Hong Kong Continues to be in Tatters

Many interpret Xi's message as a rebuke, others say it's support

There was a lot of chatter about General Party Secretary Xi Jinping's directive to the Hong Kong government to put the current fifth wave under control to prevent social instability. While many interpreted his message to be a rebuke, others tried to spin it as encouragement towards the local authorities.

Regardless it was another day of mounting cases -- 6,116 today, and another 6,300 preliminary. There were also 24 deaths in the past 24 hours.

What has Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor done today?

The iclub Ma Tau Wai Hotel in Tokwawan

She managed to procure 20,000 hotel rooms -- double the number she asked for to house close contacts of coronavirus patients, and infected people with mild symptoms.

The hotels are scattered all over town and it was recommended not to use those that are attached to shopping malls to avoid further transmission of the virus. The first batch of hotels are located in areas such as Tsuen Wan, Fortress Hill, and Tokwawan.

Meanwhile some 300 taxi drivers have been recruited to ferry patients who have tested positive to clinics for treatment. The drivers will get masks and gowns as well as goggles, but it might be hard to see the road clearly wearing those all day...

This evening my colleagues and I received an email from our company saying someone this afternoon tested positive for the virus, which meant the office would be deep-cleaned all weekend.

While those who were in the office these few days could get self-tested, the Centre for Health Protection did not deem them as "close contacts" and so testing was not mandatory. This just shows how different the policy is from two years ago, when anyone who was near the infected person had to go into quarantine camp for two weeks despite testing negative.

Luk Yu Tea House is temporarily closed

After a few appointments in Central this afternoon I went to visit a few shops and was disappointed to find they were shut. The pandemic had made it unfeasible for them to open now, including one that has just opened last week.

Many restaurants have either temporarily closed -- including the iconic Luk Yu Tea House -- or have drastically scaled back their days and hours of operation in a bid to survive. 

A hotel restaurant I visited earlier today said they were supposed to have 50 diners, but 10 cancelled because they were scared of dining out.

I suggested they spread the tables out further and the manager said they had put them much further apart than the government regulations. 

The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong has begun promoting takeaway from its Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant, which was unheard of last year. Will people really want char siu using Iberico pork, or fried rice vermicelli with crab meat and egg? By the time they bring it home it's cold...

Rapid antigen tests are the must have item now

The hottest must-have item now besides N95 or KF94 masks? Rapid antigen tests. Pharmacy chain Watson's had practically sold out of all of them except one -- at HK$118 (US$15) a piece.  

The other day Lam had said the government had ordered millions of RATs, but where are they? They should have been handed out to people this week, but no, they still aren't here.

This is not how to battle the pandemic with determination and speed. 

Again, the residents have to protect themselves with whatever resources they can get their hands on. 

Michelin Shines Stars in HK

Some of the chefs who received or retained one Michelin star

Just as Hong Kong is going through tough social-distancing measures that include not allowing restaurants to open beyond 6pm, the Michelin Guide Hong Kong and Macau 2022 was announced this afternoon.

9 new restaurants gained one star today

There was a lot of anticipation of who would get the coveted star because there were several restaurants that opened this year, but sadly not all of them were recognised.

However, it is worth noting that nine new restaurants in the red guide received one star, and two were awarded two stars; no new three-star restaurants were named, though one dropped out.

I heard from one chef that three stars are only given when inspectors from outside the region have visited the restaurant to ensure it does deserve the top recognition, and since Hong Kong has had such severe travel and quarantine requirements that it has been nearly impossible for overseas inspectors to come here and also Macau.

Two restaurants moved up to two stars

Maybe that's why more restaurants were given one star, such as Singaporean-influenced Whey, South American inspired Mono, the popular Indian restaurant Chaat in Rosewood Hong Kong, and Ningbo restaurant Yong Fu. Interesting to note that Seventh Son was finally recognised when it has always produced top quality Cantonese cuisine and classic dishes that are rarely found in other restaurants.

Nevertheless it was fun to talk to chefs who had just received their accolades and they sounded so excited on the phone. For many of them it is a dream come true to win a star, and even more so when it is their own restaurant.

In a video broadcast during the ceremony, chef Manav Tuli of Chaat had tears in his eyes, so thrilled and so thankful to his team for all their hard work. He recalled that when they started after dinner service they still had to mop the floors. 

Restaurants here didn't change, one dropped

Octavium and Yan Toh Heen were both elevated in the two-star category. Bjoern Alexander of Octavium was so shocked that he said, "What the f***!" as soon as he was told the news in another video. He immediately hugged his co-chef Roland Schueller who looked happy but unfazed by all the fuss.

