As a headline event on the A50 official programme this year, @davidtlai went off ‘the list’ bringing to stage the lesser-known Korean farm-to-table @lastspring_jeju, run by the young @chef_nextk.
Their friendship goes back to the ‘Fish School’ era (circa ‘15) where Kang staged, returning briefly last October... More
As a headline event on the A50 official programme this year, @davidtlai went off ‘the list’ bringing to stage the lesser-known Korean farm-to-table @lastspring_jeju, run by the young @chef_nextk.
Their friendship goes back to the ‘Fish School’ era (circa ‘15) where Kang staged, returning briefly last October to cook at Neighborhood.
Kang is no stranger to David’s food. For this luncheon he flew 50kg worth of Jeju’s best to Neighborhood, bringing to life David’s ‘K-eighborhood’ dream.
Menu was a marriage of Hong Kong’s coastal charm, produce from Jeju’s finest farms and effortless classics served family-style on an etiquette-lessy messy table.
Rich plates, light banter. Being at Neighborhood is a reminder that food shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
David himself is a living example of this.
Dry bouillabaisse, dry as David’s humour and a classic Neighborhood opener sets the tone of the meal. Briny ocean depths meets the warm aromatic embrace of Jeju sancho oil, key to the heavens.
Next was the Korean Bo Ssam; it would be unjust not to give the prized Jeju black pig its own prime time spot. Nothing theatrical, or extravagant — just saucy fingers, mouths too busy to talk and a delicious Jeju spicy bellflower root salad.
Of all courses, giant grouper topped with a Jeju Perilla leaves chimichurri and kimchi powder takes the cake.
Warm roots and flowers salad with a Jeju tangerine dressing was similarly sensational, flirtatious aroma of truffle and oily richness of 4 years Jeju Iberico ham made a thrilling combination.
David traded his roasted kinki paella for an iconic steak and eggs @nongshimglobal ramyun, the tomato broth reminiscent of a HK-style borscht soup. He (half) jokes it would be his lifetime achievement to co-develop a ramyun flavour with Nongshim.
Fresh take on the familiar. Most visual and conceptually exciting was the Jeju kombu-coated 120 day old yellow chicken, the layer of sea green neatly intact between the skin and flesh served as an ensemble with kimchi and barley rice.
Meal came to a close with Kang’s modern-style ‘Bae Suk’, plump and sweet Jeju blueberries were made into a compote served with cooked pear and cream. Less
