CRAB AU NATUREL NINGBO

Sitting on the Board of a listed company with manufacturing facilities in Ningbo has opened breath taking new horizons, not only on the fiduciary duties of an INED, but on the food front.

I am madly in love with the rustic country style cooking of native Ningbo, and the attached could well be the epitome.  Crabs in the neighboring rivers and lakes are ever so sweet, and there must be hundreds of ways literally to prepare them.  My favorite is the 'au naturel' ie using Chinese wine, soya source, vinegar & sugar .. period .. and fresh crabs, preferably in season, are cured in this simple concoction, then served.  The taste is captivating, is mouth watering, is additive and yes, it is evil.  While this is common place at most eateries in Ningbo it does not fetch the same following in Hong Kong.  To start with we should be suspect of where they are sourced and how they are made, unless they come from reputable venues like the Shanghai Fraternal Association in Central or, better yet, home made as the one I just had for lunch.  Good bye, lobster & crab sashimi!        

ENGLISH LANGUAGE

"I did not say that I do not have illegal structures ...."

This has to be the most talked about phrase today (Dec 11th 2012) in both Cantonese & English, across the soil of the HKSAR.  I am truly amazed!  Mind you, not by the author of the statement who obviously lost even more grounds and respect from his subjects, but by the depth of the English language.

Double Negative, as I was taught by the late Mr Kwong Sum Wood aka "Kwong Lo" who was feared but revered by all when we were at St Paul's Co-Educational College.  A Cambridge graduate, I believe with 1st Class Honors, he taught us the rudimentary of the language.  Notably ... in English there are Rules & Exceptions, but always be mindful that there are more exceptions than rules.  Then there is the Double Negatives, and his stern command still rings, after almost 50 years.  "Do not even bother to try unless you are absolutely sure how to use it!"  

I wonder where our Fearless Leader went to secondary school?   

QUOTABLE QUOTE

"As far as cuisine is concerned we must read everything, try everything, see everything, observe everything, in order to retain, in the end, just a little bit!"

... Chef Bernard Point, Ma Gastronomie

This was at the front of Chef Wayne Cohen's book "Cooking on the Line - from Food Lover to Professional Line Cook" which is a captivating, delicious read. Like him, I am a foodie who subscribes to the philosophy of ... being obsessed with thinking about, reading about, experimenting with, and of course eating food.  If you do not take food, or cooking in this case, as all-consuming (forgive the pun) you are just not it, I am afraid.

SIMIT

When a Turk says ' ... give us this day our daily bread ...' I think he or she means the Simit. It is seen everywhere, it is a staple and it is consumed around the clock. Simit is just bread, in the shape of a ring, with a crispy sesame seed crust and soft inside. It is not savory but there is a sugar-coated version which I see at breakfast hours. Most people would just eat it plain. I prefer the toasted version, introduced by my hosts at breakfast along with a thick slab of butter, plain Turkish white cheese, and a few herb-marinated olives. Superb! By the way, it may look like a New York pretzel, especially when sold from a push cart on the street but never say that to a local, I am told, as it would be an insult.  This vendor was selling on a morning ferry that shuttles across the Bosphorus to neighboring islands on the Asia side and he was doing well, almost sold out by the time we disembarked.  

MY LAWN

To give you a better picture, literally, this is my private outdoor library cum tanning salon, where I catch up with my email, my IHT, my Kindle books, and of course Vitamin D from the sun for my problematic aging skin. Remember that famous line in the 80's (forgot where it came from though) that goes "I can get used to this very easily" ... exactly my sentiments during my 10-day sojourn here.    

ALMIGHTY BOSPHORUS

This was taken from my room, very early in a late September morning, less than a month ago in Istanbul. You are looking at a wide bend of the mighty Bosphorus, the Istanbul Bogazi or Strait that forms part of the divide between Asia & Europe. The always busy traffic is heading up the Strait towards the Black Sea. Downstream to the right would lead  to the center of the city where the Tokapi Palace, the Ayasofya, the Blue Mosque are, and eventually joining the Mediterranean. The land mass at the top is Asia, looking across to the European side on the right.

I was house guest to a very dear college friend from Tufts. We met 44 years ago as 'Beelzebubs Brothers' the acapella group we both sang in. He became a top echelon global banker, and made Turkey home. We stayed in touch since, which our girls find hard to believe, and the rest is history. The view, not to mention the super home style hospitality, would beat any (I mean any) hotel, anywhere, hands down. It is from this vantage point near Buyukdere neighborhood, that I start my daily pilgrimage to Cookingalaturka for my Turkish meze baptism and I need to blog this, for the record.    

FLY TURKISH!

Multiple disappointments later we finally decided to divorce ourselves from Cathay Pacific.  It was not that hard a decision, even after 20 years of Marco Polo loyalty.  My quest for new flying partners was blessed by the arrival of Turkish Airline on this past trip. Yes, that is a Chef in full regalia on board who actually cooks.  He was there at the door of the plane to greet passengers from all classes, a genius marketing ploy, but it did not stop there. We were in Business Class and after God knows how many miles with how many airlines, including the Concorde, our flight to Istanbul was arguably one of the most memorable.  The 180-degree flat seats were heaven, Dora was not sure she was at home or on the plane when she awoke. Our only complaint, if one can call that, was the in-flight AV service, which needs diversity.

