Bites NLD: Chinese-French @ HanTing Cuisine, Prinsestraat

The fastest way to the heart of a country is by eating food said many.  I have recently moved to the Hague as part of my training.  As a keen foodie, I walked the predictable path of attempting to understand a culture by eating my way through town.  Last week I took the time to visit HanTing, a 1 Michelin star Chinese - French restaurant.  Located in the city, it was in a convenient spot to begin.  

The concept was really unusual because while Japanese-French establishments are as cliche as humans’ breathing in Australia,  the Chinese - French connection was new to me! But lets leave the food to do the talking.

Tray of “snacks”.  

A superb mix of colours, textures and flavours.  The complex offering started with a squid ink bun filled with some mild horseradish which gave the sweet-ish almost brioche like bun a subtly pungent bite.  Next was the beetroot meringue.  It packed a crunch with an unmistakable earthiness from the beetroot.  This was followed by was a savoury macaroon, a crisp and crudités with a saffron aioli dip.

Amuse Bouche

Tomato Jelly, Mousse, celery and smoked eel.  It was acidic, creamy and salty.  All of which was serenaded by a whiff of smokiness.  Small and potent, but more importantly it was interesting.

Steamed bread with fried shallots.

The dish of HERRING was the First course presented to me.  This fish is a typical Dutch stereotype so when it was served it felt like a surprise but not really.  Served raw, I was really quite concerned by the thick layer of “blood" running underneath the skin.  But Chef Han’s idea of serving the fish with a host of fruity and refreshing elements was absolutely genius.  Among the accompaniments identified are compressed watermelon, Yuzu dressing, Guacamole and tomato jelly.  This oily fish was buttery and left only the slightest hint of the sea in my mouth.  But scoop a little of each element to eat with the fish and it did not at all feel like a fish!  It was light, subtle, and fruity.

HERRING

For diners that find the HERRING fishy, HanTing serves a complimentary course which felt like a re-interpretation of the Japanese “ONIGIRI”.  Its sweet-vinegary flavours readies the palate for the next course.

The Second course featured TUNA in several ways.  Seared-all round and a sushi.  Served with red pepper puree, soya, cucumber and a wasabi jelly, this was an intricate dish. Not to mention melt-in-your mouth squid and aubergine in the middle.  But was all this effort in vain? Not all but some.  The sushi probably was the least impressive dish.  The sticky shards of rice and pressed tuna tasted stale.  With the seared tuna, I found the pairing with the lukewarm wasabi jelly log too mundane.  I did not get that kick which I got from the HERRING dish.  With the warm temperature in the dining hall, having served the dish with a wasabi sorbet would have totally win it.  Oh, do not forget to omit the sushi too!

TUNA

My Third course was a dish of SEA BASS and razor clam.  Another dish from the sea, but this time cooked.  A good way to imagine this dish is to think of a perfectly cooked fish.  And then think of the last time you had a perfectly cooked fish and cry.  Ok just joking lol.  Think of the fish and at the same time imagine a soy based sauce that feels buttery, filled with shrooms and a touch of sweet rice wine.  Everything was bang on perfect.  The HERRING course I had at HanTing is probably not to everyone taste, but this was definitely a crowd pleaser.

SEA BASS

The Fourth and last savoury course was a meal of VEAL.  Served pink in the middle the VEAL was tender, juicy and flavoursome.  The seared loin was well-seasoned and one flavour that was more prominent than others was five spice.  A spice frequently used by Chinese to season meat.  On the side you had turnips, yam and also a very special solidified lard with shallots.  By itself, the veal was delicious.  But melt the flavoured lard onto the meat and you get the hint of ginger and spring onions which perfumed the veal so very nicely it was awesome.

VEAL

Last but not least was a sweet ending.  Sorbet frozen using liquid Nitrogen, white chocolate ganache shaped and twisted, and to cut through the sweetness of the lot, some sliced candied Mandarins. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE & BERRIES

The meal at HanTing was nothing short of being impressive.  The kitchen’s thought on the plate was clearly “more is more” and not "less is more".  While this worked brilliantly for most courses, the TUNA took a few steps back with that thought.   I wanted a little more surprise that suited the warm summer season.  But with 4 out of the 5 courses winning my approval, it is a clear sign that HanTing’s 1 Michelin star is well-deserved.  If you had to ask me what my favourite courses were, I would no doubt vouch for the Herring which freaked me out initially.  Its buttery sweet flesh was second to none.   The Sea Bass is the second best followed suit by the Veal and Dessert of White Chocolate & Berries.  

