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2009-08-20
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When I arrived here for dinner a few weeks ago, I had moderate expectations. Afterall, the BLT series ranging from Seafoods to Steaks & Burgers together with chef Laurent Touroudel are well renowned - a proven formula with many global fans, plus I've previously had a pre-dinner Happy Hour drink here and already pre-scanned the menu thoroughly as precaution. Charcoal Grilling, Steak, Burgers, Wine. Exactly what a man or a Tyrannosaurus Rex need to satisfy the carnivorous genes within us once ev
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Gruyere Pop Overs (FREE) -
These were pretty good and cheesy with apparent French roots, they became better still when smothered with Indian butter (Hindu? lol) and sprinkled with grinded sea salt. Its Albert Einstein's interpretation of a French Gougère, a savoury Cheesy Choux Pastry with an atomic mushroomy shaped top. Addictive and not easy to bake perfectly, but slightly too filling.
8.5/10
Salmon with Herb Oil and Pine Nuts hor d'oeuvre (FREE) -
I know BLT does a pretty good Tuna Tartar but since this was served on the house and its raw too..... this would do, and I like pinenuts. I didn't think the raw and powerful ungrinded Fennel seeds work with un-cooked salmon nor the herbal/slight acidic dressing, may be its just personal - cooked is another matter.
5.5/10
Roasted Bone Marrow with Sweetened Tomato Relish (DAILY SPECIALS MENU) -
This was quite 'cowy' and barnyardy in taste and still quite raw, semi-translucent and gelatinous correctly, which is completely different to how Cantonese cuisine treats this usually low temperature melting fat. From my previous experience bone marrows often adorn a dish together with Beef on the same plate, especially when it comes to Steakhouses and French cuisine. In this instance, it was served 'readily spreadable' by scooping out the runny marrow from the bone cavity onto the eggy Brioche toasts, the Thyme and Rosemary making positive contributions to the flavour complexity! The tomato relish was sweetish and it works well with the biggish salt grains. It all complemented the marrows provided you have a deft hand. Loved gnawing on the marrow bones too afterwards with its unique flavour.
8.5/10
Charcoal Grilled Aged USDA Certified Angus Striploin - Bearnaise Sauce and Horseradish Cream -
The only Main Course and ordered to be shared. This was mid $3X0's from memory and approximately 1.5 inches thick. I want to make it clear in case we do not understand the 'wordings' and jargons behind the scene at BLT, which might mislead the customers in future because it nearly caught me out - the beef provided at Bistro Laurent Tourondel in Hong Kong isn't actually the best available on the market.
For one thing - they're 'not properly Aged' inspite of the menu printing otherwise. I'm not sure why but recently I discovered that American steakhouses & businesses advertise their beef as being Aged when its only Wet Aged in Cryovac Packing like 冰鮮肉 for 21-28 days. In Australia as a comparison, Aged = Dry Aged and is popular in most steak houses, perhaps because Aussie beef in the Aussie market is leaner (unless its export quality Aussie beef). Wet Aging might help with tenderising the meat slightly over time but its unremotely close to as effective as the cumbersome process of properly Dry Aging & Hanging a primal cut in a dedicated cool room. In this process, endogenous enzymes within help break down connective issues 1stly, and 2ndly the moisture loss in Dry Aging compacts the beef flavours to give it that highly desired 'matured' flavour with a more beefy and nuttier taste profile (think Beef Jerky!). I only mentioned this because I think it does make a detectable difference, although on a personal level I don't mind whether its fresh, wet-aged or dry-aged, they all have their own advantages - AS LONG AS ITS ADVERTISED CORRECTLY WITHOUT BEING AMBIGUOUS TO THE PAYING CUSTOMER.