Dinner was glorious ... it started with cold & hot meze, followed by soup, mains, fruits, desserts and the finale was a tray of traditional Turkish Delight with the best Turkish 'kahve' or 'cay' ... what a treat!  For me the ultimate proof is breakfast so I ordered Scrambled Eggs.  Voila ... it was exactly like what Chef Donovan taught me, in classic Michelin style.  I am sold.  Fly Turkish!

As for the damage, a round trip Business Class ticket : Hong Kong-Istanbul-Prague-Budapest-Istanbul-Hong Kong is HK$32,000 which is hard to beat.        

COOKINGALATURKA

My last blog was August 3rd which is something I feel guilty but could not do much about due to my retirement schedules.  There was just no time!  I also meant to blog our 2-week Danube Cruise from Prague to Budapest but that did not happen due to poor internet connection at almost every stop.  Here I am back into the ring, blogging from Istanbul.  

My search for 10 cooking experience between age 60-70 continues.  2012 is my 4th .... after LCB, Wandee, The Atlantic .... and it will be Turkish Meze.  I have joined a very local establishment, Cookingalaturka, arguably the first English media cooking school in the middle of the Old City.  It is the brainchild of a Dutch lady Eveline Zoutendijk who has taught cooking in Istanbul for 11 years.  Holder of a Grand Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu and fascinatingly fluent in Turkish this school has a definite following.  Eveline has worked and lived in Paris, New York, Geneva before settling here.  The cooking sessions are geared to daily 5-course lunches and dinners at an intimate 25-cover restaurant.  In other words we, the students, cook for paying guests while we also sit down for the meals.  It is a brilliant approach, pragmatic, commercial and it is not just for fun, but for real.  I have committed to a full week of lunch and dinner sessions which should give me first hand exposure to the rudiments of Turkish cooking.

Istanbul is close to the top of our favorite cities list.  It is magic to be able to spend 10-days here, doing what I love the most at my current state .... damn right, life cannot be any better!

Do visit www.cookingalaturka.com to find out more!

  

CHICHA

Jess treated us to dinner last night at the newly opened ChiCha Peruvian cuisine, by Concept Creations, it was a refreshing and delightful change.  I bet not that many are able to describe, right off the bat, what Peruvian cooking is so here is a small lesson taken from their website.  Like many great chefs have said "when it comes to basics there is not much creativity in the culinary scene, what it boils down to is interpretation and improvisation, on and on and on" ... so, here they are, examples of refinement of basics.

*  CERVICHE - raw fish & seafood marinated in citrus juice ie lime & lemon
*  CAUSA - cold starter of seasoned mashed potato terrine, with fillings
*  TIRADITO - Peruvian version of sashimi or carpaccio, with spicy sauces
*  ANTICUCHOS - grilled meats on skewers
*  CHICHARRONES - best described as 'confit' of meats & poultry
*  PICARONES - dessert of pumpkin fritters in sugar cane syrup

We had a wonderful tasting menu of the above, plus Tacos the ChiCha way.  The restaurant is cleverly designed to meet the incline of Peel Street going up from Queen's Road towards Hollywood.  It is a contiuous hike from the bar, to a 'Cevicheria', and then the main communal seating dining room.  We were in the middle section, at the 'Cevicheria' which was less noisy and cooler.  With more than 10 cooks in trendy chef black and matching aprons at the open kitchen, it has to be one of the best staffed in the SOHO neighborhood. The ambience was magic, service excellent despite being so new, and overall ChiCha was a gem.  Our only disappointment was the cerviche items which were not at par with the rest of the dishes.  With a bottle of $500 Spanish wine the damage was $450 per head, not exactly a steal, but a truly enjoyable encounter.

CHICHA : 26 Peel Street ... 2561 3336 or 9637 7701 ask for Viviano, a most friendly host!

CATCH OF THE DAY

I love supermarkets, a long time habit dating back to my Johnson & Johnson days I was selling Band-Aids to these outlets.  One gets a feel for how people live via the selection of meats, fish, seafood, veggies, groceries ... you name it. Whenever I am in Bangkok I always stock up on Thai provisions, at significantly lower prices, and am always amazed by the incredible selection.  My only regret is I do not read Thai.

Look at these Silver Carps, check out the eyes ... they cannot get any fresher for Baht39, just under HK$10 each.  

THAI PRIDE

I was nursing a Cohiba on breezy Silom Road last night and ran into these kids at a street corner, soliciting sponsorship from pedestrians for their annual Sports Day.  I was attracted by their youthfulness, their singing, their gaiety, their naivety about life, their innocence on the world they live in but, above all, by the pride on their faces, and their respect they show on what they do. I was moved, donated Baht 200 or HK$50 and took this picture, for keepsakes.  What a great bunch of kids!

Two things do stand out in this Land of Smiles, and especially in this City of Life (so much better than our Asia's World City nonsense) and they are ... pride and respect.  Pride of being Thai, and Respect for each other.  At 6pm every evening the National Anthem is played in all BTS & BRT stations. Everyone stops, and stands at attention ...with pride, and with respect.  The rest of the world can learn from it.    

SVB AIRPORT EATS

At Suvarnabhumi Airport on the 1F arrival area, at the far left end of the building (facing out) there is a canteen for locals, the name is Magic!

Instead of paying premium upstairs for tasteless, non-food stomach fillers do try this outlet, where patrons are mostly airport staff, locals, and increasingly tourists introduced by diligent guides who have the best interests of their charge at heart, right up to the end.  Bravo ... Magic is like a mini food court one finds in any department store, with the exact complement of indigenous Thai street foods, my Archilles Heel.  I just love the parade and I am insatiable, like a kid in a candy store.