When Amber won a Green star for sustainability, chef Richard Ekkebus was caught completely off guard so it was a very nice surprise for him and his team to win the award. He said it was their fault for not communicating clearly to Michelin what their sustainability efforts were last year so they made it a priority to tell them exactly what they were doing. 

So it's not just about what's on the plate, but also how restaurants and chefs get their messages across.

But what happened to the restaurants we thought should have been in there? Estro for starters, a refined contemporary Neapolitan restaurant, but perhaps it opened too late in October (or maybe the inspectors couldn't get a seat), and same could be said for Rex Wine & Grill where guests can only get reservations if they know the chef or manager. What about Margo which opened in July? Perhaps chef Mario Paecke is just finding his feet now and will get a nod next year? We are also hoping the same for Batard.

Nevertheless in general everyone who was included in the guide was grateful to still be in there. Many cited the tough two to three years Hong Kong has had, and being able to survive and keep their stars is a massive achievement in itself which is true. 

Ekkebus in blue mask so excited with Green star

And now they are in yet another tough situation, trying to extend opening hours until 6pm and offer takeaway, it's long hours for the staff, who usually get a break in the afternoon, but now must work straight through. The bright spot is having the evenings off, but those are hours they could have made more money...

Everyone hopes the measures will be lifted by February 4, but now with hamster-geddon, with some 2,000 of the rodents being culled, and two new clusters that are emerging, it may be a while yet before restaurants can get back to regularly serving customers again... 

Worries of Surge in Post-Halloween Cases

People were partying in various "masks" for Halloween...

On Halloween night there were lots of people out on the streets, particularly in Lan Kwai Fong, and Secretary for Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee was worried looking at the footage that the large groups of people may lead to a spike in coronavirus infections.

But it was the government that eased restrictions just in time for Halloween... we may find out if there really is a surge in positive cases in the next two weeks.

A positive case was in Mongkok Police station

However there are other local infections to worry about, including a  26-year-old man who works for Cable TV and stayed in a holiday hotel in Mui Wo on Lantau with friends, and a 42-year-old mainland woman who was allegedly a prostitute arrested in a vice operation and the origins of her infection are unknown.

She came into contact with at least 23 officers as she was arrested in a hotel in Mongkok, then transferred to Mongkok Police Station for three days before she was moved to Castle Peak Bay Immigration Centre, then finally Ma Tau Kok Detention Centre.

It's interesting that anyone arrested these days is not tested for Covid-19 right away. So far four officers are in quarantine, and the police station was disinfected. While she was in detention, she shared a cell with six others; luckily they have all tested negative.

Another case stayed at this hotel in Mui Wo

Meanwhile the man shared a hotpot meal with 10 people at a friend's home, seven of them also worked at Cable TV. A woman who stayed with him in the holiday hotel in Silvermine Bay also tested positive along with a 15-year-old related to her.

While the number of daily local infections is less than five, it is apparently not low enough for the mainland to be confident enough to open the border with Hong Kong. 

A commentary in People's Daily on Saturday used Macau as an example, and said the borders were reopened after the casino hub had the virus under control.

"The top priority for Hong Kong is to effectively control the epidemic, strictly prevent cases from rebounding, and stamp out local infections," the commentary said.

It said the central government had supported Hong Kong by sending a team of medical staff to help with the city's mass testing program in September.

As I blogged earlier, China doesn't even count its positive cases according to everyone else's definition; it only counts positive cases as ones with symptoms and not the asymptomatic ones according to the WHO standard. 

Restaurants like Caprice are easier to book now

But that's fine if the mainland doesn't want to reopen the border with us.

Many Hongkongers are very happy to get reservations at Michelin-starred restaurants more easily and malls are much less crowded, along with public transportation.

That's the one upside of living in a pandemic...

 

Can HK Restaurants Survive the Pandemic?

Hong Kong's new normal of restaurants having 50 percent capacity

This morning (well late morning) I ventured to a place near where I live that just organizes pop-ups, or guest chef promotions on a regular basis, with chefs from around the world.

However with the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions, the owner had to quickly switch gears -- and in fact he did several months ago already -- and instead do collaborations with young up-and-coming local chefs who are keen to try some new culinary ideas.

Chef Eric Raty with his blueberry pie

The owner was telling me how business was very difficult these days, as his space is not open everyday, and with customers not really having an appetite to sit down to a multi-course dinner, he has moved very quickly to have a bake sale today, his first.

