I-Amina Italian & Oyster

早前收到店方Anita小姐的電郵邀請便相約今晚都上址一聚。  跟據地圖指示發覺上址是位於恭和堂(利舞臺那邊)對面的一條短直街, 也即是有間時裝店逢新年都會變身為華麗園(賣椰汁年糕)的樓上。

搭升降機上到四樓轉右便到達門口, 按「叮噹」...主理人Anita小姐好快便來應門。

由Anita小姐帶領, 入到門口便見到光燦燦的小型蠔吧, 再轉右便由光轉到暗的用餐區, 用餐區裏有5張至少四人共膳的餐枱, 絕大部份都是依窗而座; 調暗的環境再加上悠揚樂曲(其中一首→Till there was you~), 很難相信正身處於銅鑼灣繁忙地段。

首先奉上的是幾片百吉包及厨師自製的茄子醬及紅燈籠椒醬; 厨師每天會因應街市的靚貨來決定做什麽樣的醬, 看來今天的茄子及紅燈籠椒較為新鮮。茄子醬味道柔和, 天然; 紅燈籠椒醬帶有清新果甜, 全部都不含化學成份, 只有基本新鮮食材。  有這麽美妙的醬卻沒有賞心的百吉包, 麵包實在較韌, 要「齒」才可以咬開:(

生蠔也是每天新鮮進貨, Anita小姐介紹了四款由淡至濃的生蠔, 依圖片(圓形碟)是先由最右(3:00位置)最細那兩隻開始食, 其後向下面(6:00)順時針方向食。  最細那兩隻是日本種但美國長大的Kumumoto $40/pc, 味道較淡; 6:00位置的是法國蠔White Pearl $40/pc, 入口有好重鹹味, 好似食一啖鹽落口, 臨吞時都帶有甜味; 9:00位置的是英國蠔Goldenhanger Ceek $33/pc, 感覺有些蠔豉的味道, 鹹得來帶有海水的甜味; 最後12:00位置的也是法國蠔Gillardeau $68/pc, Anita小姐話食之前要飲水漱漱口, 因為此蠔特別之處是蠔味能last for long, 咁食完真係較其他long-lasting而且肉質好滑及比預期的清甜。 厨師為了生蠔也調了些Cocktail sauce, 材料有蕃茄、西芹、黑椒, 我個人食生蠔較喜愛剩食乜都唔加, 其實咁新鮮就唔好ruin咗原有嘅味道。

嘆完生蠔Anita小姐就幫我地take menu 嘅 orders, 等咗唔知幾耐Starter就嚟到...

圖上面的是牛油果蟹肉沙律伴芒果凍汁...味道好creamy好mild, 不會出現一些刺激性嘅味道; 芒果凍汁是自家打的,好甜, 個人認為混合一起吃也帶不出任何特別效果, 牛油果蟹肉沙律已經留下舒服的感覺。:P

圖下面的是意大利橄欖油醃吞拿魚片伴油浸亞枝竹沙律...說真的最初覺得橄欖油醃吞拿魚片味道頗淡, 吃不出魚味, 雖然墊底的菜帶有苦味但也沒什麽特別, 有點氣餒......再後來我由上到下混合一起吃(即加埋苜蓿芽)Wow...味道完全唔同晒, 原來苜蓿芽的草青味能把其餘食物的香味及味道推得更高, 更豐盛！

新婚洋蔥湯...這是法國西南部常做的一道湯, 其實可以有許多材料變化, 這湯是父母專門烹調給年輕新婚夫婦食用的, 因為據說它會在新婚之夜產生奇蹟, 有什麽奇蹟暫時並沒發生, 難道因為我倆並非新婚??    味道方便帶少許辣及以蕃茄為主洋葱為次, 有點像西班牙凍湯的味道但這款是熱湯版本, 雜菜類煮得好濃縮即是什麽精華也溶入湯裏。

魚蓉墨汁忌廉湯伴香草白魚...飲得出鹹鹹鮮鮮的墨魚汁, 可能因為是煮好魚湯後才加入所以沒有煮走鮮味, 由純魚肉絞碎並煮為魚湯的確特別多魚味:D

Entree由四選一, 大家各選擇了...

紅酒焗野鴿伴香草茄子蓉...紅酒焗野鴿帶點引人的蘇味, 野鴿下面墊有一小株Oregano及茄子蓉(和最初點百吉包的相同), 茄子蓉能提昇野鴿的味道, 而從烹煮後野鴿的熱力去令oregano的香草味加入野鴿內達致減低蘇味的程度。

烤蘑菇釀芝士玉米糕伴意大利黑醋汁...玉米糕是由polenta(玉米粉)以水或高湯經調味(鹽, parmesan cheese, butter, 香料)而做成, 好似是北意大利的地區的主要副食品, 它的運用可是變化多端的,可以本身就做為一道開胃菜, 或當主菜旁的side dish使用, 或甚至做成餅乾或蛋糕類享用也可以。   玉米經過研磨過後而成的粉狀, 可再細分為粗磨( coarse )及細磨( fine )兩種, 粗磨玉米粉口感較好, 被廣泛運用在鹹的料理上,而細磨種類則可利用於甜品製作裏。  這烤蘑菇的芝士較重味所以cover咗烤蘑菇的那獨特的霸氣味道。

跟着奉上的是清潔味蕾大使------ 芒果雪葩, 小小的一球雪葩帶出無比的juicy, 雖然不是厨師自製但店方也用盡心機去委託外間工場特別製作, 絕非坊間是但一間雪糕店的製成品。

清潔味蕾後便到主菜出場...