WenY

Bites: Re-evaluating my favourite degustation @ Petite Mort, Shenton Park.

When I last visited Petite Mort, I loved it. The food was good and course after course I was consistently vowed by their presentation and composition.  Last week, I returned with my tongue a little keener, fussier, and meaner after my escapades in Singapore and Cambodia.  Was I still impressed by Petite Mort’s offering?

To understand where Petite Mort has evolved over the last couple of months, I decided to re-visit their degustation menu.

To start, was Petite Mort’s ever so buttery Brioche and another Sun dried tomato pastry.

Onion Thyme Veloute, Ham Hock w/ Manjimup Truffles

I pondered on whether the truffles were worth adding to this course.  But when the waitress said that these were the best in W.A., I decided to go with it.  It came out so fragrant that I was impressed by the smell itself.  But when the smooth Veloute was poured in, it felt as though the impact of the truffles were no longer as apparent.  Was it the right combination?

Cured Salmon, Cuttlefish & Ponzu, Wasabi Sorbet, Yuzu Jelly.

This was a reminiscence of my last visit.  But this time around, the cured salmon provided a more buttery finish to the course.

Pork Belly, Pig Head, Slaw, Apple

A pork belly slow-cooked for 37 hours before being seared, a cheek meat shaped as a cube and minute fried to crisp and condiments as you know it.   Topped with a crisp crackling, this dish is everything you thought you knew, but you did not know.   There are hidden inspirations from a British classic as well as a German one in this course.  The slaw was a sauerkraut to pair with the very tender, fatty and crisp cheek.  A good re-interpretation of the Pork Knuckle and Sauerkraut.  Meanwhile, the apple jelly paired perfectly with the meaty pork belly to reveal a meal of Pork Chops and Apples.

Chicken, Rocket, Porcini, Cassoulet

Sous vide chicken roulade with a sensational plating.

My main consisted of a beef flank, crisp shallots and the tastiest potato gratin.  Sensational.  So good that I forgot the picture! Lol.

Death By Chocolate 

My choice of dessert was similar to the one I had before.  The satisfaction was no less than when I first had it.  Petite Mort’s Death by Chocolate is every bit as delicious as it needed to be.  With all the textures, it was something that triumph Jaan’s Chocolate dessert with no questions asked.  It was that good.

Soufflè, Yuzu, Custard, Yoghurt

XL’s choice of dessert.  A show of amazing alchemy and precision cooking.  I still re-call the moment the waitress poured that vial of yuzu custard and the whole Soufflé rose.  Sensational.

The degustation ended on a sweet note with the Petite Fours

The meal at Petite Mort was exactly as I remembered it to be with each course satisfying all my senses.  To be impressed twice shows that  Petite Mort made several strong refinements which were especially impactful.  The buttery salmon was one of them.  But it was the intricate thought of the Pork which impressed me the most.  After my dinner at Petite Mort, I was happy yet I could not help but wonder whether Petite Mort has played it a little too safe.  Was Petite Mort on the same level to complete with International Chefs from Jaan, Le Atelier de Joel Robuchon or Sepia?

First Visit to Petite Mort

WenY

Bites: A little Choux @ Chu Bakery, Highgate.

I love my desserts but the ones I like are usually balanced in sugar, not over the top in appearance but potent in flavours that could either be complex or simple. Chu Bakery is the new kid on the block.  Located opposite Hyde Park in Highgate a group of fresh faced entrepreneurs are bringing a new dimension of pastries to this side town.  

Whilst I packed a box of goodies for my friends, I only really tried the Choux Pastry and the Chocolate Eclair.

Needless to say, the presentation here was top notch.  But what tickled my fancy even more was how everything was produced with such refinement.  Just when you thought you have tasted it all, you get blown away by the silky smooth chocolate in the eclair.  The rich chocolate filling was spot on and everything was simply yums!

The Choux pastry itself tasted rather ordinary but in a way that was ordinary good.  Slightly crusty and chewy outer bit with a fluffy inside.  But the cream filling was all the rave for me. It was so rich, and creamy yet it felt very light all at the same time.  Then Chu Bakery's geniusly crafts little blocks of jelly which gave the Choux a different kind of consistency and an extra punch of flavour.

To Marco White’s pleasure Chu Bakery seemed more intent on refining the item and not reinventing the wheel.  I was fortunate to try some of their offerings in the short period of time I was at Chu Bakery.  With its promising offerings, it is only a matter of time before I return.  Next time, I will most definitely try their Choux Pastry with Matcha!

WenY