James Suckling, one of the top wine writers in the world has fulfilled his dream of opening a wine bar. The wine bar on the second floor of Staunton Suites in Staunton Street, Soho, Hong Kong has softly opened its doors and is welcoming people for a glass or bottle of wine. The brand new wine bar and restaurant is called James Suckling Wine Central and includes a personal selection of wines which have scored between 90 and 100 points by him or his team. "It’s been a dream of mine for many years to open a wine bar. I want to share my lifelong passion for wine with every single one of you in Hong Kong. I want you to know that whether you purchase a rare old bottle or a good-value wine by the glass at my restaurant, you can be assured of a great experience," he told readers of his newsletter. Opening James Suckling Wine Central has taken many months of preparation and careful planning. "But I felt it was something I had to do as a natural extension of the large-scale consumer … [Read more...]
Going, going, gone: 15,000 euros for a bottle of Riesling
The last bottle in the estate cellar of the Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Trockenbeerenauslese 1921 vintage has been sold for a record EUR 14,992 becoming the most expensive German riesling ever sold. This was the last bottle of the wine that remained in the Rarities Cellar of Gut Hermannsberg, a bottle that that is not only historical but also comes from an exceptional vintage. vintage. The neck of the bottle is decorated with a banderol, where one can read the ornamental script: Presented as a celebratory libation to honour the President of Germany, General Field Marshall von Hindenburg, at the liberation festivities in Cologne, on 21 March 1926. Bidding on the wine opened at 350 Euros, and ultimately found a new owner for 14,992 Euros. Estate GM and cellar master Karsten Peter could barely believe it: ‘That is an unbelievably high price, even for a one-of-a-kind item’. And this coming from the man who set a record price last year with his 2015 TBA which sold for 10,600 … [Read more...]
Franco Pepe, the biggest name in pizza, arrives in Hong Kong
Franco Pepe, today's biggest name in pizza worldwide, has ventured outside of Italy for the first time with the opening of KYTALY which he co-owns with Alessandro Bortesi. The pizzeria and first Hong Kong Campari bar has officially opened its doors in the heart of Hong Kong. Born from the perfect harmony between “Ki”, the Japanese symbol of life’s energy, and “Italy”, the cradle of Mediterranean culture, the two values give identity and character to the concept. KYTALY has risen to the global stage for serving the best pizza in the world outside of Italy. Franco Pepe is today the biggest name in Pizza. He and his family of legendary bread-makers were the first to revolutionise the art of pizza making, choosing to create original recipes from scratch following the traditions and methods set out in his family. Working closely with his father, Franco Pepe learned everything there was to know from sourcing the freshest local ingredients to constructing the perfect dough and flour by … [Read more...]
Q&A with Richard Ekkebus: The beauty of dining without a mobile phone
Richard Ekkebus, chef of Amber Restuarant has made a name for himself in Hong Kong where he has build the restaurant at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental from scratch. Following our in-depth interview which you can read here, this is our rapid fire question and answer with the Dutch chef. Your best ever meal? Michel Bras. It was with Pierre Gagnaire. We had a table of five as part of a team building. Is there something you don’t eat? There are things that for certain reasons I will not eat such as bluefin tuna or whale. But as a chef, I cannot judge until I try food so I am open to everything. I’ve tried monkey, I’ve tried whale and also insects. Any chefs that inspire you? Anybody who is passionate. There is community today that is very open and also happy to share. Do you cook at home? Never. My wife cooks really well and I love her cooking. I am the sommelier at home. I walk to the wine cellar, open a bottle and decant it. Your favourite dish? I have been … [Read more...]
Tokyo meets Alba in unique four hands dinner between Enrico Crippa and Zaiyu Hasegawa at Piazza Duomo
When Zaiyu Hasegawa went to Alba the first time it was just a very short visit lasting less than 5 hours. He had been at an event in Milan and couldn't resist a visit to the temple of the white truffle. Little did he know that some time later he would be invited to cook with one of his idols Enrico Crippa, chef of the three Michelin star restaurant Piazza Duomo in Alba. Collaboration and sharing knowledge is one of the secrets to success in life. And when this happens in the kitchen of one of the best restaurants in the world, then magic is bound to happen. That was the case of the four hands dinner between Crippa and Hasegawa in Alba last week. That this would be a match made in heaven was to be expected. The Japanese chef of Den is known for his playful style of modern kaiseki. He also has access to produce grown in his sister's garden which supplies his restaurant. On the other hand, Enrico loves Japan and Japanese culture and has worked for three years there in the past so … [Read more...]
