Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

Saturday evening, I brought home an estimated $600 worth of Japanese melons.  How, might you ask, did I come across these melons?  And why, exactly, would I purchase them?  

The good news is, I am not off my rocker.  I did not actually spend $600 on six melons.  I only spent PHP 6000 (about $140) for two tickets to the Consular Corps of Manila winter ball.  Greg wore the same tux as he wore to the Marine Corps Ball last month, and my dress was only $60, so we're at a max expenditure for the evening of $200.  A bit pricey, for sure, but that included an open bar, a delicious dinner at the Shangri-La Makati, and two raffle tickets.

The Consular Corps Ball is famous for its raffle prizes.  This year's three grand prizes were two different four day cruises and a pair of round trip business class tickets to San Francisco.  Personally, I would also have been happy with either of the Boracay vacation packages - or two nights in El Nido, one of the top resorts here.  In addition to donated prizes, the Consul of each Embassy traditionally donates a raffle prize from his (yes, they were all men this year) country.**  For example, the Austrian Consul donated a Swaroski crystal vase.  Can you tell where this is going?

You guessed it!  Each year, true to form, the Japanese Consul donates some sort of uber expensive fruit.   This year, he donated two boxes of Shizuoka melons, flown in fresh that day from Japan, in the compartment of the plane and not the cargo hold, because the cold would ruin the sweetness.  The heydays of the Japanese bubble economy have not completely disappeared, it seems.  

Two years ago, my coworker won Fuji apples.  Last year, Patch's classmate's dad won melons.  For the last month, I've been talking about these melons.  After all, I figured, even if we didn't win a grand vacation, there's always the melons.  All the while quietly reminding myself that I never even won a cakewalk at my grandparents' church summer fair -- only Beth ever did.

Imagine my surprise when the first number called out was:  2 -- 8 -- 4!  My number (or maybe Greg's, but I was holding both tickets, so I'm saying it was mine).  The melons were mine!  Six sweet melons, so sweet I could smell them sitting on the table about four feet below my nose.  I even busted out a little Japanese chit chat when accepting my prize (to my amazement, no Telugu slipped out).  The Japanese Consul seemed pleased with this and told me he was glad the melons were going to someone who would truly appreciate them. 

When the evening ended, a fellow guest offered me a gift certificate to TGIFridays in exchange for a melon.  Greg, disliking melons of all varieties, wanted to take him up on it, but I refused.  Get your hands off my melons!

I spent Sunday periodically hunting around for information on these famously expensive melons.  I found a great YouTube clip - an 8 minute Japanese TV special on Shizuoka melons - that explains it all.  The melons had to be finished by today  (a mere three days after receiving them), so I brought three into the office, warning my coworkers it would be 80 PHP / bite.  Everyone agreed they were sweet and juicy and perhaps the best melon ever tasted, but, still, it's a melon.  And one slice is about what a local employee spends on a week's worth of lunch!

Knowing I couldn't finish two melons this evening, I divided the last one in thirds between our three helpers.  Greg, in his sarcastic tone, told them (as they were walking out the door) that he'd deduct it from their pay check this month.  The poor ladies stopped short and starred at him - until he reassured them he was joking.  Guess his sarcasm doesn't quite translate!

The most widely planted grape in Japan: Koshu | Matt Walls Wine Blog

It’s not every day I have the excuse to start a blog post with a haiku, but I do today, so here goes:

Koshu

It’s quite expensive,

But displays a unique style;

Not unlike sake.

Andrew Jefford would be proud…

In Japan they grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and a handful of other lesser known grapes such as Muscat Bailey A, but the most widely planted is the indigenous Koshu. It is a pretty pink-skinned grape variety that is grown almost exclusively in Yamanashi Prefecture (in the middle of Japan, west of Tokyo) where there are 80 wineries.

It used to be commonly made in a sweet style, but more recently producers have been concentrating on making dry versions. As these have been increasingly promoted by Japanese sommeliers at home and abroad, it has started to become more popular.

