Peter Verey

Lovely Kaiseki lunch yesterday at Tagetsu . Highly rated on Tabelog (4.12) I was nonetheless surprised to be the only foreigner in attendance . Cooking was very clean and precise , there were few standout dishes but every dish was perfectly enjoyable and it added up to a very satisfying meal .

My favourite dish of the meal was certainly the tempura of fig with whipped tofu . The tempura batter was thin and shatteringly crisp , it essentially created a mock pastry layer coating the fig which was ripe but still holding its shape beautifully, the tofu gave a nice respite of texture and from sweetness .

Edamame mochi with corn puree and yuzu peel was the first course , each flavour quite distinct, the yuzu gave a great fragrance.

Mushroom and snapper dashi was also served with a hint of citrus which really elevated the broth.

Wood fired bonito tataki , with perilla sprouts and egg yolk shoyu . Bonito is one of my favourite fish and appears to be in season right now based on my last few meals …no complaints !

Tai ( sea bream) sashimi with uni and okra - lovely sashimi course .

Grilled butterfish with cucumber , myoga and green onion . Fish a little overcooked to my liking , another straight forward dish.

Hassun - tilefish sashimi, shishito pepper stuffed with shrimp paste and sesame
sauce , jellied eggplant , Anago nigiri . The hassun course had one main highlight , the peppers stuffed with shrimp paste and sesame sauce were highly addictive .

Pumpkin and duck mousse , wild mushroom sauce - this dish screamed of autumn despite the sweltering heat outside . Terrific

Grilled conger eel, eel skin with cucumber and sesame. The cold eel skin salad was very refreshing .

Sendai beef round with Japanese pepper sauce and matsutake . Loved the Japanese pepper so floral .

Deep fried Spanish mackerel rice with lotus root , carrot . Rice dish finale was excellent , the fish flaked in larger pieces than usual to match the also larger size of the lotus root . Have since enjoyed 2 of the 5 onigiri that I took home post meal .

Maple and hazelnut monaka
Peach compote with wine jelly and kudzu starch noodles. Always happy with peach desserts . Less

Kicking off a week long food odyssey in Tokyo , most of the week will be piloted by @jtfoodcation , but for the next day or so I had the opportunity to add to the itinerary.
Beginning with @restauranthommage , open for 23 years and holder of 2 Michelin stars , it is one of the leaders of modern French - Japanese dining .

The menu weaves around both French and Japanese characteristics, and is absolutely rock solid with nary a false note and plenty of crescendos .

Oyster - Hokkaido oyster is served very cold , blanketed by champagne jelly , a smooth oyster cream and a punchy oyster sorbet .

Vichyssoise- 2 cold soups ( leek and potato ) interplay with a tower of Sturgeon rillette , beetroot tartare and caviar . Each layer of flavour is pronounced yet together they are a symphony .

Sea urchin/Foie gras/ Yuba
Tohu cream/ Yellow tail tart - despite a previous wave of amuse bouche ( not pictured ) , the third course brings us snacks , straight forward flavours and textures but all interesting and certainly enjoyed the unusual placement of this in the menu .

ShirakawaAmadai- Crispy scaled tilefish is faultless and married with turnips , rice and a light cream sauce .
Abalone- is served with a liver sauce which is lightened with lemon juice and white wine , the abalone is absurdly tender .

Roasted beef from Miyagi- not sure I have ever had Wagyu beef roasted in the oven as opposed to grilled , it’s a familiar roast beef flavour accentuated with a great chicken jus .

Rice puff flavored ice cream
Chocolate sorbet - 2 ice cream desserts , the rice is intensely savoury, the chocolate punctuated with chilli powder and paprika sauce
Jerusalem artichoke- a lovely light finish , Candied Sunchoke with a Sudaichi chiboust and a lemon syrup . Less

6 days in Tokyo has somehow led to 6 sushi omakase bookings , started off last night with what surely will be the most unique of the 6 in terms of style . Sushi sho masa and its owner Masakatsu Oka is devoted on staying true to his mentor Sushi Sho founder Keiji Nakazawa , one of the most influential sushi chefs in the world today . Nakazawa left Japan in 2016 and opened a restaurant in Hawaii , apparently after 7 years he decided he didn’t think much of Island life and just opened his latest venture in New York a few months ago.
Back in Tokyo , there are around a dozen Sushi Sho disciples who carry on his tradition with his blessing .
While I am far from an expert , it appears the sushi sho style leans very traditional Edomae , with a focus on aging as well as a variety of at times strong garnishes .

Generosity is also a Sushi Sho trademark and chef Oka has taken it to the next level here , offering a 54 piece sushi onslaught ( it hovers anywhere between 40 and 60 on a nightly basis ) . It is an astonishing amount of food but I can honestly say that it was only the last few bites where palate fatigue kicked in .

