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2009-04-03
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A group of Openrice foodies planned a trip to Yorkshire Pudding this night. Yet my errands took over my intention to join them, I did, however, join their 'extra curricular activities' afterwards. After the Puds, we went for desserts and surprisingly after that we ended up back for supper, here for ChiuChow fare. Half of the crowd decided to sit in without eating, buying time before clubbing while the half of us went on with the eating.We arrived here, a long-standing shop I have frequented with
We arrived here, a long-standing shop I have frequented with my family when I was little, for a table of 12, only to realize that backing us in the corner was the only option. We did not care, as long as the food was good, really, in a casual place like this one you really have no reason to complain. A few crabs were cooked ahead and dangling on the display window, together with platters of fried fish, steamed fish, stews, and the unmistakable marinated goose.
We ordered the steamed fish to start with, then with a mixed marinated meat platter, together with the goose and ChiuChow Congee. Some were more keen on the adventurous order of boiled ark-shell clams. These tiny clams got a general bad vibe because they are seldom boiled completely through, as the meat goes tough when cooked. Being half-boiled and half raw often lead to runny stomaches afterwards. I myself have never tried one of these, but some of us were big fans of them.
The food arrived shortly. Cold Steamed Fish was first. The entire fish, skinned but bone-in. It's of a bigger size than the ones we normally see at the markets. The fish, in Chinese literally called "fish rice", is meant to taste light, as the meat flakes and tastes bland like rice. You're also supposed to dip into the preserved bean sauce as a seasoning. This one did not disappoint, the fish, despite at room temperature, tasted fresh and the bean sauce (a little salty on its own) enhances the fish's taste. The Mixed Marinated Meat Platter was a messy pile of meats -- from sliced cuttlefish, intestines, to sausages and pig's ear. Everything has its own special texture and blending them altogether in one dish is common. I especially enjoyed the pig's ear, as the cartilage gave in with a crunch, contradicting perfectly with the soft and slightly chewy cuttlefish.
Marinated Goose was up next. The goose, piled up neatly on the top, was picture perfect. The marinade was dark and flavorful, with significant notes of five spice especially star anise in it. The goose was surprisingly moist and the seasoning really did penetrate into every bit of the meat inside, even gnawing on the bony bits give you the extraordinary taste of the marinade itself! The Ark Shell Clams were up next. With stubby fingers we opened up tiny greyish white shells to reveal the sharp orange flesh inside. The meat was sweet and a little bit crunchy. What a funny texture to it, I thought.
All of the above, washed down with a perfect ChiuChow Congee (more water, less rice -- yielding a thinner porridge) rounded out the evening with the comfort of fullness and utterly incomparable satisfaction. The night came to an end, as some of us decided to head home and call it a night, while the other head towards Lan Kwai Fong for clubbing. The meal was good, and it just was a perfect evening indeed.
Note: On a completely unrelated matter, having a group of friends watching their watches tick towards midnight, and wishing you a 'Happy B-day' in unison at exactly 00:00 was just as unforgettable as a perfect meal! Thank you, indeed!!
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