I tried 17 different Koshus last week, and though all were slightly different, it is an easily identifiable grape. It seems to have a reasonably tight flavour profile, giving similar expressions each time, rather than loads of different styles like, say, Chardonnay. In terms of colour it tends to be a very, very pale yellow/green. It often displays a lightly aromatic fruitiness, with aromas of melon, green apple and peach, sometimes with a faintly yeasty/leesy undertone, a whiff of jasmine or oyster shells. Though it tends to be medium to full-bodied, it doesn’t have an intense concentration of flavour. Alcohol levels are low (10 – 12% ABV) and acidity levels are medium, neither low nor particularly crisp. The same words cropped up repeatedly in my notes: fresh, clean, pure and delicate.

Much of the above can also be said of sake, to which I feel it has a distinct kinship. Of course, just because they are both made in Japan doesn’t mean there should be any similarity at all: different raw material, different production process, different alcoholic strength, etc. The only thing that links them together is that they are both produced with Japanese food in mind. When I asked Masaki Minai, winemaker at Marquis Winery about this, he explained that Koshu should play a supporting part in the dining experience, whereas sake typically plays more of a leading role.

Though Koshu has an easily identifiable taste profile, there were stylistic differences between each producer: some emphasised fruit, some were more floral; there were varying degrees of leesy and yeasty aromas; though most were unoaked, some had spent some time in barrel; and there was a clear difference between the fuller 2010s on show and the crisper 2011s from a cooler, wetter vintage. Yamato Wine even purposefully increases the mineral content of their wines to dramatic effect by adding sea shells to the soil!

So should you run out and buy a bottle? Well, it’s a unique, albeit very light, style of wine that would be particularly useful for matching with light, delicate dishes, or simply enjoyed on its own. But it does tend to be pretty expensive for what you get. A typical bottle will set you back somewhere between £16 and £22 in the UK. You could buy a Muscadet that would be just as good in sheer quality/enjoyment terms and similar in style for around £12 to £15. The high price is frequently attributed to the cost of production – agricultural land in this small, overcrowded country is very expensive, and growing grapes successfully in the wet climate is a challenge. But I do wonder if the price is partly down to the wines being promoted as a ‘premium product’ rather down to the genuine costs involved. As more and more bottles find their way over here, perhaps we’ll see this price gradually decrease. But if you’re in a Japanese restaurant and see one available by the glass (particularly one of the bottles below), do give it a go – it certainly has its own unique character and it’s well worth a taste.

 

Some highlights

 

Soryu, Koshu, 2010

100% Koshu grapes from Yamanashi, Japan

£17.88 available from Amathus Wines

Low intervention style – no lees, no skin contact, no malolactic fermentation. Very pale greeny yellow. Oyster shell, yeast and cooked rice on the nose. Full bodied, relatively intense in flavour; melon, green apple. Medium length. 91 points, fair value.

Lumière, Koshu Hikari, 2010

100% Koshu grapes from Yamanashi, Japan

£18.90 available from Amathus Wines

Sweet melon fruitiness on the nose with a hint of white bread. Oyster shell, yeast and cooked rice on the nose. Fresh and delicate, with melon and red apple. Medium length. 90 points, just about fair value

Grace, Koshu Private Reserve, 2010

100% Koshu grapes from Yamanashi, Japan

£18.99 available from Corking Wines

Very pale yellow, almost white. Touch of citrus (grapefruit). Medium to full-bodied mouthfeel. Bright and fresh, with the purity of spring water. 91 points, fair value.

Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

Saturday evening, I brought home an estimated $600 worth of Japanese melons.  How, might you ask, did I come across these melons?  And why, exactly, would I purchase them?  

The good news is, I am not off my rocker.  I did not actually spend $600 on six melons.  I only spent PHP 6000 (about $140) for two tickets to the Consular Corps of Manila winter ball.  Greg wore the same tux as he wore to the Marine Corps Ball last month, and my dress was only $60, so we're at a max expenditure for the evening of $200.  A bit pricey, for sure, but that included an open bar, a delicious dinner at the Shangri-La Makati, and two raffle tickets.

