评至味盛苑 九和宴 Review on the Ninefold Peace set menu from the Garden of Gourmet

有关至味盛苑九和宴的食评，虽说文字详尽到感同身受，但是这字里行间难免有些刁钻。 A review on the Ninefold Peace set menu from the Garden of Gourmet. The review provides an accurate and exhaustive description of the taste of the food. But the

早闻至味盛苑大名，心心念念但苦于一日一席，一座难求。上月委托挚友博得入场金券一枚，欣然前往。正逢秋高气爽，高唐师傅设九和宴，皆选时令鲜美食材，料理别具匠心，口味更胜灶君。推杯换盏，一晌贪欢，归家后难平快意，遂书此随笔，个人评价：「登峰造极，值得专程前往」，也供各位饕友参考斟酌。

I have long been aware of the Garden of Gourmet's fame as a restaurant. Yet, with the establishment's policy of only serving one meal per day, I have had great difficulties in securing a seat. I besought my friend to acquire a ticket for me last month and finally entered the venue with great expectations. It was the height of autumn and Master Gao Tang had set up the Ninefold Peace set menu to serve food made from fresh seasonal produce, with uniquely crafted dishes, and tastes rivaling the creation of the God of Stove itself. It was a pleasant meal where time seemed to fly, and the impression was so strong that I had to compose this review for my fellow gourmets as a reference. In my opinion, the menu is the epitome of culinary arts and deserves a special visit.

前菜 琉璃舟

Appetizer — Glazed Boat

开幕前菜便滋味无穷，高唐师傅现取褪壳对蟹，文火轻炙蟹壳，勾勒出木调纹理。随后师傅舞弄锉刀将其雕成小舟模样，蟹壳吹弹可破。只取钳肉混合翔鲟鱼胶打成肉丸，过高汤后置于舟上，肉丸弹性十足，交错堆叠间抖动似活物。注芯则选熟成的老对蟹，只取蟹黄部分，勾芡佳酿搅拌到变为流沙的浓稠质地，之后用竹筒注入肉丸中。肉丸加入鱼胶的用意此时才昭然若现！韧性十足的丸体，在灌满蟹黄后胀大数倍，表皮晶莹剔透，内里琼浆流淌，恍若美石。

The first appetizer was already a marvel. Master Gao Tang lightly roasted fresh crab shells and etched patterns resembling the texture of wood grains onto them. Then he used a chisel to carve the shells into the shape of small boats, making them so thin that they were almost translucent. The crab claw meat was mixed with sturgeon gill gelatin and formed into meatballs, which were boiled in stock then placed within the boat. The meatballs were elastic and shivered as if they were alive when the plate was moved. For the meat ball filling, mature crab roe was velveted with alcohol and stirred until it turned into thick mush, which was injected into the meatballs with a bamboo syringe. That was when it became clear to me why fish gelatin was mixed into the meatballs! The elastic meatballs expanded after being filled with crab roe. Their skins were transparent and the golden liquid within could be clearly seen, as if they were priceless jewels and precious stones.

头碟 醉红溪

First Course — Drunk Crimson Creek

鲜活缘虾被置入雕刻成自然风貌的活水餐盘，倒入杏花佳酿使之沉醉，再置暖石轻煨慢煮。醉倒的缘虾大开钳足！此番奇观绝境仙舟极难再现。微微颤抖的活虾吸收饱满的杏花香气，需要搭配上酱汁一同食用。听高唐师傅释义才知，这酱汁也大有讲究，取缘虾群少有的虾后，制成浓膏，佐以惊惶花瓣与语薇草芽调配而成。仿佛帝弓一瞥，味贯天灵！

Live Lucky Prawns were placed onto a platter carved into the form of natural scenery, with Apricot Blossom Reserve poured into the bowl to inebriate the prawns before slowly boiling the ensemble over warm rocks. The drunk Lucky Prawns would stretch open their claws and feet! This marvel is hard to reproduce even for the Xianzhou. The slightly shivering live prawns fully absorbed the rich aroma of the Apricot Blossom Reserve and needed to be consumed with a sauce. According to Master Gao Tang, this sauce was made specifically from the prawn queens rarely found amidst the schools of Lucky Prawns. These prawn queens were simmered into an unctuous texture, then mixed with the petals of Trepidation Flowers and the buds of Utterance Grass. The taste shook me to the very core of my being, as if it was a glimpse from the Reignbow Arbiter!

重味 清泉石上流

Main Course — Brook Tumbling Over Rocks

至味盛苑将巧石三味这道仙舟家常做出了不错的格调。取三秋日最肥美的时令黄石牛肉，选纹理近似美玉的外脊部位，放入卤味秘料低温慢煮。在下再三询问香料配方，师傅面若磐石，反讥一语「即便配方予你，你也必不得精髓，何必？」哼，好大的口气。之后将牛肉置入玄炉让其产生胶质般的油脂，香气扑鼻。上桌后用载满高汤的功夫壶滚过宛若墨石的牛肉与点缀的烟花草。烟花草遇高温则短暂盛放，水流墨凝脂，烟花映相识，赏心悦目。

The Garden of Gourmet elevated the common Xianzhou dish "Three Rocky Delicacies" to a new height. It was made with the sirloin of the fattiest seasonal Yellow Boulder Beef from this autumn, whose patterning resembles jade ores, and braised on a low simmer in a secret mixture of spices and stock. I inquired after the list of spices used multiple times, but the master only replied with a stern face: "You will be unable to understand the essence of the dish even if you have the recipe, so why should I bother?" Hmph, what excessive pride. The beef was then placed into another braiser where it was cooked until gelatinous fat coalesced and the aroma of the meat could be smelled. Once plated, a teapot of stock was poured over the beef, which now resembled black rocks, and the Firework Flowers were used as decoration, as they bloom briefly upon contact with heat. The entire dish was presented as a dark mountain of jade with liquid flowing down and Firework Flowers blooming below, a decadent feast for the eyes — and the stomach.

点心 落九天

Dessert — Fallen From the Skies

甜品也足够别出心裁，取永狩原明月弓蕉熬煮成浆，加入蜜汁调配的赤方，师傅介绍这是由羊奶提炼成的奶油块，实属罕见。再选孪生的紫芋艿，斩成星星形状的小块，用工具细致掏空内里后，将弓蕉浆同样用竹筒打入芋艿块中。高唐师傅用刀行云流水，过程妙趣横生，看他将芋块置于冰块中降温，马上开大火熬煮蜂王琼浆，待气泡沉浮，散入芋块，一时间气浪蒸腾，锅气翻滚。趁其未完全凝固，直接倾倒至盘中，在坠落中便迅速凝结成瀑布的形状。实在是外壳金黄酥脆，流沙味甘不腻。

The dessert was also unique. Crescent bownana from the Ever-Hunt Plains were simmered into a sauce, into which were placed solid pieces of rare goat milk cream mixed with honey. After that, two purple taros were diced into small pieces in the shape of stars, which were hollowed out with delicate tools. The bownana sauce was injected into the taro pieces via a bamboo syringe as before. Master Gao Tang's knife work was smooth and decisive and the process was fun and mesmerizing. I watched as he placed the taro pieces into ice to cool, then immediately turned the heat to high on a separate pot to boil royal jelly. When bubbles started to emerge, he immediately poured the taro pieces in and steam instantly rose up and rolled out of the pot. He then poured the mixture into the plate before it completely cooled, making it solidify into the shape of a waterfall midair. The outside of the pieces was golden and crunchy, while the royal jelly mixture was sweet without being overwhelming.