Consumption Vouchers Barely Make Dent in Sales

Consumption vouchers aren't benefiting small businesses

The HK$5,000 e-vouchers are supposed to inject a whopping HK$30 billion into Hong Kong's economy and aimed at benefiting small retailers, but some report only a small uptick in business.

In Kennedy Town, a small fashion boutique owner reported no difference in revenue, even though she signed up to use Octopus cards in her shop, as installation and transaction fees would be waived for the first six months. She plans to return the card terminal when the period waived is up.

People buy expensive items without voucher

"About 10 percent of my clients started using electronic payment methods, but revenue didn't actually increase," she said.

Another shop selling imported frozen food also in Kennedy Town saw a slight increase in sales when the e-vouchers first came out in August that later died down, and no increase in the second installment. 

"I didn't see them spend more than usual or buy more expensive things because of the consumption vouchers," Jimmy Tsoi said. "Younger people may save up [the installments] to buy something more expensive at once. It would feel better than using it to buy small items, or something for daily use."

But according to the Census and Statistics Department, overall sales jumped 11.9 percent in August compared to the same time last year. However August 2020 was before Hong Kong had vaccines and there were strict social-distancing measures in place at the time, thus sales were low then too, points out Annie Tse, chairperson of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association.

Sales in footwear saw a big increase year-on-year

Retailers selling footwear and clothing saw the biggest rebound compared to other types of businesses, recording a 62.3 percent year-on-year increase in August, while optical shops saw a 60.4 percent rise compared to the same period last year according to government statistics.

Nevertheless, restaurants in general are doing a healthy trade, though it doesn't have much to do with consumption vouchers, as it is the high-end restaurants that are busy these days with wealthy customers splashing out on fine dining meals that they would have spent on trips.

So while the Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po intended the e-vouchers to help small businesses, his elaborate and grand plan barely made a dent.

Vancouver Eating Part 2

The flavour of Joe Fortes in a bowl, a seafood bowl to be exact

My eating odyssey in Vancouver continued with a visit to Joe Fortes for lunch. I don't think I have ever eaten in this well known establishment and glad I finally made it.

It looks like a power lunch place with its downtown location and everyone seemed to be having meetings while they ate -- except us.

Clams with chorizo sausages in tomato broth were a hit

According to the menu, there really was a Joe Fortes -- Seraphin "Joe" Fortes, who was a sailor from Barbados who went to Liverpool then Vancouver. He came to the Canadian city in 1885 where he was a bartender at a hotel and then was a fixture at English Bay where he was the unofficial security guard and taught many children how to swim.

The city appointed him the first official lifeguard in the early 1900s. When Fortes died in 1922, the city held the longest-ever funeral procession, which was unusual for a black person.

Joe Fortes the restaurant was opened in 1985, exactly a century after he arrived in Vancouver.

Perhaps as a link to his being at English Bay, the Joe Fortes menu is best known for its seafood, freshly-shucked oysters and blue plate specials at CAD$12.95 that are a real deal -- if you can snag one.

A lot to munch on in the lobster and shrimp roll

On the day we went it was panko-crusted haddock, but by the time we ordered -- around 1pm -- they were already sold out. That was disappointing to say the least for my friend, who was very keen to try it.

Nonetheless we were very happy with the seafood bowl (CAD$25.95), a kind of bouillabaisse with salmon, mussels, clams, tomato broth, rice and garlic bread. Everything was cooked perfectly, the clams didn't have any sand in them and the mussels plump.

The roasted mushroom soup (CAD$9.95) is cooked with sherry, cream and sage, the steamed clams (CAD$25.95) were seasoned with chorizo sausage, tomato-wine broth and had garlic focaccia.

Starter of hamachi, coconut, fennel and mandarin

My other friend had the lobster and shrimp roll (CAD$25.95) and it was a mouthful! I had a small bite of the filling and it tasted very fresh, topped with a dill pickle and a generous salad on the side.

We were too full for dessert after.

