Sushi of Shiori

Sushi of Shiori, Euston

As part of my big 30th birthday celebrations, one of my best friends took me out for dinner (yes I am so lucky!). We both love eating sushi, so we decided to give 'Sushi of Shiori' a go. We were blown away!

My first impression of the restaurant was that it was small, only around 15 covers. The restaurant has little in the way of decoration, it was bright and simple. There were only three staff working in the restaurant that night: a chef, a waiter (waitress?) and a kitchen porter. We sat at the counter, which allowed us to watch the chef’s every move. He is a very serious chef, he was very focused on his work, and barely talked to the other staff unless it was related to an order.

There were good selection of fish on the menu, the usual ones like salmon, tuna and prawns, as well as more exotic ones such as razor clams and sea urchin. You can have them in the form of sushi, sashimi, rolls or donburi (on top of rice). There was a small selection of sake as well.

Moving on to the food...

Razor clam sashimi - It was a work of art. The razor clam was cut into strips and carefully placed on its own shell, together with beautifully crafted cucumber, carrot and salad leaves.

Assorted sushi - Where should I start? There was tuna belly (chu toro), tuna, salmon belly, yellowtail, red snapper, squid, scallop, salmon roe, and the daily special maki. I particularly liked the mini ‘toppings’, which were tailor-made to enhance the flavour of each fish. Check out the truffle on top of the scallop! I would not have expected a £19 plate of assorted sushi to be of such a high quality. The squid with sea urchin was my favourite of the night. It was just so good...

We ordered more...

Amai ebi (sweet prawns)

Sea urchin gunkans

Grilled eel

and more...

From left to right - Mackerel, jumbo prawn, and negi toro rolls (minced tuna and spring onion)

Without doubt, the sushi at Sushi of Shiori is of a very high quality. What makes it so special is the chef’s attention to detail, and the thought that goes into every single piece of sushi. We finished our meal with a scoop of homemade sesame ice cream, planning our next visit for the omakase!

Sushi of Shiori

The Tang's Seafood Feast

October is a special month for the Tang family. My birthday, my younger brother’s birthday, and my parents’ wedding anniversary all happen to fall in the same month. Before my brother and I came to live in the UK, we used to celebrate this very special month together every year. It is a shame we cannot get together as often as we would like because of the distance, but we still try to do something special whenever possible! We were not able to celebrate together this year, but as this is the first year my little brother is living on his own, I decided to cook up a seafood feast to celebrate his birthday.

There are so many different ways of cooking seafood, but I love the Chinese way - Get the freshest ingredients from the market, then grill or cook at a high heat with aromatic seasonings. Steaming is also a brilliant way to cook seafood if you prefer to keep it light and delicate. It is not easy to get live shellfish in London, there is a good selection in some fish mongers, but the markup - in my opinion - is excessive. Luckily we have Billingsgate Market, the biggest fish market in London, where you can buy the freshest seasonal shellfish at wholesale prices. After haggling for around half an hour, we had bought - a Scottish lobster, half a dozen clams and tiger prawns, a monkfish tail, a fillet of red snapper and a grey mullet, all for £60. BARGAIN!

For the meal, I cooked four dishes using the lobster, clams, tiger prawns and grey mullet. All the shellfish were cleaned, gutted and patted dry. They were all fried at a high heat (on the shell) briefly - in Chinese we called it ‘run oil’ (過油) - then set aside before adding back to the wok towards the end of the cooking process. This is to prevent the flesh from becoming mushy when cooking with other ingredients.

Lobster in a Chinese-Western style cheese sauce. Check out the size of the claw!

Steamed huge clams with glass noodles, garlic and spring onion. Seasoned with a splash of hot oil, soy sauce and sesame oil just before serving.

Stir fried tiger prawns with red chillies, garlic, ginger and spring onion.

Grey mullet is a speciality of my hometown, Yuen Long. For a typical home cooked  meal, we would usually have a whole steamed fish, a plate of vegetables, and a meat dish. My dad used to buy grey mullet from the local market, and he still does it whenever we go back to Hong Kong. So when I saw the grey mullet in the fish market, I could not help but buy one, even though I absolutely hate gutting fish...  luckily it was not my first time, so I managed to do that quite quickly. I laid slices of fresh lemon (supposed to use pickled lemon but I did not have any) on the top and bottom of the fish, before steaming it in a wok for around 15 minutes. I then added a splash of hot oil and soy sauce just before serving. I remember that I used to mix the remaining fishy soy sauce with the rice, after all the fish was gone.

