09/06/2024
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝗼𝗵𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮 𝗥 𝗚𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲
During this past week, I had an amazing culinary experience when international chef Hans cooked for me.
This chef is a true artist, combining flavours as a painter would combine colours on a canvas. I have dined in many places in the world, in 5 star establishments and in Europe in ones with Michelin stars, but here in Kaohsiung I ate one of the most flavourful meals I have had in years and one of the best I can remember. Afterwards I was honoured to discuss some of his ingredients and methods with Chef Hans. I could immediately sense his tremendous talent and the rich creativity with which he creates each mouthful.
To start, he served a salad that was simple, but the flavours almost took my breath away. The very fresh Romaine lettuce was served with a scrumptious dressing, but the croutons were different, dark in colour, with a flawless texture and an exquisite taste. When we had a chat later I asked the chef for his secret how to make those croutons. It was not complicated or had ingredients that I wouldn’t find in my well-stocked kitchen, but it was the culinary artist who imagined the combined flavours who created a tour de force.
Then triangles of hot camembert, that were very different from the customary baked camembert, arrived. They were not cut from the usual camembert that is baked as a whole, but the chef explained that they were pan-seared individually. The balsamic reduction the chef used as an unusual sweet component complimented the cheese perfectly.
The tomato soup with basil was a sheer delight, but what followed was the artist’s unflawed creation on a plate. Every morsel of this beautifully presented dish was an experience. I had flattened, roasted, chicken breast on top of a medley of vegetables, smothered in cheese and surrounded by a sauce that had a tomato base, but was much more than that. It was a blend of the artist’s ingredients that produced this masterpiece. The combination of potato and pumpkin slices, plus sturdy asparagus was just right.
Just as I thought that I had reached the pinnacle of the gastronomical experience for the night, I was presented with apple crumble baked in its own ramekin, and with ice cream on top. The crumble contained nuts, just enough to give it a crunchy, nutty texture and an added richness.
I was very privileged to have had this experience of encountering a true culinary artist’s work.
The restaurant is intimate and exclusive, and definitely not meant for large groups of people. It has a good wine list and is ideal for an occasion shared with one or a few special persons.
