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2016-09-07
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Birthdays are always the best excuse to indulge in great food. This time, we wanted to give a posh Chinese restaurant a go. I was tasked with finding one, and I set my sights on Mott 32.Mott Street was the location on which New York's Chinatown was built upon, and the historical 32 Mott Street was the epicentre of all early Chinese activity, serving as a universal postbox, grocery store and herbalist. (Unfortunately the old store was closed down after 9/11 and turned into a tacky souvenir shop,
Mott Street was the location on which New York's Chinatown was built upon, and the historical 32 Mott Street was the epicentre of all early Chinese activity, serving as a universal postbox, grocery store and herbalist. (Unfortunately the old store was closed down after 9/11 and turned into a tacky souvenir shop, but I digress). This rendition, however, is set in a much more upscale environment, in the basement of Standard Chartered building, right where millions are made and lost in the blink of an eye. The decor is decidedly modern and high-class, with reflective mirrors guiding your descent into a dining hall that is spacious and chic. Elements of old New York and Chineseness are incorporated in the form of wooden ornaments and leather seats. Nothing too pretentious, but definitely very charismatic.
We were sat at a table not far from the semi-open kitchen, where we saw chefs preparing food. In addition, we could see the glass-windowed refrigerators, inside which held a healthy stock of the bird Mott 32 is famous for - Peking Duck.
When I made a reservation, I noticed that this restaurant was run by Maximal Concepts (I found out when they recalled my phone number from a previous booking at Fish And Meat). One thing I like about their restaurants is that they are careful about sourcing ingredients, bringing the best farm to table experience for us to enjoy. This meant that we were offered a menu filled with seasonal goodies, which at the time of dining was an assortment of fungi dishes from Yunnan. Of course, their signature dishes were always on offer.Diners usually start with a cocktail here.... but we don't drink. So we drank tea, which was... ordinary.
We started with Char Siu.
BBQ Honey Roasted Iberico Pork
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We were then served soup.
Summertime is the season for winter melon (ironic, isn't it). Pureed melon was mixed with shreds of crab meat, conpoy (dried scallops) and Chinese onions. It was good. There was nothing that stood out, but every morsel was refined, resulting a refreshing appetizer.As we were finishing the last bits of pork, we heard a cart roll up. It was our Roasted Peking Duck!
It was definitely a treat watching a steaming roasted duck being prepared by a skilful member of staff before our eyes. He went on to meticulously explain how each part of the bird should be served to maximize the dining experience. For example, the skin on the duck's back was served alone for us to sample the crunchy flavourfulness. The meat and skin of the leg, however, was served together, to be put inside a Chinese pancake and eaten the traditional way.
There were even different condiments for each serving. The skin was served with brown sugar that miraculously balanced out all the oil (balance and refinement were the theme of the evening). The meat was served with garlic puree, and the duck leg was served with hoisin sauce. I think it was the best way to prepare a duck in so many ways. Our table consisted of youngsters who wanted good food with a twist, but serving it the traditional way as well meant even people who wanted an old-fashioned hearty meal could get in on the action as well.
The Boletus mushrooms were a recommendation by the waiter. I could see why as soon as it arrived. It was pan fried with soy sauce, and served on a bed of fried enokitake mushrooms. The thick cut of the mushrooms meant that the bite was immensely satisfying. We all agreed that it would be wonderful with rice. As if on cue....
Fried rice can arguably be found anywhere. But this was not an ordinary run of the mill dish. Never mind the fact that there was again crab, conpoy and also fish roe on top. The rice itself was quite simply al dente. Each grain was separate from each other, never becoming mushy.By now we were getting quite stuffed. We were quite concerned about not being able to finish the final dish when it arrived. Our doubts were soon proved to be unfounded as it was irresistible.
Mushrooms galore! This time, however, the Matsutake mushrooms would be playing second fiddle to the abalone and chicken served in a sizzing pot. One had to grumble about the fact that there were only four abalones for a table of five, but we could never fault the quality of the dish itself. The abalone was succulent and not overly chewy, and the chicken was tender yet flavourful. A mix of ginger, garlic and spring onions ensured that every bit of food inside the pot was cleared.We were too full for dessert!
When I reached for the bill, I was kind of prepared for a bombshell as I did not really pay attention to the price tag as I ordered. However, I was shocked to find that for five bloated stomachs, we were set back by less than 600 hkd a person! I have to say, Mott 32 definitely elevates the reputation of Chinese cuisine, serving solid unpretentious good food in an upscale setting. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to try interesting dishes that pay homage to their traditional roots, without breaking the bank excessively. I personally would be back, maybe to try their dim sums.
张贴