Later that evening we paid a visit to Hawksworth for dinner. I haven't been there for a few years so I was keen to see how the restaurant has developed. In short the food was fantastic -- every dish was plated nicely, featuring choice ingredients.

Absolutely divine roast duck with lentils, squash and figs

To start I had the hamachi with coconut, fennel and mandarin wedges (CAD$25). It's more of a summer dish, but we liked it anyway, very delicate flavours on the plate with a hint of coconut sauce at the bottom.

My main was a delight -- Yarrow Meadows duck breast with squash, red cabbage, lentil and fig (CAD$43). The duck is very lean --- there isn't the fattiness you get from most other ducks, or perhaps it was slow roasted to remove the fat, but also retain the juiciness of the meat.

It was accompanied with very earthy flavours: squash puree, lentils, red cabbage, and sweet figs that all went well together, and keeping the duck as the star of the dish.

The ling cod with black rice and curried root vegetables

Another standout was the salmon with cucumber, potato, mussel and dill (CAD$42), as well as the ling cod (CAD$48) with black rice, curried root vegetable, and orange lassi. A decadent meal for two is the lamb shoulder (CAD$130 for two), that could even be for three, as the feast includes polenta, root vegetables, and a generous portion of lamb that falls off the bone.

Dark chocolate was the theme of the evening, as one of our party suggested eating it would stave off dementia. As a result a few of us ordered the dark chocolate chantilly, a decadent-looking treat complemented with raspberry sauce and almonds (CAD$14).

I had the Meyer lemon for dessert. It was a lemon custard topped with a mixture of mandarin oranges and shaved lemon on top and jasmine-flavoured meringue cubes. Again more a summer dish than winter, but we like tart finish.

Meyer lemon dessert with mandarin and jasmine meringue

The deconstructed apple tart (CAD$14) was delicious too, with milk chocolate, pecans and caramel.

While we enjoyed the food immensely, service was lacking in attentiveness that marred the overall experience. At first I thought it was because we had ordered several "Chinese martinis" -- hot water with lemon, but I later found out from a few friends that they had also been disappointed by the service when they went.

And as a friend pointed out, even if you drink tap water the whole evening, the service should still be good, and I agree.

A decadent dark chocolate chantilly dessert

Joe Fortes
777 Thurlow Street
Vancouver, BC
(604) 669 1940

Hawksworth
in the Rosewood Hotel
801 Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC
(6040 673 7000

Port Visit: Barcelona's La Boqueria

La Boqueria is more of a tourist spot for visitors to have a taste of local food

One last stop on our short one-day visit to Barcelona was to La Boqueria, or the market in La Rambla, a main strip where tourists walk up and down to check out mostly souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.

There's lots of fresh fruits and vegetables...

Historically, the first mention of La Boqueria dates back to 1217, and it was basically an open market selling meat. Centuries later the authorities decided to construct a separate market for the fishmongers and butchers.

It wasn't until 1826 was the market legally recognized, and construction began in 1840 to build an official structure for the market. While the building has been modified many times, the metal roof that exists today dates back to 1914.

I remember visiting La Boqueria over 20 years ago and was astonished by the amount of produce. The tradition continues today -- there's a lot to choose from, such as stalls selling fruit salads or fruit juices, or vegetables, jamon or cured ham sold by the gram, fresh seafood such as fish, oysters, prawns and even lobsters, or empanadas with different fillings inside.

... as well as cured meats including sausages and Iberico ham

It was difficult to choose what to try, and in the end I sampled a delicious octopus salad that wasn't tough at all, seasoned with olive oil, lemon and chopped parsley, though the fresh figs aren't quite in season so they weren't very ripe.

There were also lots of baked goods from fresh baguettes to cookies and pastries, as well as small bars where you can eat tapas, though with a big group like us it was hard to even get a seat; we just bought food and shared them among ourselves.

Afterwards we continued our way down La Rambla to the Columbus Monument. It's a 60 metre-tall column with explorer Christopher Columbus on top.

