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Pleasures bites

BUON APPETITO

Il Lido reinterprets its la carte menu with the flavours of spring as Executive Chef Andrea Zanella dives into his trove of signature Italian recipes to best showcase this seasons freshest and finest produce. We recommend the pan-roasted scallops with asparagus cream, egg yolk and truffle sauce to start with, followed by the velvety Wagyu beef cheek with caramelised root vegetables or the roast quail with goose liver, truffle and confit celeriac. (www.il-lido.com.my)

Life is too short, and im itaLian. id much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.
- sophia bush, actress -

On eating Italian: Italian food is beautiful. Everything looks simple but simple Italian is the hardest to make: its either perfect or not. A great way to distinguish a quality Italian restaurant is to see if it makes its pasta from scratch; it tastes infinitely better than the storebought variety. On being comfortable at the stove: An important aspect of cooking is learning the feel for it. My wife thinks recipes are written in stone and nearly cries when I switch the order of ingredients going into the pot. Weve been married 25 years and I still have not been able to change that about her. On preparing fish: Its a shame when people take the skin off the fish thats the very best part. That little bit of fat under the skin is most entertaining as it hides the flavour of the fish. Sea bream has a really nice fat profile and I enjoy it with a drizzle of fruity (olive) oil. On his restaurants: A gourmand wanting the white-tablecloth experience should come to North 44, which serves a terrific roasted squab on a rice cake with caramelised onion. One Restaurant at The Hazelton Hotel does raved-about lobster spoons braised in butter and laced with vermouth and sea salt, and red meat lovers should definitely drop in Bymark to try our famous burger.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Sound Bites
mark mcewan
Celebrity Chef and Restaurateur

Hullett House, Hong Kong, amalgamates the sophistication of a gentlemans club with the intricacy of contemporary French cuisine in its signature restaurant, St George. Heavy velvet drapes and leather sofas hark at British refinement and it is here that Chef Philippe Orrico, protg of Paris Pierre Gagnaire, has built a reputation for serving the best roasted lberico pork cutlets in town, earning the restaurant the sought-after star in the Hong Kong and Macau 2012 Michelin Guide. (www.hulletthouse.com)

JUBILANT TEA
When in London, do as the Queen does and celebrate Her Majestys Diamond Jubilee in grand style. To honour the monarchs 60th anniversary on the throne, The Caramel Room at The Berkeley dresses up Prt--Portea, its pastry parade of fashion trends, with a Royal Collection theme. From May 29 to June 9, nibble your way through a high tea of biscuits, fancies and choux buns created after the most memorable hats worn by the Royal Family. Princess Beatrices notorious Philip Treacy fascinator (pictured, top right), worn at the Royal Wedding, is a lovely praline profiterole, while the Queens 1953 coronation crown is recreated in a vanilla biscuit with sugar diamonds and the Angela Kelly maple leaf hat that Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, donned on her recent Canadian visit is reinterpreted in a strawberry panna cotta macaroon. As for the largely-fascinator theme (barring the Launer London handbag carried by Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Wedding, represented in white peach Victorian sponge), the monarch is believed to have worn over 5,000 stylish hats since crowned 60 years ago. Long live the Queen, we say. (www.the-berkeley.co.uk)

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