For my own birthday, I was very lucky to have a warm day in mid October, so I could enjoy a wonderful picnic in Victoria Park with my great friends. We then headed to Viajante Bar for cocktails, followed by a Vietnamese feast on Kingsland road. Turning 30 is the start of a new page of my life, and I'm sure it will only get better :)

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe, Baker Street

I still remember our first visit to Galvin Bistrot de Luxe when it was first opened in 2005 – the amazing bistro buzz, the friendly staff and the scrumptious food. It all came back to me during my second visit a week ago.  The meal was as good as I remember, if not better.

I could feel the bistro atmosphere the moment I stepped into the restaurant, I loved the round hanging lights and the dark wood décor, and the fact that we were greeted by every single member of staff we walked past. It made me feel like I was in a local Paris bistro. The people chatting, and the buzzing atmosphere were a huge contrast to the quiet Baker Street.

Moving on to the food…

Escargots à la bourguignonne - I could tell the snails had a good life and been very well fed, as they were huge! It was the first time I had seen a mountain of snails that were so consistent in size. We could not restrain ourselves from dipping the bread into the leftover garlic butter, as if it was the start of another course.

Lasagne of Dorset crab, beurre Nantais – A stack of crab meat and thinly rolled pasta was precisely placed on a plate filled with a creamy butter sauce. The lasagne itself was very light, the sauce was seasoned to perfection, it was one of the best dishes I had had in years.

Rump of Cornish lamb, pomme boulangère and puy lentils

Confit duck leg, black pudding, glazed figs and Lyonnaise salad

Slow roast ribeye of pork, braised red cabbage, prunes and Armagnac jus

The high standard of cooking continued to the main courses. The quality of the lamb was top-notch, it was extremely tender. Although I am not a big fan of lentils I managed to clear the plate :) The skin of the confit duck leg was goldenly crisp, and the meat was slow cooked in its own fat, so that only a fork was needed to separate the meat from the bone. Black pudding was a strong garnish but it was creatively balanced by the sweetness of the figs. The pork ribeye was new to me, I did not try it myself but my cousin from Hong Kong said it was delicious. What a beautiful looking dish as well.

Apple tarte tatin - We had the very same dessert on our first visit. It lived up to my memory, and more. There were shiny, syrupy caramelised chunks of apple laying on a bed of crispy puff pastry, it was heavenly. We also ordered a quince tarte to share but it was nearly demolished by my cousins after I finished taking the photo of the tarte tatin... I did manage to have a few mouthfuls, it tasted a bit like a pear and almond sponge tart, the sweet qunice came through nicely from the fluffy sponge, just as enjoyable as the tarte tartin.

The Galvin brothers have taken classic French bistro cuisine to a fine dining level by delivering excellent food and service. They have managed to keep up with the new trends and ideas by opening two new restaurants in the past five years, as well as keeping a high and consistent standard in their very first restaurant. To me, it is always the best Galvin.

Galvin Bistrot de Luxe

The Crooked Well

The Crooked Well, Camberwell

The Crooked Well is a new restaurant just off Camberwell Grove in South East London, and the latest addition to my list of favourite local restaurants. I first heard about this restaurant from a work colleague, who visited the restaurant when it first opened in June. He liked the food so much that he could not stop bugging me to try it out. His suggestion was later confirmed by food critic Jay Rayner here, so I decided to pay a visit.

We got our dinner booking for 9pm on a Saturday night, the restaurant was packed when we arrived. The actual dining area is not big, it is decorated with chic wallpaper and a modern fireplace, but food is also served in the bar area. 

We were spoiled for choice with the menu, there were seven dishes to choose from for each course, and on top of that there were one special and two sharing main dishes, not to mention the homemade ice cream and selection of cheeses! The restaurant also does a ‘Cocktail of the Day’ from the bar, the one I had was bursting with fresh blackberries.

Pork belly, tuna creme fraiche, capers and gremolata. I did not expect a cold starter, but it was a lovely surprise as the chilled fat in the thin slices of pork belly worked perfectly with the sourness from the capers and lemon from the gremolata. The tuna creme fraiche stuffing was quite subtle, the fishiness came through nicely without being overpowering.

Squid ink risotto, sauteed scallop, salsa rossa. The combination sounded lovely on the menu, however it was let down by the execution. The scallops were cooked but not caramelised on the outside, they had gone a bit mushy, a sign that they may have been cooked in a under-heated pan, and started to boil in their own juice. The risotto was overcooked, with no bite to the rice at all. Saying that, there was a big group starting their meals at a similar time to us, I could imagine how stressful the kitchen was. 

