CNY Dinner 2012 - Ushering in the Year of the Dragon

Apologies for the lack of posts as there have been lots of changes happening all at once and falling sick again and again only added to pot!

I did manage to have a CNY celebration by going back to my favourite place for lobster noodles - Mandarin Kitchen. It was back to a traditional dinner with festive names for the dishes instead of the 'Poon Choi' which I had in 2011.

Some of us got into the spirit of things by dressing up in shades of bright red or traditional costumes - hey, when else can you do it right?

As always, I am intrigued and mesmerised by the names given only during the festive periods to regular dishes that otherwise go by their descriptions. So what did we have?

風生水起： 中式三文魚生

Being Prosperous: Raw Salmon Salad with Fish Sauce Dressing. ￡16.80

Otherwise also known as 'Yee Sang'/'Loh Hei' or the Prosperity Toss, everyone at the table is meant to dig their 

chopsticks into the big plate and toss the ingredients as high as possible while shouting out positive sayings for 

the year.

The version here is missing out on some of the vital ingredients like crackers, yam and the right combination of 

sauce, beggars can’t be choosers I guess.

發財好市：金蠔發菜

Lucky money creates good business: Stewed Large Dried Oysters with SeaMoss. ￡13.80

The Lucky Money is symbolised by the sea moss while good business is symbolised by the oysters. 

金華春夢： 香煎金華鴨半只

Glorious Dreams: Pan Fried Half Duck. Old Shanghai Winter Favorite ￡16.80

I’ve been waiting forever for the lobster noodles to arrive and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It was as good as I 

remembered and still holds the benchmark for me in London.

香色滿園： 川式雞菇煲

The perfume of flowers fills the garden: Chicken Chili Hotpot with GeeBee Mushrooms & Aubergine. ￡12.80

龍氣精神：杞子人參羊肩肉

Strong health and stamina: Ginseng Herbal Lamb Shoulder ￡15.80

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get the names of some of the dishes as they were specifically requested.

Here is to an excellent Dragon Year to you!

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York Eats: Rose & Crown and Maxi's

I love heading to York as I always discover great food places to eat. The shopping isn't too bad either with an outlet here and is the only outlet that houses a 'Phaidon' outlet store in the UK. Yes folks, if you want Phaidon books, they are sold at reduced prices here.

I was back recently to attend a birthday BBQ party and stayed a few days more to chill out. I did some lovely walks, book shopping and of course indulged in some gluttony too.

Birthday boy took us for lunch at Rose & Crown. We went for the lunch menu which was priced at £13.95 for a 2 course and £17.95 for 3 courses.

For starters, I had the Crispy Battered Tiger Prawns. Tiger prawns they were not but the batter was light and crispy.

Haddock in Yorkshire Beer Batter with chunky chips £12.95

Mr. Doctor ordered the Haddock in Yorkshire Beer Batter which is basically Fish n Chips! It seems to have gone down well as I did not try it, I did try the chunky chips and they were good.

Whole grilled plaice with chorizo and spring onion risotto £14.5

I usually do not order risotto as it is one of those dishes that seems to have a higher failure than success rate in places that offer it. Seeing that this was the Rose & Crown, I thought that it should be safe to order it here and be rewarded with at least a decent version.

I was so wrong! The grilled plaice was cooked perfectly but I couldn't say the same about its other half – chorizo and spring onion risotto. The spring onions seemed out of place and was conflicting with the chorizo. That is still a minor flaw in comparison to the risotto itself. The rice was drowned in a pool of creamy-rich cheesy sauce that itself was sour. I cannot believe that the chef did not even taste test this or else the sourness would have been picked up. The wine that was used in this has gone sour. I was frankly left disappointed.

At least the side of vegetables were nice and crunchy. The entire meal to me was boring and there wasn't anything that I had which makes me want to come back for more.

Will I recommend: No
Will I come back: No
Have I had better: Yes

Rose & Crown, Main Street, Sutton on the Forest, York YO61 1DP

Maxi's York

Another place that birthday boy brought us was to Maxi's for dinner and dim sum.

