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2016-08-10
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Just to find the place is already a challenge even for the locals, so the fact that Fa Zu Jie is still operating says something about the level of cooking among the fiercely competitive dining scene in HK. A starter of drunken octopus and scallop carpaccio with pickled ginger and fig was a hit and miss: while I enjoyed the sweetness of the scallop and applaud the thickenss of the carpaccio, the octopus was too chewy for my liking. Next was salmon on puff pastry - this was excellent, easily the
A starter of drunken octopus and scallop carpaccio with pickled ginger and fig was a hit and miss: while I enjoyed the sweetness of the scallop and applaud the thickenss of the carpaccio, the octopus was too chewy for my liking. Next was salmon on puff pastry - this was excellent, easily the best dish of the evening. The salmon was tender and moist, just cooked enough and paired well with the crunchy pastry that supported not only the texture but also the taste. Lobster in a bisque stock with sticky riceball and double-boiled milk was mediocre, while the slow braised pork belly wasn't as hearty as the traditional Chinese variety and the fat was overwhelming. Most disappointing was the roasted prime rib - the meat came out pink and the texture was very chewy - my experience with short rib was the best when it was slow cooked for many hours until the meat is tender and falls off the bone at the slightest touch. This cut of meat is never going to compete with a proper rib-eye or filet, so why don't put in the time and do it properly? Lastly the cheese course upon my request as a substitute for dessert - it's one thing to accommodate clients and go out of one's usual foraging range for which I am very grateful, it's quite another to not know the name of the cheese from waiter to manager to chef using the sole excuse of having already disposed of the packaging from CitySuper.
It is called Fa Zu Jie for a reason - it is not quite Shanghai and it sure is a long, long way from France. The ideal result of combining these two great culinary tradition might be a beautiful offspring that none could rival, let's wish the team some good luck in pursuit of that.
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