Favourite pieces were Aji with red miso, milky Hokkaido oyster, best Aori Ika I have ever had , Ankimo , Fresh ikura only marinated for 90 seconds and the signature “Mille feuille” of Otoro which was a pale as good prosciutto , sliced very thinly and layered with 4 dabs of wasabi which cut thru the fat incredibly.
Service takes just shy of 3 hours but time does fly , English speakers are well catered for , with the Chef speaking sneaky good English and his assistant is a young chef from Macau who was very excited to see a Macau phone number on his upcoming booking list !

Seems I managed to snag 48 photos out of the 54 and the whole menu or my attempt at it is listed in the comments below, with a couple of ingredients which I clearly misheard . Less

Somehow 6 months have flown by since my last Neighbourhood visit , so popping in for a quick bite before boarding an evening flight was the very least I could do . This visit just cemented that I have to return ASAP.

Sizzling and tender baby squid with a trinity of garlic , herbs and chilli pepper , all balanced and evoking strong Mediterranean vibes .

One of the better tartares that I have had ( and I essentially love them all ) , beef and Sicilian red shrimp is combined , the shrimp both chopped and left in pieces is a delightful sweet note , the herbaceous sauce which lies somewhere between an oil and a pesto is a great accompaniment. Absolute harmony

Revisited with an old fav , a hockey puck of black sausage , a perfect fried egg and a scattering of mushrooms .

Finally a Sichuan accented pigeon with terrific figs , very satisfying. Less

There is always something new to discover at Five foot road .
Like an intriguing Wok fried abalone with wheat (pasta?) that seemed to me to be essentially identical to fregola , paired with a sauce of minced pork and a variety of peppers . The chewiness of the fregola was extremely satisfying .

Cubed Australian Wagyu and porcini in mushroom sauce is a dish I have had a few times , the beef was terrifically juicy on this occasion.

Speaking of juicy the pan fried pork and water chestnut were certainly that , good robust flavour as well.

Chilled noodles were served with pickled chilli sauce , some Sichuan pepper, celery and shredded chicken . This would be a great summer lunch dish .

The final discovery was a glutinous rice and pork belly dish that is a traditional Sichuan CnY dish and can be served as the rice course or as dessert . The rice and pork were mixed with red bean, brown sugar and pistachios and was a very moorish finale.

Great meal as always and great to meet @alena.cym who has recently joined the FFR team ! Less

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and that’s also true for the stomach . Having not returned for 5 months , it somehow seemed that everything @ottoemezzobombana_macau tasted especially delicious .
Let me start with the meticulous details that they get right . Starting off with the warmest of welcomes before even entering through the front door. I always rave about the service here so I won’t repeat myself too much but two of their FOH superstars are currently away , and the service team didn’t miss a beat , the roster of excellence runs deep !!
Let’s talk about the bread , the ciabatta is first rate, great for dipping in olive oil or indulging in Scarpetta. If possible the beer sourdough is even better , love the malty notes .
The trademark “caprese “ amuse bouche has had a face lift with mozzarella now being joined by burrata and straciatella, but it’s the tomato water that steals the show , floral and full of flavour, it really showcases tomato season .
Now to the food … @riccardolaperna ability to offer rustic Italian dishes with class and style is never in question.

Foie gras is served in the style of Mont Blanc dessert , with a spiced jelly , nuts and brioche . It’s light and moorish .
Cacio e Pepe veers away from tradition with the addition of Porcini mushrooms and parsley emulsion . The tagliatelle had great flavour and texture and the parsley gave the dish a burst of freshness .
A “simple” serve of Sicilian prawn pasta followed, the prawn was lightly cooked , the light tomato sauce coated the pasta perfectly .
Really enjoyed the Milanese risotto which despite being fortified with veal jus and bone marrow remained very light on the palate .
Maruya beef strip loin is perfect for those looking for a rich savoury finale , paired with a deep celeriac purée and beets .
Desserts started with a new to the menu dish which had its debut last night , raspberry and pistachio with a yoghurt sorbet is a terrific combo .
And for the grand finale , a rustic Rhubarb tart , the rhubarb is cooked slowly in strawberry juice and takes on a lot of the sweetness and floral notes which beautifully restrains the astringency .

Returning ASAP ! Less

It’s only been 6 weeks since last eating @ta_vie_hk but it was certainly exciting to revisit . Quality of care and execution always meets all expectations!

Winter snow crab and artichoke gratin - a very homely dish , sweet crab and cheese gratin and then you are left with lovely artichoke petals to scrape your teeth into , it’s been a long time since I have had that opportunity as Artichoke is not seen often in the region .

Japanese winter turnip, 36 months aged Parma ham, and grilled Hokki clam - First bite was actually this trio which was served whole and also turned into a sauce and a consommé ( inspired by Chinese double boiled soups ) , a terrific winter welcome .

