I’ve made this before except this version is probably a ground breaking one. It’s an idea that makes sense.
Start with boiling salted water and add a decent sized kombu and a tea bag of dashi seasoning. This is the base for seafood based pasta. I wonder why it took so Long for me to think this up.
Today, that base has been the flavour structure to an old favourite.
This is probably one of a few hidden gems in this overcrowded dining scene. The first time we visited Bacchanalia was 6 months ago and six months later we find ourselves in a much better place, both literally and culinarily. Bacchanalia occupies a long and narrow well lit shophouse on Hong Kong street where the open concept kitchen can be seen from the sidewalk. The oddly shaped and themed bar:restaurant of the past is but a distant memory.
The food continues to excite however! The menu is new and concepts are new!
The kitchen is still helmed by Ivan who is as ever generous with his cooking wisdom and his time. The crew is young and at last count is near the dozen.
We shan’t go course by course analysis and I will say it’s not for everyone. For me though, after having been on the road and sampling fine dining in two other countries, Bacchanalia awakens the senses and excites the taste buds with its application of everyday ingredients like star fruit (as a curing ingredient for fish) to less known items like “home blended” dukkha.
We dine out for many reasons, for me it’s about discovery. I love Bacchanalia because it intrigues me and inspires me. I feel welcomed and nothing on the menu is a kept secret , and I do hope that more people discovers this hidden gem in our little red dot.
Talking stupid. That’s what I got when I googled “tripe” at Yakitori alley and showed it to the proprietor, not knowing any better. The owner/cook had a shocked face and so did the video game designer next to us. It wasn’t until I clarified that I wanted “cow stomach ” did we all have a laugh.
Actors for the evening: master miracle chef, video game designer, doctor embryo and mister importer and us.
Simply put, it was a fitting end to my trip.
This just feels good. It’s 14 outside and they’re playing “I could’ve been your girl” inside. The fall leaves are starting to assert itself. I smell eggs and maybe ham. Toast being buttered. It feels like a throwback from my Bay Area days.
Respectfully, this neighbourhood joint will remain a neighbourhood joint.
And I will return because it feels so right.
It’s the final few hours of my fist visit to Taipei and I’m starting to miss this amazing city. The breeze comes in gently, cooling me down after an evening of mild excesses. I’m wondering how did 5 days pass so quickly.
Taipei looks like any post industrialised Asian urban jungle. But scratching just a bit off the surface, Taipei reveals itself to be more like Tokyo. It offers the same charm and (good) craziness that I associate with Tokyo-with less people. It’s a city that contrasts between the classics and the modern, the conservative against edginess.
Taipei is a city meant to be uncovered on foot and by the wide range of transportation options. Whatever you do, it’s best to try and walk away from the gleaming skyscrapers where my fear of homogeneity that’s happening across Asia offers little else but the same global chain stores. There are many opportunities to
see both old and new Taipei.
I found myself at Raw on my first night. Raw is Asia’s first bistronomy restaurant. The experience and food was stunning, with local Taiwanese produce being highlighted and elevated. Can this be the new scene in Taipei modern cuisine? I would hope so.
What really strikes any new visitor to Taipei is the integration of Japanese culture into their daily lives. People are just much more courteous, they line up boarding the trains or lifts. Mobile phone ring tones are absent. They speak softer and service levels from cabs to hotels to restaurants are amazingly high.
I didn’t do what the guide books tell you to do. I didn’t do the night market nor did I have a fried chicken fillet the size of my head or even ubiquitous Taiwanese beef noodle.
Intuitively I followed my personal biases and looked for things I like. In this process I uncover Taipei’s top cafe where some of the Top WBC trained (world barista champions).
Or stumbling upon Taipei’s little Omotesando.
Or having tapas or Yakitori in the same evening!
Walking through the city at night gives me the perspective of new and old converging. It’s a city filled with energy and youth.
I’ve been given a bit of a hard time for not doing the night market nor street food. But I find the obvious boring, perhaps I’ll do that on my next trip but for now, I will dream of my wonderful 5 in Taipei.
Y.S. shall stay as a secret location. This is purely a photo essay for an amazing breakfast I had today.
