Peter Verey

My 10th visit to @ottoemezzobombana_macau , why ?

The food in the hands of @riccardolaperna is extremely thoughtful.
At times classical , at times ingenious , but primarily very clean and unpretentious. It’s the type of confident cooking that you can have again and again .

The service is second to none and oscillates between relaxed banter and professionalism. At some restaurants there are 1 or 2 such quality service professionals but at Bombana , you are having a good time no matter who you are interacting with . The whole team is terrific . On this occasion thanks to @urnotchloechen for being our primary host and sharing Shanghai coffee gems, and general food, wine and coffee wisdom .

Dish of the night was an unexpected special from the kitchen . A vibrant and comforting asparagus risotto , the rice was spot on al dente , paired with creamy asparagus that was neither too creamy or starchy but somehow velvety. The smoked ham gave a perfect emphasis .

A quality starter was Wagyu shoulder tataki , paired with batons of white asparagus , carrot and zucchini brunoise , Parmesan crisp , black truffle , beef jus . The jus had great depth of flavour but remained very light .

At some point Chef Riccardo tapped me on the shoulder and suggested a small bowl of Tagliatelle Bolognese , it is a suggestion that is not likely to be met with a refusal . Whilst bolognese is not on the menu , it is apparently usually available as an unofficial kids menu option , but there is nothing childish about it. A terrific ragu is jam packed with umami flavour and served atop excellent egg tagliatelle.

Blue lobster was served with vegetable brunoise , a fistful of black truffle , and a water free lobster consommé. Confident assured dish .

After the world’s best pre dessert ( IYKYK), a pistachio millefeuille balanced with preserved lemon was a lovely end to a terrific meal .

Can’t wait to return for many more visits …. Less

My 4th visit to @ta_vie_hk and the first one that didn’t occur in winter , loved the entree into spring flavours and I think this is my favourite menu here so far .

Dish of the night was a 20/20 stunner . Steamed abalone , Guinea fowl and Yunnan morel mushroom were combined with a consommé from the 3 ingredients. This was incredibly clean and flavourful, the broth had a delicious roasted quality but was certainly more broth than jus yet still packed a punch . The morel stuffed with Guinea fowl farce was terrific .

Prior to this the meal kicked off with a very Mediterranean preparation of Hotaru squid and padrón pepper with tabouli salad chorizo, fresh lemon zest. Nice bright start !

Japanese cockle and white asparagus, were served whole and in sauce form , nicely amplifying the flavours .

A signature dish of House-made pasta
with deep-fried Sakura shrimp from Shizuoka and Spring cabbage. Sweet and soulful .

Poached Oyster from nagasaki with soft shell made from celeriac and a Oscietra caviar butter sauce. There is no doubt this dish is prepared to highlight the RSRV Blanc de Blanc and it’s a flawless pairing .

Charcoal grilled pigeon from Bresse, France (medium rare) with leek, black truffle, horseradish, sesame oil, lemon confit, had this dish 6 weeks ago and it didn’t blow me away , but somehow this is now a highlight . The cuisson of the pigeon is terrific , the charcoal flavours well balanced by the condiments and garnishes .

Japanese white strawberry with pistachio cream pistachio sable, white meringue is a nice palate freshener and once again a great pairing with Ruinart rose .

Chocolate crêpe soufflé, with black cherry jam,
Tonka beans flavored ice cream is always a great way to finish the meal here , rich but portion size keeps you feeling comfortable. Less

Caprice is one of Hong Kong’s best international restaurants and well deserves all its accolades , but no matter how well regarded a restaurant is from time to time a menu just doesn’t mesh with your individual palate . Sadly for me this was the case this week, the dishes were visually appealing and there was just one dish I disliked but the overall menu composition was too sweet , With the last few savoury courses and dessert all leaning heavily on sugar .
Nonetheless I plan to return next month and as Caprice has a quartet of differing tasting menus , I’m 💯 sure that the next one will blow me away .

First dish is a great start , Alaskan king crab with crustacean jelly , oysters and Kaviari caviar - this dish really leans into the fresh flavour of the crab and its balance with the caviar . With Robuchon and Ducasse also having iconic starters which use basically the same ingredients, this one certainly meets their level .

A haddock panna cotta with cold potato , daikon and pike petrossian caviar followed , this dish did not hit for me . The panna cotta carried little flavour , the cold potato texture was not appealing and the pike caviar overpowered everything including the matching wine .

Beautiful Norwegian langoustine and a chanterelles tart were delicious , the lemongrass sauce seemed out of place to me , a classic beurre Blanc would have been more successful.

A knuckle of Brittany lobster was paired with roast beet glazed in chocolate , a quenelle of lobster coral and a ruby sauce made of lobster shells , beetroot and raspberry . This dish amplified the sweet notes and I was crying out for some savoury moments .

