Many years ago, I got a chance to visit Beijing and enjoyed the traditional hotpot, made from copper and in the unique shape, for some very delicious mutton. Hearing this restaurant, which started in China, had now opened its outlet on Stanley Street in Central, today we came to see what they would offer.
Seated at a table on the window side looking out to the street, the tables were all on the side, with a small ‘platform’ in the middle. Apart from the main dining area, there were also a few VIP rooms on the side to cater for groups wanting more privacy. The décor was modern but decorated with some traditional cultural elements as well.
After choosing our own pot and soup base, we ordered the food. The first set was some hand cut mutton, including 90-day little Ningxia Tan Sheep 鮮切寧夏灘羊90天羔羊肉 ($299) and Back Tip鮮切寧夏灘羊羊背尖 ($299). The mutton was very tender, not strong on musky note, and personally I preferred the small sheep with the fat.
Next came Ningxia Yanchi Tan Sheep 雪花寧夏鹽池灘羊 ($399), and the thinly sliced mutton was from the famous breed grown in Yanchi, feeding on forage resistant to salt and alkaline, resulting in meat that did not have any musky note. Well balanced in fat and lean, it was the pinnacle of mutton and best among the meat on the night.
Apart from mutton, we also had some Tofu 潮州鮮豆腐 + 凍豆腐 ($39) and Shrimp Paste 蟹肉北海鮮蝦滑 ($139). The two types of tofu provided different texture, with the fresh silky soft while the frozen one porous so able to absorb the flavours of the stock. The shrimp paste was sweet in taste, with some crab meat mixed for extra premium.
We also had the Grilled Mutton Skewers 草飼羊肉串 ($99) per the suggestion from the staff. Able to adjust the amount of cumin and spiciness, the mutton was juicy and flavourful, and the enticing cumin was sharp but not overly spicy. The serving had got five skewers, and it was certainly great pairing with icy cold beer.
To wrap up we had a basket of Assorted Yunnan Fresh Mushroom 原產地雲貴川鮮菌 ($169), which included cordyceps, termite mushroom, ganba mushroom, bamboo pith, yellow ear, wood ear, and many that I could not name. With different texture and flavours, it was a good complement to all the meat on the night.
During the meal, there were two sessions of short Peking opera, performed by a lady dressed in the opera costume. Service was good but lacking the hospitality I found when visiting similar restaurants in China. The bill on the night was $1,912. I would rate this restaurant a Good 68 points, worth trying.
沒有留言:
張貼留言