When the Occidental meets the Oriental

On a Wednesday evening, while being on the verge of passing out after Art History: Rococo Architecture, I decided to pay Ming Tsai a visit in an attempt to cut the string of boredom. Even on a weekday, a walk-in for Blue Ginger is still a hit-or-miss, which proves Ming and Polly Tsai’s brilliant tactic on dominating the fining dining scene of this predominantly white suburban demographic. Although Ming is known for his adept plays at the amalgamation of different East-West elements, I am very picky when it comes to fusion food. Having virtually experienced the best of both worlds, I expect the magic after a merger that can elevate the taste of both.


The interior shows touches of Asian flares looming from the yellow lanterns that blended in the minimalism touch of Charles O’Neil’s metal art to Vietnamese waterscapes. As I sat myself down in the private dining area close to the open kitchen bar, I was brought to a submergence of pleasant suburban tranquility as the restaurant begins to wake up with the clacking of kitchenwares. I kicked start my palate with a cranberry mocktail. The drink, though unmemorable, siding with nonchalant conversations provides a smooth transition onto my first course of the meal. (woah, no amuse bouche?)


And it was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. The Hawaiian Bigeye Tuna Poke w/ Crispy Sushi Rice Cake and Peppercress-Tosaka Salad (USD 15) worked wonders with the palate. And to this day, it remains to be the dish that anchored Blue Ginger onto my culinary map. The tuna sashimi is so pristinely cut into tartare perfection, marinated in perfect balance of tangy and tart. But the hook, I must say, is the crispy rice. Pure genius! Who would’ve known how wondrous the taste of bouncy tuna mingling with the delicate crunch locked inside every bite.

Unfortunately, such wonderful start has proven close to impossible to live up to, the quality night begins to oscillate between spectrums. My dining companion had the Colossal Shrimp & Vegetable Tempura w/ Yuzu-Dashi Aioli (USD 15). The shrimp, being a top quality of its kind, has no flaw to detect when it comes to the sea-crisp texture. But the sauce is uninspiring at best. I don’t know whether it is because of my heritage but the dipping sauce is straight out of Vietnamese Cooking 101.


It was suggested by the wait staff that the butterfish and lobster are 2 of Ming Tsai’s signature dishes. So we decided to go with those. First off, the close winner of the night (I’m still hooked on the Poke) is the Sake-Miso Marinated Alaskan Butterfish Wasabi Oil, Soy-Lime Syrup w/ Vegetarian Soba Noodle Sushi (USD 36). I fail to think of a better way to cook a delicate piece of butterfish than the classic – Misoyaki. The fish is usually wrapped in marinate of miso and sake mixture for up to 1 day before executed. Ming Tsai’s butterfish literally melted into the taste buds as it reaches the palate. The sauce goes well together with this fish which, nevertheless, single-handedly immortalized this dish The Soba Maki is cute, very innovative, nothing else to say other than that.


But the biggest disappointment of the night which abruptly drops the bar of this restaurant is the Garlic-Black Pepper Lobster with Lemongrass Fried Rice w/ Pea Tendril Salad with Soy-Ginger Vinaigrette (USD 41). To be honest, I’ve had better lobster boiled in an over-sized pot in a grad dorm at MIT. The lemongrass fried rice, stuffed inside the lobster skull, was irrelevant and over-spiced (I believe there is a fine line between flavorful and over-flavored). The sauce tasted like pure melted salt while the lobter, in the midst of spice chaos, the lobster flesh tasted like lobster – unaccompanied, unmarinated. There is no greater sin than marring the perfection of a lobster.


Towards the end of the night, I attempted to rescue my demising fondness for the restaurant by ordering desserts. My pre-dessert was some vanilla float that was too mainstream and ‘american’ for me to have any substantial recollection.


My choice of dessert is the Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brulée and Cookies w/ Lime Leaf-Coconut Macaroon & Almond Shortbread (USD 12). At this point, I felt the urge to give Michele Fadden - the pastry chef - a hug for reviving my (then) dead passion for crème brulee. The smooth creaminess wrapping gentle sweet caramel streams through my tongue as my whole body shook in utter ecstasy. It was the dessert that I described afterward as so good I could cry.


By then, I believe inconsistency is indeed the consistent theme throughout the 3 courses. There are dishes that range from heart-melting to heart-wrenching. But overall, Ming Tsai is still a gifted chef and restaurateur that at least manages to create original east-west fusion.

