Eats, Shoots & Leaves

Pierre

After an evening of digestion and a morning contemplating death by boredom at work, I headed back over to the Mandarin to meet the ladies. This was easily the highlight of my social calendar - it's not often I get to enjoy a great lunch with a group of vivacious women. I decided early on not to risk iphone photos at this one, there were far too many skilled photographers present. Instead, I decided to eat while the Frogmother shot. I'd arrived with the best intentions. Perhaps I could manage a two course express lunch? Surely I wouldn't be up for the bread again!

How little I know myself.

The bread offering at Pierre (at lunch) wasn't as good as it had been at the Grill the night before. I had more of the butter roll but didn't particularly enjoy the cheese bread or the olive roll. In fairness, I may have left the cheese bread a little late. The cheese had hardened and I don't like hard work at the start of a meal. Or ever.

There was a plate of amuses. One was a herb cookie, textured like Chinese new year peanut cookies. I was a little confused by that association and this probably impacted my perception of the cookie, which was "meh". Next up was what I thought was a slice of sea bass or snapper sashimi, around a whipped cheese dollop. Meh. Finally, I had what seemed to be a hazelnut wrapped in smoked fat. Oh. Em. Gee. Delish. I may have stolen the spare from the table.

That little bit of salty, calorific goodness was the fluffer to the proper amuse, a truffle ice cream on a bed of bacon bits, mushroom quarters and consomme jelly, covered with generous slices (!?) of truffle. I can't imagine that the truffle was traditional truffle given the generousity. Could it have been made in China? I must be more trusting. Also, who cares. It tasted good to my plebeian tastebuds. In fact, it tasted more than good. That dish was a rockstar. It was also very much the highlight of the meal for me.

Though I should be clear when I make such statements. The starter of scallop carpaccio on a curry and cauliflower base was a little step down from heaven, but on a very small one. A little ledge even. I suppose it was the Bon Jovi to the truffle ice cream's GNR. The only thing that wasn't perfect about the dish was the "lace" bread, which was a little too thick to match my imaginings.

I was struggling with indecision when we picked the middle courses and so the Frogmother and I determined to share. I opted for the sorrel omelette with a cheese fondue. The dish wasn't what I was expecting - apparently I have a lot of issues with that at the moment. I expected a sorrel omelette with a cheese fondue, but felt that I'd ended up with a cheese omelette topped with sorrel. Still, that meant that I didn't have any misgivings when I gave it up to the Frogmother in exchange for her haddock quenelle.

This was the better of the two middle courses, though I think it would have been bettered by a slightly smoked haddock. Ah, smoked haddock. That takes me back to one of my best ever breakfasts, in the Malvern hills, in 2000. I was speaking at UCAS events in the UK at the time, and was put up at this quaint little B&B (it has since expanded). It was and still is a family operation, dedicated to British produce. They would smoke their own fish for breakfasts and I continually recommend them for weekend breaks in the Cotswolds (link at Malvern Hills). The views are incredible, the food is still excellent, and the prices are fair. What more can anyone ask for in austerity Britain?

I had foolishly ordered the lamb cutlet for mains, enticed by the "eggplant stiletto" it was served with. I imagined a slender, curved slice of eggplant, in the shape of a Louboutin heel. Nope. I enviously eye-ate the pork belly pasta the majority of the ladies had ordered.

Now, down to the biggest issue of the day. This was an express lunch menu. By the time we had our main course, it was two hours in. Sad to say, most of us don't officially get to eat for a living, and were summoned back to our dull desks before we could even review the dessert menu. Bah.

The petit all-fours were alright. I'm not a huge fan of marshmallow making a comeback but I do like coconut and sugar, so it wasn't unlikeable. Similarly, I don't really like marzipan, but this orange blossom marzipan was alright. There was a chocolate cup filled with a kirsch soaked cherry. Delicious. Finally, an apricot jelly that had a slightly bitter after taste that I didn't personally like, though no one seemed to find this objectionable.

So, sacrilege, I preferred the Grill. Admittedly dinner vs lunch isn't a fair comparison, but beggars (as I am in unaustere Hong Kong) cannot be choosers.