Saturday, June 7, 2014

Yue 粵 – Preview of Father’s Day Wine Pairing with 8 wines and 8 dishes

Michelin 1 Stars

 At Michelin 1* awarded Yue North Point  (Previous review),  it is not the same as Yue at the further away Gold Coast hotel (Gold Coast Yue).   Both same named restaurants are managed under the same Hotel group and both actually carry different but famous Chefs who are well trained in Cantonese cuisine.    Over at Gold Coast side of sister restaurant Yue,  their new Chef arrives in from a previously well-established 1* restaurant at Farm House.   One can notice a selection of cross-over recipes within both restaurants,  but over here at the North Point branch I am always delighted with the fruit-based dishes.    Today we were invited over to try the $838 Dinner course with 8 dishes and 8 Italian wines.   Pre-book this in advance and you can also receive 20% off on the 1 day sale.   I highly recommend this meal if you like a lot of great wine & pairing dishes,  it was a highly successful preview meal.

 

 

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The 8 Italian Wine line-up -
Don’t quote me,  but apparently,  this is all you can drink if you want a Top-up on Fathers Day.
This 1* restaurant is so generous and not only that,  the wines were actually great and hand-picked by the ex Domani sommelier as a cross-over.  




 

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  Astoria Cuvee,  Fashion Victim Prosecco  (Brut) -
It was a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco and Prosecco,  which made it less sweeter than usual with a crisp lemon and green apple to me,  with some minerality.  When it cooled,  it also showed the toasty side.    This is picked very well as an aperitivo or aperitive from Italy. 

 

 



 


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Cascina Chicco Nebbiolo,  Rose, NV – Piedmont
Nebbiolo is one of top famous grapes in Italy,  but here it is made into a Rose instead.   It was quite white wine like,  overall refreshing but carried a heavier body and grapefruit acidity and slightly bitter on end palate.    By this 2nd wine offering,  I already knew we were in the good hands of a Top Sommelier with his educational offerings.. 







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煎蟹肉餅、和牛卷、薑凍金錢雞 – Fried Crab Cake with Pomelo,  Wagyu & Mushroom Wrap,  Gold Coin Chicken with Ginger Jelly
The crab cake was a surprise,  inside it carried pulled strands of pomelo grapefruit,  which paired perfectly with the Nebbiolo Rose above.   The Wagyu mushrooms combo was similar to sister restaurant’s offer,  but lighter with the peppery sauce and I liked this more virgin version in flavour.  The Gold Coin Chicken was a surprise,  because whilst most diners couldn’t handle the fattiness of the ‘iced fat’ layer,  it was to me done perfectly accurate with a crunchiness and was properly wine soaked.   The Gold Coin Chicken here with the Chicken liver,  ginger jelly,  pork fat plus BBQ fatty pork was amazingly executed when compared to most places doing the same,  even when it used a ginger jelly instead of sliced young ginger.   I think they should put this permanently onto the menu,  but hopefully with the original white bread sandwich too to complete the package.   ~  9/10


 



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The Gold Coin Chicken here with the Chicken liver, ginger jelly, pork fat, BBQ fatty pork  -
Done really well and thoughtful here.
Kudos to the chef.   I think this is a keeper!

 

 

 

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Crab Cake with Grapefruit Pomelo -
Ingenious really.

 

 

 

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Primosic Ribolla Gialla 2009 – Friuli
A Ribolla Giulia/Gialla grape variety,   It’s unique and slightly creamy with pineapple,  peach and a slightly spicy note.  Definitely worked with the below crab dish. 

 

 

 

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釀焗鮮蟹蓋 – Gratinated Crab Carapace with Cheese and Crab Meat
I have had this a few times,  this time the crab and cheese taste was stronger,  the onion was cooked more thinly and rarer.   It is definitely a better representation and lovely,  the cheesiness was always going to pair with the slight oakiness of the wine.   ~  7.5/10

 

 


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Primosic,  Pinot Grigio de Collio 2010 – Friuli
This was definitely interesting.   It tasted dry and is creamier than most Pinot Grigio,  it was definitely more buttery and carried a sweet Quince flavour.