Sra Bua by Tim Raue: Showcasing the purity of flavours
Tim Raue is a Berlin institution. Famous for his two Michelin star restaurant by the same name, Raue also has another two restaurants in the German capital. One is La Soupe Populaire which serves primarily German and Prussian dishes and the other is the Sra Bua by Tim Raue which is located at the Kempinski Hotel Adlon. On a recent visit to Berlin, and given it was a Monday, the only Tim Raue restaurant that was open and which I could therefore visit was Sra Bua. It turned out to be a very good choice. You might ask why a German chef would open a restaurant whose culinary concept focusses on Thailand and Japan. And you would be right to ask that question. But Tim Raue's flagship restaurant is the answer. Because while it is non unusual for Asian chefs, especially Japanese, to serve French style cuisine in Europe, very few Europeans are well known for their 'Asian cuisine'. Raue is the exception. His two-Michelin star restaurant is known for the bold flavours. He loves to … [Read more...]
Dario Cecchini – the legendary butcher of Panzano in Chianti
No visit to the Chianti region in Tuscany would be complete without a visit to Panzano in Chianti at what may be considered as one of the most famous butcher shops in the world. Dario Cecchini, butcher of the Antica Macelleria Cecchini needs no introduction. He rose to fame during of the mad cow disease crisis when eating a 'bistecca fiorentina' or t-bone steak was prohibited for health scare reasons. He organised a funeral for the bistecca fiorentina and a plaque still commemorates the ceremony (see photo below). He has been mentioned in books such as Heat by Bill Buford and has been featured in most of the world's top newspapers and magazines over the past years. This 59-year-old legendary Italian butcher has literally made Panzano in Chianti a tourist attraction in its own right. While the hill-top village is attractive and located on a high ridge on the scenic Via Chiantigiana, many would probably not stop unless to take pictures of the beautiful scenery had Cecchini not … [Read more...]
A perfect day in Parma
Parma is an elegant city and a must for any foodie traveller who happens to be in this area of Italy. It is maybe best known for Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese but it should not be discarded as a destination in its own right. Sometimes, the city is overlooked because visitors prefer to head to the neighbouring towns of Bologna, Mantova or Modena. But you should not underestimate this city and what it has to offer. It is a perfect city to visit on a day trip whether you are in Liguria or visiting the Tuscan/Emilian Apennines and is maybe less touristy than other more popular Italian cities. There is no question about the importance Prosciutto has in this region. With its distinct Prosciutto di Parma mark, the city and its inhabitants are incredibly proud of this ham. When we visited, there was a festival of prosciutto and many shop windows, including a shop selling watches, made space for a poster to promote the festival. On the main square in front of the … [Read more...]
A visit to the new Rotterdam food market
Rotterdam had not been on our radar screen despite the fact that we had heard great things about the city. But when we read and wrote about the new Rotterdam food market opened in October last year we knew that a visit was a must. This Dutch city is often overlooked as visitors head to Amsterdam, the Hague and Delft instead. That may be set to change in future with the food market that could become a destination for foodies around the world. We will feature the city in our Perfect day series so do stay tuned but in the meantime here are our observations about the food market. For lovers of architecture, Rotterdam has a lot going for it. The recently opened food market, designed by architects MVRDV is the latest architectural gem to emerge in this city. Located in the city centre of Rotterdam the food market is designed in the shape of a horse shoe and has a steel cable facade which is the largest of its kind in Europe. A colourful mural depicts a composition of produce on the … [Read more...]
A perfect day in Gent, Belgium
Gent is one of our favourite Belgian cities. This Flemish city, 45 minutes away from Brussels is a must visit for any visitor to Belgium. Sometimes overshadowed by Bruges, also called the Venice of the North, it is one of the largest cities in Belgium but has kept its charm with an amazing medieval architecture that remains intact and is remarkably well preserved and restored. It also has a huge pedestrian area with a lot of interesting highlights such as the Saint Bavo Cathedral, the Belfry, the Gravensteen castle and the splendid architecture along the old Graslei harbour. We return time and time again and never get bored of this buzzing city full of surprises and hidden gems. Foodies are in for a treat in Gent with a splendid array of restaurants, cafes and concept stores. The city is also known as the a paradise for vegetarian restaurants. The city has more vegetarian restaurants than Paris or London and is sometimes called the vegetarian capital of Europe. If you are not … [Read more...]