My friends and I had a long overdue get-together—a combined post-Christmas, New Year, Lunar New Year and Valentine celebration.
The bash merited a feast with a special dish per occasion.
We had a mini lauriat at Choi Garden, whose chef, said dear friend Ellen Ong, has recently introduced a new version of suckling pig served with glutinous rice.
The skin was heavenly, crispy all over; the meat soft and tasty; and the hoisin sauce, exclusively made in the kitchen, was rounded, flavorful yet mild.
Beneath all that was a layer of soy-flavored glutinous rice with chestnuts, mushrooms and dried shrimp.
And then more dishes came…
The Fresh Spinach Noodles was seasoned lightly and had strips of pork asado, shrimps, thin slivers of bell pepper and eggs. I loved its clean taste.
Best to call in advance to ask if it’s available, since these special green noodles are flown in from Hong Kong. You may also request the staff to give you a call when a new batch of noodles arrives.
I also liked the Wintermelon Wraps that resembled dainty gift parcels. The paper-thin slices of the gourd were used as skins to wrap diced seafood, mushrooms and Chinese ham.
The wintermelon had a texture like that of a dumpling wrapper, which is why, at first bite, it was reminiscent of har gow.
The parcels were finished with a light superior sauce. Like the noodles, it was tasty but in a subtle way. Nothing about it was overpowering—the flavors blending harmoniously.
I was quite surprised by the fried scallops stuffed with shrimps with blueberry sauce, served with a Japanese salad of kani, cucumbers, shrimp roe and ripe mangoes.
The combination seemed hard to imagine. In my head, the dish had too many elements. However, this sweet, fruity, crisp, hot and cold creation turned out delightfully refreshing.
The Boneless Eel with Barbecue sauce was tender—each bite meaty, hearty, satisfying. I strongly recommend those who love unagi to sample this dish.
The Rock Lobster with Hong Kong chili and garlic, cooked in a special oil infused with aromatics for extra flavor, was divine—the lobster meat soft and buttery. It had generous quantities of fried fragrant garlic, Hong Kong chilies and leeks that garnished it, further enhancing the already pleasant-tasting crustacean. Dipping it lightly in seasoned vinegar made it even tastier!
We could hardly talk or move by the time we left the restaurant.
For this special menu, contact Lenford Dy of Choi Garden, tel. 7245343, 7277489
Restaurant furniture
At home, it’s good to have a space that makes eating a pleasant experience.
Let me tell you about my furniture maker, Eleyn Tayag, a craftswoman whose work looks better than the picture or the sample. Everything she makes is beautiful—sofas, wooden furniture and throw pillows.
She also restores antiques and makes restaurant furniture. She delivers on time, is present during installation and asks if you are pleased with the results.
Tel. 0908-8751108
Reliable
Time and again people have asked me for someone reliable to do pest-control work. Mario Cruz is an exterminator par excellence, fighting bugs as though he were on a crusade.
Tel. 0917-8173680
Cooking class
Starting tomorrow I am teaching how to cook different kinds of lechon. For inquiries and a copy of my new cooking class schedule, contact 0917- 5543700 or 0908-2372346.