It was built in 1888 for the Universal Exposition of Barcelona the same year to mark his first voyage to the Americas. The monument also serves as a reminder that Columbus served Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand V in Barcelona after his first trip to the Americas.

Christopher Columbus atop a column

The statue features Columbus with his right hand supposedly pointing west to the New World, but in reality it's pointing south south-east, which means the city of Constantine in Algeria, and not his hometown of Genoa, Italy. Aside from being trivial, a simpler explanation is that Columbus is pointing to the sea to allude to his naval expeditions.

After taking pictures of Columbus we wandered to our shuttle bus to take us back to the cruise ship; this visit more than the others made me want to go back to Barcelona to explore more of the city. It was also cheaper than Italy -- another reason to make a return visit!

Portuguese Cuisine in Taipa Village

One side of the wall of O Santos has a naval theme; the other is football!

For lunch yesterday in Macau, we wandered along Food Street in Taipa Village and saw a mob of people wandering around eating snack foods like egg tarts and pork chop buns.

To avoid the crowds, we soon found a Portuguese restaurant called O Santos Comida Portuguesa and walked in.

There were tables of Macanese tucking into their favourite dishes with red wine, some Portuguese tourists, and a few locals.

Delicious bacalhau that were a bit small, but very good

On one wall were decorations that had a naval theme, while the other was all football -- red towels with players' numbers and names, and giant red banners with "Portugal" on it. There was even a small picture of the owner, chef Santos with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.

The menu is full of pictures to point to and we soon made our decision -- a garden salad, bacalhau or deep-fried codfish balls, and a curious dish -- clams in a lamb stew.

As we waited for the food to arrive, we munched on a small plate of olives, and then the salad arrived -- a basic one of chopped cabbage, slices of tomato and onion that we dressed with olive oil and vinegar.

Next came a small plate -- the same size as the one holding the olives, but this one had the three pieces of bacalhau. I didn't remember them being this small...

Our intriguing clam and lamb stew was the highlight

Nevertheless, they were delicious, hardly oily with a crunchy crust while inside the filling had a ratio of more codfish than potato. We could have each eaten at least two, but we weren't ravenously hungry.

Finally our intriguing dish of clams in a lamb stew arrived. There were chunks of braised lamb that had its pungent natural flavour, and the meat was very tender, falling off the bone. The clams, garnished with coriander and some minced garlic were fantastic, with hardly any sand in them.

We were soon using our bread to soak up the sauce inside the small ceramic pot. Oh and we also ordered a plate of fries too that were also good dipped in the sauce.

Including soft drinks and a coffee the bill came to under HK$400. Delish.

O Santos Comida Portuguesa
Rua do Cunhu, no. 20
Taipa, Macau

Revisiting Fernando's in Macau

A signature dish at Fernando's - clams in garlic sauce 

I'm in Macau for some assignments with two colleagues and after we finished for the day we decided to go to Fernando's, a famous restaurant in Macau on Hac Sa Beach in Taipa.

The rustic atmosphere has hardly changed inside

As it's a Tuesday night, there was no need to rush over there and we got there after 7pm to find it busy, but not packed.

I love the sign at the front door. It says: No air conditioning, no ketchup, no baby chair, but we have food and drinks!

I was last at Fernando's years ago so it was nice to come back to a place that was very familiar. Hardly anything has changed in this place, from the red and white checkered tablecloths to the ceiling fans and of course the menu.

The food soon arrived, but not without the famous bread. But the buns looked much bigger than I remembered them, though they were still soft inside, and flaky on the outside. In the end I could only eat half of the bun.

A new favourite - roast chicken with fries and olives

My favourite dish, the clams in garlic sauce arrived, and while the sauce was fantastic, flavoured with fresh coriander, it was disappointing to find there was sand in many of the clams. 

We also had my colleague's favourite dish, bean stew, which features kidney beans braised with chopped up pork knuckle and slices of chorizo. This sauce was also delicious, and the pork off the bone was very tender.