The Consular Corps Ball is famous for its raffle prizes.  This year's three grand prizes were two different four day cruises and a pair of round trip business class tickets to San Francisco.  Personally, I would also have been happy with either of the Boracay vacation packages - or two nights in El Nido, one of the top resorts here.  In addition to donated prizes, the Consul of each Embassy traditionally donates a raffle prize from his (yes, they were all men this year) country.**  For example, the Austrian Consul donated a Swaroski crystal vase.  Can you tell where this is going?

You guessed it!  Each year, true to form, the Japanese Consul donates some sort of uber expensive fruit.   This year, he donated two boxes of Shizuoka melons, flown in fresh that day from Japan, in the compartment of the plane and not the cargo hold, because the cold would ruin the sweetness.  The heydays of the Japanese bubble economy have not completely disappeared, it seems.  

Two years ago, my coworker won Fuji apples.  Last year, Patch's classmate's dad won melons.  For the last month, I've been talking about these melons.  After all, I figured, even if we didn't win a grand vacation, there's always the melons.  All the while quietly reminding myself that I never even won a cakewalk at my grandparents' church summer fair -- only Beth ever did.

Imagine my surprise when the first number called out was:  2 -- 8 -- 4!  My number (or maybe Greg's, but I was holding both tickets, so I'm saying it was mine).  The melons were mine!  Six sweet melons, so sweet I could smell them sitting on the table about four feet below my nose.  I even busted out a little Japanese chit chat when accepting my prize (to my amazement, no Telugu slipped out).  The Japanese Consul seemed pleased with this and told me he was glad the melons were going to someone who would truly appreciate them. 

When the evening ended, a fellow guest offered me a gift certificate to TGIFridays in exchange for a melon.  Greg, disliking melons of all varieties, wanted to take him up on it, but I refused.  Get your hands off my melons!

I spent Sunday periodically hunting around for information on these famously expensive melons.  I found a great YouTube clip - an 8 minute Japanese TV special on Shizuoka melons - that explains it all.  The melons had to be finished by today  (a mere three days after receiving them), so I brought three into the office, warning my coworkers it would be 80 PHP / bite.  Everyone agreed they were sweet and juicy and perhaps the best melon ever tasted, but, still, it's a melon.  And one slice is about what a local employee spends on a week's worth of lunch!

Knowing I couldn't finish two melons this evening, I divided the last one in thirds between our three helpers.  Greg, in his sarcastic tone, told them (as they were walking out the door) that he'd deduct it from their pay check this month.  The poor ladies stopped short and starred at him - until he reassured them he was joking.  Guess his sarcasm doesn't quite translate!

Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

93%

Without ice cream, freezers would just be cold, lonely places used to store expired nuggets and unwanted homework. Today’s Groupon creates an igloo of joy: for RM8.90, you get a Macha Kurian (RM16.50 value) or Sundae Set (RM15 value), inclusive of 10% service charges (up to RM1.65 value) from MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee in Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya (up to RM18.15 total value). Choose from 16 flavours:

• Black sesame
• Chocolate
• Hazelnut
• Durian
• Green tea & red bean
• Tiramisu
• Strawberry
• Green tea
• Rock melon
• Mocha coffee
• Cookies & cream
• Mango
• Wild berry
• Vanilla
• Raspberry sorbet
• Watermelon sorbet

Glaciate taste buds with the Macha Kurian – soft serve ice cream laden with green tea sauce, kanten jelly, fruits, Japanese dumplings and Hokkaido azuki red bean paste – or the Sundae Set – soft serve ice cream drizzled with sauce, fruits, corn flakes,kanten jelly and waffle biscuits. Wade into creamy Hokkaido gelato churned from fresh organic milk, with no hint of chemicals, preservative, colourings or sugar elves. Not-too-sweet gelato is paired with azuki, naturally sweet red bean air-flown from Hokkaido. Originating from the land of victory signs and bonsai tree manicurists, Japanese dumplings Shiratama and Gyuhi gives teeth something to work on while tongues decipher ice cream aromas.

MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee does not serve pork, lard, or alcohol. asasasas

Sweet-melon: Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

melonpan

ah, melonpan. or melon bread. This is a Japanese sweet bun that is coated with a cookie dough - you get to eat bread and a cookie at the same time! The name is said to come from the fact that the original melonpan's appearance looked like a cantaloupe (see wikipeadia). It doesn't taste like melon whatsoever (although I have seen some melonpans have melon cream in them).

whenever I see or hear "melonpan" I feel nostalgic. I don't even recall that I had these often growing up. I probably even wasn't a fan of it. But once in a while I feel like having one, so when I saw a recipe in my beloved the Joy of Vegan Baking book, I was excited.

Before reading this recipe, I didn't even know that melonpan has two layers - bread & cookie. Basically you make bread dough and cookie dough separately, and before baking, the bread is coated with cookie dough and baked together. what a fun process! In the photo above, hopefully you can see that the top layer covers the bottom bread dough.

The result of this particular recipe was pretty close to the melonpan I remember, although not exact. I remember the cookie part was more crispy and made a nice contrast to the soft bottom bread. Yet, this definitely satisfied my melonpan cravings, and I'm happy about it.

I'm also happy that Mr. J discovered a new Japanese food he likes. He loved these a lot.

One, perhaps minor, thing though is that this melonpan doesn't have those lovely grids, which makes melonpan's characteristic appearance. That'd be my future project.

The Mega Melon Pan! | Japanalyst - Japan blogs

Feed: The Monkeyman From Japan : The Mega Melon Pan!

You know how in the last blog post I said that I didn't want to update via my phone? Firstly; because it's too limited in a great many ways, and secondly; I found out the hard way that trying to do so is pretty damn infuriating, too.

So unfortunately, despite trying, I've not managed to update again for another few days! X_x

The reason being is because I've had yet another busy weekend and not really of my own volition. The wife dragged me down to Nagano to see the her family. Again.

We make this trip around once a month, if she doesn't have any other plans to occupy her time, and each time I absolutely HATE IT.

It takes around 5 hours to get from where we live into Iida, Nagano, to see her folks and even though I'm not the one driving (no Japanese license) I'll tell you what, by the end of it I feel like I've had my entire life force drained from me. 

It still confuses the heck out of me as to why you can get so tired doing absolutely nothing at all! Anyone got an answer for me?

The only upside to this trip is that along the way we always stop at the same service station in Taga. You might be asking, "where the hell is that?" Well, let me provide a couple of points of reference; It's right in between Kyoto and Nagoya, and it's quite literally right next to Biwa Lake (the largest freshwater lake in Japan).

If you still don't know where the hell I mean, then...well...get a map?
Now, why do I say that stopping here is the only upside? Is it because it has some beautiful scenery or a great monument to behold or anything like that? No, not that I would know of anyway because we almost always do this trip during the night (cue the vampire jokes.)

The reason why it's an upside, and I'm being serious, is Melon Pan (メロンパン). Melon Pan is a type of sweet bun covered in a thin cookie coated crust which, strangely, doesn't taste anything like melons at all.
The reason why it's called melon pan is simply superficial. I also just wanna point out that "pan" is borrowed from the Portuguese for "bread" or "buns" which the Japanese use referring to sweet and savoury alike.

The "melon" part comes from the fact that after they've been made, they kinda look like halves of melons after they've been baked, minus the green-ness. Unless you buy the fukushima green tea variety.

I guess it sounds more appetizing than "Turtle Shell Pan"?

Yes, as I mentioned in a previous post, nothing is safe from the green pixie dust they put in everything. But don't worry it's not all that popular a flavour for melon pan (Japanese have some sense, somewhere, I guess?)