My favorite stop is Maeboon, as shown, which serves a variety of Chui Chow congee, or porridge if you insist, which is what it says on the board.  One can order any combination between the basic of minced pork, to ribs, to innards (pork liver is very good but in view of my fatty liver I reluctantly passed), to duck, to seafood and of course, to the catch-all version which is not listed, but offered to pre-flight gourmands like yours truly.  I just finish a bowl of fish congee, with a poached egg, loads of coriander, Chinese celery stalk, and finely chopped preserved radish ... a real pick-a-upper indeed, something Hong Kong does not measure up.

Now I am ready to sleep through the 2.5 hour flight home, who needs Y-class CX junk food anyway?  

WANDEE CREW @ CHANDRPHEN

I took the Wandee teaching staff to dinner at Chandrphen near Lumpini BTR Station. It has become a little 'traditon' between me and the crew.  Chandrphen is an all time favorite of Dora and I, serving Thai style Cantonese cuisine.  They have been around for 3 if not 4 generations of Thai Chinese in Bangkok, offering an extensive and excellent menu.  I am so lucky to have found a home at Wandee here in Bangkok. Professor Wandee Songkla is like an Auntie, Director & Head Teacher Dao Sriyaphai like a Sister, and the young teaching staff are like Nieces, some even like Daughters as they are younger than my own girls.  The warmth of their genuine frienship overwhelms as I count my blessing of being counted a member of the ever expanding Wandee family, not only in Thailand, but well into Asian markets like the Philippines and Japan. 

WANDEE, thank you for what you did for me ... may you grow from strength to strength!

WANDEE BOAT NOODLE

A bowl of noodles from a street stall, or a resturant, or 5-star hotel is de rigueur not only in Bangkok, but all over the Kingdom.  I really must learn this ultimate Thai comfort food and my prayer was answered yesterday at my Wandee Refresher.

Why 'Boat' or 'Ruang' in Thai?  It is the presentation.  The noodle is made up of all kinds of goodies, classically displayed in the replica of a wooden fishing boat like Sashimi is presented in Japan, from which one picks like a buffet or, in my case, the whole 9-yards, the entire lot. Not a single morsel should be left behind when it comes to a Boat Noodle.

In a typical bowl one should expect : stewed pork, marinated pork, pork blood (not for me), mini fish balls and served in a dark soup stock which one should immediatey recognize on the first sip.  The noodle come in 3 sizes; fat like 'Hoi Fun', medium like "Lye Fun' and of course thin ones as in 'Mee Fun'.  Adding to it are 5 kinds of vegetables notably Chinese celery, coriander leaves, sawtooth coriander, morning glory & spring onion. Not unlike many Thai recipes the trick is in the authentic taste of the dark soup which is too lengthy to describe here.  Let me know if you want to, genuinely, try the recipe.  Please do not interpret though, follow every step and ingredient, show some respect.

The killer, which many would frown on, is the deep fried pork lard mixed with garlic.  Nuggets of lard cut straight from the fatty skin, fried to perfect golden crispy brown, is the official garnish without which one cannot claim the holy name of a Kwei Dui Ruang or Boat Noodle.

Dora would forbid me to include this, in the name of health but how can I face Professor Wandee and my teachers if I present a bowl without the toppings.  It will be like wearing a counterfeit Cartier, God forbids!

YAM YAI

This special dish is no longer a staple in Thai restaurants, not because it is difficult to prepare, nor because of ingredients but rather the time it takes to make one.  Sadly it is out of sync with our expedient, fast lane life style.  'Yam' is salad, and 'Yai' means large or with variety, so this is a large salad with variety.  I was at Wandee for a 2-day Refresher and learned this recipe, which  is 300 years old, imagine?

The key ingredients are simple ie thinly sliced pork, chicken, poached shrimps, ear mushrooms, glass noodles, pickled garlic cloves, radish, cucumber, boiled egg white, spring onions, coriander leaves, pounded and deep fried garlic as garnish.  Simple, right?

What I love in this recipe is the dressing or 'seasoning mixture' as taught at Wandee :

* pound coriander root/peppercorns/garlic/hot chili with stems
* add red spur chili, finely pounded
* then fish sauce x 3 tablespoons
* plus lime juice x 3 tablespoons
* sugar x 1 tablespoon
* now the magic .....1 egg yolk finely mashed with the dressing

You cannot go wrong with this dressing, it is a classic.  How did they come up with this absolutely unique and mind boggling taste ... 3 centuries ago?  

"TOKYO"

In the delicious world of Thai street foods this is a mystery which, to date, no one has been able to explain to me why it is called "Tokyo"?

Seen on many corners this is a favorite of school children, a primary customer target to the vendors.  The ingredients are all there, in the picture : a thin smear of sweet flour, the same as in egg rolls, a quail egg cracked on top, a tiny bite of minced pork with preserved sweet radish, a dash of Maggi, the Thai staple, and lastly a squeeze of Mayo ... simply let the ingredients warm over the hot plate, roll, and it is done.

I could not resist. I waited patiently in line, salivating behind a bunch of 12 year olds, clicking away as they looked at me as if I am from Mars.  I controlled my urge and ordered only 4 ... 25 Baht, the lady said.  OMG, either prices have gone up 25% ie from 20 -25 or I paid the 'farang' price.  Who cares?  This is truly an indigenous Thai snack, notwithstanding it is named after the capital of Japan. Any suggestion on why?