Roast duck was thinly sliced and beautifully presented alongside carrots , citrus fruits and Sauternes& honey sauce . Also paired with Chateau d’ Yquem which was incredibly generous , but by this stage this was too much of a sweet thing .

Cheese platter followed which was very well curated but I would have preferred to see the available options rather than have a selection brought to me.

Roasted peach from Corsica with a honey oat crumble and white peach sorbet was a refreshing and yes very sweet finale . Less

Business lunch is a good introduction to Lai Ching Heen , flagship Michelin ⭐️ ⭐️ at the Regent .
I haven’t been inside this hotel since I stayed here in 2003 and it has had a very impressive makeover . Lai Ching Heen is located on the ground floor with a great view across the harbour .
High standard of Cantonese cuisine and service is a notch or two above what you usually encounter in Cantonese restaurants in HK.

Chilled South African Fresh Abalone and Jelly Fish

Tender abalone with jelly fish and a cider vinegar jelly . Good start ..

Steamed Crabmeat Dumpling with Assorted Vegetables
Steamed Lobster and Sea Urchin Dumpling with Sarcodon Aspratus Mushroom
Steamed Scallop Dumpling with Homemade XO Chili Sauce

Excellent trio of dumplings , loved the scallop with XO the most .

Double-boiled Sea Cucumber with Russula Mushroom and Conpoy in Supreme Soup- prefer sea cucumber to be soft and giving rather than crunchy but some quality conpoy really stole the show here .

Braised Fish Maw and Tofu Sachets with Seafood in Oyster Jus- this was outstanding , great texture on the fish maw , thick but balanced sauce and tofu stuffed with seafood farce , resembling a softened wonton . Delicious and memorable !

Wok-fried Kagoshima Wagyu and Assorted Mushrooms with Homemade XO Chili Sauce- have had many versions of this dish and here the larger sized cubes of Wagyu really played a significant role . This allowed more beef fat to release on the palate and the interplay of the fat with the XO really made it sing . A new standard for this dish .

Fried Rice with Diced Roasted Duck, Chicken, Crabmeat, Conpoy, Mushroom and Bamboo Shoot
Wrapped in Lotus Leaf- protein ingredients weren’t really all that discernible but not grumbling about fried rice !
Double-boiled Sweetened Dried Lungan Soup with Japanese Ginkgo Nuts and Peach Gum- still have t found a redeeming feature for ginkgo nuts ..

Baked Egg Tartlette with Gum Tragacanth Less

Yakitori is always a fun time and enjoyed the slick and friendly vibe at Yakitori Ichimatsu in Osaka . The menu doesn’t dig too deep into the “stranger things “ and plays a pretty straight bar with the main cuts . Loved both versions of Tsukune , and the chicken wing tasted as spectacular as it looked .

Ricotta cheese with chicken soup
Chicken breast with wasabi
Chicken shoulder
Quail egg
Chicken prosciutto
Chicken wing
Shine muscat
Chicken pate sando
Smoked pumpkin soup
Tsukune with charcoal and 5 spice powder
Chicken neck
Chicken thigh and breast in ponzu
Chicken gizzard
Japanese omelette
Duck breast with sancho pepper sauce
Chicken heart
Tsukune
Chicken rice Less

Back at @restaurant_petrus for another dose of @uweo ‘s clean modern classical cuisine . Complimented by one of the best by the glass wine lists in town , it’s a great venue to revisit again and again ….

Mackerel from Fukuoka was lightly cured and paired with a herbaceous cucumber jelly , zucchini stuffed with mascarpone and a light Parmesan foam .

Foie gras was melded into the shape of Dekapon and the sphere was stuffed with a perfect amount of Dekapon jam. Heston Blumenthal made this presentation famous , but for me this version was superior , the “fruit” both appeared more life like and the flavour was lighter and cleaner .

Lobster medallions and lobster ravioli were matched with a Vin Jaune sauce and a duo of caviar / fish roe , the lobster was terrific , the sauce and caviar perhaps a little high in salt . The young green peas that floated in the sauce added some sweetness.

Pork Belly from Spain was crisp and yielding , with the classical pairing of apple , mashed potato and also Celtuce . Great comfort food dish very well executed .

A strawberry sponge dessert was certainly not simple . The sponge was bruleed , crusted with pistachios and stuffed with both strawberry cream and jam . On top a quenelle of terrific strawberry ice cream , love the texture of fine dining ice cream so much softer than even the best ice cream shops . Less

First time having Italian-Japanese in Japan and this became one of my favourite meals of the trip . Dishes had tremendous balance and creativity and also some Peruvian elements added which further built on a very individual menu from Chef Ken Sakamoto .

Kicking off with Japanese prosciutto served with a dosa flavoured with cardamon and turmeric and filled with an eggplant cream certainly alerted you that this meal would be different. This was a terrific start .

A tartare of Katsuo with cucumber, almond and raspberry had great harmony , I really enjoy raspberry as the acidic element in crudo dishes.