鮮蝦慕絲雞卷拌白麵豉意大利雲吞...是一份非常精心的意日fusion菜, 白麵豉加忌廉打成汁, 鹹得來多了份奶味, 與意大利雲吞好match。鮮蝦慕絲雞卷即是先把蝦肉打到稀巴爛至慕絲狀, 後來再加入炒過的蝦籽, 香蝦氣隨即爆發, 用雞把蝦慕絲卷實後再烤到皮脆肉嫩, 就可以切件。

香煎鴨肝伴意式農村鴨胸配自家製蕃茄燉薏米...兩大件厚肉鴨胸煮到7成熟, 中間再夾一片香煎鴨肝, 不知原因兩件鴨胸的鴨味都不均等, 一件有少少蘇味但另一件是沒有:o  所以就利用鴨肝與鴨胸同吃去令鴨味提昇。用蕃茄去燉薏米...我最初以為是煮完會黏黏的那種洋薏米Pearl Barley, 但結果是一種比較像中式生薏米,一邊有深凹位的薏米, 質地有點硬及粉, 我個人覺得吃完一大份脂香滿溢的鴨肝伴鴨胸是有點heavy, 應該配一些軟滑的、黏稠的Pearl Barley來balance一下, 今次配這種疑似生薏米會有點虐待個胃(別忘記之前已經吃了幾個course)。

最後Anita小姐為我們奉上Jasmine Tea with Rose bud 及一碗的骰的crème brulee。  Crème brulee上檯時依然好熱, 面頭那層焦糖好厚身, 真係要knock, knock ,knock幾次才可以破糖入室:o  裏面的燉蛋好creamy但係蛋味唔夠, 味道偏向奶方。  那麽的骰的crème brulee四啖已經可以K.O.佢:D

再次感謝Anita小姐的邀請, 貴 厨師創意無限, 煮意無窮, 貴店對煮食物的執着誠意是可嘉的。 今晚我的領略也甚多呢, 感恩~

I-Amina Italian & Oyster 

4J Po Ming Building

26 Foo Ming Street

Causeway Bay

Hong Kong

(852)-63319392

(852)-66889301
www.i-amina.com.hk
info@i-amina.com.hk

平均消費: $300以上

意大利仙人掌果 Italy Cactus Figs

One day, I was fooling around to do nothing and I found this in TsimShaTsui Citysuper supermarket.

At first, I didn't really sure are they really the babies of Cactus, so I have checked from internet.

Description

The fruit's skin color is dark orange when ripe and is covered with sharp and thin spines. It is thick and full of water to protect the pulp inside. The pulp has a full fine taste and has a firm consistency. Small black oblong seeds riddle the pulp and give consistency to it.

Availability

All year round

Nutritional Information

Food Value Per 100 grams of Edible Portion (w/o husk) *

Element	Quantity	Element	Quantity
Moisture	Na	Iron	0.4
Protein	0.5	Carotene	Na
Fat	Na	Thiamine	0
Fiber	0	Riboflavin	0
Calcium	11	Niacin	0.3
Phosphorus	11	Ash	0.2
Ascorbic Acid	15		Na

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Those figs are so sweet even some of their skin are still green in colour.  The seeds made me feel uncomfortable when I ate the pulp,it wasn't easy to spit them out separately so I chose to swallow the seeds at all.  Some people said those seeds isn't good for tummy because it will cause constipation, however I am Okay.

Beware of picking up those figs, they still got many tiny little spines around the skin, they hurt me and my youngest daughter many times.  Still got some spines sting into our smooth skin, oh poor us :P

sEXy bIRthDaY CaKE

Wow!! What so big??

A lovely birthday cake for my sister-in-law :P

UNDRESS...UNDRESS...UNDRESS HER

Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 2011香港美酒佳餚巡禮

We enjoyed there for more than six hours, how could we done?  Let's see!

$200 for a classic wine pass, it consists of 10 wine tokens for wine tasting at any wine booths at the venue (except the Grand Tasting Pavilion) and a few gift tokens for free sampling of delicacies or drinks offered by the sponsors. A Stölzle wine glass with a glass pouch will be provided.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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When we arrived...

people is everywhere and the sky is not clear :(

 

At the beginning, I thought this West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade is a huge place, there are some booths for selling wines, food which is situated on an appointed selling area, besides those area is a piece of grassland, a relaxing place.  I can take a walk with my beloved one, enjoying wines and sitting on the grass to have sunbath, that's the perfect way to enjoy life.  :D

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What did we do when Mr. Sunshine was still working hard?

  

Bye Bye Mr. Sunshine, but we're still having fun, we don't wanna go home yet :P

  

Oh no, it's 2230. Time to back home. Am I drunk?  So much illusion, sparkling, twinkle twinkle little stars.....so fantasy!