What is merely enjoyable in youth, however, is lustily savored as maturity sets in. Months worth of in-country visits and literally hundreds of authentic meals later, I am starting to scratch beyond the surface of Chinese cuisine, the complexity and scope of which is truly stunning. So when Tony Bourdain finally did a show about Hong Kong (it's about time Tony, really), I was totally jacked that he came to Bo, even if he was a year or so behind my pace. While watching the show, I was surprised to find that many of the dishes he was served seemed conceptually more familiar than the ones I recalled from my visit - no doubt a product of my newfound cultural exposure. Armed with this perspective, I thought it was time to revisit Bo Innovation - the most modern expression of this ancient cuisine that I know of - with the hope that my enjoyment will be enhanced this time around.
Since my last visit, Bo has moved into a swanky new space off of Johnston Rd. in Wanchai, a setting Chef Alvin Leung, Jr. believes to be more complementary to the cuisine. I chose to sit at the Chef's Table once again, because after all, why on earth wouldn't you? Seriously. This time Chef Leung was present to preside over the meal, offering commentary and instruction on how best to enjoy his creations. I asked him if he minded if I took photos, which prompted him to ask if I was going to write bad things about him on the internet. I think it best if I just let the food speak for itself.
Century Egg with Super Sour Lemon Snow - As Chef Leung (or Alvin, as he introduced himself as) explained, strong alkaline chemicals are used to cure and preserve the egg, which despite it's hideous appearance, tastes remarkably like a hard-boiled egg. Trust me on this. The acidity of the lemon ice (low pH) is supposed to neutralize the alkalinity (high pH) of the egg, resulting in a harmonious combination in your mouth. Lemon and egg wasn't a combination that I would have thought of, but the effect was stunning. As I dropped the bite in my mouth, a cold, refreshing burst of sourness quickly faded away, leaving the hint of hard-boiled egg to linger pleasantly on my palate. I couldn't help but crack a smile and nod my head. In a word - genius.
Oyster 2 Ways - On the right is an oyster garnished with flavors that represent the essence of Chinese flavor - ginger, green onion, and lime. To the left is oyster tofu, a representation of the "taste of the sea." The fresh preparation was a dazzling explosion of bright flavors, ending with the smooth finish of the oyster's creaminess and salinity. I could have eaten a dozen or two of these, easily. The tofu, by contrast, was rather monotone and uninspiring. Tofu and I aren't really known to pal around often, so that may have contributed to my lack of excitement here.
Smoked Quail Egg with Caviar and Crispy Taro Nest - A one bite canape, this dish was outstanding, matching the saltiness of the caviar (generously portioned) with the subtle smokiness of the egg. Fried taro, a staple of Cantonese dim sum, added the perfect complimentary crunch to bring it all together.
Toro with Foie Gras Powder and Freeze Dried Raspberry - We were presented with a thin sheet of beautiful fatty tuna belly (otoro), topped with a crumble of air dried foie gras and freeze dried raspberries. The foie, slowly dehydrated over many days, has shed its fat, leaving only the solids behind. When chewed together with the fatty tuna, the foie is effectively reconstituted in your mouth. The raspberries add a fruity tartness that cuts the fattiness nicely. Plus, this plate just looks fantastic, doesn't it? I tend go a bit cukoo at the sight of glistening fatty toro and lose my sensibilities.
Not simply a curious part of the presentation, the tweezers are actually a functional instrument here, as Alvin demonstrates. Fold the toro over to wrap the crumblies up inside, so that they won't all fall off on the way into your mouth. Just don't accidentally stick them through your tongue.
Sichuan Scallop "Jo Lo" - There's little I like more than a perfectly seared scallop. Here, it is paired with a Sichuan inspired sauce that was less pungent than I imagined, given that it contained sichuan peppercorn. While tasty, it was not a knockout.
"Xiao Long Bao" - If you are familiar with xiao long bao, Shanghai's famous soup-filled dumplings, then you're probably looking at this photo with a quizzical look and a furrowed brow. Well that's the gag - there is no dumpling! Borrowing a technique created by el Bulli's Ferran Adria, the liquid soup filling is served without it's traditional dough wrapper. Rather, the liquid is encapsulated in a thin gel skin which bursts immediately upon entering your mouth, creating much the same effect as eating a traditional xiao long bao. As my Chinese colleague said after eating this (after some initial confusion and skeptisim, "Wow! The taste... It's xiao long bao!" A clever application of this technique, for sure.
Pan Seared Halibut with Yunnam Ham Sauce and Toffee Salsify - This dish layers the richness of a nicely seared piece of halibut with the intense saltiness of a sauce made from dried Chinese ham. This combo would be good on its own, but is taken to another level by the addition of the candied salsify and it's contrasting sweetness. Simply incredible. I think everyone in my party agreed that this was a highlight of the meal.
Crab Roe Souffle - The first of two crab dishes in this course, eponymously named "Crab 2." In the photo, you can see Alvin drizzling Chinese black vinegar over the souffle, which helps cut the richness. Fluffy and light, the souffle was intensely flavored with crab roe, a highly prized delicacy in these parts.