I walked over to the place just after it opened and it seemed to be doing a brisk business, with a lot of people already pre-ordered items that were packaged in large brown paper bags.

I hadn't, but came prepared with my own takeaway boxes and the chef who has a Michelin two-starred restaurant, personally packed my boxes with baked treats like gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies, a blueberry and cardamon pie, and a small Finnish tart.

Later after lunch I had one of the cookies -- it was so delicious and overwhelmingly chocolately that I could not finish the second cookie, which is very rare for me to do. It was just so delicious that texted the chef to tell him that.

The owner was there and we didn't talk much because he was really busy preparing tea and coffee for guests who were sitting inside and enjoying their pastries. I was worried about him because before the bake sale,  he had told me that he needed to find ways to make money fast, otherwise he could only sustain his business for another two months.

Gluten-free chocolate walnut cookies were for sale today

That is the reality of a lot of restaurants in Hong Kong now. One large restaurant group that has 21 restaurants in the city and another exclusively for takeout, and is under a lot of financial pressure to ensure its over 1,000 staff still have jobs.

However, one local group has decided to shut down all 48 of its restaurants for two weeks "for everyone's health and safety", the group said in its Facebook page on Friday.

Tao Heung Holdings has a variety of Chinese restaurants like Tao Heung, Pier 88, Hak Ka Hut, Chao Inn, Chung's Cuisine, and Tai Cheong, famous for its egg tarts.

Meanwhile a lot of places quickly implemented the 50 percent capacity rule, with some restaurants literally taping off tables or removing them on Saturday before the 6pm deadline. Other places had signs outside the doors explaining because of the strict rules they could only have a maximum of three tables at any one time.

One of Tao Heung's restaurants before it closed for two weeks

It will be interesting to see if the implementation of these strict regulations will indeed lower the number of cases in the next few days; the odd thing is that karaoke establishments fall under the restaurant license but how do you prevent people from sitting too closely together in a small room and they are sharing microphones...

Are people still going to these places when they should be social distancing?

Or is now the time to sing your heart out as a stress reliever? It's a dilemma.

Da Dong Gone in a New York Minute

A lot of money was spent to open Da Dong in Manhattan two years ago

Da Dong Roast Duck was my favourite place for Peking duck in Beijing over 13 years ago. The location in Dong Si Shi Tiao was fascinating, as you had to pass some imperial granaries before entering the restaurant.

A few years ago my friends treated me to Da Dong kaoya, this time in a new location behind the Worker's Stadium and the gaudy decor with statues of white horses seemed over the top as well as the LED lights representing reeds in the pond were ridiculous.

Da Dong near Worker's Stadium... see the horse in the back?

Inside there was a massive screen showing videos of chef Dong Zhenxiang cooking in France and scenes of people raving about his food. The video and the sound from it overshadowed our dining experience. It was distracting and not very interesting.

Ahhh how the mighty have fallen.

In late November, Michelin launched its first Beijing guide and everyone expected Da Dong to get three stars -- but it was not to be. It only garnered one, at the Dong Si Shi Tiao location.

And now Da Dong in Manhattan has closed, filing for bankruptcy after two years and scathing reviews from New York critics.

There was much talk about the place when the restaurant group announced it would open in the Big Apple, in a space for 400 seats and situated near Bryant Park. The Chinese really like to make a big splash.

The famous roast duck didn't impress Michelin inspectors

But that ambition apparently didn't translate into delicious food, with food critics from the New York Times and New York magazine giving Da Dong zero stars! While New York Post and foodie website Eater tried to find some good things to say about the Chinese restaurant.

Was it really that bad? I will never know because I never got to try it.

Maybe the ducks were not Chinese? Maybe the wood-fired ovens weren't allowed, making it hard to create the same flavourful smell from the wood of cherry and plum trees? Or maybe the restaurant had too much hype, making critics all too eager to take it down to size?

Then over a year ago I went back to Da Dong (albeit on Jinbao Jie, another location) and honestly, the duck wasn't that great. It seemed more oily than I remembered it, and didn't seem so special anymore. The thin pancakes were not warm, and the other dishes we ordered were pedestrian, or even salty.

What will chef Dong Zhenxiang do next?

One wonders what Dong is doing now, licking his wounds from his massive failure in New York. Will he try again elsewhere or just continue to placate the domestic market?

