BCN

I've been wanting to go to BCN for ages but always never got around to calling and making a reservation. I've heard really good things about the food here from friends and online reviews have also been favorable. I emailed them on Monday to make a reservation for Wednesday night and no one replied me therefore I called them up on Tuesday and was surprised to find out that there was still availability. Unfortunately the 9 pm slot was full so we can to eat an early dinner at 6:30. The restaurant is a tiny space with only 12 chairs seated around an open kitchen. On the night of our visit, there were two menus to choose from, the smaller "Trip to Spain" and "Winter Chef Menu". H and I opted for the "Winter Chef Menu" even though the main course of the "Trip to Spain" menu was incredibly enticing (suckling pig). The head chef is Edgar Sanuy Barahona, he was trained at the prestigious Esuela de Hostelería Hofmann, from Barcelona, Spain and he has worked in Michelin Starred restaurant "estaurante El Rincón de Diego", Cambrils; and "Restaurante "El Torreó de l' Indià", Xerta. His experience and passion for food was evident in the meal and H and I were both very satisfied with our dining experience.

Mediterranean Flowerpot - Basil foam, sun-dried tomatoes, and black olive "sand"
This was such a cute start to our meal! All the elements came well together to result in a delightful little amuse bouche. The sand was very savory and its crunchiness went well with the delicate green foam. The little bits of sun-dried tomatoes also provided another nice flavor kick to the dish. I felt that it was a touch too salty but I still licked my spoon clean! 

Iberico Ham 100% Bellota, Tomato Foam and Homemade Crispy Bread
The iberico ham was of high quality and I happily savored each piece. The amount of fat was perfect and the ham had lovely complex savory flavors. The tomato foam was drizzled with high quality olive oil which had a lovely fruity and nutty flavor. The rich chewy iberico along with the fluffy foam and crispy bread was absolutely divine. 

"Escabeche" Mussels on Pumpkin and Herbs Cream with Beetroot Foam
Escabeche is a type that cuisine in which usually fish is poached or fried and then marinated in an acidic mixture before serving. This dish was not only a beauty to look at, but also tasted amazing! The mussels were fat and juicy and the pumpkin puree had lovely crisp sweet flavor and was also decadently smooth. The beetroot foam also provided a subtle burst of sweetness and the scallions added a nice crunch. 

Three Hot Tapas 

Black Trumpet and Codfish Croquette
This croquette was quite dense and savory. The outside was very crispy and this went well with the egg tapa below. It was not mind-blowing, but it was decent. 

Broken Egg with Spanish Red Prawn and Spring Onion Foam
In terms of taste, this tapa was not incredibly impressive. The flavors were not very distinct but I liked the concept of this dish. The yolk was still unbroken at the bottom and you had to reach in with your spoon to break open the yolk and scoop up the bits of prawn. This dish was fine, but not particularly memorable.

Octopus "Gallega"
"Gallega" refers to the preparation method of the octopus in which it is boiled and then sprinkled with paprika, salt, and olive oil. The octopus rests on top of a thin slice of potato and was incredibly tender and succulent. The flavor profile of this dish is quite subtle but this allows for the light sweetness of the potato and fruity flavor of the olive oil to shine through. Upon first bite I initially thought this was bland but soon learnt to appreciate this well executed dish. 

Sea Bream Tartar
Once again the presentation was very appealing, you can see the passion and attention of detail in every dish. The sea bream was flavored well and had a nice bit to it. The fish was cut into just the right size and was mixed with various other components to result in a vibrant tartar. The caviar provided nice little bursts of rich savory flavor and the crispy nest added a much needed level of texture to the dish. 

Boletus Edulis Cream, Egg, and Foie Gras
Ok first things first, Boletus Edulis = porcini mushrooms. This was a very decadent and rich dish, H and I were both in heaven with our first bite, but soon after we felt that it was a tad too heavy. The foie was of good quality and had that distinctive buttery flavor and the delicately cooked egg provided another level of creaminess to the dish. The porcini cream was velvety smooth and bursting with flavors. The almonds were a nice touch as well because without them the entire dish would be purely too mushy and creamy. Although the almonds did try to cut into this richness, we felt that we still needed a little something so we asked for those home made crispy breads that were provided with the iberico ham. 