Roast venison, braised red cabbage, celeriac puree. The venison was very tender, cooked to a beautiful pink in the middle. Celeriac puree was silky smooth, it made me remember why classic combinations like this never go out of date.

Pork cutlet, olive oil mash, apple puree, gremolata and scratchings. It was definitely one of the most popular dishes that night, as I kept seeing them flying out of the kitchen. It was a generous piece of charred pork cutlet, I could see the slightly pink meat on the bone, it was delicious.

It was nearly 11pm by the time we finished our mains, and we were well fed by the hearty portions so we did not order any dessert. Although my starter was not ideal, we enjoyed our meal at The Crooked Well a lot. Judging by the standard of the other dishes we had, I am willing to believe it was a one off. I was very pleased to see such a good restaurant on my door step, I cannot wait to try out all the other exciting dishes! Probably on a Sunday afternoon so I only need one meal that day :)

The Crooked Well

Mexican munchies

I know it may sound a bit ignorant, but it is true that I had not tried proper Mexican food before. Growing up so far away from North America (Hong Kong), I had hardly any exposure to the cuisine from that part of the world. Even after living in the UK for ten years, I think I had only eaten in one of the high street chains a couple of times. When we were planning a trip to NYC, my husband suggested to me that we should try some proper Mexican food. To be honest, I was not convinced, what was so special about it? Isn’t it just some soggy tortillas covered in cheese? Let’s find out...

Barrio Chino

As you might have guessed from the name, this restaurant is not far from China Town, in the Lower East Side. I liked this place as soon as I walked in - the open dining area, the Chinese portraits hanging on the exposed brick walls, the red lanterns and the liquor filled bar, very casual yet cosy.

It was our first dinner in NYC, so we arrived at the restaurant pretty early in case the jet lag kicked in - just in time to take the last table by the window! But in case you have to wait, I heard that the trick is to go to the Ten Bells bar next door, they have one dollar oyster happy hour from four to seven most days.

We started with two refreshing drinks - a fresh grapefruit margarita and a light rum mojito.

Ceviche de camaron - cured prawns in lime juice with tomatoes, onions, and coriander. This eye catching dish was presented in a high sundae glass, filled with exciting fresh ingredients. The acidity of the sauce was just right, and it was also a perfect dip for the crispy homemade tortillas.

Arrachera - grilled marinated skirt steak with avocado, coriander and onion. Pieces of soft avocado and chunks of smoky grilled steak loosely folded in a tortilla, simply delicious.

Ensalada de calamari - grilled squid salad with sesame vinaigrette. I loved the caramelisation of grilled squid, which was a good balance with the salad and the dressing. A very decent portion too!

Enchiladas verdes - green enchiladas stuffed with shredded chicken, topped with melted oaxacan cheese, black beans and queso fresco. The sauce was surprisingly light, and totally different from any enchiladas I had tried before. The whole dish was gently seasoned with salt and pepper, and then topped with Mexican soft cheese to give an extra flavour. I had found my Mexican version of comfort food.

Barrio Chino

La Esquina

This place is famous for its secret underground restaurant, which only opens in the evening. It is yet another place which is so popular that the booking phone line is constantly engaged, and you have to make a reservation three weeks in advance. But besides the restaurant, there is also a take-out and a cafe on the street level open for lunch and dinner. We were not able to get into the restaurant, so we went for the cafe instead.

Opposite to Petrosino Square is a converted diner with a bright sign saying ‘Corner Deli’, and the take-out of La Esquina is located right under the sign, serving freshly made Mexican classics like burritos and tacos. The entrance of the cafe is around the corner from the take-out, on Lafayette street. The white wooden furnishings and book shelves give this cafe a relaxing and laid back atmosphere.

I like the varied menu, ranging from simple salad, Mexican street sandwiches, and tacos to more hearty dishes like roast chicken. This is what we had...

A refreshing passion fruit margarita to start.

Tostadas de cangrejo - crab meat, mango, chipotle mayo. When I looked at the menu, I did not expect to see such a big lump of crab meat. The mango came through subtly, together with the mayo made this a perfect start of our meal.

Ellotes callejeros - grilled local corn. This is really the BEST grilled corn in the world. The corn is brushed with mayonnaise while grilling, then topped with chili pepper and Cotija cheese. It is not the standard sweet corn and mayo combination, the smokiness from the grill and the saltiness from the cheese, and the kick of the chili pepper, giving wave after wave of flavour.