In the meantime the New York restaurant is trying to sell off all of its equipment, crockery, furniture and fixtures. It's a sad flash in the pan for Da Dong, who now knows the meaning of "Go big, or go home".

Nervous Trip to Macau

Chefs awarded three stars have their pictures taken in the Grand Hyatt Macau

Today was pretty nerve-wracking for me -- I had to go to Macau to cover the Michelin Guide announcement on who got stars and how many in Hong Kong and Macau. However, with President Xi Jinping coming over tomorrow to mark the 20th anniversary of Macau's handover to China, security measures have stepped up significantly these few days.

And on top of that last Friday a man was detained while trying to go to Macau via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge. It turns out he was arrested on charges of phone smuggling in 2012... and they caught him now?

On the way to Macau with Lamma Island in the distance

There were also reports of people being turned away from the border to Macau too for not carrying their passport with a China visa in it. Chinese security insist these measures are temporary, but why should we be carrying our China visa with us if we're going to Macau?

Whatever happened to "one country, two systems"?

I took the 10.30am ferry to allow for enough time to get prepared for the 2pm announcement and already at Shun Tak ferry terminal. As soon as we passed immigration, we were subjected to a security check. Several booths were set up for our bags to be manually checked, while each passenger got wanded over.

Then we were allowed to go to our ferry.

Macau and China flags decorate the city for Xi Jinping's visit

On the other side, as soon as we walked into the Cotai ferry terminal we had to wait in line, first to have our bags screened by an X-ray machine while we went through a metal detector, and then my handbag was manually searched again. If people had luggage, they had to be checked over in the customs declaration area before they left the terminal.

It turns out I was lucky to be allowed in without an incident.

At least three reporters were barred from entering Macau today to cover Xi's visit. One from the SCMP who took the ferry was detained for three hours, and then asked to fill out a form including not only his personal details, but that of his parents, marital status and the purpose of his visit, even though he had received accreditation for the visit before he came to Macau.

This reporter had also been detained last week while on assignment, questioned in the same room, but let go after two hours.

A lot of people were on hand for the Michelin announcement

On today's occasion, they sent him back to Hong Kong with a written statement that there were "strong signs" he was trying to engage in activities that would "jeopardize the public safety and public order" in Macau.

Separately two reporters from Now TV who took the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge were also detained and were not given an explanation why they were not allowed to enter Macau.

Why were these reporters not allowed into Macau? They are only doing their jobs, to cover Xi's trip to the city.

Meanwhile for me, leaving Macau was no problem and I even managed to catch an earlier ferry, and get to Sang Kee in Sheung Wan for the last bowl of fish congee before it closed at 8.30pm.

What a day.

Au Revoir, Monsieur Robuchon

Culinary master Joel Robuchon has died at the age of 73

Another culinary giant has passed... Joel Robuchon. He died in Geneva today from pancreatic cancer at the age of 73.

I had heard that he had been ill for some time, and had lost quite a bit of weight. It's a terrible way for a chef to go, someone who loves to bring pleasure to people with food.

His signature foie gras dish at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon

Unfortunately I never had the chance to interview him, but did take a picture with him in November 2015 when the Michelin guide announcement was made in Hong Kong.

Nevertheless he has trained and influenced so many chefs around the world. His army of chefs took their skills and knowledge to Robuchon restaurants in numerous cities and in turn they trained more people to cook the master's dishes.

Interestingly when he was boy he was training to become a priest and helped the nuns prepare food in the kitchen. He recalled only doing simple tasks like peeling vegetables and cleaning plates, but he found such joy in doing that.

He also remembers his mother holding a loaf of bread to her chest and then portioning it out to each person, as if giving the food from her heart. Robuchon took that philosophy to his kitchens -- how it was important to put passion in preparing food, as diners would feel that love in the dishes.

Robuchon lost a lot of weight in the past year

His career started in the early 1980s with his Paris restaurant Jamin, named "Chef of the Year" in 1987, and then "Chef of the Century" in 1987 by Gault-Millau.

Many years ago I had a chance to have lunch at Robuchon Au Dome, the fine dining restaurant at the top of the Grand Lisboa in Macau. It was such a decadent meal, several courses, with beautiful breads, salted and unsalted butter, and not only a dessert trolley but also one for sweets. I felt like a child cooing in a candy shop.

In my work I have met several chefs who have trained under Robuchon and acknowledge the master for his demands for the best ingredients cooked perfectly. He was most famous for elevating mashed potatoes into a fine dining dish (by adding lots of butter)...

As he got older he moved away from classic French techniques and preferring simplicity of flavours on the plate.

