Yamapi!

The first, and usually most interesting, motive for me to explore a place is food.

Where it is known to have good food, I usually cannot find another reason otherwise for me to move my ass.

That has, if I think about it real hard, been what I've been unwittingly doing for the last few months - I have seen parts of the Honks I'd have otherwise never seen in my hot pot adventures.


I started my new resolution as a pseudo-tourist in my new hometown by looking up all the foodie blogs and forums and web sites on the Internet. Don't ask me why.

And of very late, I have a newfound interest, more like curiosity, about private kitchens in the Honks.

Hmm. Don't ask me about private kitchens too - at least not at the moment, until I get this mystery sorted for myself.

A seemingly normal, usual Wednesday-night dinner plan with the gorgeous one set up the perfect opportunity for me.

"What do you wanna do tonight? Something simple, or something nice?"
"Nice."
"Perfect. French."


Turned out neither of us had ever really tried "French cuisine". What makes French cuisine, anyway? Rabbits? Snails?

Le Blanc was something I found randomly over the Internet - a private kitchen specializing in French cuisine, that has won quite a plenty rave reviews from customers, and didn't seem expensive. (I'm a budget tourist.)

I think I was quite sold already from the time I stepped into the "private" establishment, up on the sixth floor of an obscure commercial building in a Wan Chai, to the time I sat at our table in our "private" booth, to the time I 'ooh'd' and 'aah'd' at the amazing menu.

Everything in Le Blanc, as the name goes, is white in color yet retains a rather cosy and homely atmosphere. Indeed, while understaffed on a surprisingly busy Wednesday night, the folks somehow made me feel like I had been invited to a random house-dinner party.

There were many courses - I lost count. I can't imagine how I managed to pick all my dishes for each course, knowing how hard a menu usually makes my life. And I can't believe I didn't drink. Someone refused to touch alcohol and share a bottle with me. GRrrrrr.

The one thing I do remember though, is the taste of my grilled angus rib finger that was my main. I wasn't asked how I would like my beef cooked (which would've been rare), but the chef grilled it to such near-perfect state (which was rare - both in taste and in occurrence). Grilled but not charred on the outside, tender and almost rare in the inside, I was surprised that grilled beef like this could melt in my mouth.

I knew we both had a good dinner because I finished everything despite worrying about the number of courses earlier. And most of all, I have never seen Gorgeous eat this much - much less finish his food.

Would I return? Oh yeah. I think I do the chicken next (though I know I'd do another beef). And I'd better take advantage of the no-corkage-charge the next time.




Now I remember too why I was so happy Wednesday night.

An unexpected trip to the dodgy 188 with Gorgeous before dinner had me stumble upon one of my most amazing finds in the Honks.

Now I know where to get all my Japanese fix. : )