Traditional "Canalon de Sant Esteve" with Iberico Pork, Idiazabal Smoked Cheese and Beef Sauce
This was unfortunately our least favorite dish of the meal. The meat filling was a quite rough and was wrapped with a soft pasta sheet. The cheese on top did not provide much of any flavor and the sauce was also too watery. Perhaps I am used to more Italian versions of pasta where the pasta is more al dente and the sauce is richer but this just was not too appetizing. As you can see, the sauce below the pasta is very water, almost like a light consomme. I felt that it would be better if it was a rich creamy sauce which would balance out the relatively bland meat sauce within the pasta. I would not say this dish was terrible, but with the quality of the other dishes this was a let down. We notified the chef of this dish and he was very gracious and seemed surprised that we did not enjoy this dish. We asked if we could have two of the suckling pig instead. We were charged for this change but we were glad that we were able to savor the other dish as we have been eyeing it longingly throughout the meal as it was being prepared in the open kitchen.

Suckling Pig Slow-Cooked with Vapor with Sweet Potato Cream and Spanish Meat Sauce
Yum yum yum!!! This is glorious. This scrumptious piece of pork is actually two pieces of suckling pig sandwiches together. The meat is first slow cooked for 10 hours until the meat is unbelievably tender and the skin is fried to crispy perfection. The meat melted in your mouth and although I usually pick out all the bits of fat in my food, this did not feel overly greasy and was distributed well within the entire piece of meat. The sweet potato cream was smooth, creamy, and complemented the suckling pig perfectly. Seeing as this was our extra second main course, H and I were completely stuffed but I still gorged myself with this dish. 

Such adorable details!! 

Sangria 2.0
This was their unique interpretation of sangria. I did not enjoy this too much as it was just a rough sorbet of strong sangria. It was an interesting take on the drink and quite refreshing but I thought it was a bit strong and not my cup of tea for dessert. 

Chocolate Truffle with Orange Peel
I think it is clever that the dessert is small because it would have been difficult to consume any more food at this point. The chocolate was a lovely sweet ending to our meal. 

Overall, BCN was a great dining experience and H and I both agreed that it was a successful foodie excursion. There were certain dishes that we did not enjoy as much as the others, but the talent of the chef is clearly there and the food is well thought out and executed. I thought that the suckling pig should be the main course of the larger menu instead of the smaller menu as it was truly excellent and I would assume that most people order the larger menu to have a larger variety so it would be a shame for these diners to be unable to try this dish! Service was polite and friendly but there were two times where the server almost took away H's food when he was not yet done with his course. Wine glasses were continuously filled and the chef was also very friendly. The wine we ordered was also very decent and went very well with the food. I would definitely like to return to BCN again when I am in the mood for a tapas feast!

BCN

37 Peel Street

Central

Hong Kong

Ye Shanghai

Ahhh more backlogged restaurants! Really need to get a move on and get everything updated because I've got amazing meals planned up to next week already that will also require in-depth blog reviews! I just returned from Kuala Lumpur and am slowly getting back into the usual routine... trying to beat the post holiday depression by planning fun dinners and hitting the gym hard!

Ye Shanghai is a reputable Shanghai restaurant located in Pacific Place that was award 1 Michelin Star. I feel that I must have been here before when I was younger with parents but it is one of those places where I would not specifically remember. The food was very decent and along with the convenient location and appealing decor it is no surprise that this restaurant has made a solid mark in the Shanghai cuisine scene in Hong Kong.

Smoked Egg 熏蛋
Theses were a delicious start to the meal. The yolks were thick, creamy, and just the perfect consistency. The entire egg was very flavorful and I would have been happy to have another 2 plates of these.

Scallion Pastry 蔥油餅 
This version of the scallion pancake is more flaky and buttery as compared to its thinner counterpart. The scallion mixture was moist and complemented the pastry very well. Scallion pancakes are one of my favorites and this one definitely hit the spot!

Drunken Chicken 花雕醉雞
The chicken was infused with the fragrant aroma of the "fa diu" liquor and the pieces were also organized in a very organized and pleasing arrangement. I would not say this was the best drunken chicken I've ever had but it was definitely well done. 

Ham with Osmanthus syrup 桂花蜜汁火方
L absolutely loved this dish and was very eager for M and I to try this. M and I did not enjoy this very much as we thought it was too sweet and the flavor combination was a bit strange. 

Sauteed Shrimp 清炒虾仁 
Up to standard. Nothing particularly memorable. Perhaps could be a bit saltier but I am just being picky.

