A Special Dinner at Namu Gaji

David Lee was very kind to arrange for us and two friends a special dinner at Namu Gaji, the well regarded and popular restaurant run by him and his two brothers. (Namu Gaji is known for its “New Korean American cuisine”, of which the spirit and backbone is Korean; the technique and presentation Korean, Japanese and western, often with a creative twist.)

Our dinner started with an amuse–bouche, a creamy soft tofu topped with nori, jako (small dried fish) and sesame.  The crunchy topping enhanced the dish with a savory flavor and a contrasting texture.  It did a perfect job to whet our appetite.

The first course was “toro, oyster, shiro dashi, pickled mustard”.  White truffle slices graced an oyster and two cubes of toro.  Dashi (dipping sauce) was poured tableside.  It was a delicious bowl of luxury.  David suggested a bottle of Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Sur Lie – Luneau-Papin “Domaine Pierre de La Grange” Vieilles Vignes 2010 – which paired perfectly with the seafood.

The second course was a refreshing “beet, avocado, watermelon radish” –  roasted red beets in small cubes, slices and chunks, arranged with ripe avocado wedges, paper thin watermelon radish slices and micro-greens.  It was a delightful salad to prepare us for what to come.

Next came the second amuse-bouche: a fried egg dressed with uni butter, pancetta and mushroom.  The rich sauce had a hint of sweetness that suggested white miso.  It was particularly satisfying when mixed with the runny yolk.  I wished that there were some bread to mop up the plate.    

 

The third course was “shiitake mushroom dumpling” with nori.  Two dumplings with sauce was a simple and yet flavorful dish.   

The fourth course was “crab risotto, preserved lemon, white truffle”.  Chef Michael shaved tableside white truffle from Alba all over the rice.  The earthy perfume was intoxicating.

David surprised us with bowls of makgeolli (Korean rice wine) for the table.  During our conversation before dinner, I casually mentioned drinking home-brewed makgeolli in Osaka.  It happened that the chef had a private bottle in the back.  That’s genuine hospitability. 

The last course on the menu was “bap sang: kanpachi, dashi butter, pickled vegetable, dry aged rib eye, grilled bamboo shoot”.  Bap sang is a traditional Korean individual table setting with rice and side dishes served at the same time.  In our case, it was a bowl of premium Kushihikari rice with elaborate side dishes consisting of kimchee, bean sprouts, a clear soup, grilled fish and beef.  Kanpachi (young yellowtail) is one of my favorite fish.  The chef was thoughtful to serve kama (fish collar) to the men and fish belly to the women.  Each also had two pieces from the back of the fish.  I enjoyed in particular the succulent meat hidden behind the bone of the fish kama.  My back pieces were cooked on the outside and raw in the center; the meat was soft and tender.  The two chunks of rare dry aged New York steak were perfectly cooked.  The bap sang was easily a meal by itself. 

Dessert was not listed on our menu.  It looked like a thin slice of pastry topped with shredded coconut and green tea powder.  When I took a bite, it melted slowly to reveal whole black soy beans that came from the restaurant’s own farm.   Different textures and flavors exploded in my mouth.  I went for another bite, and another, until it was all gone.

We ended the meal with a pot of fragrant and soothing lavender tea.

The food far exceeded our expectations.  The service was warm and impeccable.  Most of all, the hospitability of our host made it a truly unforgettable dinner. 

More Pork Belly!

We went on our annual Winterlicious visit to Pangaea and was surprised to see Pork Belly on the lunch menu.  How could I resist!  I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't try pork belly made at Pangaea at Winterlicious prices! 

It turned out to be an excellent choice - superbly done with just the right amount of melt-in-your-mouth fat, and the meat tender.  I don't recall trying pork belly done this way - it must have been braised, then sliced, then seared on both sides to reduce the fat and make it crisp.  It was done to perfection.  The grilled quail appetizer was just right too but clearly overshadowed by the pork belly.  (sigh!)

What I love about Pangaea - it's always consistent and never disappoints!

Pork belly with rapini, wild mushrooms, onions and sweet potatoes - great combination

The quail sitting on a bed of crispy potato salad and wild mushrooms

Pecan tart - the best!

Flourless chocolate cake - I swear I could taste the liquor in it!

Cinnamon Panna Cotta - ginger molasses cake

Ryozanpaku 京·百万遍 梁山泊

One of our favorite restaurants in Kyoto is Ryozanpaku (梁山泊).  

I was intrigued when I read about Ryozanpaku in magazines years ago.  The name suggested a Chinese restaurant for Ryozanpaku was where the characters of Shuihu Zhuan (水滸伝, one of China's Four Great Classic Novels, commonly known in English as "The Water Margin" or "All Men Are Brothers") lived.  I was surprised that the food was Kyo-ryori (京料理), the elegant Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine. 

