pairings should best be honoured and leave Western wines to pair with Western foods. Well…..   maybe. The Purist in me certainly has time for such a position whereby we get to taste textures and styles that have sustained nations for Millennia. Conversely, the Radical in me would like to remain open and kaizen to see whether the existing can be improved upon, or at least tried out to look to understand why a pairing or a sequence does or does not work. And we Radicals are assuming an expectation that each dish coming to a table indeed demands the serving of a wine when perhaps the better option might be something non alcoholic or indeed non existent. Given that the traditional sequence of an Oriental banquet is designed to give the palate and system a rest between the more demanding courses, then maybe there's a parallel we can draw with regard to wine and give the palate a cleansing and relaxing break with some good Pu Erh tea. Or not. 

Tasty Cantonese Creations - IWFS Noble Mansion July 2013

Wines waiting to get uncorked

Umnnnngg  fuzzy head. Bleugh. Where's the plinkplink fizz when you need it?

Belter of a night with the IWFS last night. Everyone seemed in the mood to party and whoooo, that was what everyone seemed to do.

The Noble Mansion is the latest addition to the Oriental Group of Restaurants. Opened in January 2013, Noble Mansion showcases the latest creations of Executive Chef Justin Hor. As the name suggests, the restaurant is a modern interpretation of a Chinese traditional mansion. It is divided into a number of sections: The Lantern, The Bamboo Courtyard, The Terracota Rooms and The Grand Hall.

The Cuisine of Noble Mansion is inspired by that found in the renowned food province of Shunde in Guangzhou, China.  Shunde cuisine has a reputation for being regarded as providing the foundation for fine Cantonese cuisine. While the cuisine of Guangzhou has been Traditionally very minimalist in its use of flavors and seasoning, Shunde cuisine is noted for being generous in the delicate sweet side of things, using ingredients like tangerine peel and dates. Though occasionaly rustic and homely in appearance, these belie the preparation and expertise of chefs creating dishes that offer pleasant and delicate blends of texture and taste.

Let's raise a glass...

I seem to have got lumbered with organising the event.  A stab at a committee tasting died with only myself and Lenglui meeting with restaurant manager Jason and finalising the menu with the budget I was given. Possible matching wines within the drinking window at the IWFS Cellar all seemed to be French and quite attractive, so that  sorted itself. 

Always a bit apprehensive with organising a Chinese cuisine dinner for the members. They don't usually get too much support. Still, the Noble Mansion was a new place in a part of town generally free from traffic jams and with easy parking so it offered potential. And not a bad turnout at the end with 42 stumping up the RM250. 

Cheers!!

Notwithstanding a couple of service hiccups at the start with staff feeling a bit uncertain as to how to serve the wines (and getting pressganged into serving food as well - a bit overworked they were) there did not seem to be too many complaints about anything. Well, except for the fact that more wine was wanted than was available. Both the whites got downed at a scarily rapid rate ahead of the food coming out. Equally, the burgundy barely survived to get matched with the duck. The Bordeaux appeared to have an easier time of things, with the assembled having seemingly become more civlised in their drinking by this time. 

Oops - forgot to photo... remains of the Crab

Lots of good comments about the food, with the starter Crab and Asparagus and the Razorclam coming in for very special mention. The starter was indeed quite delightful - crab meat with a crunchy cucumber and what felt like an asparagus pate. The whole was a sourish bracing freshness around the mouth with the crab offering the soft sweetmeat to complement. The pairing Aligote had good spice and clean balance with a slight pepper mouth. Remniscent of a Gewurtz withouth the lychee and sugar. Nice and clean and a shade oily but good oily rather than kerosene you occasionally get with fierce Sauvignon Blanc and the cheap stuff. The prawn was big and fresh, though maybe slightly overcooked, and as said the Razorclam was stellar - garlic and glass noodle and clam in vinegar sauce had the table in paroxysms of tongue tickling ecstacy. Indeed, it was tasty and long in finish with afternotes still being tasted way after the plates got cleared. It paired nicely with the Chablis, though it soared with the Aligote - the oil cutting through the chewy meat and the spice giving the garlic and vinegar a good run for the tasting money. On its own, the Chablis was massive - complex, smoky butterscotch with a long clean finish.