His famous gourmet mashed potatoes were very buttery

"The older I get, the more I realize the truth is: the simpler the food, the more exceptional it can be," he said in 2014. "I never try to marry more than three flavours in one dish. I like walking into a kitchen and knowing that the dishes are identifiable and the ingredients within them easy to detect."

Chefs who have worked under him are posting pictures of Robuchon on social media tonight and describing him as a father, mentor, teacher. He once said, "When a grandfather dies, a library burns", meaning the knowledge that person has accumulated is gone. That is why he felt it was so important to teach as many people as he could what he knew so that the knowledge would not disappear.

This year has been a terrible series of losses in the culinary world -- Paul Bocuse, Anthony Bourdain, Jonathan Gold, and now Joel Robuchon.

A bientot, chef!

Modern Australian Cuisine in Singapore

Whitegrass' circular dining room is elegant and not pretentious either

A food writer friend in Singapore suggested we have lunch at one of her favourite places, Whitegrass, which has just retained its Michelin one-star rating. It opened in 2016 and is run by executive chef-owner Sam Aisbett, who cooks modern Australian and uses Japanese ingredients in many of his dishes.

Sashimi yellowtail with caviar, yuzu kosho and seaweed oil

The restaurant is located in Chijmes, the complex that used to be a Catholic school, so the space Whitegrass uses is a heritage one so it has an old soul, but also sophisticated feel to it, but not over-the-top.

Outside there are tables to dine al fresco, but it's too hot for that and we went inside, sitting in the circular space at the back that fits about 28 people if completely full.

We looked at the three-course set lunch menu which looked like a good way to go, though there was an option for a five-course, and a tasting menu. To start an amuse bouche of ginger milk curd topped with delicious peas and seasoned with bottarga. It was so delicate and delicious, whetting the appetite for what was to come.

Scallop yin yang with Iberico pork neck underneath

My starter was sashimi yellowtail amberjack with Japanese land caviar, yuzu kosho and toasted seaweed oil. It was a taste of the sea in this dish, with the fresh yellowtail slices, mixed with small cucumbers and yuzu kosho, punctuated with bursts of caviar and seasoned with seaweed sauce.

Meanwhile my friend had the slow roasted young beetroots with fresh goats cheese fetta, with crispy red quinoa, juniper and sour leaves.

Next came an extra dish for us -- scallop yin yang that had one sheet white, the other black from squid ink made from scallops. Underneath were chunks of slow-roasted Iberico pork neck that was so tender, with shiitake custard, lotus seed, and pork rib broth poured in tableside.

Sea bream with razor clam, pomelo and kombu butter

It seems strange mixing scallop and pork together and we like the interesting presentation, but perhaps it's trying to get used to the idea of putting these two ingredients together.

Our main course was red sea bream with steamed razor clam, Japanese mukago yam, pomelo and shio kombu butter. It was disappointing the sea bream was a tad overcooked, but otherwise enjoyed the flavours of this dish, sweet and savoury along with the colours in the shallow bowl.

Finally for dessert, Amazake milk mousse with Japanese nashi pear, shiso leaf granita and a scoop of pear ice cream. Loved the shiso leaf granita! It was so refreshing and went well with the crunchy pear balls, but the milk mousse was too much cream for my taste.

Milk mousse (left) with shiso leaf granita and pear ice cream!

Redemption in the form of petite fours -- small strawberry lamingtons that had a cold strawberry middle, and the other was a gourmet bite that tasted like a snickers bar -- chocolate, peanut butter and a bit of caramel.

Our bill came to S$95 or HK$548 (US$70) each. We look forward to better things from the talented chef Sam!

Whitegrass
30 Victoria Street #01-26/27
Chijmes
Singapore
(65) 6837 0402
www.whitegrass.com.sg

Spicy Hot at Shisen Hanten

The signature stewed fish fillet in super spicy broth!

An ex-colleague I used to work with in Beijing has been working in Singapore for three years now and when I told him I was going to visit, he suggested we go to a restaurant he quite likes.

It's called Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro, a two-star Michelin restaurant -- that retained its two stars a few days ago -- featuring Sichuan cuisine cooked by a Japanese chef.

 

The dining room is rather quiet with many chandeliers

It's located on the top floor of Mandarin Orchard Singapore, a snazzy building along Orchard Road, the Rodeo Drive of the Lion City.

We were greeted on one floor, and then walk down the stairs into the dining area that's very large, dim and lit by large chandeliers.

