With typhoon signal number 3 in effect,
and the HKO announcing the number 8 to be hoisted later in midnight, we braved
the winds and rains (not that much really at the time) to come to
Thomas
& T’s, located at 22/F of FOCO in Central, a fusion cuisine combining
Japanese and French elements, under the helm of Chef Thomas Tam.
Seated in the middle of the long counter, facing
Chef Thomas and his team busy in preparation, the staff welcomed us warmly. The
Omakase Menu is $1,680 each and I also order a bottle of
林本店 SOLDIER BLUE 純米大吟醸 無濾過生原酒 ($880). The aromas are elegant, with a nice balance of acidity and
sweetness, and slightly fizzy on the mouth.
The first course features Toyama Bay Amaebi
which has been marinated with kombu to remove water contents to enrich the
shrimp flavors. In the middle layer is a lemon sponge, a lemon gelatin with the
chef inserting a needle to pump air in, to give its unique Q texture. On the
bottom are Aomori apple slices for crunchiness and finish with some prized
caviar and gold floss on top.
The second course features delicate Matsuba
crab meat together with white corn, which supplements sweetness and
crunchy bite. With Shiso flowers and vinegar jelly as condiment to pair, Chef
Thomas jokingly said that he originally planned to make a jelly to match, but he
ran out of that, so replacing with bird’s nest instead. While enjoying his
sense of humor, we also applaud his skill to harmonize the different components
in taste.
The sous chef then prepares a couple of
sushi for us, starting with the seasonal Ishigaki-gai. The Bering Sea cockle has
a wonderfully crunchy texture, sweet and rich in umami, with a few drops of citrus
juice to freshen the palate. Very delicious.
The second piece of sushi features
Shiro-Ebi. Coming from Toyama Bay, the small white shrimps are very small in
size and has been marinated in kombu to remove the excess water in the body
before kneading into sushi. Paired with a bit of charcoal salt. Nice.
The fifth course showcases Hokkaido
Hotategai, with the jumbo-sized scallop having a soft and sweet taste. In the
middle are some Bafun-Uni to offer further umami and flavors. On top the chef shaved
in an abundance of Karasumi, with the pollock roes giving rich savoury taste. An
interesting twist is the conpoy powder at the bottom, with the chef steaming
the dried scallops, air-dried, and grounded, to further enhance the taste.
The sixth course uses Japanese chicken
liver, soaked in whisky for four hours, and made into a puree. Using the preparation
technique of pate, together with some pomelo, the liver puree is sandwiched by
two white toasts, and then dusted with the snow-white, white truffle powder,
for its aromatic wonders. The chef has made a lot of effort to prepare the
powder using molecular cooking techniques. Rich and flavorful.
The seventh course features Hokkaido Kegani.
Picking the meat from the horsehair crab right before dinner, the chef added in
some homemade pickled pinenuts for additional texture, the crab mustard for its
delicious flavors, and a sauce made with bonito and seaweed, for complete culinary
enjoyment. Very good.
Next comes the eighth course, with the chef
grilling a fatty Hyogo Kinki to put on a nori sheet to serve. The channel rockfish
is seeping with fish oil, highly fragrant and delicious with the Sakura shrimps
on top adding intense flavors. The chef has marinated some Japanese shiitake
mushroom with soy sauce and then chopped into small pieces to substitute sushi
rice, offering a nice bite with additional flavors.
With Matsutake in season, Chef Thomas has
prepared a few dishes featuring them. Finely chopping into thin slices, he put the
prized mushroom on the Awabi, adding some fresh lily bulb and sushi rice,
before drizzling with a rich abalone liver paste. The abalone is tender and not
rubbery, full of umami richness, plate-licking good in taste.
The tenth course is a Clear Chicken Broth
with Shark’s Fin. Chef Thomas again jokingly said that the shark’s fin was used
as vermicelli had run out. He also put in some matsutake mushroom slices to add
to the fragrance. The soup is delicious, full of flavors, and hot in
temperature, warming the stomach comfortably.
Continuing with some sushi, the chef took
out a slab of 10-day aged tuna, and after trimming the sides, prepares a slice
of Chu-Toro for sushi. On top of that the chef further cut another slice from a dehydrated and air-dried lean tuna meat, having aged for four months, reminiscent
of tuna ‘ham’. The rich flavors was amazing, and it is a big investment because
of the need for temperature control and high cost of tuna.
The twelfth course features Hokkaido Shiro-Uni.
Using a nori sheet to hold, the chef has put in a generous amount of white sea
urchin for this sushi. The sea urchin has a rich taste, and generally I would consume
the whole sushi in one go, but this one is so big in size that I must take in a
few bites to finish. Highly satisfied.
Then comes the Claypot Rice, where Chef
Thomas again put in his secret ingredients, this time it is Fish Maw and
Matsutake. A luxurious version with the prized mushroom, the
fish maw is very soft, and they have deliberately scooped more burnt rice
crisps at the bottom of the pot for us too. Paired with his homemade chili oil
of good spiciness, it is just amazing.
The fourteenth course is Tuna Hand-Roll. Using
different parts of tuna and finely chopped into small pieces, the chef mixed
them up and prepares the hand-roll, with rich flavors of tuna, pleasant
and rewarding.
The Tamagoyaki has a fluffy and spongy
texture, with a tiny bit of sweetness besides umami in the egg mixture. Nicely
done.
Instead of the typical miso soup, Chef
Thomas prepares a Crab Bisque Espresso, roasted the shells of the different
crabs and then adding tomato, celery and other vegetables to saute, along with
whisky, to prepare a broth. After blending them together, it is served in an
espresso cup. It is intense in flavors and super delicious.
Coming to an end, the dessert is Pistachio
Ice-Cream. The homemade ice cream is creamy and good in sweetness but not
excessive, rich in nutty pistachio flavors. With some egg roll crisps
underneath to provide additional texture, Chef Thomas shared with us the
philosophy why he put the effort to make the ice cream himself, to use the best
natural ingredients for the health and food safety of customers.
Service is very good, with both Chef Thomas
and the manager having continuous conversations with us, interacting on both
the restaurant and food, plus casual matters. The bill on the night is $4,664
which is reasonable. A good place to enjoy Japanese-forward fusion cuisine in a
nice ambience.