A savoury trio of bites followed , with Hamo, pressed tofu and cucumber serving as the primary ingredients .

Quinoa , cashew nuts , black rice made up a soothing mixed grains dish .

Well set Beef was almost standing proudly by itself , the minimalist accompaniments were a celeriac fondant and brown rice vinegar relish

Pasta course was delicious , asparagus and grilled sea whelk complimented by a Huacatay sauce which perfectly coated the Taglioni

Porcini Mushroon risotto was lifted with a touch of Mikan .

Desserts hit the mark , firstly jasmine and peach which is certainly the combination of the moment/season .

Then a base of rice pudding littered with interesting textures of Amazo Less

After a week in Japan still had bandwidth for more Japanese kappo cuisine upon returning home . An enjoyable meal if somewhat flawed. Perhaps it just suffered in comparison to the Tokyo dining junket , but on the whole the ingredients didn’t quite sing to the same extent .

Cauliflower, Ancient Cheese, Firefly Squid, Black Truffle- cauliflower and rice were combined into a congee and paired with truffle , the squid which was mashed and had a certain funk seasoned the dish .

Bonito sashimi with garlic scape sauce - one of my favourite fish but this was not outstanding.

Red Sea Bream, Hairy Crab, Green Princess Onion- my favourite dish of the night , the bream collar was used for the flesh and nested atop a loose ball of picked crab meat , the broth from the sea bream bones completed a terrific dish .

Maguro and Uni hand roll - nothing wrong with a crowd pleaser .

Miyazaki Wagyu Beef, Japanese Baby Leaf, Spring New Potato, Grain Mustard - very European , the potato was paired with young leek into what was basically a Colcannon . The Wagyu tenderloin was slow grilled for over an hour but was just okay .

Mozuku Sea Moss, Ark shell clam , Fresh Urchin,
Baby Cucumber, Micro Tomato in Tomato water - fun presentation but ingredients didn’t really mesh for me .

Belt Fish, stuffed with Carrot, Yam, Shiso Leaf, Salted Plum sauce - very interesting Tempura, almost a Tempura Wellington but didn’t love the textures here .

SAKURA Trout, Usui beans, SAKURA Flower
Pickles, Miso Soup- lovely rice dish

Sancho pepper ice cream - great flavour but ice cream was icy .

Uguisu Mochi Less

La Cime really surprised me in the best way , more subtle than I am usually drawn to , the dishes and the menu really grew on me , this was a very serious adult menu which clearly had a lot of thought injected into it .
The other obstacle to my personal preferences is that the courses here are broken up into 2-3 presentations in the style popularised by Yannick Alleno , and that is something I have never enjoyed , however this once again largely proved no impediment to enjoyment .

Squid sashimi with , kumquat , herbs , along with squid and fish sauce cold broth was one of the 5 amuses bouches but could have easily been a signature course . Squid was shaved as thin as lardo and simply garnished with gorgeous fresh herbs.

Bonito with bonito and watercress jelly, shiso flower and a watercress bozushi - this is one where the quality of the watercress really shined.

Deep fried Ayu with nasturtium cream and knotweed - classic

Broad bean , green peas and Edamame tofu with green bean tempura - highlighting an array of beans this was a great vegan course

Asparagus and spot prawn , asparagus and pomelo jelly , asparagus tart - only the asparagus tart really sang with asparagus . This highlights my pet peeve of the 3 preparation for 1 course style as it’s hard to come up with 3 great dishes when you automatically compare and contrast each one to the other .

Scallop gnocchi , with sake lees beurre Blanc and sea grapes - classic French

Grouper from Nagasaki with wild spinach , taco shell made from fish bone and seaweed, filled with passion fruit and dill - loved the taco here , ingenious.

Turnip filled with duck confit , turnip broth - turnip was essentially transformed into bao dough , this had great deep flavour .

Wagyu from Kumamoto with a variety of vegetable puree , the beef was brilliantly cooked , almost gave NYC smoked brisket vibes , loved this .

Rice cream and jasmine flower ice cream

Peach ravioli with rose sauce , peach and almond cobbler . Both desserts played to familiar and classic flavours very well Less

With a slew of Beijing and Sichuan style dishes to choose from , I somehow accidentally on purpose tend to order the same dishes every time I visit Golden Flower.

The must order is the golden bronze Chicken wing , sprinkled with Sichuan pepper and stuffed with birds nest . It is unctuous to eat .

The yellow croaker and fish maw soup provides a collagen hit , lightened with white pepper and spring onion .

Kung pao prawn is one handsome prawn in a deep flavoured sweet and sour sauce that has no resemblance to the fluorescent sauce from the food courts of our youth .

A stellar fried rice with minced sea cucumber , abalone and prawn ticks the box .

Always finish with the homemade yoghurt with Beijing glutinous rice pastries . As good yoghurt is not imported into Macau , this is a simple pleasure . Less