Rating: (as 4 being sheer perfection, 1 being good)

Food: 2
Service: 2.5. Wait staff knows the food well and can handle a DSLR.
Location: 3. This is biased since the place is 10 minutes walk from my school.
Value: 1. USD 150 for 2 is fairly high for restaurant at that level.

The month of November

Photo: Doorknob.

There is something uneventful and slow about this time of year. The air is biting but not cold enough for teeth to clench. Browning leaves clutch onto the emaciated branches refusing to let the wind take them on a little tango. Although I have stopped counting my age, it is hard not to feel uneasy around this month with the ominous notion of my teenage years fleeting away before I could make a statement in this world.

Yes, age is a vexing perception. Inevitably.

Wild, wild East

Admittedly, my first visit to Bobby Chinn back in 2006 marked my attention to the fine dining scene in Hanoi. I was intensely engrossed in the realm ever since. For years to come, Bobby Chinn had been my utmost role model. In fact, one my proudest achievements is getting to work in his kitchen – which at that time was considered to be the stepping stone towards the many chapters of haute cuisine wisdom.

I admired Bobby Chinn, maybe I still do, but less as a chef and more as a personality. He blends his charm into every nooks and crannies of his restaurant. I guess it it the unprecedented nuance of a well-crafted ambiance that was made this place a success. The food, to be honest, not so much.

By ‘well-crafted’ I meant that this place is very much precisely taken care of. From the moment I set foot into the restaurant, I was greeted by trails of rose petals. Back then the place didn’t have as much exposure as now so the wait at the bar wasn’t mandatory. Inside displayed old temple interior (attempt to evoke serenity, maybe?), hanging silk drapes and dry flowers. The walls exhibited works of contemporary Vietnamese artists – a very efficient way to add class and artsiness to the place. Music is tastefully selected, Bob Marley and Matthew Shafer was played during my stay. Everything else from the witty menu to the petals inside the toilet shows how tasteful and meticulously designed this place is – all touches provided decent social lubricants as one’s conversation may start with “have you gone to the loo?”.


The amuse bouche is an interesting part of the dining experience here. Every once in a while, if you’re lucky (when there’re enough salmon bones left-over to scrape off the flesh), the chef’s complimentary dish – Salmon tartare in truffle oil wrapped in jícama – may be the best thing you have that night. The salmon, perfectly marinated and generously soaked in truffle oil, is wrapped in a salami-thin slice of fresh-crunchy yam. It is pure beauty. Other times, it would be random bits and pieces like teeny crab-cake on a clam shell or pre-dessert freebie, Chocolate mousse in dark chocolate taco, which I thought was better than some of the main dessert itself.

Like the eminent (and insanely overpriced) Grapes in Pitaschio crusted Goat Cheese (USD 8 for 3 grapes) that made Bobby Chinn’s name, the Pan Roasted Salmon on Wasabi Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables, Ginger Demi Glace (USD 20) is undoubtedly worthy of its reputation. Of course, Bobby Chinn himself knew the hook is in the spicy and creamy side dish as he mentioned in his book “Wild wild east” that it was constructed out of pure fortuity when some wasabi got mixed up in his potatoes. Err, riiiight.


Unlike his other very overrated signature dishes (ahem, Smoked Zealand Rack of Lamb w/ Apple Risotto, Red Wine Lamb Jus Reduction – USD 30, ahem), his less exposed Blackened Barramundi on Braised Banana Blossoms with a Turmeric Balsamic Vinaigrette (USD 17) is a hidden gem. Original plate décor of balsamic patterns and turmeric dots, coated in a crunchy flavorful layer of cumin. It makes a very decent, fun eat. Better than most of other pricey options.



My personal favorite is probably the Green Tea Smoked Duck w/ Black Sticky Rice, Baby Bok Choy & Pomegranate Jus (USD 20). The broth is duck bones stewed for 2 days, duck perfectly cooked, sliced and presented. The rice has exotic textures and flavors that one doesn’t experience with run-on-the-mill white rice. Overall, the only dish that I thought was worth its price.

I learnt to blow-torch my first crème brulee in the Bobby Chinn kitchen, and he did use real vanilla beans in the cream. On the other hand, the sinful Molten Chocolate Cake is very simply made with even simpler ingredients. But hey, who says good food has to be costly made, as long as the product is not so overcharged.


Food:1
Service 1. Wait staff didn’t know the menu well.
Ambiance: 3
Value: 0. An NYC price tag on a Hanoi standard.