It's no secret that I enjoy the food at this no nonsense neighborhood eatery in North Point, whether that be for their Cantonese roast (including their exceptional roast goose) or other family style Chinese dishes. So one Sunday last month we booked out their private kitchen just across the street and check out their "tasting menu".
Their private kitchen space was simple with two big tables and generic decorations but we loved the fact that we had the entire space for our group of 20 or so for the entire evening. And I did twist their recommended menu a little to accommodate everyone's preference - and I appreciate the chef being flexible even for dishes they don't usually do. Steamed chicken feet with galanga was one of them - and they were great with the aromatic ginger sauce mixing well with the chicken feet. Perfect as per-dinner snacks to go with the champagne to start.
We then went with a fair amount of appetizers. I asked for the extra fatty char siu and they did just that, using the pork belly with extra charred crust on top. That's the old school way of doing this and I love it. Marinated pork knuckle slices were another traditional "Cantonese roast" dish - though technically it's not roasted but boiled and cured with salt and vinaigrette - and they were tender and flavorful with the right balance of acidity and sweetness.
More appetizers came our way, this time four different types of deep-fried dishes. The fish skin was probably everyone's favorite, coated with a generous layer of salted egg yolk; the tofu was the close second, with the exterior super crisp with just the right touch of salt seasoning. I also asked for the deep-fried wontons which was not something on their menu, plus the mashed carp fishballs served with fermented clam sauce, and both were brilliant.
Of course then it was the roast goose, served while still warm from the roasting with the plum sauce and meat jus on the side. They may not be the one with the crispiest skin but the meat was tender, juicy and delicious and they certainly ranked among some of the best in town. Pei-pa Tofu was another traditional Cantonese dishes, with the mashed tofu and meat quenelles pan-fried then served with the thick oyster gravy sauce. This is one of my favorite dishes at the restaurant (apart from the goose).
The double-boiled soup with yam, goji berries, dried scallops, abalone and chicken was another highlight of the evening, piping hot and with soothing flavor. We were slightly disappointed by the two other main courses - both the steamed threadfin fish and chicken casserole were overcooked, and the fish could definitely use more flavor in huadiao and chicken oil when we measure this up to some of the better versions we had elsewhere.
We ended with one veggie and one rice dishes. The stir-fried celtuce and crab was an interesting combination, but I like the crunchy texture of the seasonal celtuce with the mild flavor of crab gravy sauce on top. My only complaint about the goose fried rice was that there's not quite enough meat in there, but other than that, it's just perfect with every grain of rice coated with the tasty goose oil and jus and the socarrat-like crunchy bits at the bottom of the earthenware casserole too.
Everyone BYOed so we have an interesting selection of bottles, beginning with the champagne, then a Bordeaux white in magnum followed by a few reds. Was worried about the Barolo magnum bottle I contributed but turned out it opened up nicely with a few hours sitting in a decanter earlier in the afternoon. Plenty of ripe red fruits and a hint of smoke, a little faded at the end but still good to go.
When? March 12 2023
Where? Hopers' Base Private Kitchen, Fort Street, North Point, Hong Kong
Menu Highlights? Cantonese Roast Goose
Drinks?
Champagne Charles-le-Bel Inspiration 1818 NV
2016 Chateau Smith Haut Lafite "Le Petit Haut Lafite" Blanc, Pessac-Leognan (en Magnum)
2003 Luciano Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo DOCG (en Magnum)
2017 Vega Sicilia "Pintia" Toro
2011 La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Rioja
2010 Chateau Haut-Bailly, Pessac Leognan AOC
2019 Antinori Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico DOCG
Web: (Facebook) www.facebook.com/hopersbasehk
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