Food, glorious food...

Hi folks,

An entourage of Michelin inspectors (mostly French, plus two Asian counterparts) spent the whole of this year in Hong Kong visiting and evaluating several restaurants, eventually releasing the Michelin Guide to Hong Kong and Macau last week. I had the opportunity of checking out a restaurant that was awarded two stars, Bo Innovation, last night.

During dinner, I noticed a couple of things during the meal that seem to be becoming popular.

1. Small plates, no more big portions
In this health conscious society today, people are looking for balanced diets. It's all about offering a variety of different foods, kicking with flavor, and screaming "This is good for you!" Creative appetizers are coming to the forefront, offering each diner a taste of everything. Say goodbye to those 32 oz steaks, and your arteries will say thanks.

2. Willingness to try new things
It's fine to go with comfort foods, like a dish of mashed potatoes or a plate of fish and chips, but chefs are beginning to experiment with different foods and ingredients to create intense flavors that are pleasing to the palate. You can probably say, chefs are becoming artists in their own right. How about a xiaolong bao (a Shanghainese soup dumpling) that actually looks like an egg yolk, a souffle that is stuffed full of delicious crab meat, or laap-cheung (Chinese sausage) flavored ice cream?

Xiaolong bao + laap-cheung ice cream

Crab souffle

As you indulge in the holiday festivities, look out for these trends in the world of gastronomy.

Wishing all of you happy holidays! Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.