Poached Oyster, celeriac, spinach, Oscietra caviar sauce - the sauce did the heavy lifting here , decidedly salty it actually made the Hokkaido oyster taste sweet . A terrific balance .

House-made fresh pasta with “Aonori” sauce topped with premium Hokkaido uni- Aonori is a Japanese seaweed and it’s delightfully herbaceous, it stole the show more so than the uni .

Pan-seared fresh Brittany blue-lobster
with pied blue mushroom, “Tubu clam” Japanese whelk, and “Gobo” burdock- had this dish in December and was glad to see it again , the sauce which is a blend of the four key ingredients is a tour de force .

Charcoal grilled pigeon from Breese, France (medium rare) with leek, black truffle, horseradish, lemon confit

Gorgeous meaty pigeon , with simple garnish , a very satisfying course .

Japanese white strawberry with pistachio cream pistachio sable, white meringue- Simple and satisfying pre dessert served with Ruinart Rose , the dish and the champagnw both tasted incredibly similar .

Chocolate crêpe soufflé, with Tasmania cherry jam,
Tonka beans flavored ice cream- this is a terrific dessert , none of the elements over power each other , an always striking finale. Less

Feng Wei Ju doesn’t get the hype of its fellow Michelin 2 and 3 star venues in Macau . It’s infinitely more rustic and you can drop in for a very casual meal that will barely scrape your wallet . But the skill and execution of the “basics “ is peerless .

Perfectly yielding pork belly on a bed of preserved vegetables and dried chilli which constantly has you reaching for more .

Pan fried pork dumplings in Beijing style , the dumpling dough is hearty , the filling juicy but keeps its shape and delivers texture .

Steamed spotted grouper rests above an egg white and tofu custard , with pickled mustard greens . The custard is edible velvet .

Had to finish with a guilty pleasure , deep fried banana with toffee glaze . Impossible not to order . Less

Absolutely blown away by the savoury crescendo of an excellent September menu @yimorpheusmacau by @wong_angelo

Wagyu beef on tasting menus can be a bit tiresome but this was on a sky high level . The beef is treated in the char Siu fashion and the glaze matches beautifully with the fattiness of the protein , red rock rice (braised and crispy) along with preserved radish brings great texture . This dish was all pleasure .

The menu started a little slowly but delightfully continued to build .
Up first was generous Hokkaido snow crab buried beneath a quarter of eggs ( Filipino crab roe , caviar , egg white spheres , egg yolk dressing ) . Dispersing the caviar through the dish made this very satisfying but would have loved a drop or two of acid .

Double boiled soup always gets a guernsey on the Yi menus , this time fish maw and velvet mushrooms are the star and I kept my 💯 record of burning my mouth on this soup intact .

Red grouper was steamed on fig leaf alongside lily bulbs and chanterelles. The fig flavour was noticeable but I did miss the excellent sauces and oils that grouper is usually paired with here .

The menu sprung into life on the following dish , an absolutely perfectly fried langoustine with zucchini flower and a shrimp/ red pepper sauce . The technique here really paid dividends .

Australian abalone was baked with Macanese curry sauce which was a terrific nod to the local cuisine . This is rarely done by the high end restaurants here and this was a great tribute .

The signature Zhongshan 23 day old pigeon was a delicious mess as usual , love the lemongrass flavour on this dish .

Prior to the standout Wagyu dish was an excellent creative creation. Tomato was stuffed with corn and quinoa and served with a chicken and beetroot glaze . The dish was gorgeous to look at and very comforting to eat .

Dessert was also a hit with a gigantic peach Mochi complimented by an aloe Vera and oolong tea sauce .

After three visits in 2023, this was a long overdue visit to Yi in 2024, definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Macau . Less

Protein forward dishes with few garnishes , focusing on quality of product and excellence of execution . Nowhere to hide with the winter menu from @uweo at @restaurant_petrus !

Black Truffle / Frog Leg / Snail - A lovely starter that looks richer than it is on the palate with the celeriac and cauliflower puree providing a nice blank canvas for the pond of snails and frog .

Maison Kaviari / Initial Egg / Cauliflower - Egg and eggs , fine dining comfort food .

King Crab Norway / Thermidor / Croissant - Crab encased in croissant dough , do feel the crab gets a little lost in there ..

Langoustine Norway / Swiss Chard / Crustacean just - disarmingly straight forward , beautifully cooked .

King Crab Norway / Crab Leg / Seaweed butter - the butter melts in front of your eyes , the crab leg is saline sweet perfection .

Sika Deer Rhug Estate / Loin / Juniper Berry- the venison loin is as prescribed , but the cabbage garnish may steal the show .

Duck/ Plum / Lavender Sauce - best dish of the night , the duck breast is cooked brilliantly , the duck legs are stuffed and rolled in cabbage and the plum and sauce provide a luxurious contrast

Chestnut Tart / Mandarin / Meringue - love chestnut flavours and the brown butter tart shell was outstanding. Less