Crossover Across the Straits

There seems to be a constant stream of chefs coming in from overseas working alongside with local restaurants for special collaboration menus, or so called four-hand meals. The latest I had the opportunity to try was the one featuring two creative chefs I love, Chef Agustin Balbi of Haku Hong Kong and Chef Kai Ho of Taipei’s Tairroir, plus the Japanese bartender Shuzo Nagumo of the Mixologist Salon in Ginza. They came into Hong Kong for a 2-day-only collaboration event in late September.

I was lucky that my schedule fitted right in for lunch on one of those 2 days. I have been to Haku a few times and enjoyed Chef Agustin’s take on Japanese kappo cuisine, and I had nothing but praise of Chef Kai’s dishes in my only visit to his Taipei restaurant late last year with the unique combination of classic western cooking and local Taiwanese ingredients. And the menu in the Hong Kong event reflected just that, with a few dishes presented by either chef then one new dish that they worked together. Then the food was matched by drinks specifically designed by Nagumo-san.

We began with a few bite-sized “welcome snacks” brought to us by the two chefs. The ones by Chef Kai represented his take on Ratatouille and the classic Taiwanese dish of Century Egg and Tofu (inside a mini cannelloni wafer) , while Chef Agustin brought to us his version of Monaka sandwich (with ikura and chives filling) and Okonomiyaki. That was paired with a Taiwanese sparkling wine – yes there’s such a thing – made with local grapes (a cross-breed of muscat) using traditional Champenoise method. Fairly off dry despite being zero dosage, not a lot of acidity but with good minerals.

The settings at Haku with the open kitchen behind a long counter mean we could observe up close how each dishes were prepared and I found it interesting just to see how different chefs approach their cooking differently. Each of Chef Kai’s dish was like a building blocks of many components, plated in specific order to account for different textures and flavors, like our first course of Hokkaido Scallop, with diced scallop sashimi mixed with bits of pomelo (that chef brought from his friend’s farm in Taiwan), granny smith jelly, cauliflower espuma, then topped with dehydrated dill powder and cauliflower slice, plus a spoonful of caviar (again, Taiwanese-made) I love how the tangy apple jelly with good acidity worked with the sharp flavor of the caviar brought together by the smooth and creamy espuma, along with the "teatail" drink served, made using the Taiwanese Oriental Beauty tea leaves and a touch of vodka which interestingly produced a pear, candy-like aroma providing that sweetness touch of the overall taste.

Meanwhile Chef Agustin went for something with bolder flavors and more unusual combination of ingredients. After his signature dish of shiro-uni and toasted brioche, chef brought over a few giant octopus tentacles which have been slow-braised, then charcoal grilled and smoked in a wakame wrap. It was then served on a plate with pickled shallots, black garlic puree, dehydrated spinach and a white miso sauce poured on the side. What looked like a Mediterranean style dish was filled with an interesting combination of oriental flavor, and the octopus was well-cooked, tender and infused with the smoky aroma from the charcoal fire.

Then we got a bit of both styles with our main course of Creole Duck Breast, a new dish created by Chef Agustin and Chef Kai. The piece of seared duck breast – with the skin slightly charred and the meat still in pink – was served with scores of ingredients nicely arranged. There was the thin julienne of pickled celery (with hibiscus giving it a bright red color), bits of candied kumquat, dots of shishito-hoisin sauce and almond crumbles mixed with grounded Taiwanese maqao peppers. On top of the duck breast was a dressing described by Chef Kai as “deconstructed pancake” – so one could take this as a re-interpretation of Peking Duck. It’s a pleasure seeing how the dish came together with efforts from both chefs, and it tasted wonderful with this familiar flavor in a not-so-familiar form.

And I enjoyed the drink pairing for the duck dish too. Such dish called for something slightly sweet, and Nagumo-san came up with this cocktail (called Aromatex) with umeshu (plum wine), cold-brewed red tea using leaves from Kyoto, Campari and Port, shaken with rice and served in a stemmed glass. Nagumo-san and his Mixology Salon was known for mixing tea and alcohol for the unique “teatails” drinks, and this one went down smoothly with berry aroma on the nose, sweet with a slight hint of bitterness from the Campari and a tart after-taste from the tea.

It was a pity that I couldn’t stay long enough for the desserts this time as I could only manage a short lunch before having to rush back to afternoon meetings in office. I would die to try the signature Pineapple “Cake” by Chef Kai – one I didn't have during my last visit and I missed that this time too. Guess that means I must put the restaurant into my schedule when I go to Taipei next time.

(Meal was by invitation and based on a special menu available only for a limited time)

Where? Haku, Shop OT G04B, Ground Floor Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Creole Duck Breast, Hibiscus Celery, Shishito-Hoisin, "Flat Pancake"
Web:
Haku: www.haku.com.hk
Tairroir: www.tairroir.com
Mixology Salon: (Tableog) tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1301/A130101/13206404/