2ndly, BLT doesn't actually sell to us Prime or Super-Prime grade Angus Beef, the more expensive beef type. This is mis-advertised in the press in Hong Kong everywhere but that doesn't make the media right. Its actually & only USDA Certified Angus without the USDA 'separate' approved grading that carries the 'Prime' tag. All its saying is, its guaranteed Angus genetics, but its not guaranteed in terms of marbling scores or meat tenderness or a good meat colour. Although Certified Angus carcasses and muscle cuts alone doesn't mean certain cows wouldn't past the 'USDA Prime' test if it was even submitted for testing and costing the supplier/buyer more money and efforts - plus Laurent Toroundel might have or might not have requested privately and then trusted his farm sources with 'beefing' them up with grains and marbling...... In my opinion this could prove debatable or even wishful thinking because my piece of Beef Striploin tonight clearly lacked tenderness, the desired 霜降 inter-laced marbling as well as meat flavour. Very disappointing. It did come with a very chewy piece of skin fat that was difficult to cut through along the top of the Striploin/Porterhouse as well as end bits of bigger fat pieces.
And not only was meat and fat flavour missing but we were even more disappointed that the Medium Rare beef was cold in the centre, not even warm, despite the serving in pre-warmed Le Creuset cast iron dishware - the centre pool of fresh cold blood almost resembling internal-haematoma. Each bite was a contrast between a hot external crust with a completely cold centre, its like eating 'warm' Japanese Beef Tataki.
The positive is that the Charcoal Griller really did impart a highly sought after Charcoal Oil smoke flavour onto the beef's surface. The Bearnaise sauce however was slightly too watery without must Eggy and herbal taste desires, especially lacking the Tarragon character. The Horseradish cream was too weak and also didn't have a desired punchy sour/chilli flavour, it was really very watery rather than slightly 'chunky' with real horseradish bits.
I actually got bored typing this paragraph but someone needed to voice it once and for all. You could imagine how bored I was eating this piece of cold slightly chewy beef without beef flavour and bad sauces, whilst having trouble cutting through the top sinewy strip of skin-fat.
6.0/10
Fried Onion Rings -
A complete joke. This looked really nice with about half-an-onion sliced beautifully and stacked on top of each other like Hula Loops. Presentation its beautiful, but each bite was filled with so much oil and nearly no taste of any onion whatsoever. You couldn't possibly imagine how much oil was absorbed into each onione ring..... it was like a sponge, and it boosted the palm oil prices on the market the next day! I don't know how to prove it to you, except I can explain that I couldn't finish them. You get better quality Onion Rings at Neway and Red Box Karaoke, minus the deceptive presentation!
4.0/10
Brussel Sprouts with Chestnut and Bacon -
This was returned to the restaurant when I discreetly whispered to the staff without making a scene that this was abnormally sweet, unbearably so. The Chestnuts were meant to be coated with honey slightly in theory, but each bite of the Bacon cubes or Brussel Sprouts (in season) was another damningly sweet experience. Nothing wrong with the idea, only the wrong proportions in seasoning.
To the 'initial' credit of the restaurant, they were 'initially' happy to offer us another side dish or dessert and this offer was already taken up with a preference for the signature Souffle crepe, the above Chinese staff even trying to be more helpful than imaginable in this aspect as I think they know they stuffed up majorly after GourmetKC's rueful experience prior. But the damage was done. And I repetitively said 'initially' because a certain terminally uncool manager grade person was so unwilling to compromise, he decided to over-ride then cancelled the promised dessert deal again! NOTE THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO PAY FOR THE SIDE DISH BUT HAVE IT SUBSTITUTED WITH DESSERT INSTEAD , after their stuff up and since the already tepid steak was hurriedly finished in time before the side dish issue was possible to be raised..... Although the Souffle dessert was slightly more expensive by around $20? Fine, fair enough. But know what is a good gesture? Anyway decided to cancel this on the bill afterwards.
OVERALL - I don't know if BLT Steak (Not the better BLT Prime) in the US is like this but my experience at BLT HK was slightly dissappointing. The wine bottle prices are also ridiculous despite a good world selection. Some of the prices are jacked-up in the vincinity of $450 percent. (Eg. A HKD 90 wine sold at mid 400's, HKD 250 sold at $1000.)
First and foremost, BLT need to fix their cold steaks and the very hard to cut fat strip issue. Otherwise, it might just as well consider regaining consumer confidence and receive more positive appraisal, by switching to selling Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches instead. At least they can't stuff that up, or could they?
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張貼