Even though melon pan doesn't usually taste of melons, it's not hard to find one that does because there's usually a large selection available;

The normal 100￥ ones that are soft, doughy and kinda chewwy (nice!), the Bakery versions which are a bit drier and crumblier, the flat, sugary versions, the cream-filled version, the chocolate-chip ones, the green tea-flavoured ones, the melon-flavoured ones, the strawberry-flavoured ones, dotted, ribbed, extra ribbed for her pleasure... wait, what was I talking about again?

But it all comes down to these ones that I find at Taga service area. The Mega Melon Pan!
A little notice at the side saying "Please do not touch"...Unfortunately I only saw it afterwards.
I hope no-one sees the finger-mark I left in one of them...These beasts measure a whopping 30cm in diameter, compared to the usual 10cm lot, but don't think it sacrifices quality for quantity because these still have all the melon-y goodness of the originals.

The only downside is that because there's so much, you'll end up doing what I did and try to eat it all in one go only to end up feeling sick for a good few hours afterwards.


As an afternote, not related to the main part of this post; I really can't wait til the Asus Transformer Prime comes out in Japan.

That way I'll be able to keep up with blogging whilst at work (in my down time, only, of course.) I just hope that the Polaris Office on that isn't as infuriating as with what I had on my phone.
Don't forget to Follow me on Twitter! !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");
While you're at it, why not subscribe to this feed to keep updated?

The Monkeyman in Japan: The Mega Melon Pan!

You know how in the last blog post I said that I didn't want to update via my phone? Firstly; because it's too limited in a great many ways, and secondly; I found out the hard way that trying to do so is pretty damn infuriating, too.

So unfortunately, despite trying, I've not managed to update again for another few days! X_x

The reason being is because I've had yet another busy weekend and not really of my own volition. The wife dragged me down to Nagano to see the her family. Again.

We make this trip around once a month, if she doesn't have any other plans to occupy her time, and each time I absolutely HATE IT.

It takes around 5 hours to get from where we live into Iida, Nagano, to see her folks and even though I'm not the one driving (no Japanese license) I'll tell you what, by the end of it I feel like I've had my entire life force drained from me. 

It still confuses the heck out of me as to why you can get so tired doing absolutely nothing at all! Anyone got an answer for me?

The only upside to this trip is that along the way we always stop at the same service station in Taga. You might be asking, "where the hell is that?" Well, let me provide a couple of points of reference; It's right in between Kyoto and Nagoya, and it's quite literally right next to Biwa Lake (the largest freshwater lake in Japan).

If you still don't know where the hell I mean, then...well...get a map?

Now, why do I say that stopping here is the only upside? Is it because it has some beautiful scenery or a great monument to behold or anything like that? No, not that I would know of anyway because we almost always do this trip during the night (cue the vampire jokes.)

The reason why it's an upside, and I'm being serious, is Melon Pan (メロンパン). 

Melon Pan is a type of sweet bun covered in a thin cookie coated crust which, strangely, doesn't taste anything like melons at all.

The reason why it's called melon pan is simply superficial. I also just wanna point out that "pan" is borrowed from the Portuguese for "bread" or "buns" which the Japanese use referring to sweet and savoury alike.

The "melon" part comes from the fact that after they've been made, they kinda look like halves of melons after they've been baked, minus the green-ness. Unless you buy the fukushima green tea variety.

I guess it sounds more appetizing than "Turtle Shell Pan"?

Yes, as I mentioned in a previous post, nothing is safe from the green pixie dust they put in everything. But don't worry it's not all that popular a flavour for melon pan (Japanese have some sense, somewhere, I guess?)

Even though melon pan doesn't usually taste of melons, it's not hard to find one that does because there's usually a large selection available;

The normal 100￥ ones that are soft, doughy and kinda chewwy (nice!), the Bakery versions which are a bit drier and crumblier, the flat, sugary versions, the cream-filled version, the chocolate-chip ones, the green tea-flavoured ones, the melon-flavoured ones, the strawberry-flavoured ones, dotted, ribbed, extra ribbed for her pleasure... wait, what was I talking about again?