KNIFE SKILLS

One thing that defines Thai fine dining is undoubtedly 'knife skills' as seen in this Lemon Grass Salad. The tiny rings come from taking layers of a lemon grass stick until the circumference matches that of the baby onions, shallots and scallions.  The other ingredients are : mint chiffonade, coriander leaves, dry chili julienned, roasted peanuts, deep fried 'fansi', thinly sliced Cantonese fried dough or Yau-Jar-Kwai to yield texture and further crispiness, a nice touch.  If you look carefully (apologies for the inverted picture, somehow I could not rotate it on Picasa) the different ingredients are cut in direct proportion to each other, to ensure the most esthetic culinary presentation.  It reminds me of the Le Cordon Bleu regimen of preparing 'brunoise' cuts where veggies are cut into juliennes first, then quarter turned into tiny cubes in exact dimensions, for garnish and in consommes.  Such knife skills require only one thing ... practice, practice, and more practice until it becomes second nature, when the command goes directly from the brain to the hand, without even involving the eyes when one cuts.  One starts eating with one's eyes cannot be more true in this instance.  It is a simple salad, beautifully cut, artistically presented and of course, dressed to perfection.   

THAI VEGGIES

What we usually order in Thai restaurants is Morning Glory (Gang-Gong) in garlic, in shrimp paste, in sambal aka chili paste or in fermented tofu with julienne of red chili, the Cantonese rendition.

At Patara we had two veggies, common here but not that common in Hong Kong and they are : Garden Sweet on the left, and next to it Moon Flower ... fresh, unique in flavors, crispy in texture and a wonderful complement to Thai spices and seasoning sauces.

My mission is to source them in Hong Kong.  Simply stir fry them and off you go ... these fabulous veggies will go so well with anything on a Cantonese menu, notably a bowl of hot steamed rice! 

PATARA - THAI FINE DINING

I keep discovering new eateries in Bangkok since my Wandee cooking school days in 2010 and Patara is one more, a very good one in fact.  It is without doubt the custodian of 'Thai fine dining' in my book.  Patara is international, with outposts already in Geneva, London, Singapore, Beijing and Vienna .... visit http://www.patarathailand.com/ to learn more, she has a fascinating story to tell.

Created by the co-founders of S&P, a highly successful food business in the Kingdom, Patara's aims are; fabulous tastes, culinary presentations and atmosphere a la 70's ....which they would easily score full marks if a Michelin Inspector were brought in today.  Mrs. Sila-On Patara is famous and one can see why her flagship is so successful.  Tastefully decorated, against a Thai motif with modern interior design touches, the ambience immediately churns one's appetite.  The extensive menu may be classic Thai but one has to look, and look again when a dish is presented, before one can identify.  The attached picture of mangoes on sticky rice is a case in point.

Located at a magnificient old house in the upscale Thong Lo neighborhood just off the BTS station, Patara can arrange a luxury tuk-tuk to pick up guests.  This is a must try! I guarantee you will revise all your previous perceptions on Thai restaurants after dining at Patara.

PATARA : 375 Soi Thonglor 19 Sukumvit 55 Bangkok (66) 02 2185 2960
         

BKK WEEKEND

Tugged away across the street from the Erawan 4-Face Buhhda in the center of town is the InterContinental cum Holiday Inn Complex, the location for a long weekend reunion with 3 other likeminded, long time pals.  To us star anything means little, which of course includes hotels. Pragmatism is our motto at these gatherings and this gem in Bangkok offers exactly that.  The rooms are spacious, tidy, functional and everything squeaky clean.  Though young and a tad inexperienced, the staff more than made up for it via their enthusiam and what made Thailand famous, their 'Smiles'. For US$104 per night which includes a sumptuous breakfast and free wi-fi & internet use, right at the heart of this exciting city, the Holiday Inn is a real steal.

Coming from 4 different corners of the globe our goals are ; to catch up, to smoke fine Cubans, to drink vintage whiskeys (except me the party pooper who is on a 3-month probation from booze), to indulge in fine Thai cuisine including street foods, to share the joy of grand parenting, to return to the 'crime scenes' from our single-sans-family days, and of course, to fix the problems of the world whilst we attend to the above.

For me, there is one more agenda item, to return to Wandee for a 3-day Refresher Course.  

THE PRINCIPAL

New eateries are openning up like wild fire, it is just not possible to stay in touch with 'the scene' regardless of how one tries. We were at The Principal recently, a member of the Press Room Group, and without any doubt it stands out amidst that minefield of competitors.  Located at the old Cina Citta site at the western end of Star Street across PP3 the decor is spacious, modern, clean, unobstructive and matches the elements of conductive fine dining.

Spanish Chef Jonay Armas hails from Tenerife and at the tender age of 31 he can look in the eyes of some tired chefs in town and eat not only their lunches, but breakfasts and dinners as well. He has further defined creativity, with an Iberico slant. Bored by big-wick chefs and Michelin stars galore these days we welcome Chef Jonay's cuisine and this is why ....

*  amuse bouche of truffled runny egg
*  minced crab, pickles, pear & ginger chutney
*  smoked Dutch eel, herring roe, pineapple ice cream, tomato textures
*  foie micuit, rhubarb compote, apple cru, buckwheat brioche
*  tomato tartare, dates, ajoblanco
*  suckling pig with lemon puree, sauteed red endives & pomergranate reduction
*  violet sponge, berries, yoghurt sorbet, pistachio puree & honeycomb

Adding to this delicious Degustation Menu we also had Martinis, house snacks of popcorn & Wasabi dusted Macademians, a nice Bodega, plus petit fours and potent Espressos ... at $1200 per head ... I can almost call it a steal!

