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2019-12-10
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This restaurant is located in Lan Kwai Fong, inside a dark alley which honestly is a bit intimidating for the first timers. Having visited another restaurant here before, at least I knew that the place was not dangerous. After checking with the staff at Brickhouse, who directed us to walk up the stairs, we arrived at a nondescript door without any sign. It should not be a surprise, however, as Fa Zu Jie is indeed a private kitchen.Seated at the other end of the restaurant near the big covered te
This restaurant is located in Lan Kwai Fong, inside a dark alley which honestly is a bit intimidating for the first timers. Having visited another restaurant here before, at least I knew that the place was not dangerous. After checking with the staff at Brickhouse, who directed us to walk up the stairs, we arrived at a nondescript door without any sign. It should not be a surprise, however, as Fa Zu Jie is indeed a private kitchen.
Seated at the other end of the restaurant near the big covered terrace, the atmosphere was cozy and comfortable, offering us a nice ambiance though one could also see the interior decorations was a bit dated. The open kitchen is on the other side where diners could easily see the activities. Greeted warmly by Chris, who managed my reservation and special requests, we started the 7-course menu ($598 each, with the additions of $80 each for the souffle).
The name of the dishes is rather unique, and by looking at them one could not guess what would be coming. Take the first course as an example. It is Fake. Pleurotus Abalonus. In fact it was an abalone cooked nicely, tender on texture, cut into slices and marinated to show an interesting mushroom flavor, while on the side are some kale, sauteed with mushroom and thin radish slices. Overall the flavors are very harmonized.
The second course was Garlic in Love. Salt. Slow-cooked Belly. I thought the dish was inspired by the Shanghai cuisine of a similar combination. The slices of pork belly got a nice bite, rich in taste and seasoned with some salt. The celery strips on top provided a refreshing and different texture, while the garlic paste was creamy and not excessively pungent. A nice dish.
The third course was The Mood. Deep Bay. The deep-fried radish cake was something traditional and available in fishing villages in HK, according to Chris. Recreating this, and then adding some deep-fried small shrimps on top, I found the radish cake's texture firmer, with a nice bite and paired well with the parsley and anchovy sauce on the side. There is also an Hiroshima oyster too, intense on flavors, full of umami elements. I also like the sauce having a nice acidity to reduce the weight of the deep-fried radish cake.
The fourth course was Exotic Mediterranean Sea. Enchanting Shanghai. The broth was prepared using some local fish, with some crab meat added, reminiscent of the famous Marseilles seafood broth. My wife opted for the pure fish broth however, showing up whiter and not as intense. The Shanghai noodle accompanied was to be eaten after dipping into the soup. For some the broth might be a bit under-seasoned, but I feel it is appropriate, in order not to overpower the delicate notes of the noodle. After finishing the noodle we also drank the broth, knowing that all the great essences had dissolved into the soup.
The fifth course was Elegant Face. Elegant Rice. Originally with Australian wagyu beef cheek, I changed that to a duck confit instead. It was beautifully done, with a crispy skin while not making the meat overly dry. Nicely seasoned, it is a good complement in taste with the Shanghai vegetable rice, which are prepared with some Chinese ham and lard, giving a nice fragrance and smoothness, but not oily to make it repelling. This is my favorite of all the dishes in the evening, and I also thank Chris for arranging the duck confit upon my request.
Moving to dessert we had the Summer. A Pre-season Performance in Winter. A really innovative idea, using winter melon to prepare this dessert, with the bottom pieces soaked in mulled wine, having a taste like pear and honestly if you don't tell me I would not be able to tell the difference. On top there are caramelized winter melon slices, with some sour cream added to balance the sweetness. A truly creative dessert.
We added the extra dessert option, with Ginger. Souffle. Beautifully presented, when scooping in there are some small pieces of ginger, not only giving a nice fragrant note to the souffle, the slight spiciness is also a great complement to the light sweetness, balancing it perfectly. A really nice conclusion to the meal and another testimony to the uniqueness of the chef's in combing French techniques with Shanghai and HK cuisines to make a good fusion dinner.
Services are very good, with Chris coming to explain each course in details. One thing to note is that the restaurant did not sell alcohol so they encourage customers to bring their own wine, without corkage. But it is also important to note that they only accept cash or bank transfer, no credit card.
The bill was $1,356 and the portion was appropriate to make us full but not overly so. No wonder that despite its relatively difficult to find location it is still popular, even in the recent political and economic difficulty in town.
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