Octopus cake with kai lan £10.5

steamed egg with dry scallops £9.8

Yam Croquette £2.4

三色糯米糕 £2.6

美心流沙包 £2.7

马蹄糕 £2.4

云南水饺 £3.6

Not being sure what this 'Yun Nam dumpling' was when we saw it on the menu, it was ordered and out came dumplings in a clear broth. It was good.

Char siu cheung fan £2.6

Porridge £3.9

Will I recommend: Yes

There were some highs and lows in the dim sum offerings here but one that I would happily come back to when I'm back in York.

You can never really go wrong with the cheung fun and porridge and the offerings from Maxi's were satisfying.

Most places tend to have the turnip cake but not the water chestnut cake which I prefer. With a bouncy gelatinous texture and bits of water chestnuts interwoven within it that provides a refreshing crunchy contrast, it was made exactly how it should be and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I fell in love the first time I was introduced to the 'liu sha bao' in Shanghai and try to order this whenever I can find it on the menu. After such a long hiatus, eating this here was bringing back the same wonderful feeling that I had eating it for the very first time.

When I ordered this tricoloured glutinous rice cake, I wasn't expecting what was placed in front of me in the end. The rice no longer retained its stickiness and wasn't very tasty either. 

Mr. Doctor insisted on having his yam croquette which he dutifully received. It wasn't very good though.

I couldn't remember the name of the fish that we had but it was nicely fried with a good crispy skin and sweet tender meat.

I spied a few items in the dim sum menu that wasn't easily available in the London dim sum places that I have been. This led to my convincing the gang to come back for dim sum which we did.

This was a much raved by the birthday boy and I do agree. The entire base is lined with dry scallops which is a lot actually. The steamed egg was smooth and slid down like silk.

During the dinner round, we had the Octopus Cake with Kai Lan. The octopus cake was chewy and with a good rubbery texture to it. The Kai Lan was crunchy and fresh.

Will I come back: Yes
Have I had better: Not at this price and standard

Maxis York, Ings Lane, Nether Poppleton, York YO26 6RA

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Slightly off the beaten trail with Grand Imperial, Cha Cha Moon, Ho Lee and Lotus Floating

Grand Imperial

Isn't it amazing how time passes by so quickly? There is barely a month left in 2011 and I can still remember when it was only January. The same goes with catching up with friends and after not seeing a friend of mine in a few months, we both made a concerted effort to meet up. Even this itself wasn't easy as she is always either travelling or have something on, otherwise it will be me in the same situation. Finally, we found a mutually convenient date and we ended up heading to Grand Imperial for dinner.

The Grand Imperial restaurant is relatively new-ish and has a very plush décor setting. Its main entrance within the Grosvenor hotel had these huge doors with invite you into a warm glow light that immediately places you at ease. Use the side door next to Victoria station and you don't get the same effect.

Our dinner party were on a 6 course dinner menu with champagne included that was from one of those online deals. While waiting for the others to arrive, the early people started sipping on the champagne.

When everyone arrived, the meal started with half a crispy aromatic duck arriving at our table. The meat was just a tad on the dry side but the skin was very crispy and we really enjoyed it.

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Royal China Westferry: Down Down Down

There aren't many places to go to around the Canary Wharf area if you are looking for Chinese food. Royal China is the most prominent one that is located at Westferry Circus.

I came here for dinner a while ago before they had a refurbishment.

Pan fried stuffed eggplant with minced shrimp in black bean sauce £9.8

Eggplant cooked until it was soft and soaking in the black bean sauce. This had a slight spicy kick to it.

Mixed seafood stir fried with fresh milk £14.80

When I saw this on the menu, I Just HAD to order it. I mean stir fried fresh milk? The dish came out in a blanket of fluffy snow interspersed with seafood. The texture was like the filling in egg tarts with hints of sweet coconut if I'm not mistaken. I really enjoyed this.

Overall dinner was satisfying though the prices here are a little more on the £££ side.