The restaurant was started back in 1958 by Chen Kemin, who, according to the menu's introduction, is considered to be the "Father of Szechwan cuisine" in Japan.

The salted egg fish skin were crispy but quite oily

The reins were passed on to the eldest son, Chen Kenichi, who was best known as Iron Chef Chinese in the original TV show, Iron Chef. You may remember he was the one who wore a yellow Chinese jacket with black frog buttons on it.

Probably because of his fame, Chen Kenichi was able to expand the business outside of Japan. The branch in Singapore opened in 2014 with now the third generation, Chen Kentaro as executive chef. And since the Michelin guide has been in Singapore, the restaurant has retained its two stars for three years in a row.

To start our meal we had some salted egg fish skin. It's delicious, very crispy, but a tad oily. We munched on them throughout our meal. 

 

Something not spicy, vegetables with three eggs in broth

Next came the stewed fish fillet in super-spicy Szechwan pepper sauce (S$38 per portion). Indeed the black cast iron pot arrived covered in dried red chillis that signaled it would be a red hot dining experience.

One of the waitresses used a ladle to wade into the chillis to find the pieces of fish to put into our bowls. It came with bean sprouts and slices of cucumber. The fish was perfectly cooked, and surprisingly not too spicy, while the bean sprouts were too hot for me and I must have drank an entire tea pot of chrysanthemum tea in a pathetic attempt to cool down.

The fish was firm, not flaky and had the subtle mala taste, while the sprouts overwhelmed my taste buds.

 

The signature mapo tofu that was spicy with a mala numbness

To help me balance out the spiciness, we ordered stir-fried seasonal vegetable with trio of eggs in superior stock (S$22), which was basically potato leaves mixed with thousand year old egg, salty egg and egg whites in an orangey broth. Perhaps this dish wasn't quite finessed, but for me was a welcome respite from the spice.

Finally another signature dish, Chen's mapo doufu, featuring stir-fried tofu in hot Szechwan pepper-flavoured meat sauce (S$26 per portion). This was also fantastic, the silken tofu combined with the spicy meat sauce -- I mean really spicy meat sauce to have that mala taste that numbed the tongue.

In the end I managed to eat as much as I could without needing to call the fire brigade, and it made me wonder why the Japanese would be interested in mastering such a cuisine, when something technically difficult like Cantonese or dim sum might be more interesting for them.

Nevertheless, it was quite enjoyable, though the atmosphere seemed too quiet for a Sichuan restaurant where chillis inspire people to be hot-blooded, no? Oh wait we're in a Japanese restaurant...

Shisen Hanten

Orchard Wing Level 35

Mandarin Orchard Singapore

333 Orchard Road

Singapore 238867
(65) 6831 6262

www.shisenhanten.com.sg

Memorable Lunch at Odette

Odette with its light pastel palette and high ceilings

Back in June I had a chance to try chef Julien Royer's food at a pop-up he did at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong. Despite cooking in an unfamiliar kitchen, the dishes he presented were beautifully plated, and of course delicious. I vividly remember the beetroot, and the pigeon dishes, so flavourful and not heavy.

So on my recent trip to Singapore I had to try his food again in his restaurant, Odette. It opened in 2015 in the National Gallery Singapore, the Supreme Court building re-purposed into an art gallery. Odette isn't the only restaurant -- there are many others, like National Kitchen serving Singaporean cuisine, Yan with Cantonese food, and even a bar called Smoke & Mirrors on the sixth floor.

Chef/owner of Odette, Julien Royer

But back to Odette, which is named after Royer's grandmother. He watched her cook as a child, getting all her ingredients from the farm in Auvergne, France -- he didn't grow up buying food from a supermarket like the rest of us.

After working with the likes of Michel Bras Bernard Andrieux, Royer had a chance to go to Singapore -- at the time he didn't even know where it was on the map -- and worked at the St Regis Singapore's Brasserie Les Saveurs and then Jaan, in the Swissotel The Stamford before opening his own restaurant.

A cep mushroom tea with a slice of truffle brioche

Inside it's airy with high ceilings, a very romantic palette of dusty pink, cream and beige, with an open kitchen off to the side, and diners seated in comfortable banquettes. The staff are well dressed, friendly and chatty with guests as they introduce each dish -- there is no atmosphere of condescension or arrogance. Everything is politely explained. One server admitted to us he didn't like beetroots at all -- until he tried Royer's dish that I mentioned earlier.

