Foodle

Excellent omakase @sushifujimoto last night . From a startling clean awabi to start the meal , thru many outstanding nigiri , particularly those with bolder flavour profiles where they were often paired with a little spring onion which suited my palate to a tea .

Awabi - tender and soulful
Iwashi maki- harmonious
Kegani crab mixed with crab miso
Katsuo - loved this , great char and fat content
Tako- perfectly steamed

Shima Aji - luscious and fatty , one of the best I have had
KOHADA - lightly pickled
Akami - strong soy marinade
Chutoro - beautiful mouthfeel
Otoro - overshadowed by the outstanding chutoro
Sumi Ika with grilled tentacles - right in season
Sanma - gorgeous fat and depth of flavour
Ikura - briney and clean
Kuruma ebi cooked in saltwater , still very warm , great contrast
Murasaki uni - sweet
Char grilled unagi - piping hot melts the nori , delicious !
Kanpyo Maki

Tamago duo - including one with Okinawa brown sugar .

Thank you @kenichifujimoto_sushi ! Less

Light lunch 70 stories up at @rafflesshenzhen . Yun Jing highlights Cantonese cuisine with both classic and innovative dishes .

Staring things off with sea cucumber in pepper vinegar broth . The hot and sour was in great harmony and this soup was quite restorative on a hot day .

Dish of the day was grey tofu , topped with aromatic spring onions and soy beans . Earthy and fragrant .

Spanish pork is cubed and wok fried along with garlic chips , uber clean , not oily and full of flavour .

Just a little carb to end the meal , fragrant rice in seafood broth with crab meat .

Great value meal in spectacular surrounds . Less

Not sure there is another restaurant in the region where I get as excited to visit when I punch that book now button , thanks to typhoon Ragusa I had to cancel lunch earlier this week so had the pleasure of hitting Book now , not once but twice .

This year @capricehongkong celebrates its 20 year anniversary, with its iconic HK harbour views , the brilliant service and the classics and new creations of @guillaumegalliot it is destined for many more celebrations.

A choice of 4 tasting menus confronts the lunch time diner, and I opted for the “Carte Blanche “ menu which is a mystery although it usually delivers a mix of new and classic dishes .

My dish of the day was a new creation ,
John Dory , matsutake , piquillo pepper mousse , mango .

Classically butchered and perfectly cooked fish , matsutake with coffee crumb , a punchy piquillo mousse , mango , coriander and lemon sauce .

The diversity of flavours here was a real pleasure .

Japanese sea bream with Japanese tomato concasee , yuzu and fennel gel and prawn head reduction mousse started off the meal .

The texture of the bream is intriguing with a density akin to raw squid , the Japanese tomato shines with acidity and some light herbs send it in a Provençal direction , the yuzu and fennel gel expand on the texture of the fish and bring floral acidity , finally the prawn head reduction reinforces those Provençal bouillabaisse like flavours .

Brittany blue lobster nage , coco de paimpol beans, sumac , coriander and yuzu is a summer version of the usual menu staple . The beans bring a lovely legume earthiness .

Roasted lamb , saddle and shoulder studded with buckwheat , mint condiment and stunning lamb jus
is a worthy classic , the balanced richness of the lamb jus is a bedrock of the dish .

A standout cheese board is a non negotiable here , from brilliant Comte , epoisses , Roquefort to lesser known French cheeses , it’s a great experience , and requires constant top ups of the house made baguette .

Pistachio souffle with rasberry ice cream is a classic finale , using both Iranian and Italian pistachios , this doesn’t require any bells and whistles , just classic pastry work . Less

Always fun to revisit The Huaiyang garden for a subset of regional Chinese cuisine that you don’t tend to see internationally .

A slight sweetness and the use of freshwater seafood is prevalent, yet all the flavours here are impeccably clean .

Sweet and sour prawn is much more subtle than its Cantonese counterpart , giving the Tiger prawn every opportunity to stand out .

Liangxi style crispy eel shares the same sweet and sour profile but it’s largely driven by black vinegar , the eel itself is bordering on eel jerky and has plenty of crisp texture .

Crystal clear superior soup sees a fluffy ball of pork and egg white floating within , it’s almost giving matzo ball texture .

A textbook grease free spring roll is all shattering crunch with a soft filling of whitebait and crab meat .

First exposure to Shuzhou style noodles and it won’t be the last , thin al dente noodle , a protein heavy “red” broth flavoured with soy that drives a deep Unami but is thoroughly restrained in salt . Melting pork belly completes the picture.

Dessert is baked black and white sesame pancake. The black sesame provides a lava filling while the white sesame adorns the pastry . Less

Feasting at @74dukemayfair 🍔🇫🇷
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These guys are serving up one of my favourite burgers in london at the moment. The classic cheeseburger at 74 features a thick-boy patty, made from a blend of English Wagyu brisket and chuck, with American cheese, dijonaise and a thick slice of white onion rested on the bottom bun. All the right elements here whilst keeping things simple. The patties are grilled and well rested for that perfectly pink and juicy centre. Would love some smoke worked into the beef and it could definitely take some more age but it’s v good as is too. Other favourites from the menu, the warm baguette and butter (simple, but delicious as so many places don’t get this right), the bluefin tuna tartare and the grilled king shrimp with cognac butter and that filet de boeuf au poivres. Chicken was just ok, but their rigatoni with morels was more than ok - really tasty. Second time having this and it was better than I remembered - al dente pasta and a super glossy sauce. Make sure you save space for dessert as there are lots of good ones here, but the brown butter and chocolate cookies with banana caramel ice cream is hard to beat. Good food, good service, good vibes #notoriousfoodie Less