Sauteed egg whites with crab meat 賽膀蟹 
This was also a standard dish that was made well, I think it would have been a good idea if we also ordered a meat dish with stronger flavors to eat along with this dish and the shrimp because both dishes were a bit light in flavor. This is a dish that I always like to order at Shanghai restaurants and Ye Shanghai's version had a very generous amount of crab meat :) 

We also ordered xiao long bao which was also yummy. Ye Shanghai is definitely a great choice if you are looking for high quality Shanghai cuisine at a comfortable and convenient location. The service was friendly and polite and the food was very consistent. I look forward to coming to Ye Shanghai again to try out more dishes!

Ye Shanghai

Shop 332

Level 3

Pacific Place
88 Queensway

Admiralty

Hong Kong

Wild Grass

Happy New Year! I've been so lazy with updating and I knew I had to get myself out of this rut before I end up with an avalanche of backed up food reviews! I have a bunch from the end of 2012 that I need to get on so here goes. I have read a bunch of glowing reviews about Wild Grass and was eager to try it out. H and I had high expectations and I was really looking forward to this meal following a great workout. Wild Grass' philosophy is organic ingredients prepared simply to focus on the quality and freshness. They are also advocating the concept of "nose to tail" dining which means that they will use every part of the animal and not waste anything. Unfortunately H and I were sorely disappointed with the meal up to the last bite of dessert, the hostess was very nice and seemed very apologetic that we did not enjoy our meal but we really doubt we would ever pay Wild Grass a second visit.

Oxtail Dumpling, herb, sour cheese, pickled roots, carrots , parsnips, and swedes
A slight poke of the fork into these dumplings (or even the first glance) already made us a bit wary, and our first bite only cemented our fears - the skin was incredibly thick and overly doughy. The filling was also very subpar and was definitely not rich enough to balance out these two slabs of chewy dough enveloping it. Disappointing start.

Baked Goat’s Cheese on Bacon Puff Pastry with Beetroot
This was a dish that many reviews mentioned and therefore I made sure to order it. The goats cheese bit too dry and just clung to my mouth which was rather uncomfortable. The flavor was fine. The puff pastry was not hot enough and seemed like it wasn't baked properly because it was has not risen sufficiently and fell apart awkwardly. The chopped walnuts also did not add much to the dish. Disappointment #2. 

Kidneys with Bacon, Malt Vinegar, Celeriac Purée and Onion 
This was also another highly recommended dish on the food reviews so once again I was hoping this would entice my taste buds a little. But no, this was disappointment #3. The kidneys were just little chewy globs that did not have much flavor. If anything it had a very raw and unappealing taste. The sauce was very generic and did not complement the dish. H and I took a bite and did not bother with this dish again. And honestly the presentation is quite revolting. 

Grilled Hanger Steak with Fries 
Kind of forgot the actual name of this dish, but all you need to know was that it was not good. I have read that the steaks are a bit on the lean side but the texture of the meat was simply unenjoyable. It was very chewy and bouncy. The flavor was also not particularly memorable either. Past reviews have commented on how delicious the fries were because they were smothered in the meat jus, I just thought they were soggy and unappetizing. H and I were not pleased. 

Suckling Pig with Apple, Parsnips, and Deep Mustard
This dish was just so incredibly sub-par. I think at this point I was not even really into eating anymore (imagine that!). The meat was normal, the flavors were similar to that of the previous dishes, it almost looks similar! A plate of cluttered brown components. The skin was also not crispy and rather rubbery. 

We also got the rhubarb crumble with dairy frozen cream to end this miserable meal. You would HOPE that maybe the dessert saved the day but no, it did not. The crumble had the very nauseating taste of old animal fat. H and I concluded that it tasted as though the oil from searing and stewing the meats were put into the crumble. I don't know why that would ever occur but that was how strange it tasted. I feel that Wild Grass could make good food, the philosophy and the atmosphere of the restaurant is well intentioned, yet the food was extremely disappointing! Hopefully Wild Grass will improve on the quality of the food soon (although it seems like other people enjoy it....)

Service was also a little spotty, the waitress was very nice, but she seemed completely clueless and also could not speak english. The majority of the clientele was western... I could not fathom how she was hired. Anyhow, this meal was definitely not what I was expecting and I will not be returning any time soon. I am a bit shocked at the discrepancies between my experience as compared to the other diners, because as much as I understand that everyone has difference tastes, the meal was simply not up to standard.

Wild Grass

1/F

4-8 Arbuthnot Road

Central

Hong Kong