The Principal @ 9 Star Street Wanchai ... Manager Joanne Sutherland (852) 2563 3444 

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

I was Honorary Aide-de-Camp from the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force at Government House, on Her Majesty's last visit to the Colony. I was posted with the crew to accompany her to Shatin for the Queen's Cup Race, and I was able to watch her in close quarters.  I was awed by her regal presence, my first and most likely last encounter with a reigning monarch.  Did you watch the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, especially the Flotilla of Thousand Boats on The Thames?  Did you notice she was on her feet for 3-4 hours, in typical London elements?  How did she manage, at 86?  

God Save the Queen .... the National Anthem.  I always wonder why it is not God Save(s) the Queen but I guess the one upstairs has to be 1st person singular, always.  I was in 3 different official occasions when it was played, or sung.  First; when I was at St. Paul's when a member of the royal family paid a visit, I was singing it with the chorale.  Second; when Prince Charles presented a new Military Standard to the RHKAAF, I was the Uncasing Officer ie I removed the Standard aka flag in laymen terms, from its case, for the first time, before the Prince. Third; at the Queen's visit.  We were taught to stand at attention, and salute if in uniform.  I wanted to do exactly that throughout the weekend, whenever the National Anthem was played.    

God Save Our Gracious Queen, Long Live Our Noble Queen
God Save the Queen
Send Her Victorious, Happy and Glorious, Long to Reign Over Us
God Save the Queen

Indeed, may she live a long life, and may she continue to reign ....

RYU GIN 1CC 101

Possibly the highest Keiseki Japanese restaurant in the world, Ryu Gin is located at Level 101 at the ICC.  We were treated to dinner there last night, and it was indeed an 'extravagant experience' as Dora surmised.

Chef Seiji Yamamoto opened Ryu Gin less than 10 years ago in 2003, at Roppongi when he was 33 and has since enjoyed nothing less than total success.  Ryu Gin has 3-Michelin stars 4-years in a row, no doubt part of the master plan.  Chef Seiji's bigger mission is 'to become the front-runner to globalize Japanese cuisine' and the theme of Ryu Gin is 'to pursue possibilities of the Japanese cuisine'.  The 10-course Spring Gastronomy Menu we had was a case in point where the traditional, the contemporary, the Yoshoku, and the avant garde aspects of Japanese culinary arts were on full display, at their most creative.

*  Hokkaido Sea Urchin tempuraed in seaweed & Junsai in light acidic broth
*  Foie Gras with fresh figs & sesame cream sauce
*  Steamed Abalone with Lotus Mochi & Yuba, Mitsuba flavored sauce
*  Ichiban Dashi Soup with tender shrimp dumplings
*  Assortment of Sashimi : lobster, maguro, prawns
*  Charcoal grilled Alfonsino covered with Roasted Rice
*  Sukiyaki Kuroge Wagyu Beef Sirloin with Onsen Tamago, White Asparagus, Morel
*  Rice simmered in Sakura tea, with deep fried Surugawan Bay Sakura shrimps
*  Ryu Gin Signature !!!! -196C Candy Strawberry & +99C Strawberry Jam
*  Trilogy of Japanese Tea Desserts

4-hours free valet parking, they obviously do not want to rush the 10 courses.  You have to be there to feel the dynamic and energy of the meal. How was the view from 101 floors up?  What view?  Did anyone bother or even care to look outside?  Probably not!  One last thing, even though we did not pay but I would not be out of line to suggest that the bill should at least be 5 if not 6 stars, and why not?
 

QUOTABLE QUOTE

"There is never a good time, but you must find the time, and for me, the time is now ...."

By Coach Sommer, renowned Women Basketball Coach at the University of Tennesse, on her decision to retire after being diagnosed with Dementia. 

CEBU PACIFIC

We hear about the role of budget airlines in the future of aviation, and Cebu Pacific is a name that has drawn attention in Hong Kong, since there are 250,000+ migrant workers from the Philippines, many would pick the nation's flag carrier, PAL, or Cebu Pacific. On our recent trip to Donsol it was the only choice and let me say this, loud and clear, we loved the experience.  The Hong Kong - Manila legs were, much regrettably, on Cathay Pacific & Dragonair whose individual and joint performance were pitiful.

I lost my appetite and respect for CX after being a Diamond Member, aka 120,000+ miles per year, for 15 years.  I lost touch with reality, naively thinking they treat all pax royally until I lost my status post retirement. Despite the recent fanfare of a super Y-Class, CX has close to zilch interest in pax who turn right after they enter the cabin.  Already charging a premium for regular Y-Class (no one can tell me what for as food and service certainly do not justify it) the 'New Economy Class' is nothing more than further efforts to squeeze more $ from unsuspecting pax.  'Arguably the most profitable airline in the world ....' no wonder! The word loyalty in CX lingo is probably defined as ' ... our customers must be loyal to us, but that does not mean we have to be loyal to them at all ... ' something like that.  Dragonair KA used to be quite good until they were unceremoniously swept under the CX carpet, now she runs the risk of losing indentity and standards.