However my new favourite has to be the roast chicken. It comes on a bed of thick cut fries and a few scattered olives for flavour. The chicken meat is very tender and flavourful, and none of the pieces were dry.

We almost finished the chicken and bean stew, but just didn't have enough space. I still had the big bun on my plate too.

For the three of us the bill came to just over HK$500 including three beers.

Bean stew with pork and chorizo

Afterwards we walked to the beach to take in the sound of the waves and a light breeze before heading back to the frenetic Cotai strip.

Fernando's
9 Praia de Hac Sa
Macau
(853) 2888 2264

A Stock to Watch

Shoppers could buy everything from junk food to staples at this chain store

For many Hongkongers 759 Store is a shop they like to browse in, especially for snacks from Japan, though it has grown to include ones from Europe and the United States. It also carries noodles, rice, sauces, and even frozen seafood.

I've written about 759 Store before, and the shop got its name from the parent company's stock number on the stock exchange.

However, it was shocking to find out yesterday that the founder and owner, Coils Lam Wai-chun, died unexpectedly on Saturday at the age of 60. It was disclosed he had diabetes for a long time.

Coils Lam died on Saturday at the age of 60

Instead of the parent company's stock falling, it more than doubled in value today. On Friday it closed at HK46.5 cents and then today went as high as HK$1.04 before closing at HK89 cents. That's because investors think positive change is on the way.

"The passing away of the founding chairman is sad news. However, it also give hope to investors that it may have the way for a major restructuring, or even merger and acquisition opportunities. This has led buyers to rush to bet on the stock on Monday," explained Jeffrey Chan Lap-tak, founding partner of Oriental Patron Financial Group.

"The 759 Store in fact is very popular and has a leading market position among snack retailers. Its [financial] results were not good in recent years, mainly due to an over expansion of the number of stores a few years ago. But the reduction of stores in the past two years has already helped the company get back on track. It may well be a target of acquisition," he said.

Like many small and medium-sized enterprises, they were dependent on their founders, like Lam in the case of 759 Store. Lam and his wife Law Ching-yee own 70.89 percent of CEC International, the parent company.

The future of 759 Store looks positive in terms of stock value

"Now the founder has died. We will need to wait and see if the new management can lead the business forwards," Chan said.

On Sunday the board held an urgent meeting and decided executive director Tang Fung-kwan, 48, will become the new chairwoman of the company. She joined the group in 1993 and was appointed executive director in 1999. She is responsible for the overall management of the procurement part of the business.

Lam founded 759 Store in 2010, competing with supermarkets by offering Japanese and Korean snacks, like cookies and chips before expanding to rice, coffee, and even wine.

It'll be interesting to see how the company fares post-Lam -- will it succeed or fall apart? The company will need to make some wise decisions, but so far cutting down the number of stores from 270 to 220 is a good start. Maybe the chain will be bought out, or maybe with the injected investment they can do other things.

Definitely a stock to watch!

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

Cozy Neighbourhood Restaurant

Highlight of the evening was the halibut cioppino with mussels and clams

When I was in Vancouver, my parents took me to a neighbourhood restaurant that I've been to before, but not recently. It's called La Buca on 24th Avenue and Macdonald. The small Italian restaurant has its menu written on a chalkboard that probably changes regularly.

A starter of asparagus with proscuitto and summer truffles

The staff read out each item and explain them clearly, so as not to embarrass anyone who doesn't understand each ingredient or cooking method. It's a very friendly way to make all customers comfortable.

Each of the dishes were executed well and were delicious. To start, my dad and I shared a rhurbarb salad, the rhubarb cut into chunks and poached, with a gorgonzola dressing topped with hazelnuts.

Another appetizer was green asparagus lying on a bed of thinly sliced proscuitto and topped with summer black truffle from Italy. What a treat.