But it all comes down to these ones that I find at Taga service area. The Mega Melon Pan!

A little notice at the side saying "Please do not touch"...Unfortunately I only saw it afterwards.
I hope no-one sees the finger-mark I left in one of them...

These beasts measure a whopping 30cm in diameter, compared to the usual 10cm lot, but don't think it sacrifices quality for quantity because these still have all the melon-y goodness of the originals.

The only downside is that because there's so much, you'll end up doing what I did and try to eat it all in one go only to end up feeling sick for a good few hours afterwards.


As an afternote, not related to the main part of this post; I really can't wait til the Asus Transformer Prime comes out in Japan.

That way I'll be able to keep up with blogging whilst at work (in my down time, only, of course.) I just hope that the Polaris Office on that isn't as infuriating as with what I had on my phone.

Don't forget to Follow me on Twitter!
While you're at it, why not subscribe to this feed to keep updated?

Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

melonpan

ah, melonpan. or melon bread. This is a Japanese sweet bun that is coated with a cookie dough - you get to eat bread and a cookie at the same time! The name is said to come from the fact that the original melonpan's appearance looked like a cantaloupe (see wikipeadia). It doesn't taste like melon whatsoever (although I have seen some melonpans have melon cream in them).

whenever I see or hear "melonpan" I feel nostalgic. I don't even recall that I had these often growing up. I probably even wasn't a fan of it. But once in a while I feel like having one, so when I saw a recipe in my beloved the Joy of Vegan Baking book, I was excited.

Before reading this recipe, I didn't even know that melonpan has two layers - bread & cookie. Basically you make bread dough and cookie dough separately, and before baking, the bread is coated with cookie dough and baked together. what a fun process! In the photo above, hopefully you can see that the top layer covers the bottom bread dough.

The result of this particular recipe was pretty close to the melonpan I remember, although not exact. I remember the cookie part was more crispy and made a nice contrast to the soft bottom bread. Yet, this definitely satisfied my melonpan cravings, and I'm happy about it.

I'm also happy that Mr. J discovered a new Japanese food he likes. He loved these a lot.

One, perhaps minor, thing though is that this melonpan doesn't have those lovely grids, which makes melonpan's characteristic appearance. That'd be my future project.

Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

93%

Without ice cream, freezers would just be cold, lonely places used to store expired nuggets and unwanted homework. Today’s Groupon creates an igloo of joy: for RM8.90, you get a Macha Kurian (RM16.50 value) or Sundae Set (RM15 value), inclusive of 10% service charges (up to RM1.65 value) from MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee in Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya (up to RM18.15 total value). Choose from 16 flavours:

• Black sesame
• Chocolate
• Hazelnut
• Durian
• Green tea & red bean
• Tiramisu
• Strawberry
• Green tea
• Rock melon
• Mocha coffee
• Cookies & cream
• Mango
• Wild berry
• Vanilla
• Raspberry sorbet
• Watermelon sorbet

Glaciate taste buds with the Macha Kurian – soft serve ice cream laden with green tea sauce, kanten jelly, fruits, Japanese dumplings and Hokkaido azuki red bean paste – or the Sundae Set – soft serve ice cream drizzled with sauce, fruits, corn flakes,kanten jelly and waffle biscuits. Wade into creamy Hokkaido gelato churned from fresh organic milk, with no hint of chemicals, preservative, colourings or sugar elves. Not-too-sweet gelato is paired with azuki, naturally sweet red bean air-flown from Hokkaido. Originating from the land of victory signs and bonsai tree manicurists, Japanese dumplings Shiratama and Gyuhi gives teeth something to work on while tongues decipher ice cream aromas.