The Fresh Prawn

The Garoupa had been cut into pieces and deep fried in a batter that tasted of soft melon and lemons - sweet but not overpoweringly so with the result being crisp tasty morsels of sweet well cooked fish. We guess the Yin Yang was the crisp outside with the soft inside. A bit gwailo maybe (ie one for the white folks rather than the traditional purist Oriental foodie) but tasty nonetheless. Lovely with the Chablis as one would expect. 

The magnificent Razorclam in Garlic

The beancurd was….   beancurd. I mean, it's all texture and pretty tasteless, though the chef had a decent go with it, searing it in some peppery fat and serving it with a softer and less gooey sauce than is traditionally served with the beancurd. Lenglui liked this. Killed the Burgundy so I didn't eat too much of it on principle - nothing should get in the way of magnificent wine. 

Pairing of the night was the Duck with the Ile des Vergellesses. The Vergelless was initially a shade fierce but opened out in the glass after its temperature got raised to room. It had a clean, glass like sheen on the throat and layers - lots and lots of layers so soft that they created so much depth. I seemed to be the only one who thought the duck was champion. Notwithstanding its hacked appearance, it was so tasty - crisp smoky skin with good lemon salt and great textured meat. As said, brilliant with the Burgundy. 

Yin Yang Garoupa

The rice was fair and offered good carbo for the Bordeaux. I missed the coconut, preferring to quaff. There were five bottles of fizz that were left over from the start so it was decided to crack them to end the night. Also, no one really wanted to take any bottles back to the store. So. It's a fizzy fuzzy that the brain is labouring under at this time of first writing. The more sober reflection suggests next time we crack them at the start to save the white wine from getting guzzled. We live and learn. 

In all, a most successful evening of good food and lovely wines being enjoyed by members clearly in the mood to party. It was good that none of the dishes was bad, though perhaps the purists might say that none of them was particularly spectacular. The Shunde inspired cuisine certainly contrasted with traditional Cantonese styles, being way more delicate in content than more usual offerings. The Governor and The Boss clearly had a good night, telling all and sundry what a wonderful time they were having. Indeed, it was surprisingly successful - some lovely individual dishes and wines and some delightful pairings. The room favourite by vote was the L'Estang, being quite nicely approachable and a good quaffer. The Chablis got my vote - complex, full, chewy and a lovely lingering finish. And the Pinot was belter. Definitely a good night had by pretty much all. And I managed to get my Elvis on. Such a slut for the microphone and karaoke...

Emptying the Bottles

Text and photos Brian McIntyre
Additional photos kind courtesy Jeff Walmsley

Menu

Aperitif

Andrew Peace Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot 2011

1st Course

White Asparagus with White Truffle Oil and Crab Meat

2009 Domaine Taupenot Merme Bourgogne Aligote

2nd Course

Steamed Fresh Water Prawns

2009 Domaine Taupenot Merme Bourgogne Aligote

Course Three

Steamed Razorclam with garlic

2007 Domaine William Fevre Fourchaume, Chablis 1er Cru

Course Four

Yin Yang Star Garoupa

2007 Domaine William Fevre Fourchaume, Chablis 1er Cru

Course Five

Braised Beancurd with Spinach

2005 Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru Ile des Vergelesses

Course Six

Roasted Duck

2005 Pernand-Vergelesses Premier Cru Ile des Vergelesses

Course Seven

Fried Rice With Dried Scallop, Crab Meat and Egg White

2005 Chateau De L'Estang Cotes De Castillion

Course Eight

Summer Breeze Coconut Jelly.

2005 Chateau De L'Estang Cotes De Castillion

Table A

Table B

Table C

Table D  

Prakash, Yin How and Zul

Brian, Paul, Song and Edna

Dr Rajan, Dr Bachan and Ong Li Dong

Dr Stephen, Dr Rajan and See Cheng Siang