Let me share this story : we were booked on a CX/KA flight for 830pm departure from Manila ... no one said anything about delays at check-in ... the boards says 810pm boarding (I must give them a bit of rope here since this is Manila International afterall, and you know what that means) .... CX people said 'on time departure' ... until we were at the gate ... sorry Sir, the flight is delayed, but we do not know when, possibly 11pm ... why did you tell us earlier, why did I not receive an SMS as a Marco Polo Members, people asked ... sorry Sir, we do not know, we are only here to inform you the flight will be late ... at 10pm an announcement was made that the plane will arrive at 11pm 'due to technical difficulties out of Hong Kong' ... it never arrived until almost 1130pm ... we did not leave until after midnight, arriving home almost 2am.

I was so impressed I told my agent to stop flying me on CX from now on, it is just not worth the hassle anymore.

Back to Cebu Pacific, on time departute to Legazi, back to Manila, efficient check-in, friendly smiles from young and attractive attendants, no attitude but lots of good will, no food or drinks which is a world better than awful trays disguised as food, plus waterdowned, no longer frizzy soft drinks from dour and bored attendants on CX Economy Class ... OMG, where do these cattle looking pax come from, they ask!

Cebu Pacific, I will fly with you again soon, budget or not ... adieu CX, it is goodbye but I shall not kiss you!        

BUTANDING @ DONSOL

Whale-Shark watching was the main purpose of our Easter trip to Donsol.  This is the 'Certificate of Interaction' for our encounters with the Butandings ... local dialect for these huge inhabitants in neighboring waters.  'Buta' means blind, and 'Ding' is a large fish, put together they mean 'Blind Giant'.

We were under the impression whale-sharks migrate between the oceans when in fact they can only be traced on both sides of the equator, say 15 degrees north & south, in places like the Philippines, Mexico, Madagasca, Central America etc.  With sharks as ancestors (we never quite find out the whale side of the story) they go back a long way and Butandings can live as along as 100 years .... since they are not mature for reproduction until they are 30.

Each Butanding carries a distinct marking, behind the 5th gill and above the left pectoral fin, it is like a signature in an attractive polka-dot pattern.  We booked a Banca for two mornings, when they usually surface to feed on planktons, to ensure we go home with a sighting.  Luck was on our side, we met 3 : a baby about 10, a teenager about 20 and a full grown adult about 30+ years old that measures 8-9 metres, in the size of a narrow minibus.

Commotion begins when a Spotter, like the one in Moby Dick, identifies a shadow (a big one underway) as everyone on the Banca jockeys for position.  Only snorkeling is allowed as diving may scare off these tame giants. On the command 'Jump' we enter the water as our BIO - Butanding Interaction Officer - directs us to the terribly exciting but intimidating target underneath.  As in Jacque Cousteau documentaries we see her huge head first, then her dotted dorsal, and then without warning the tip of her tail right in front of our face ... breath taking, scary, and in such proximity one can touch it ... which of course is not permitted.  A good minute or so will lapse and like a replay of that time honored footage in Jaws, she almost carelessly fades into deep blue yonder, leaving one panting in total amazement.

Yes, one can call this sort of encounter spiritual, as one ponders one's smallness in the presence of these wild, georgous, graceful but blind giants who are 'Born Free' and are fortunate enough to 'Stay Free'.

On the lighter side, our BIO reminded us to never confuse Butanding with Tambunting, as city folks from Manila often do ... the latter is the name of a highly successful pawn shop chain in the nation's capital.

CASA ANGELES

I want to document not so much the mouth watering classic paella, but rather the purpose built paella pan for 15-persons, which our best pals the Angeles family used to host a dinner for us.  They also have a 30-person pan which is difficult to even envision, let alone to cook in.  It is an art form, just like Risotto in Italy, Ramen in Japan and Fried Rice in China. From our many visits to Manila over many moons we had the good fortune to learn the appreciation of finer quality Spanish fare. Dora, my fearless other-half (is she really better) would go as far as saying that 'some are better than what we had in Madrid', a statement I would never dare make. That said, the top 3 restaurants we kept going back to are ... Mario's, Casa Amas and of course, Terry's which to date offers the most modern interpretation of traditional Spanish cooking at its best, in Manila, including tapas.        

AMPALAYA CON CARNE

Ampalaya is Tagalog for Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon, a vegetable disliked by many but loved by some, we are long time disciples of the latter persuasion.  While Thai cuisine carries both Chinese & Indian influence, Filipino cooking is linked to Spanish & Chinese roots, as in this recipe. 

This simple dish is common place in local eateries. Lardon or slices of lean pork sauteed in oil, flavored with garlic and preserved black beans until cooked. The Chinese would braise the ampalaya until it is soft but the Filipinos would add it last, with a quick stir fry to retain it crispiness. Interestingly stir-fried ampalaya carries a rather different texture and flavor verses the braised version, when the sharpness of the unique bitter taste is tamed.  It cannot be more simple to cook but does it taste good, with steaming rice which, unfortunealtly, is not in the Filipino culinary language.  Like many Southeast Asian countries they do not seem to mind cold rice, a cardinal sin in a die hard Cantonese kitchen.

ANGRY MAYON

One can do so much with one's camera these days, even an Idiot Camera like what I have. Using the 'Color Swap' function I took this picture right before sunset on the Embacadero waterfront .... the one in Legazpi, not San Francisco .... it helps to further enhance the mystique of Mayon, does it not? 

MOUNT - MAYON - VOLCANO

We took advantage of the long Easter break to do something we always wanted to do, with our best pals in the Philippines ... whale-shark watching in Donsol.  To get there, we have to transit Legazpi which is a 1-hour flight from Manila.  Legazpi is in the Albay Province on the island of Luzon, where the Mayon Volcano, or Mount Mayon is located.