For mains my mom had halibut cioppino, the fish was perfectly pan fried, and the meat flaking off with a fork. The fillet was surrounded by mussels, clams, shrimp and presented in a light tomato broth with scallions, onions and pearl barley.

simple but delicious tagliatelle with meat sauce

My dad ordered the pork ragu radiatore, the squiggly pasta with a decent amount of Parmesan shavings on top. The ragu was cooked till it was soft and was quite hearty, as was my dish of tagliatelle with beef sauce, though not tomato based. The homemade pastas for both dishes were springy and were well coated with their respective sauces.

The theme of rhubarb was in the desserts too, where our olive oil cake had long chunks of the red vegetable cooked in its juices and the cake had a dollop of ice cream. The cake was very moist with the rhubarb adding a tart flavour. Meanwhile the dark chocolate tart wasn't too sweet, though it was quite dense.

Hearty radiatore with pork ragu sauce

There was a steady stream of customers coming in while we were there, and we gave our table back almost half an hour before the appointed time because service was so efficient. 

La Buca

4025 Macdonald Street

Vancouver, BC
(604) 730 6988

You May be Eating Microplastics

Microplastics like these end up in the stomachs of many local fish and seafood

Following yesterday's post about beach clean-ups around Hong Kong, Greenpeace says microplastics are found in 60 percent of a fish species called wild flathead grey mullet that is consumed by locals.

Researchers at the Education University of Hong Kong have found an average of 4.3 fragments of microplastics in each fish, with one ingesting up to 80 fragments. They come from plastic bottles, packaging, straws, cups and single-use cutlery that have been broken down in the ocean.

A locally caught flathead grey mullet in a restaurant

"Mudflats and sediments under the sea are like restaurants for marine species," says Greenpeace campaigner Chan Hall-sion. "When both of them are polluted with microplastics, that will become the food for the flathead grey mullet and other types of marine animals."

Chan says there are at least 170 marine species including mussels, lobster, silver herring and oysters that contain microplastics.

Last month, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's division of life sciences found that microbeads -- that can be found in items ranging from facial scrubs to toothpaste -- end up in the digestive tracts of fish and other marine creatures. This is not new, but confirms it's happening in Hong Kong.

And an even more mind-boggling statistic -- an earlier Education University study found Hong Kong beaches recorded an average of 5,000 pieces of microplastics per square metre -- 2.4 times higher than the concentration in the United States.

Some plastics that were found in the flathead grey mullet

If that's not enough impetus to get people to cut down on their use of plastic, I don't know what is. Some may say they don't eat local seafood, so who cares? But this is for the health of the oceans everywhere. We cannot afford to have marine life die around the world because we're dumping garbage into the world's oceans. Water travels everywhere.

There are so many small things we can do to drastically cut down on the amount of plastic we use -- like not buying bottled water, using reusable bags for groceries, not using disposable plates, cups and cutlery, and no straws.

How hard can it be to make these changes for the health of not only the planet, but us too?

Sampling of Sushi Saito

The minimalist look of the dining area of Sushi Saito using natural wood

On Thursday I had my first bona fide omakase experience at Sushi Saito, the latest premium high-end Japanese restaurant to open in Hong Kong. Select media were given a sneak peek, but no free lunches here -- we all shelled out HK$1,480 plus 10 percent for the lunch.

A few days before we were reminded to arrive 15 minutes before the seating at noon -- if you don't show up you will be charged, and do not wear any perfume or have a cigarette or cigar smell.

The chef de cuisine has worked for Saito for several years

As a result, many of us worried about being late and arrived at least half an hour early to ride up to the 45th floor of the Four Seasons Hong Kong for the highly-anticipated meal.

Sushi Saito is a three Michelin-starred restaurant that is also number 26 on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurant list that's located in Tokyo. Chef Takashi Saito is known for being very particular with his ingredients and only serves eight guests at a time in his small restaurant that is near impossible to get a reservation.

So when there was an opportunity to try it here, I jumped at the chance.