MOF Japanese Sweets & Coffee does not serve pork, lard, or alcohol. asasasas

Japanese-sweet-melon - blog*spot

With locations dotting California, Nevada, and China, Capital Seafood is a family-run restaurant chain with some well-respected dim sum, fresh seafood and traditional Chinese dishes. I’ve heard great things about their food for quite some time, but it wasn’t until we were invited out to their most recent location opening in Irvine, CA that I got to taste what everyone else was talking about.

Along with some of our core FOODBEAST team, and a round table of some of OC’s eclectic food blogging illuminati, we joined Capital Seafood’s James Tea, the managing partner of the brand, for a voiced-over 11-course meal that showed off the best of restaurant’s awesome menu.

Here’s a look at what we tried, in order of how it came out:

1. Whole Winter Melon soup with assorted seafood (Fresh Whole winter melon, shrimp, scallops, squid, crabmeat, mushroom)
2. Filet Mignon Satay Skewers (Filet Mignon Cubes, Lemongrass)
3. Assorted Dim Sum Platter (Sui Mai, Vegetable Eggrolls, Shrimp w/sugar cane, crab wontons, chicken potstickers) butterfly shrimp
4. Roasted Peking Duck (Fresh Duck, scallions, starch bun, hoisin sauce)
5. House Special Lobster w/ E-mein noodles (Lobster, scallions, spices, jalepenos, garlic, fresh noodles)
6. Capital’s Filet Mignon Cubes (Filet Mignon, butter, garlic, spices)
7. Honey Glazed Walnut Shrimps (Shrimp, Honey glazed walnuts, honey dew, cantaloupe)
8. House String Beans (String Beans, garlic, spices)
9. Pan Seared SeaBass (Seabass steak, sweet soysauce dressing)
10. Chef’s Fried Rice (Shrimp, scallops, squid, crabmeat, eggwhites, dried scallops, Japanese Seaweed)
11. Almond Cream Souffle (Almond, Ginko Nuts, Water chestnut Diced)

James (above) was kind enough to spend the evening at our table, explaining what each dish was at it came out, making sure we knew the effort that went into the prep and quality of each ingredient and making sure we were…let’s face it, liquored up.

To the drinks’ credit, the reasonably priced signature cocktails were exquisite. Everything from the Asian Peartini (my personal favorite) to the C-Bar Martini, everything tasted great, and went down a bit too easily.

Seafood + Watermelon in a soup? I knew I was in for some interesting stuff for the evening, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get behind this particular dish. Sure enough, it was complex and delicious. The seafood melody with the sweetness of the melon really brought multiple levels to every sip of the soup. Game changer:

Roasted Peking Duck (pictured above, and in the two photos beneath this paragraph) is a definite winner. Imagine fresh duck, scallions, starch buns and hoisin sauce in every bite. There’s a bit of a sweet aftertaste, and the duck falls apart in your mouth. Everything works fabulously together, and there’s plenty of texture in the bun and the duck to help you enjoy this dish.

Let me jump in here. The picture above is the House Special Lobster, a fabulous dish made with lobster, scallions, spices, jalapenos, garlic and fresh noodles. Arguably one of the best dishes of the night, as well as my personal favorite, The Honey Glazed Walnut Shrimps, featuring shrimp, honey glazed walnuts, honey dew and cantaloupe (get all of them in one bite and you’re in for the treat of your life).

Did someone say Whiskey? Someone did. James was kind enough to bring out the Chivas for the table, and everyone proceeded to get extra toasty. For some reason the whiskey made the Almond Cream Souffle we had for dessert even tastier. The souffle was top-notch, a concoction of almonds, ginko nuts and diced water chestnuts. Winner:

Pictured below with James is Capital‘s executive chef Erik Soukaphay, the architect behind all the dishes we’ve shown here. He came out and had a drink with us before going back to his…architectural duties. Kudos on an awesome dinner:

Capital Seafood

85 Fortune Dr Suite #329, Irvine, CA 92618
Tel: (949) 788-9218

Publisher // elie@foodbeast.com // Twitter: @eliepoo