Folklore names her Balkan Magayan ie Beautiful Volcano, or Balkan Daragang ie Beautiful Lady but majestic and graceful are just not enough to describe her beauty.  One has to be there to feel it, as Andrea did with her classic 'jump shot'.  Renowned for her 'perfect cone' Mayon is almost totally symmetrical.  She has captured the romantic imagination of many over time, and to those who witnessed her fury, outright fear.  I am always amazed by the heaven or hell references to volcanoes, offering fierce destructive power on the one hand and sheer mesmerizing beauty on the other. Mayon's first eruption was recorded in 1616 by a Dutch traveler and she is still active.  Her latest show of force was as recent as 12/29/2009.  By the way, it is not cloud at the summit. The grand dame is letting off steam from the crater ... fire will follow, not anytime soon, but she will.

SOLMAR IN MACAU

If you are in your 50s & 60s ... I mean age ... you will remember this name, a name that preceded Fernandez, Pinoccio, Litoral and God knows how many more eateries in Macau that proclaim authentic Macanese food ie fusion of Portuguese & Chinese culinary arts.  After years of being disloyal to Solmar we returned last week and were very pleasantly surprised by how she managed to retain more or less the same menu, while maintaining standards.  A stine throw from the Lisboa Solmar has been in business for over half a century. It is still well patronized, mostly by locals, among a splattering of tourists from what we could see.  

You do not need a menu, just order the time honored house specials, as many as your appetite can handle so dining with a group will be best.

*  Portuguese Spicy Sausages
*  Pan Fried Bakalau with Chorizo & Eggs
*  Jumbo Prawns in House Sauce
*  Baked Crabs
*  Grilled Sardines with Mediterrean Salad
*  African Chicken
*  'Wood Chip' Pudding
*  Chilled White Port from Taylor

Solmar Restaurante @ Avenida da Praia Grande 512 Macau
(853) 2888 1881    

CE ELECTION

If I were asked to conduct a search for the next CE and if I presenetd a short list of the 3 finalists I would have been fired by the client for bad performance.  Why?  Candidate #1 is simply 'off spec', Chairman of the Democratic Party, be serious, he should count his blessing as an also-ran. Candidate #2 has confirmed professional and personal integrity issues of monstrous proportion and righfully, should never be on the ballot. Candidate #3 is a skilful operator who scored a distinction in burying his paper trail to the extent he could not be properly referenced, at all.

Luckily this was never a search, nor was it an election either.  It was a pantomine in which the one with the question marks all over his forehead (some may even call him the villain) actually won.  Be that as it may, at least he is presentable and he masters the art of speaking with eloquence but without commitment and that, alone, will take him to new heights in our political kindergarten.

"The King is Dead, Long Live The King" does not really apply here, in Asia's World City.

Well ... first of all The King is not dead, he is only a shamed lame duck, desperately bargain-hunting for another large flat in Shenzhen.  If I were him I would find a small castle in Scotland, reinstitute my knighthood, reprint my letterhead, follow every step of my colonial masters, the litany of ex-Governors, and never even caste a glance in Hong Kong's direction until I am forgotten.  Shenzhen just does not sound right, does it?

As for Long Live The King, our New King is not really The King, is he?  These are indeed mind boggling but challenging times for Hong Kong.            

ROMAN

If there is one Canto-Pop star that gels with my vintage and music preferences he would be Roman Tam, who lost his battle with liver cancer 10 years ago.  As I write there is a special 10th Anniversary exhibition at the Shatin Heritage Museum in his memory.  Any fan of Roman, and anyone who identifies with music in that era should make the effort, you will not be disappointed.

Roman could sing, dance and talk, all at the same time.  He was the proverbial all-rounded entertainer whose showmanship, on and off stage, was the envy of the music world, old and new. What gave him the definitive edge was training received from conservatories and dance schools in Guangzhou during his childhood, a solid and disciplined foundation he built on since landing in Hong Kong in the 1960's as a teenager.  I loved the way he articulated lyrics, the way he held every note right at its pitch, but above all the way he put tons of feelings in whatever he was asked to sing.  Remember 'Under the Lion Rock', the theme for the RTHK series, a real classic.  Roman was a true professional during his time, an idol whom his peers wish to emulate, and a maker of history many times over in his industry.  I often listen to his award winning CDs in the still of the night, alone, and enjoy being overwhelmed by the mood this magical voice still engenders.

The exihibition opens with a truly well deserved accolade " ... A Voice Hong Kong is Proud Of .....".   It is extremely well done, please do not miss it.   

CHESA @ THE PENN

Dora wanted to treat dinner at The Chesa, our favorite at the Penn.  It was just the two of us, with the expressed purpose to enjoy a trip down memory lane.  Our first dinner there, as a dating couple, was in 1981 when we had to 'save $' in order to enjoy an evening here.  Fast forward 32 years worries about costs are replaced by worries about body fat, that ultimate devil aka Body Mass Index. My excuse was ' ... it is my birthday, who wants to count at such an auspicious occasion?'   The Restaurant Manager is my vintage and our reminiscing added much more to the sentimental mood, and the still mesmerizing ambience.

I used to be critical of my late Father's habit of dining only at familiar restaurants, and ordering the same dishes over and over again. Without any question genes and heredity do run deep.  I am in exactly the same mode these days, while Dora and the girls wear the hat of proverbial critics, of me.