There is a lot of attention to detail, from how the cutlery and tableware is designed to the execution of the dishes and how they are served at the table. We also liked the pacing that gave us enough time to eat, savour and digest a bit before moving onto the next course.

 

Uni with red prawn tartare, mussel foam and caviar

So what did we eat? A lot, but we were not overly stuffed.

First a trio of "snacks" -- a mini salad in a lettuce leaf with peas, cherry tomato, onion and pea shoots that were so dainty. This was followed by a tart filled with orange gems of salmon roe that bursted when we bit into them. Finally a tiny spoon with fish mixed with vegetable.

Another starter was a mushroom soup that was poured into ceramic tea cups filled with foam, light truffle shavings and tiny croutons with truffle brioche. Even the wooden board it was served on was shaped like a cep mushroom.

 

Japanese Kegani crab "ravioli" with Granny Smith, celery

Then came bread -- a pastry with truffle paste in it, a delicious crusty sourdough bread, and another with lemon flavour. What was even more interesting was the spread -- there was whipped butter with olive oil, and the other was lard! We didn't have too much of the latter.

Finally the meal started with an impressive-looking dish of the sea urchin shell and in it was uni, spot prawn tartare, a foam made of mussels and topped with caviar and gold leaf. An intriguing combination that worked well together.

Next a "ravioli" featuring Japanese Kegani crab meat mixed with Granny Smith apple and celery, with Vadouvan spices and kaffir lime oil that was so light and refreshing. The sweetness of the crab balanced the tartness of the green apple, and added celery for a crunchy texture. Wow was all we could say.

Heirloom beetroot variation in a colourful presentation

My favourite dish arrived -- heirloom beetroot variation, featuring segments of the humble vegetable that was also made into a sorbet, mini meringue and paired with horseradish, stracciatella and even honey. The plate was too pretty to eat, but we were encouraged to mix everything together to try the various flavours.

Making a dramatic entrance was the rosemary smoked organic egg, presented in a lowly egg carton, but with dry ice flowing out of it. In it were two 63.4 degree Celsius cooked eggs flavoured with rosemary. They were carefully poured into a smoked potato foam and in it were bits of chorizo Iberico and meuniere sauce. We were instructed to mix it -- but not too much -- so that the yolk flavour would be more pronounced. Another wow.

Crispy skinned amadai in a glass bowl made its way to our table, where smoked egg consomme was poured into the bowl that was garnished with yari ika and nori oil. The fish was delicate and perfectly cooked, what an intriguing consomme of eel! Who would think of that?

 

Crispy skinned amadai in an eel consomme and nori oil

The main event is Royer's signature roast pigeon dish, here it was covered in a pepper crust and cooked medium rare. It was accompanied with another humble vegetable -- corn and here it held its own with its crunchiness and sweetness against the juiciness of pigeon. 

 

Each pigeon leg has a different message attached to it tied with string, talking about how he loved eating pigeon as a child, or how one should eat the leg with your hands. We certainly polished it off down to the bone.

Before dessert we had a cheese platter with some goat cheese, a triple cream brie, and comte, with the largest dates I've ever seen.

 

Roast pigeon with a pepper crust and message attached to it

Then we had our pre-dessert, a refreshing cucumber sorbet with seaweed sprinkled on small bits of meringue, and green apple granita. We would have already been satisfied with this dessert. But there was more.

 

The actual dessert was clafoutis, a kind of flan cake, decorated with cherries, elderflower sorbet, vanilla cream and almond slivers.

But wait -- there's more! Royer came to our table with an oval-shaped hive that revealed layers of petite fours. On top were two pomegranate lollipops, next mini matcha cream puffs, caneles, and finally homemade caramels.

In the end the damage came to S$442 or HK$2,547 (US$325) for two. Considering we had two-star Michelin dining -- and the restaurant retained its two stars the following day when the announcement was made -- it was very good value.

 

Cherry clafoutis with elderflower sorbet, vanilla and almonds

Many media at the Michelin announcement were disappointed that Odette was not elevated to three stars, but Royer insisted he was very happy for the team that the contemporary French restaurant retained its two stars and they would work harder next time.

I asked him how he felt about the media's expectations of Odette, and he pointed out the restaurant was only three years old so there was plenty of time to develop and grow. Our meal the day before was almost perfection -- why not? But then again the Michelin ratings are mired with questions of who really deserves two stars and who should get three...

 

Nevertheless we were delighted, thrilled, amazed and sated by our lunch at Odette. A chance to savour and to catch up with a dear friend who accompanied me. What a treat.