Owner/chef Hashimoto Kenichi-san (橋本憲一さん), with his desire for his guests to eat and drink with great pleasure and abandon, named his restaurant Ryozanpaku as the characters in the novel lived a lifestyle of “eat, drink and be merry” with “big bowls of wine and big plates of meat (大杯酒, 大塊肉)”. 

Every morning Hashimoto-san goes to the Kyoto Wholesale Market (Kyoto’s counterpart of Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market) for the best seasonal fish and vegetables that his kitchen turns into impeccable dishes.

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Ryozanpaku is in an extraordinary traditional Japanese house.  One walks through the wooden gate along a stone path in the small garden to its front door.  Immediately one is greeted by the kimono-clad Okami (女將, the Mistress of the restaurant) with a smile.  Beyond the foyer is the large front room with an exquisite hand-crafted oversized square wood table.  On the right is the open kitchen with a counter for customers.  Hanging above the counter is a long hand-written menu.  On the left are cabinets with displays, and the steps to an elevated level of zashiki (tatami rooms).  The floor of the front room is laid with flat stones and the ceiling is covered with latticed woodwork.  The tatami rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated in the traditional manner, each with tokonoma (alcove) that displays an ikebana arrangement and a scroll of painting.    At day time one can enjoy a lavish view of the garden. 

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 Here are some examples of the food we had at Ryozanpaku.

Sakizuke (先附) – Appetizers of chaburinamako (茶ぶり生子, sea cucumber shaken in tea),

 takenoko (筍 木芽和, bamboo shoot), kazunoko (数の子, herring roe)

 Osuimono (お吸いキの) – Clear soup with ebi, tofu and nama yuba maki

 Mukozuke (向附) -- sashimi (お造り) of sea trout, saroyi (針魚), kawahagi (皮剥),  

okoze (虎魚,scorpion fish), mongou ika (紋甲いか, cuttlefish);

Condiments of matcha-shio (salt with green tea powder, kimo sauce, and soy sauce

 Takimono (焚物) – Seasonal Kyoto yasai

Buri saikyouyaki (冰見鰤 西京燒, Kyoto style grilled Japanese amberjack),  

バナナ梅干わさびクリ一ム和 (banana and dried ume in wasabi cream), 

karasumi daikon (唐墨大根, dried fish roe on radish), 豆腐ス乇一ク (smoked tofu on mandarin), 

goma kon’nyaku (胡麻蒟蒻, sesame “devil’s tongue” jelly), namasu (膾, carrot and radish in vinegar)

 Yakimono (燒物) -- Awabi in kimo sauce (燒あわび)

 Gohan (御飯) – Green shiso gohan

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Ryozanpaku offers a large selection of sake as well as Champagne and Burgundy wines.  We had our first sparkling sake there a few years ago.  It was specially brewed by a sake toji (brew master) for Hashimoto-san.  Rice wine obviously could not produce bubbles like Champagne.  Nevertheless the fizzes were very pleasant.  Hashimoto-san also stocks Japanese whiskeys at the restaurant.  One evening, he paired our dinner with whiskey – Hakushu 12-y.o., Hibiki 17-y.o., and a special Hitomi 19-y.o. (a single cask of vintage 1991 by Yamazaki Distillery).   At another sumptuous meal, he shared with us a bottle of Jadot 2009 Beaune 1er Cru “150^th Anniversary Cuvee”.

    

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 Hashimoto-san is an exceptional chef, a gourmet of Japanese, Asian and European cuisines, and a connoisseur of fine Burgundies and whiskeys.  The Okami, elegant Mrs. and cheerful Miss Hashimoto, are most gracious and hospitable.  They ensure that every detail of the meal is properly attended to from the time of the guests’ arrival to their departure.  We have always enjoyed ourselves at Ryozanpaku whether we ate at the counter or in the tatami rooms.  Always the warm welcome, excellent food and drinks, impeccable service and lovely ambience; what more can we ask?

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In recent years, a number of eateries named “Ryozanpaku” have popped up in Japan, Hong Kong and the U.S.  They have nothing to do with our all-time favorite, the one and only Michelin 2-star Ryozanpaku in the Hyakumanben area of Kyoto (京·百万遍).  

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Restaurant website: 京·百万遍   梁山泊 www.ryozanpaku.net

Address: 5 Izumidono-cho Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 京都市 左京区 吉田泉殿町5

Braised Pork Trotters 紅燒元蹄

With the approach of Chinese New Year, the talk of braised whole pork trotters brought back memories of the festival in the "old country".  Typically a winter dish because of the high fat content and the relatively long cooking time, it is also a Chinese New Year dish because of the "wholeness" and the lucky symbolism of the pork trotters (supposed to bring unexpected lucky money).  Done properly, pork trotters melt in your mouth and don't taste greasy at all - which could also be a problem as you throw your cholesterol count to the wind and dig in.