To me, one dines at The Chesa mainly for the following : cheese fondue, rosti, veal in cream sauce, rack of pink baby lamb, and to complete the feast ginger souffle (as shown) which I believe was created at the Penn many moons ago. It was a very satisfying way to start my 63rd year, alarming BMI notwithstanding.  

TAI WING WAH @ YUEN LONG

Right in the middle of Yuen Long old town is the Tai Wing Wah Restaurant, a landmark and a flagship of the rustic New Territory style cuisine made famous by Chef-Par-Excellence 'Hefty To To' .... who single-handedly put his baby on the culinary map.  Its menu is not for the faint hearted in our wimpy world of less oil and less salt, who needs it, except dietitians?  The epitome of decadence at this establishment is; a bowl of steaming hot fine grain rice, top with the equivalent of 'grand cru' in soya sauce, but the Piece de Reistance is warm and gluey lard (yes as in pork fat) to complete the flavor picture.  It is heaven on earth and any one who claims to know or like Cantonese food is bluffing without this baptism, indeed a unique taste and spiritual experience.  Be advised this specialty is only available at dinner!

Dora and I took Mom there for a nostalgia lunch and we had : Steamed Black Head in Preserved Lemon, Free Range Chicken braised in Black Fungus & Mushroom in a bronze pan, Deep Fried Prawns in Black Beans, Chili and Dried Citrus Skin plus a splattering of signature 60's-70's Dim-Sum at the incredible price of $18-24 per sizable plate. The item I chose to present with the blog is dessert, the Fluffy Cake with Patisserie Cream.  It is another house special, one that culminates the fine tradition and immense popularity of Tai Wing Wah ... not to be missed, and you must visit soon before the scene changes.  You are taking in history, a glorious rendition of New Territory culinary history when you patron this eatery.         

One last thing, sharing a large table is de rigueur so insisting on your own table is antisocial.  It is so much fun to sit with another group of patrons to exchange views on the menu, what is good, what is less good (nothing is bad here) and why ... all very humbling but truly educational for any honest foodie.

Tai Wing Wah Restaurant @ 2-6 On Ning Road Yuen Long NT
2476 9888

I TURNED 63 TODAY

Incredible as it may sound, at least to me, I turned 63 today.  I am now at the one-third mark of the 7th decade of my minute exisitence on this Lonely Planet. Where has all that time gone?

Instead of the usual celebratory dinners and excursions prevalent over the past years I decided to focus on two women closest to me this year, much to the astonishment of the rest of the family.  Who are they ... my Mother and my Wife.  I spent the first 30 years of my life with Mom, and the balance of 33 years with Dora.  With Mom's  memory fading a bit I harbor this fear that down the road she might not remember me, let alone my birthday and for selfish reasons (if nothing else) I need to invigorate that space.  As for Dora, our journey that lasted a third of a century is solid by any standards but it is only prudent to re-count, re-aquaint and re-commit. I reckon my 63rd is as good a time as any to do this with Mom & Dora, so, here I am. 

LO & BEHOLD

Asia's World City (sic) aka The City of Canines aka the HKSAR's own rendition of an American Classic, The Three Stooges!

Imagine them in Stooges costumes and wigs, from left to right : Moe Howard aka CY, Larry Fine aka Henry and of course Curly Howard aka Albert.  One of them will end up being our Mayor, our Prophet, our Definitive Ruler, our Benevolent Dictator, our Defender of the Basic Law, our Representative Shoe-Shiner to Central and, lastly (bad pun here) our Pied Piper to the Promised Land.

May the Grace of the Almight God be with us, and May there be Mercy upon us ....

ULUWATU

Tour guides would label the Hindu Temple at Uluwatu, located at the southern most point of the island of Bali, as a 'must'. We are to see the unique sunset, the mystery of the age old temple, the ceremonial dances and of course the colony of not quite wild but certainly not domesticated monkeys ... the indigenous inhabitants. It took a while to get to as everyone wanted a picture against the legendary sunset and traffic was worse than a rainy day in Central. Not surprisingly, there was almost zero interest in the temple which was singularly unimpressive by temple standards, so were the dances. Literally hundreds were there just for the sunset, and to be hazed by the damn monkeys. These cheeky animals took great pleasure in stealing hats, bags and spectacles from everyone. I had my cap taken, Dora had both her hat & shades taken and chewed on, which infuriated her.

Granted it is a glorious sunset but it is also an extremely risky move as there is a 500+ feet cliff right behind the spot where most want pictures taken. The surging crowd, the frolicking monkeys, the scared kids running away from the primates ... are only a few feet away from those posing, and the perilous drop behind them. I can close my eyes and imagine that disastrous scene of tourists falling off as in the Pied Piper.  There are no guard rails, not even solid footpaths, just lose pebbles on dirt.

I caught one of these demigods on top of a pillar, with the last glimpse of the sun ... it was good enough for me.

Back at home I took Dora's name brand shades to the spectacle shop and the young man asked nonchalantly ; 'Were you in Bali?' 'How did you know?' 'The monkeys did this, right, you are the third customer here after Xmas ...'

Lonely Planet can sing Uluwatu's praises all they want but let me tell you, it is not worth it. If you insist, do not bother with buying entrance tickets because you only need them for the dances, which not everyone goes. The sunset pictures and harassment by the monkeys are free, so is the hilarity of watching hats, glasses and bags come off fellow tourists ... until your turn, as no one is spared. SPCA should send inspectors here, to protect the homo sapiens. Try somewhere else, trust me.