Visualize an angled crispy noodle nest spilling out with Crispy Beef Tenderloin that’s battered and so tender, you only need to pop it in your mouth without even chewing. This enchanting dish was a crowd pleaser and part of a collection of 8 small bites, main dishes and dessert with cocktail pairings from the Only At Fontainebleau Menu. This Fall Menu was launched to celebrate Hakkasan’s 15th anniversary with sister restaurants simultaneously showcasing their individual local culture and cuisine at 11 locations globally. Each location will use seasonal ingredients and Hakkasan’s signature modern approach to traditional Cantonese cuisine. The Only At Menu will change twice a year and judging from this tasting, I can’t wait to see what they’ll offer for the next one.
Chef de Cuisine Jian Heng Loo put his spin on a traditional Stir Fry French Beans usually made with dried shrimp but he used preserved olives so it’s vegetarian, how thoughtful and still gives that umami flavor. His artistry extends beyond food, his playful use of two noodle nests and lobster shell to present his dishes engage and entice you before you even taste the dish. Seafood was featured in 4 dishes and I’m thrilled because Asians excel in preparing them. To top it all, Hakkasan’s mixologist paired each course with cocktails like Serpent’s Tongue and Old Cuban.
As if 8 dishes weren’t enough, we ended with a very creative dessert which was very light even though there was cream involved! Do not take your eyes off the Chocolate Raspberry Sphere in this video.
My Chinese New Year was hosted by Hakkasan and they put on a scrumptious 13 item Yum Cha (dim sum with tea) that we still talk about a year later. You can read about it here.
Chinese food
Bazi introduces Shanghai Nights
Sunday nights shouldn’t be humdrum, and now you have BAZI’s Shanghai Nights $10 Chinese Classics to look forward to! Have one last fling before you start your work week. 7 Chinese classics are available through the week but discounted only on Sundays. Enjoy these favorite Chinese classics while you can, they can be paired with dishes from their a la carte menu which are all scrumptious or savored as is. Drop by if you’re going to the beach, shopping in South Beach or want a good Chinese without MSG in beautiful surroundings!
Our favorites were spare ribs, they were tender and not slathered with sticky sweet sauce like most Chinese restaurants and Moo Shu Pork.
BAZI’s take on Chinese food is delightful, I’ve had their Thanksgiving dinner with Peking turkey. You can find out why an Italian Chef, Mike Pirolo and Jen Chaefsky decided to open a Chinese restaurant and why I chose BAZI to host my Chinese New Year celebrations here and here.
Wok Town, South Beach
I am not a fan of Chinese food in Miami, it’s full of MSG, way too salty and every dish arrives swimming in brown goopy sauce. And tonight proved to be the same old repertoire at Wok Town in South Beach! Too bad, because they actually do a nice job with their concept which is pick your protein and choose your sauce. I prefer the downtown location with very zen white and orange decor and wonderful large scale photos. The South Beach location has dark wood and black chairs which are not very cheerful and it’s dark in there!
They’ve expanded the menu and added a few more salads. I saw Chicken Satay Appetizer $5.95 with crispy noodles. Sounds good but not sure about the portion or flavor. All the satays I’ve had outside of Asia usually uses chicken breast! It’s dry, rubbery and tasteless because they don’t marinade it properly and leave in one slab stabbed on a skewer.
With the Groupon deal, we had to purchase two entrees, so we opted for Mongolian Pork $10.95 and Bulgogi Steak Salad $12.95. My hubby loves Crispy Brussel Sprouts, so we ordered that as well. Major disappointment, small plate for $5.95 again swimming in way too much sickly sweet sauce. There was nothing Mongolian about the Mongolian Pork, no hint of spiciness or Szechuan flavors, just more brown goopy sauce. I guess it was accentuated because we didn’t have rice to sop it up. The pork tasted like it was Chinese Char Siu (roast/BBQ pork), we just had a nibble because we decided to take this home.
The Bulgogi Steak Salad ended up being the best dish! It was a good portion enough to share. The skirt steak was nicely grilled and very tasty, not chewy. Good presentation in a large orange rectagular bowl, salad was simple field greens with chopped scallion, shredded carrots and sliced cucumbers with side of kimchi and bulgogi dressing. Definitely would recommend this dish.
Other dishes I’ve had downtown was Singapore noodles and pan fried pork Gyozas, both were pleasantly yummy. This was quite a few years’ ago though, so don’t hold your breath. The minute they change chefs, you just never know what to expect. I think the South Beach chefs need to back off on their salt, sauce and sweet, the three ‘s’!
My hubby always says, when you go to a Chinese restaurant, you have to have the Fortune Cookie. I liked that fortune: “You are an exciting and inspiring person”!