On another occasion, I came back during the May long weekend for some dim sum with friends. Usually this wouldn't be my first pick but they were having a promotion for the month of May with 25% off.

With a large table, we got down to ordering and they have some new items introduced into the menu. Where do I begin? Having had dim sum here in the past, I always thought it was respectable if not ever a tad expensive for the quality.

Let's start with the newcomers.

Minced fish dumplings £4.1

Homemade coriander and shredded taro cake £4.1

Green tea sponge cake £3.8

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Kam Fung, Holborn

I was first taken here during a lunchtime catch up as it was between both our workplaces. My friend recommended that I try their Hainanese chicken rice as she knew how much I love my Hainanese chicken rice.

For me, my grandmother who rears her own chicken and fenced off a corner of a public field to use as her own garden (very resourceful grandma!) makes the best version. Her Hainanese chicken rice is always the first thing to be demolished at gatherings and parties. It was always requested by friends when I organise a party at my house when I was a kid.

Sadly my grandmother has passed since and like my tiramisu quest, I'm always in search for good Hainanese chicken rice.

Ordered I did and was looking forward to it. Kam Fung's version isn't entirely authentic but tasty all the same. The portion is really huge and I struggled to finish actually.

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Goldfish City, Bank : Still a long way to go

Goldfish City is the second branch of its predecessor which is located in Hampstead. I first heard about it when the Michelin man named it in its Bib Gourmand list.

Browsing the menu, I came upon interesting dishes such as marmite prawns and mocha ribs. I absolutely love marmite chicken and you bet I was going to check it out when someone has marmite-something on their menu.

It did not take much convincing to gather a bunch of friends to head there for dinner. I noticed upon entering that they are part of the Taste Card scheme. So for you Taste Card members out there, a worthy note.

The place itself is rather small with barely ten tables available. Instead of a round table as is usually expected for a large group in a Chinese restaurant, they could only accommodate us with a group of 2-seater tables that were placed together to make a long rectangular version.

After some discussions, we placed our order and were ready for the feast to begin.

Appetisers

Crispy Marmite Prawns £11.50

Was disappointed with this, it did not taste like the marmite dishes that I've had before. Where is the slight sweet and salty and savouriness combined into a sticky sauce that clings to the meat? This was overly rich and sweet.

Golden Mushrooms £7.4

Deep-fry crispy mushroom with hot and light vinegar sauce

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Noodle Street, Westferry: A most welcomed addition

Canary wharf may be the financial hub but it is lacking in terms of good places to eat. For such a concentrated area where all the £££ happens, you get the likes of Pret, Wagamama and Nandos to spend your lunch or even dinner money.

So I was quite excited when a friend suggested a place called Noodle St. Unfortunately there was a queue the first time we tried to eat there and we left as we didn't have the time. I did however make a mental note to come back.

Noodle St. opened in February 2010 which makes it quite a new child in the Wharf area. I can't believe that I didn’t find this place sooner. A few weeks later, I managed to get an opportunity to come and try out the food.

Browsing the menu, they offer a mix of Chinese, Vietnamese and even Thai dishes. This doesn't bode well and it is never a good sign when a restaurant tries to offer a few cuisines in one menu.

Nevertheless, we made our orders.

How could I resist when there is bubble tea on the menu? The bubble or pearls were like gumballs that have lost their chewiness texture. I wouldn't recommend getting this here.

Shanghai style buns or Xiao Long Bao £3.80

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Oriental Canteen: Cheap and Fast

If you happen to be around South Kensington and need somewhere to grab a bite that is fast and cheap, there aren't many choices around.

A group of us were there recently for the Pan-Asian Film Festival and with only a 30 minute break to the next film, we walked around hurriedly looking for a place. A short walk later, we spied Oriental Canteen which I've been once when I first arrived in London.

In we went as there was a table large enough to fit us all. The dishes averages around £5 and the place comprises mainly of students.

 BBQ pork & roast pork belly rice

Wan Tan Hor

The food was decent enough, tasty and quick. Sometimes you just want a quick bite and I found mine.