My mother made the best braised pork, whether she made it with trotters or with the shoulder.  I mentioned in a previous post her recipe called for browning of the whole trotter with skin on all sides in a heavy pot, then adding the red fermented soy bean curd (南乳) with onions, anise and pepper.  The braising took a couple of hours.   By the time the pork was done, the sauce would be reduced to the right consistency, the skin and the fat would have attained an almost translucent texture that would give you that melt-in-your-mouth sensation.

One of the best braised whole pork trotters I tasted in a restaurant was again made by chef Patrick Chuang at Delicious 好清香 (see my earlier post on Pork belly buns).  We made a return visit just to try this special dish which had to be ordered in advance.  It was worth the trouble of preordering.   While the trotter was done just right, the dried vegetables on which it was served was even better.  It was tasty but not salty and it had taken in all the flavours of the braised pork.  A whole pork trotter was obviously too much for two but it tasted even better the following day so we took half home and ordered another dish just to save our arteries.

Meat Pie of Northern China

I first learnt of this tasty treat from my daughter who was studying in China as a foreign student. So, when I visited her there, I asked to try it. It was a cold winter day. She took me to an area of narrow alleys adjacent to her university, and strangely, to a small shop that sold trophys, banners, and flags. It turned out the shop owner rented out a tiny space at the front to a vendor selling meat pie. On that cold winter day, there was nothing better than standing next to the vendor's coal-burning stove and munching those meat pies.

Fast forwarding to Toronto today, it is great that this dish is now available in a number of restaurants. However, one opened up that has meat pie as its main attraction (see name and address below). Its Chinese name means "Old Mother's Meat Pie". I have been there a number of times and here are some of the items that I enjoyed: Peking Style Meat Pie, Sesame and Peanut Butter Pancake (a dessert) and Hand Made Noodle with Green Onions and Chili Sauce (a hot dish). The photo below shows the three dishes.

The hand made wide noodle is on the left. It was made with the right degree of firmness. The meat pie on the right consists of a thin pastry with a thin layer of meat stuffing. The stuffing can be beef or pork. The dessert pancake is shown at the bottom.

La Mere Restaurant

3278 Midland Ave
Scarborough, ON M1V 4W7

Midland a little north of Finch
416 297 0297

The secret behind a flaky pie crust!

It's no secret, it's science!  Take a tip from our guest blogger Helen, a former chemist -

The following are some lessons learned with my recent pumpkin pie. The most amazing part is the crust did not turn soft till the third day - when I polished off the last piece and the bottom was just starting to soften.

Here's the secret. After rolling out the dough and transferring it to the pie pan, refrigerate for 40 minutes, then freeze for 20 minutes. Bake with pie weight (I use pennies) till almost done, then add hot pumpkin filling while the crust is still hot from the oven and finish baking. (I had some angst as the pie plate is pyrex and I had to move it from freezer to hot oven)

The LONG scientific explanation is "Gluten is formed when water is added to flour. During rolling the strands of gluten get stretched and if not allowed to rest they will snap back when baked. Resting does not occur if the crust is placed immediately in the freezer after rolling as the water freezes and holds the gluten in place... Frozen crust is much flakier than refrigerated crust... Dough and fat have different heat tolerances. For frozen dough the dough heats up and starts to set relatively quickly compared to the time the frozen butter takes to melt and then vaporize. By the time the water in the butter turns to steam, the dough has started to set and hold the shape, rather than allowing the soft dough pockets to collapse and hence make the dough denser..." If you have the book Baking Illustrated from the Cook's Illustrated, a more detailed explanation is on the section on “Pies and Tarts”.

A few other tips gleaned from the book:

1.      Crisco shortening makes flakier crust, as “the oil has been hydrogenated, when hydrogen gas is pumped in to incorporate air and to raise the melting point… Crisco is 10% gas and does a good job of lightening and tenderizing”. However if hydrogenated oil is worse or as bad (healthwise) than butter, I’d prefer to use butter. But that means revamping my 15 year old tried and true pie dough recipe.

2.      “Some liquid ingredients tried included buttermilk, milk, cider vinegar, etc. and none were deemed better than water”. I have however experimented with vodka as the liquid, with the rationale being that it evaporates during baking and hence I can make the dough softer and easier to roll out.  I’ll try this the next time, as “less water means a more tender dough”.

3.      When rolling out dough, “make sure it is well chilled before rolling, and add a minimum of flour to the work surface…If the dough seems too soft to roll, it’s best to refrigerate rather than add more flour”

4.      For pumpkin or custard-like pies, “pre-bake pie crusts…make sure that both shell and filling were hot when assembling the pie, so the custard could begin to firm up almost immediately rather than soaking into the pastry…Bake on bottom shelf, where the bottom of the crust is exposed to the most intense  heat”

Enjoy your baking adventure!