Pescado - grilled skewered market fish, shredded cabbage, red onions, salsa verde.

Bistec - char-grilled skirt steak, charred onions, cilantro, salsa de chile de arbol

I loved the flaky fish served on skewers. The beef taco was charred beautifully, although I would have liked it with a bit of sauce or with avocado like the one we had in Barrio Chino.

La Esquina

I truly enjoyed both Mexican meals we had in NYC. They were exciting, delicious and most importantly, they changed my view of Mexican food forever. It is a bold statement, but I am quite confident that you could not find anything vaguely similar in Hong Kong. Apparently there are a few good Mexican places in London, now I cannot wait to check them out!

The irresistible USDA Prime

If you are vegetarian, turn away now! This post is about our steak-hunting journey in NYC. If you have read my last post, you will know that our trip was badly affected by Hurricane Irene. We had made a dinner reservation at BLT Prime, but unfortunately the restaurant had to cancel our table due to unforeseen damage that the hurricane might cause. The restaurant had to put their staff’s safety first, which was the right thing to do.

This was bad news to a meat-lover like me, the steak dinner was supposed to be the perfect ending to our trip. With only two days left in NYC and no public transport available, we desperately phoned up every single steakhouse within walking distance from our hotel, hoping to get a lunch booking before the hurricane hit. Like BLT Prime, most of the steakhouses had decided to close due to staff shortages. We finally got through to Wolfgang’s Steakhouse in Tribeca, who said they would try to open for lunch, but that could change at the last minute.

It was a cloudy and windy morning, most of the shops were closed, with only few tourists wandering around. We arrived at the steakhouse at noon, all I could see was an empty restaurant, and some builders boarding up the windows to prepare for the strong winds. My heart sank, as I thought ‘Is this open?’...

But IT WAS! We were greeted by a very friendly waiter, who explained to us that there was only one chef working in the kitchen, so the food might be slow. He also apologised for the noise from the builders boarding up the windows, but I actually found it quite amusing because we pretty much had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The daylight sort of diminished throughout the lunch, which made us feel like we were in one of those disaster movies.

Moving on to the food, USDA prime is always my favourite kind of steak (after wagyu). In America, they take their steaks seriously, so most of the steakhouses have their own aging room. We ordered steak for two, a portion of broccoli and steak fries. The steak was served on a hot, sizzling plate. It was already cut into bite-size pieces when it was brought to our table. The waiter carefully placed it in front of us, then spooned the butter and meat juice on top of the meat. By that time, I was already drooling all over the place...

We requested the steak to be cooked medium-rare, it came exactly how we like it. It was very tender, although I would have liked it more charred on the outside. The sides were good too - crunchy vegetables and crispy fries. I did find the table sauce a wee bit too sweet, which slightly overpowered the steak itself.

We enjoyed our meal in Wolfgang’s Steakhouse very much, the warm welcome from the staff made all the difference. Even though they were short of staff, they still went out of their way to accommodate us. I am glad the hurricane is over now so they can back to a full house every day.
Wolfsgang's Steakhouse

Our second meat feast was at the well-known Peter Luger steakhouse in Brooklyn. We decided to go there after we found out that we had two extra days in NYC. It was almost impossible to get through on the phone, but we managed to secure a lunch booking after trying for a couple of hours.

It was our second time visiting Peter Luger steakhouse, we had high expectations of this meal, because we were blown away by our first visit. The operation was exactly like three years ago, a waiter came to greet us casually, made some jokes then brought us the menu, together with a beautiful looking bread basket and the famous Peter Luger sauce.

We ordered a rib steak, a single steak and a portion of creamed spinach. We were not disappointed. The rib steak was perfectly charred on the outside, it was crispy and full of flavour. Judging by the colour of the meat (and the taste), it was probably more marbled than the one we had in Wolfgang’s. The single steak was a sirloin steak, it was also cooked nicely, although it was not as tender as the rib steak. The sauce was delicious, it tasted a bit like a mixture of ketchup, Worcester sauce and horseradish. The smokiness and sweetness together with the acidity of the sauce went perfectly with the steak.

Peter Luger Steakhouse

There is no doubt about the quality of the meat we had in both steakhouses, it would be hard to find something of a similar standard in London. The best I can think of is Goodman Steakhouse, but in my opinion, it is still a long way behind what we had in NYC. I will just have to wait until next time for my fix of USDA prime!