Hash Specialty Coffee & Roasters

Upon arriving in Melbourne for our weekend away, we went for a late Friday lunch at Hash Specialty Coffee on Hardware Street. Unfortunately the famous hot chocolate with cotton candy was sold out already; the cold drip coffee was not a bad compromise.

The foie gras sliders were certainly my treat for the week. The richness of the foie was well balanced by the slaw. And it was certainly a delight for a café to cook a quail dish so perfectly. While the dishes were pricey, one’s got to spoil himself once in a while.

Details:
Hash Specialty coffee & roasters
113 Hardware Street
Melbourne
https://www.facebook.com/hashcoffeeroasters

Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)

We have made Osteria Francescana the main dining event of our honeymoon trip. We chose to stay at Bologna, which is a 45 minute train trip from the restaurant’s town of Modena.

The classic menu offers a twist to all the regional cuisine and ingredients. Every dish was a highlight but my favourites would be the “5 ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different temperatures and textures” (self-explanatory), “all the tongues in the world” (very tender veal tongue with exciting choice of sauces), and “foie gras crunch with Traditional Balsamic Vinegar” (best pre-dessert I have had).

World #3 ranking well deserved.

1. Tempura with carpione
2. An eel swimming up the Po River
3. Caesar salad in Emilia
4. Five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different temperatures and textures
5. Cotechino 365 days a year
6. Snails under the earth
7. All the tongues of the world
8. Foie gras crunch with Traditional Balsamic Vinegar from Modena
9. A potato waiting to become a truffle


Details:
Osteria Francescana
Via Stella 22
Modena, Italy
http://www.osteriafrancescana.it/

Mr Wong (Sydney)

Before going back to full-on mode at work, we had at lunch at Mr Wong with a couple of friends.

There was a large range of dim sum on offer so the meal was an up-scale yum cha at a fascinating venue (do have a tour around the underground level). Quality of food was good but not overwhelming given the price. I had much expectation on the foie gras prawn toast but the foie component seems a bit light. Prawns in the Har Gow was super fresh but maybe over seasoned – probably a way for diners to order more drinks.

Details:
Mr Wong
3 Bridge Lane
Sydney
http://merivale.com.au/mrwong

Uncorked (North Sydney)

For our pre-wedding photoshoot, we invited our photographer to dine with us at Uncorked in The Union Hotel in North Sydney.

The dining room was rather quiet on the night of dinner which was great for us to talk over the details of our wedding plans. All the dishes were consistently good – from my smoked pig cheek starter to the tender wagyu steak. My fiancé’s foie gras salad starter was also interesting. I also enjoyed chocolate terrine dessert which had the right mix of textures.

Details:
Uncorked Restaurant at The Union Hotel
Corner Pacific Hwy & West Street
North Sydney NSW 2060
http://www.unionhotel.com.au/uncorked

Jean Georges (New York)

We arranged our dinner at 3 Michelin star Jean-Georges as a way to wrap up our visit (in my case, reward for a few days of business meetings).

We went for the prix fixe menu of 4 courses. I really enjoyed my foie gras brulee with smooth foie working so well with the candied pistachios. My partner’s trout and oyster tartare was such a smart combination. Our meat courses of duck breast and lamb were beautifully presented and the meat perfectly cooked. Service was impeccable from start to finish and we thank them for a great experience.

Details:
Jean-Georges
1 Central Park West
New York
http://www.jean-georgesrestaurant.com/jean-georges/

Setsugetsuka (Kobe Japan)

At Kobe, it was only natural for us to look for a place to sample the famous Kobe beef. We chose Setsugetsuka, a 1 Michelin star teppanyaki restaurant, in the shopping district near Sannomiya.

We thoroughly enjoyed the skills displayed by the chef at the teppan, but the steak was the star. Every bite created the melt-in-your-mouth sensation. The stir fried vegetables with the remaining fat was brilliant with rice. Foie gras teppanyaki is also worth a try – but do order an extra serve of beef if you have room!

Details:
Kobe Setsugetsuka
神戸牛ステーキ 鉄板焼雪月花
４丁目-８−１９
Kanocho
KobeChuo Ward
Hyogo Prefecture 650-0001
Japan
http://www.kobe-setsugetsuka.com/

Cuisine M! (Taipei)

During the Taipei visit, we were recommended by Cuisine M for a Japanese meal. The restaurant, situated at the ground floor of a bank’s office building, had a rather dark dining room which gave diners as sense of privacy – perfect for a business lunch.

For less than TW$3,000, we had a full Japanese banquet with all the fresh seafood: melt in your mouth toro tuna sashimi, juicy grilled crab legs, sweetest geoduck from the hotpot. And for main course there were wagyu steak and foie gras. The variety excited our taste buds and made an excellent lunch.

Details:
Cuisine M!
台北市松智路1號1樓
1F, No.1, Songzhi Road
Xinyi District
Taipei City
www.mitsuitaipei.com.tw

Danny & Company (Taipei)

On my first night in Taipei, I was taken to Danny & Company for dinner. Prior to the visit, I didn’t realise such restaurants exist – a full French menu served in Japanese teppanyaki style.

The food was awesome with taste and presentation rivalling Michelin-starred restaurants. It was high quality from start to finish – crusty warm bread, porcini soup, seared foie gras… and the dual beef of Australian 9+ wagyu and USDA prime cap certainly lived up to the ‘king of steak’ reputation by head chef Danny Teng.

Mr Teng’s generosity in sharing his knowledge of food was a bonus. Thanks!

Details:
Danny & Company
台灣台北市四維路52巷33號
No. 33, Ln. 52, Siwei Rd
Da'an District
Taipei City, 106
http://www.dannyandcompany.com