We soon understood why it was important not to wear any scent -- Saito wants his guests to soak in the fresh wood smell in the small restaurant that seats in total 16 seats, but today it was only seven. The large dining table seating three on one side, four on the other, the two thick slabs of gorgeous wood from a 400-year-old Japanese cypress.

Apparently each time they wipe down the table top, the scent from the wood comes out. Once in a while they will sand it down with the finest sandpaper and then polish it. It was so smooth I couldn't help but keep stroking the table top throughout the meal.

Grilled sea perch (back) with pickled turnip

There is a ritualistic etiquette to the meal -- the chef makes a sushi for each person on their plate and it should be eaten practically right away because he has made it for you at that moment.

There is no wasabi or soy sauce to dip it in, so just pick it up with your hand and put it in your mouth. To cleanse the palate, there is a small mound of finely shaved pickled ginger and it is refilled as necessary.

He makes each piece per person and then goes around again making the next one using different seafood. We started with a slice of monkfish liver seasoned in light soy, some sugar and seasoned with grated yuzu.

I can't remember all the names of the other dishes, but they included grilled sea perch (divine), a small fish called kohada seasoned with lime juice, maguro or tuna, squid with a bit of lime juice, large prawn, and clam. This was followed by a slice from the futomaki roll with two cubes of tamago or sweet egg that is considered dessert, and miso soup.

Kohada with a touch of lime juice and shaved ginger

The whole meal was accompanied with Champagne -- Saito considers it the best pairing with sushi, even better than sake.

We were surprised to find that in the beginning the sushi rice was quite warm, and also when the chef de cuisine served uni or sea urchin, it was quite cold, having just literally been taken out of the refrigerator -- it should be around room temperature. But perhaps Saito prefers to keep the uni as fresh as possible and not sitting out too long.

Nevertheless we quite enjoyed the experience and weren't stuffed either.

We found out afterwards behind the bar is a cabinet that when opened reveals blocks of ice to keep the fish chilled. These are considered better than refrigerators that can dry the fish out. Saito wants the fish to be as fresh as possible.

The prized maguro that has been aged for seven days

Since reservations here will be difficult to secure, I won't be going back to Sushi Saito anytime soon, but appreciated the opportunity to try it!

Sushi Saito

45/F, Four Seasons Hong Kong

8 Finance Street

Central

Picture of the Day: Christmas Feast with Chinese Characteristics

Roasted soy sauce chicken in a jenga nest made of sugar cane sticks

Last night my parents' friends invited us to have dinner at Dynasty Seafood Restaurant, well known in the city for its high quality Chinese cuisine.

However with Christmas fast approaching, we were the second round of diners, though it took some time for the first batch to finally vacate the table we were scheduled to eat at.

Stir-fried fresh lobsters were very meaty

We finally got started after 8pm, and our patience was well rewarded with some fantastic dishes.

There was roast soy sauce chicken with the meat roughly extracted from the bone in a pile that was surrounded by sugar cane sticks. It's been a while since I chewed on sugar cane, though these were just a touch sweet, but I didn't see much correlation between them and the chicken.

We also had fake shark's fin soup, mostly in terms of flavour because my bowl just had broth and cabbage in it. Another good one was fresh lobsters stir-fried with lots of meat, and a braised duck dish that had slices of very tender duck combined with a variety of mushrooms.

Geoduck was a nostalgic (and expensive) treat!

But perhaps the most memorable dish was the geoduck. Not one, but two were thinly sliced and blanched in boiling water before being seasoned with beansprouts and golden chives with some light soy sauce.

I hadn't eat geoduck like this for years! When we were much younger, over 30 years ago, they were 99 cents a pound! Now it goes for around CAD$50 a pound! How things change over time!

Afterwards our host who is an accomplished baker made a beautiful raspberry tart with a hint of orange liqueur... so good!

Gorgeous raspberry tart with a firm but flaky crust

Dynasty Seafood Restaurant

108-777 West Broadway

Vancouver, BC

Tel: 604 876 8388