Will I recommend: Yes, when you're looking for a quick bite

Will I come back: Yes

Have I had better: Yes

Oriental Canteen, 2A Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2HF

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Kai Mayfair: A Successful Marriage

 Being of Chinese descent and growing up in South East Asia has its pros and cons. I grew up living and breathing a food culture with the convenience and abundance of tasty food at my doorstep. These tasty foods can also be bought and eaten without a second hesitation as it is cheap and affordable.

Having been reading into the history of Chinese cuisine, it is truly a world of multiple complexity and amazing flavours. I do believe that the modern us are only scratching the surface layers in what we are currently exposed to and eating. It also saddens me that Chinese food has the stigma of being cheap and greasy. During the imperial times, dishes are as innovative and beautifully crafted like a refined and prized ornament.

I hear a lot of comments from people moaning when they hear of Chinese Restaurants and how a vegetable dish can cost £20. That's too expensive for Chinese, so exclaims.

I am guilty of that too sometimes but then it dawned on me that that is being unfair. Possibly so for immediately dismissing Michelin rated ones. It is not possible to compare the prices of food that you can get in Asian countries to what you pay for in Europe. The mere fact that labour costs are so much lower in the East is a differentiation that cannot be ignored and need to be considered.

If we are willing to pay £20-30 for other cuisines like Italian, German, French; why do we flinch and hesitate when it comes to Chinese? 

Without this becoming a long rambling on philosophical thoughts, I decided that I should keep an open mind. Browsing the menu for Kai, I noticed that they offer a 3 course set lunch for £30, now that is affordable and a chance to taste a 1 Michelin Star Chinese cuisine. Also for me to challenge my initial view: was the 1 Michelin based on dishes for the western palate? Or is it authentic Chinese but more refined and sophisticated? In either case, is it worth the £££!

For a weekend lunch, Kai was not overly busy and we were given a choice of tables. Our impressions did not start well due to a number of incidents. The pair of chopsticks laid on the table on my side was not clean and it still had some food crust stuck to it. Inexcusable really.

It also took forever for the waiter to come back to get our orders. We practically looked around and had to wave for quite a while before we caught the attention of another waiter that was serving a different table. He had to call ours back from goodness know where. Our waiter took our orders and then we saw him just wandering around while I was still waiting for my replacement chopsticks. I seriously am not impressed with this guy.

Before our starters arrived, we were served an amuse bouche of Miso soup with Enoki mushrooms, goji berries and tofu. I was thinking miso soup in Chinese cuisine?

This had chilli flakes in it which gives it a spicy tang and there was a Chinese flavour to the soup which distinguishes it from the Japanese version. This was very much enjoyed. 

S T A R T E R S

Shanghai noodle sheets & jelly-fish, sesame and ginger dressing

Enoki mushroom & pea shoot salad, spicy black cloud fungus, Tau pan bean dressing, asian pickles (v)

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Big Bowl Feast at Floating Lotus

I first learned about Big Bowl Feast@poon choi 盆菜 many years ago and have always wanted to try it. It appears to be a traditional type of dish originating from Hong Kong village. I actually thought that it originated from the Hakka region villages in china in the olden days. The big bowl feast is definitely part of the Hakka cuisine but unfortunately for me, my amazing Hakka grandmother who was a wonderful cook never made this.

Wiki further described that "Its origin appears to be invented during the late Song Dynasty. When Mongol troops invaded Song China, the young Emperor fled to the area around Guangdong Province and Hong Kong. To serve the Emperor as well as his army, the locals collected all their best food available, cooked it, and because there were not enough containers, put the resulting dishes in wooden washbasins. In this way, Poon Choi was invented".

The Big Bowl Feast usually makes its appearance during festive periods and celebrations. Every table will have a really huge bowl placed in the middle. In the bowl will be layer upon layer of carefully laid seafood, succulent meats, vegetables and noodles. The dining party will then use their chopsticks and dig into the bowl to grab their share of the tasty morsels.

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