Odette

National Gallery Singapore

1 St Andrew's Road #01-04

Singapore 178957
(65) 6385 0498

Picture of the Day: Michelin in Singapore

Reporters and photographers taking pictures of the chefs with one Michelin star

After I booked my plane ticket to Singapore, a food writer friend there told me I would be there when the Michelin announcement would be made. Why not go?

It was held tonight at Resorts World Sentosa, this massive complex that houses a casino as well as Universal Studios, about 20 minutes from the city centre.

The event started late (of course) and finally they announced which restaurants received one star. There are 34 this year, five of which are new. This year the chefs were given chef jackets, not a copy of the guide in previous years, which was pretty tacky.

After they were feted on stage in the ballroom, the chefs were ushered into the media room where photographers and reporters wanted to get their pictures too.

It was a mad rush -- much like it is in Hong Kong -- with everyone using smartphones or proper cameras to get a shot.

I much prefer getting a picture of them getting the picture. It just shows how excited everyone is.

In the end five restaurants were coveted with two stars (the same ones), but no restaurant was given three stars, as the current holder, Joel Robuchon Restaurant, will close next month at Resorts World Sentosa due to financial difficulties.

Review: The Quest of Alain Ducasse

Ducasse in the farm that grows vegetables for Plaza-Athenee in Paris

Yesterday I happened to see that the documentary, The Quest of Alain Ducasse was showing tonight and decided I had to go see it.

The French chef with 21 Michelin stars under his belt was just in the vicinity last week with the opening of his two restaurants in Morpheus, the latest over-the-top hotel to open in Macau.

So I wanted to know what made the 61-year-old man tick -- and although the film shows scenes of the French chef tasting numerous delicious-looking dishes from Paris to London, to Kyoto and Hong Kong, we don't really know much about Ducasse himself.

There are hardly any biographical details about him, how he was born in 1956 in Orthez, in southwestern France and that it was his grandmother's cooking -- the smells that wafted up into his room -- that got him interested in the kitchen.

Ducasse revolutionized French cuisine, doing away with heavy creams and butter and opting instead for light, rustic cooking that showcases the freshness of the ingredients. He's also gone a step further in making his Parisian restaurant Plaza-Athenee feature vegetables and seafood but no meat.

It is clear he is passionate about what he does -- he insists on servers pouring Champagne in front of guests and will personally rearrange the furniture too. He only has praise for his army of chefs around the world -- there are only minor details to be worked out in their new menu items. The dishes for him are practically perfect. Or is he saying this in front of the camera?

He looks over the Hong Kong skyline at the then Spoon

What was completely glossed over in the documentary was a plane crash he survived in 1984. He and four colleagues were flying in a small plane from St Tropez to Courcheval in the French alps when the weather turned bad. They could have opted to land in Lyon, but they decided to press on when through the clouds they suddenly saw a mountain in front of them and it was too late to divert.

He was thrown out of the cockpit into the trees, the only survivor of the crash, though he lost a lot of blood. It took him months to get over the trauma but it also made him look at life succinctly.

"It helped me to realize what is important and what is not," he has said in an interview. "It taught me to step back from the kitchen, and open my eyes to the vastness of the world."

And so The Quest of Alain Ducasse is a non-stop travelogue of him flying all over the place, constantly in search of new flavours, new ingredients, encouraging his staff and checking out possible business ventures (Mongolia, anyone?). He has even started a culinary school in Manila where some street kids are taken in and trained to become cooks, sponsored by the man himself. He is moved listening to the young women thank him for giving them an opportunity to earn money for their families.

Handing certificates to cooks at his culinary school in Manila

When he visits China, he takes several of his staff to see a sturgeon farm for caviar two hours outside of Shanghai. There's a giant fish farm, rearing sturgeon that are very large. One of the most jaw-dropping scenes is watching a giant sturgeon sliced open, revealing millions of black caviar pearls.

Ducasse has been advocating Chinese caviar for years and only uses them in his restaurants. In the tasting room they use mother of pearl spoons to scoop out large dollops and everyone marvels at how sublime they taste.

There are no scenes about his private life, only to note that he has four children, three of whom are young children.

After watching the film I wasn't hungry, which was disappointing, but also how little I have accomplished next to this man who has how many restaurants around the world?

But it's his relentless passion for food, curiosity about new things that make me realize that this is what keeps him going everyday. The old adage "Do what you love" definitely applies here and Ducasse is an excellent example.

The Quest of Alain Ducasse
Directed by Gilles de Maistre
84 Minutes