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2010-07-02
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I reviewed here when I first visited more than a year ago during May 2009. That's before it received Michelin Recommendation in the 2010 Guide: [ http://www.openrice.com/restaurant/commentdetail.htm?shopid=24168&commentid=2037575 ] Last time around, I wrote about how this Macau Noodles Shop is kind of "deceiving in a way" as I dicovered the noodle's taste to be not coming from the prawn roes itself, but from the soya and pork oil mixture! Yet as a learning Foodie who is adamant on f
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虾籽云吞捞面:
I thought the Wontons I ate recently in April 2010 improved over my previous 2009 visit, at least it wasn't dried-out and solid like a 烧卖. Its not as good as the best HK wontons, but its ok edible. The Prawn Roes (祥记虾籽) however received the centre of attention as I had my biggest doubt with these - and I certainly studied it under a microscopic view with a magnifying glass... I finally figured that it does look rather odd on the plate indeed, as it is way too fluffy, light coloured and not the usual brownish or amber coloured prawn roes served at other shops. Most crucially, they had a texture of a 'Grinded & Shaved' look rather than as 'Individiually-Proud Prawn Roes' ..... And on the plate, it carried a different aroma than is normally associated with fresh water prawn roes - it was more toastily aromatic, rather than oceanic... Something definitely smelled fishy (pun intended), and it wreaked havoc on my senses. More about that later... Anyway, the hand made noodles still carried a great bouncy texture, even if it had scarce wheaty or egginess taste - but at least they're boiled well, I enjoyed their texture and the sauce turned them into a miracle.
牛筋虾籽捞面:
The 牛筋 was quite good too, tasty and crunchy. The prawn roe noodles were same as the above, somehow everything wasn't very convincing as a package..... arrgh. I was scratching my head. Read below.
汤
The soup in 祥记面家 from memory wasn't outstanding and this was re-confirmed again, as despite naming 方鱼 amongst other good ingredients used, it seemed somewhat more pork bones base in taste and 1 dimensional. Seems like Macanese noodle shops don't make high grade high broths that're comparable to places like HK's 正斗, 麦奀云吞面, 池记, etc, nor even the lesser 忠记, 麦文记, 麦兆记 versions. At best, you'll get the equivalent of a 刘森记, 杨记, 佳记, 永华面家 version, never mind if they're authentic or only because we have recently developed personal expectations... General consensus tends towards the latter these days??
虾籽
The Prawn Roes in Cheung Kei is the one thing that continued to baffle and trouble me the most ever since my last April 2010 visit. I knew something wasn't computing right in my head, but I couldn't work out why and it returned to haunt me for the next 2.5 months... so during late June 2010, which was only a few days ago, I decided its time to end ALL SPECULATION and find the answer. Stuff eating it at the shop this time - I'll just purchase a jar of their so-called 虾籽 for around MOP80, which is probably the most expensive on the market!!!! I opened it immediately the same night in the hotel and put a spoonful into my mouth, my jaws dropped, then I got a new spoon and devoured another scoop of it just in case : NOT A TRACE of real prawn roes aroma or taste or umami hit. I felt absolutey disgusted, felt cheated for paying a premium 80 bucks, it was beyond comprehensible. Guess what one of the main ingredients the label says its made up of ? Sesame (芝麻). Yes, the famous 祥记面家's 虾籽, is made up of toasted then wok-fried grinded white sesame, along with some obviously under-proportioned prawn roes. And it isn't even freshly Stone Mortar grinded sesame, so it had lost even that fresh sesame taste. This MOP80 Sesame-Slash-Prawn Roes is now sitting in my fridge, if anyone doesn't believe me and wants to give it a personal tasting, feel free to shoot me a mail.......!
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Having said that,
I sincerely believe 祥记面家 does a pretty good noodles dish and I would still go back... It is quite unique in a way and the Sesame Noodles Dish with its Special Sauce is addictive. I do have trouble giving out a Smiley Face though, due to the prawn roes quality alone!
But I guess unlike many normal diners who think its comfortable enough to take things only as they come, for me 比多分, I think life and eating is about a never ending saga to discovering interesting experiences and to re-learning old things and tricks (I mean to put it pessimistically, we'll all die 1 day anyway, why be so anal about it? ) - and as much as I try to limit the controversies involved in adopting such approach as it might rattle some cages in the process or others are bothered by my style of writing which sometimes involves a bit of naughtiness as I'm a really playful person as you can probably guess , at least I try to end up having my own fun, simultaneously finding out some real answers rather than making false assumptions and taking things for granted, and then having everyone else copy and regurgitate the wrong information for generations to come...
Its not even about egoticism and WHO is more right or wrong, its more about WHAT are the truths out there to me.... And if you don't like this approach, just send an assassin or a bomb in the registered mail! Wait, lucky I'm largely anonymous... you'll have to dig deeper to find where I live or work!
张贴