Life is Bear Pond Espresso
Believe the hype
I found myself spending too much for an Uber to get coffee and lunch.
The first stop is Bear Pond Espresso.This little mythical coffee place as been around for a number of years and have gained notoriety for Katsu Tanaka’s quirkiness and temper.
The day I visited, I found a half opened shop past it’s advertised 10:30 am opening time.
Feeling a little frustrated, I walked around the Neighbourhood to find a charming little corner away from Tokyo central.
After a brief 15 minute walk, I see the man himself opening his shop. I followed the first customer in to find a grumpy barista tuning his machine.
Respectfully I ordered a cap and a bag of beans. His no photo policy probably helped me appreciate his process of extracting coffee. Tanaka pulled two shots from his naked portafilter through the La Mazocco and chucked it, not satisfied with the espresso. The third shot found itself into my takeaway cup.
I was glad he opened just in time. The cap is probably one of the most layered and complex cap I’ve ever had. It had distinct nuttiness and a hint of vanilla. Truly a masterpiece from a coffee standpoint.
It’s easily forgivable for his temper and quirkiness but perhaps it’s not for everyone.
“Born in the 90s, bistronomy is all about enjoying quality ingredients and superb cooking in a warm, friendly environment. A major influence in today’s gastronomic evolution, is this trend which is transforming the restaurant scene as we know it. Let’s take a look at how bistronomy has popularised the luxury of fine-dining.” (https://labelleassiette.co.uk/blog/bistronomy-culinary-revolution/)
Bistronomy is largely credited to Yves Camdeborde where he combined discipline of gastro-nomy with the accessible food of bistros.
Raw is Andre Chiang’s vision of Asia’s attempt at bistronomy through the capable hands of Alain Huang .
Raw is a beautiful restaurant but not in a pretentious way. It has an organic fluidity to it and the space reveals itself as you walk through the place.
I love the mural of Raw’a mission statement. It speaks to me as an amateur cook and amateur photo buff.
I’ve been an admirer of Andre since I first dined at his eponymous place five years ago. Dining at Andre splits peoples’ opinions from admiration to hate. Francophile gourmands denounce his cooking as prissy and over though through while admirers see him as a visionary.
Raw is easy to like though my dining companions were possibly less impressed.
Dinner was an eight course affair, peppered with amuse bouche and starters.
We started with grapes infused with champagne- a technique used often but I did fail to stress the point of Raw is to highlight Taiwan’s amazing produce and these grapes were a good example of it.
The next two were savoury notes. The first being chicken skin and cauliflower purée infused with masala spice. This provided an earthy counterpoint to the grapes and mint amuse. The second starter was “livers”, they were airy and luscious. Perfectly punctuated by spice and fresh herbs. Clearly one per person was not enough!
Service at Raw is exceptional with friendly and attentive staff with the right amount of food knowledge, there’s also a discernible sense of pride in presenting the food.
Our server did warn us not to eat too much bread, which we didn’t heed. It was delicious with an amazing crust and hints of sourdough in it. The bread was accompanied by whipped butter dusted with sea salt and cocoa nibs ( amazing combination!)
The marinated kampachi with daikon was surprisingly savoury and earthy. While the peas/asparagus/Uni/peanut butter highlighted Taiwanese produce at its best. Peanut butter and pea ice cream with Uni? All worked exceptionally well but the Uni was lost in the translation.
The Sakura Ebi pasta was familiar (Iggy’s circa 2005) while mushroom, mushroom, mushroom was elegant and elevated the humble fungus, highlighting different textures and flavours.
Main courses were a well executed cod with “burnt” cabbage and onion purée while the meat course was beef short rib (I suspect sous vide but with restraint, the absence of overtly soft and sometimes mealy texture was a hint for me) with “breakfast cereals”.
Desert was tasty but nothing to shout about.
Zor, Andre and Alain has delivered a memorable experience while keeping the spirit of bistronomy. The meal here cost a quarter or even less at Andre’s flagship restaurant.
Landing a table at Raw is not easy but if you do, you will be well rewarded.
thebearandhiscigar 