 

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沙當尼白酒汁燴蝦球 –  Prawns with Fried Garlic,  Cream and Chardonnay Sauce
Sounds exotic enough,  but the taste and the sauce were really paired well with the above wine.  Actually this Chardonnay based sauce was so trust-worthy as a combo with prawns,  but I didn’t tell anyone on the spot,  surprisingly the above Pinot Grigio actually tasted more modern world Chardonnay like.   It just worked really well,  don’t explain to me the theories.    ~  8.5/10

 

 

 

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Sensi, Sangiovese Cupido 2009 –Tuscany
This was a real surprise to me,  it was definitely a new age Sangiovese with it’s non-rustic nature and refinement.  A really really good pick by the Sommelier tonight and it definitely was unique in all context and definitely an IGT by definition.   It was lighter bodied,  spicy tonight,  dominated by raspberries and slight french oak.  This is just so French style to me,  but at the same time,  it was definitely Italian in spirit simultaneously. 

 

 


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雙菌百花生煎雞 – Fried Chicken with Mined Prawn Paste,  Porcini and Morels Mash, 
Salted Duck Egg yolk -

This is already a previously traditional yet award-winning dish,  but this time around they tweaked it around a bit.   The fried chicken skin was really lovely using a yellow skin chicken,  although it probably over-shadowed the 2 mushrooms and duck yolk components.   However the base prawn mince gave it the right texture.  Personally I liked how the fried chicken dominated the flavour anyway.   *The real original version also has crab meats inside.    ~  8.5/10


 

 

 

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Cantina MESA Buio Carignano del Sulcis 2010 – Sardinia
The Carignans I have also had from Spain and also France are different from this represantation definitely, and stylistically this was more French again in winemaking style,  this was rustic and plummy,  slightly green peppery.   I liked it the best amongst the reds but with wines,   it is all personal. 

 

 


 

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雪映紅梅映松露 – Fried Garoupa Fish with Prawn and Squid paste,  Black Truffle,  Asparagus,  and Steamed Carrot,  Spinach and Egg layers -
Award winning dish here and which probably propelled it onto the Michelin 1* list,  I have again had this numerous times but it was the first time I felt that the individual egg layers really carried their own tastes.   I also thought the fish piece was larger.   This is definitely worthy of it accolades at its current guise.   ~  8.5/10

 

 

 

 

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Aglianico Le Sepaie Petilia 2009 – Campania
This was funny to me,  because it was sour dark plummy at the beginning already despite the stronger tannins.  But wait until the next dish arrives to access my judgment..


 

 


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話梅乳鴿甫 – Plum and Hawthorn sauce with Pigeon, with Wax Apple
The pigeon leg and breast were cooked adequately.  The plum sauce was slightly unexpected in the way that it was quite white plummy,  which differs with what I expected from the wine somehow.   But they did worked.   I liked the food better than the pairing itself for once.  ~  8/10

 

 

 

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南瓜汁燴鴛鴦飯 – Pumpkin and Chicken Stock,  Lotus Bulbs,  Lotus,  Red Rice and Japanese Sticky Rice,  Spinach puree,  Fried Lotus root,  Pine Nuts. -
Very sophisticated recipe for a rice dish and it was pretty decent.   A Michelin starred restaurant is expected to make such sophisticated rice dishes I think!  ~  7.5/10

 

 

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La Spinette,  Biancospino,  Moscato D' Asti 2013 – Piedmont
Almost a Normandy Pear cider like but slightly sweeter.    This was aromatic and a girly drink.   I can almost imagine the Sommelier in charge,  was somehow forced into arriving into such a finish.   Just because it suits most people’s palates. 

 

 


 

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魅香格拉巴鮮果雪糕 -  Passionfruit Icecream with Mango,  Berries,  Coconut Tuile
This was really so summery refreshing.  I actually didn’t expect this type of dessert in a Chinese restaurant,  but it was definitely thoughtful.   Thinking back the $838 full meal with 8 wines pairings,  I was a bit drunk at the end.   Pre-book now and it is only $6xx odd dollars wine-inclusive.  Great food with amazing Wine pairings definitely at this price. 

 

 

 

Price:  $670 Pre-booked or $838 + 10% Per Person including 8 Wine Pairings unlimited pours  (Visit was by Invitation by Yue)
Food:  ♕♕♕♕ to ♕♕♕♕♕

Address: 北角城市花園道9號城市花園酒店1樓
City Garden Hotel,  Electric Road,  North Point,  Hong Kong
Ph:  2806 4918

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