Gravlax with orange salad

Normally I do not eat raw salmon, but Gravlax is an exception.

Gravlax is a signature dish in Northern European cuisine. It refers to fresh salmon preserved in the traditional method, using heavy salt, sugar and dill to cover the salmon, and then bury it in dry sand to ferment and cure for some time.

Gravlax with orange salad
(orange is not visible in this pic!!! LOL~)

I just learnt how to make Gravlax last week. It's easy. This method helps to remove the moisture in salmon, and thus the taste of fat and oil inside the fish become prominent. The texture also changed. It becomes more delicate and soft. The dill, sugar and grated orange and lemon peels make the Gravlax tastes clean and refreshing.

Fettuccine and mushrooms in cream sauce

I cooked the mushrooms with a bit of oil only, in a way like roasting the mushrooms on the pan. And I consider this is the best way to cook mushrooms (if, on pans) because it can effectively enhance the unique fragrance of the mushrooms.

Fettuccine and mushrooms in cream sauce

In the cream sauce, I added flakes of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a dash of butter. I also intentionally made the sauce thicker so that sauce can stick to, and cover the pasta and mushrooms thoroughly.

大阪日本料理

是從小時候就訂下的情意結。那時候家裡環境不好, 記得有次經過這家名叫"大阪日本料理"的餐廳, 想吃卻沒有錢。長大了有錢就去光顧一下, 幸好它還沒有關門大吉, 而且口味正宗又好吃。以下是兩次光顧時點的食物。

先來一點溫熱的清酒。

松前漬
再來一點前菜伴酒。

醃漬生蠔
肥美的厚岸牡蠣, 以帶柚子味的酸汁稍為醃漬, 配上蔥花、辣蘿蔔蓉及青檸, 非常對味。比較諸西式吃法, 這日式醃漬法又好像腥味較少, 亦較易入口, 最合我這種好生冷腥味的人。

燒秋刀魚(前)、帶子壽司(後)
見餐牌上有當造的秋刀魚, 就立即叫一條燒的來吃。魚油豐富得在咬下去就滲出來。店家亦保留了魚內臟, 一併燒來奉客。友人不欣賞魚內臟, 就由我來幹掉它好了。魚內臟夾帶魚油、甘苦和甜味, 有種獨特的滋味。但最大的敗筆是魚內臟近魚頭處竟黏著一堆魚鱗, 怕是店家清理功夫做的不好, 再好吃亦覺得掃興。

帶子壽司則有驚喜。帶子是用上新鮮貨, 夠爽甜; 而飯糰竟搓的不錯。

合鴨煮

鯛魚粥
日式的粥煮得較稀。因下了木魚湯、昆布、魚清湯等材料, 粥底非常鮮甜。

豬肉清湯火鍋
豬肉是用上鹿兒島的黑豚。

配上醬油、辣蘿蔔蓉、蔥花 (切得太粗了)、白蘿蔔蓉。

還有大量的蔬菜和粉絲, 非常飽肚。

豚角煮
每次到居酒屋都必點的。甜和鹹平衡的剛好, 醬汁上的油脂都去得清光。豬肉上雖然帶著大片脂肪, 但不覺肥膩, 只覺添上另一層肉香。
又, 我認為豚角煮是受了中菜的東坡肉影響, 或由此演變而來。容後查證。

大阪日本料理, 尖沙咀亞士厘道14號亞士厘大廈

Café Causette

Had an afternoon tea after eating at 蓮香樓. Originally we were heading to L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, but we have been there too oftenly, so we finally selected Café Causette for our afternoon tea.

The interior. Classy and elegant.

Mixed berries cream cake.
Meltingly soft cream crust was soft as snow flakes, rich in the taste of milk, and there were refreshing mixed berries. A well-balanced combination.

Blue mountain coffee with a small piece of almond cookie.
There was a layer of aromatic crema floating on the coffee which was nicely cooked. The cookie was unexpectedly delicious! Wanted to buy a bag of it and enjoy it at home~

Earl grey tea.
Rich in the pleasant scent of bergamot.

Rasberry mousse cake

The best thing was, we met the easter bunny at the cafe and took photos with it~

Café Causette, Mandarin Oriental, 5 Connaught Road, Central, Hong Kong