Crab with Obha Mayo and Starfruit - This was a one bite reincarnation of a course I had been served on my last visit to Bo. Now, like then, it was delicious - the Japanese herb obha (aka shiso) adds a vibrant, mint-like punch that I really like with the sweet crab meat.
Chinese Roasted Pork with Vinegar and Egg - A novel take on traditional Chinese barbequed pork, this version is slow roasted for 24 hours, sliced thinly and then stacked in layers before being crisped up under the broiler. After eating heaps of the traditional version this week, which is quite fatty, I was happy to see that Alvin chose a leaner cut for his preparation. On top sits a sous vide egg yolk, cooked with vinegar at 50 C. This retains the vibrant color and creates a unique texture, where the yolk is almost like a caramel consistency on the outside, and still runny in the center. The yolk added richness to the dish typically provided by the fatty pork. Some token vegetables are thrown in and were quite good as well.
Wagyu M9+ with Truffled Cheung Fan - The menu so far was pretty solid, but the sight of the word "Wagyu" made me culinarily aroused. Another typical Cantonese element, this time cheung fan rice noodles, being used in a non-typical way. Here, they are elevated to heights they could only dream about with a crust of black truffle, which makes them a fantastic accompaniment to the perfectly rare Wagyu beef. A small mound of truffle puree garnished the plate, adding to the earthy truffle intensity. This was a major highlight of the meal. As one of my colleagues said, "I'll take like, three more of those."
Bo Fried Rice - In typical Cantonese style, a rice dish is presented at the end of the meal. But that's about where the convention ends. Long grain, fluffy rice, while common in the US, is definitely NOT in southern China. Nevertheless it was presented here with healthy portion of tiny fish eggs, adding both flavor and texture to the dish. It was good... but not great. And somewhat of a letdown after the wagyu and truffles, but that's not exactly a fair comparison, now, is it?
"Hong Kong Specialties" - Somewhat of an inside joke to native Hong Kongers, this course is a deconstruction of the ubiquitous Cantonese dessert, Red Bean Soup, literally "Red Bean Sand" in Chinese. So it was with clever irony that we were presented with a spoon of red bean "sand" powder and a vial of black sesame seed foam. Alvin asked us to quickly combine them in our mouths to allow the foam liquid to reconstitute the bean sand, creating the familiar (well, familiar to Cantonese cuisine eaters) taste of the sweet, soft beans in the classic dessert. I appreciated the explaination, since the flavors would have otherwise had no significance to me. I'm not sure that the "sand" fully reconstituted though, leaving a dry powdery residue in my mouth. The one Hong Kong guy with us was thoroughly amused, I should point out.
Ginko Nut Foam - The first item on a plate of three small desserts, ginko nuts are transformed into a whipped cream-like foam. It was lightly sweet and nutty.
Sticky Rice Dumpling - Another classic, but chocolate and banana filled the center in place of the usual bean paste or sesame seed filling.
Salted Kumquat Ice Cream - My favorite of the three, the ice cream was made from salted, preserved kumquats, so it was quite salty - which isn't a complaint, it is in fact the reason I liked it so much. Taking a bite of the sweet tuile together with some of the salty, creamy ice cream was sublime.
Apple Crumble - Sounds western, looks like a Chinese dumpling, and appears pretty straightforward - until you realize that the sphere that looks like a small apple is actually gelatinous, with a piece of apple only in the center. It is the final twist of this imaginative and exotic meal. Topped with a tasty crumble, I still couldn't help but wish that this was served a la mode, despite having just had ice cream on the previous dish (hey what can I say, I like ice cream).
Some general observations about the experience - Alvin was involved in the final preparation of almost every dish that we ate. He gave us an introduction to and instructions for eating each plate, and was generally pretty talkative - even willing to share his methods and formulas for some of the more modern elements of the meal. Granted we were at the chefs table, but, for example, he told us how he dried his foie gras, explained his process for the xiao long bao spherification (or reverse spherification, in this case), and described his method for cooking the egg yolks sous vide. He may not have invented all of these techniques, but he executes them quite well. And I can't think of a better example of such techniques being used to create hypermodern Chinese dishes.
A shot of Alvin's food chemistry playset. I asked a lot of questions about the ingredients, techniques, and special materials throughout the course of the meal. It seemed like he appreciated my interest and was happy to describe many of the techniques used throughout the meal.
Alvin preps the toro/foie gras dish. I'll have another, please.
The chefs table affords a view of the final prep and staging area. If you enjoy seeing how your plates come together, make sure you reserve these seats.
Dinner at Bo is not just a meal - it is an experience to be contemplated and savored in its own right. To really enjoy it you must allow yourself to fully engage, deciding to observe all that your senses are telling you. This isn't a place you go to mindlessly shovel forkfulls of protein into your face. Anyone who is intrigued by modern cuisine should find something interesting here, but perhaps the best surprises are reserved for those who call Hong Kong home.
Official website www.boinnovation.com
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