Mushroom Feast

"Interested to join our mushroom dinner in August?" When my friend N told me about this themed event and offered to save me a couple seats, I felt this is something I would definitely make room to go. J's Garden, the family business co-owned by N, is a food purveyor and the biggest local supplier of Chinese mushrooms, so their annual mushroom feast (which they have been hosting for a few years) has always been popular with tickets sold out within days among their many regular customers. 

This year they are working with Chef Jayson Tang of Man Ho like they did previously and have booked out the restaurant for the event for a few days in August during the mushroom peak season. So I was back to the restaurant for the second time in a month, but with a somewhat different menu that Chef Jayson designed just for this event (though I was already given a preview of some of the dishes at the dinner earlier in the month)

Among all the mushroom species showcased, some of them only available during summer season, Matsutake is perhaps the most prized one for its limited supply and medicinal value (they are known to have anti-aging effect and boost immunity). And we started with just that, a few slices of Matsutake mushroom pan-seared with oil with two other kind of mushrooms - termite mushrooms and swollen-stalked catathelasma 老人頭, all of them from the mushroom-rich Yunnan region. The matsutake mushrooms, with its long shape like an unopened umbrella, were of top quality no doubt and I love its distinct delicate aroma, but I also liked the termite mushrooms with the hint of sweetness and earthiness with just a gentle sprinkle of salt on top to enhance its flavor. 

The chanterelles used in the next dish came in especially large size and it's sauteed, tossed with razor clams (cooked in 72C) and finished with mushroom sauce. The slight hint of earthiness from the mushrooms contrasted well with the razor clam with clean flavor. The dim-sum duo was the same as the one I had earlier, and both were still as good. Last time I think I enjoyed the steamed dumpling more with scores of ingredients (including termite mushrooms) wrapped in a tapioca starch wrapper, but this time I came to appreciate the deep-fried one with chanterelle more for the nice fluffy texture. 

Matsutake mushrooms made the second appearance on the menu, this time with a double-boiled soup with ham, dried scallops, conch and duck. The seasonal Tonkin flower gave the soup a neat aroma. The next two hot dishes were both interesting. Not sure if that’s original creation by Chef Jayson but I have never had the same combination elsewhere before. First was the fish maw, cut into thin strips, battered and deep-fried, then tossed with bean sprouts, scrambled eggs, dried scallops and bits of “black tiger palm” mushrooms (黑虎掌 sarcodon aspratus, to be specific) with its unique meaty flavor and strong aroma. I liked all the different textures in play here and it was delicious too. 

Second dish looked like something of a fusion cuisine, with sea cucumbers and foie gras (goose liver) served with morel mushroom sauce on the side in a western style presentation. The sea cucumber was perfectly done with bouncy texture and somehow it worked with the piece of soft foie gras wrapped together in caul fat and deep-fried. 

I was more than impressed to see the soy sauce chicken perfectly cooked – considered the kitchen need to turn out a dozen of them in one go – and on the side was the sauteed “Mongolian mushrooms” （口蘑） with an intense flavor and slight bitter aftertaste. 

Another fish maw dish came our way, this time the whole piece from the freshwater Longsnout catfish served with a superior consommé reduction, julienned termite mushrooms and pan-seared turnip. I know the fish maw should be the star attraction in this dish for its chewy texture and strong flavor, but I actually enjoyed the turnip even more with a hint of sweetness working well with the mushrooms. 

But Chef Jayson and his team certainly saved the rest for the last with the colorful rice dish prepared in a large casserole, with pieces of yellow eel, goji berries, ganba mushrooms, green scallions and thin strips of aged mandarin peel. The rich earthy flavor from that of the eel and mushrooms complimented each other well and the goji berries – came in large size and brought some nice red color to the dish – gave the bowl of rice a hint of sweetness to bring all the ingredients together. Each of us asked for a refill after finishing our own small bowl. 

Well done Man Ho and J’s Garden teams to put together such a wonderful event. Can feel all the sweat and effort that went in and I was just happy to reap the benefits by enjoying the meal and evening. 

When? August 19 2022
Where? Man Ho at JW Marriott Hong Kong, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Rice in Casserole with Yellow Eels and Ganba Mushrooms
Drinks?
Champagne Frederic Savart L’Ouverture Premer Cru Brut
2019 Domaine David Duband Chambolle Musigny AOC
Web:
(Man Ho) www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/hkgdt-jw-marriott-hotel-hong-kong/dining/man-ho-chinese-restaurant
(J’s Garden) jsgarden.com