Updated: 08 December 2008
(These pages are updated early/end
each month with revisions as news breaks - check-in here often)
03 December 2008 - Wild Boar at an obscure Coffee Shop
It was a spur of
the moment invitation to share some wine with new-found friends. And,
so we did. Only five in all. To an obscure Coffee Shop that was the
only lighted shop on 2 rows of light industrial shophouses, somewhere
in Penampang.
The aim was to eat some jungle meats together with other normal fare.
Something novel and new despite being old Asian-hands with Dubai as
their last stop and Singapore, earlier. They have decided to settle in
Sabah under the "My 2nd Home" scheme.
As we waited for the last two persons to join us, I opened Ricciola
Vermentino Marrema Toscana 2007 (Italy), a quince-flavoured, nutty
white wine with nervy acidity to accompany some Menglembu groundnuts.
As luck would have it, the only "game" available was wild boar. We
tucked into it with gusto nevertheless. Fried in thick sweet soya sauce
with ginger and garlic, the meat was slightly chewy but full of earthy
flavour. The other accompanying dishes included regular pigs ears
nicely simmered in dark soya sauce & Chinese herbs .......... soft
on the outside, and then, the distinct crunch of soft bone within. A
wonderful play of textures and great umami.
As with local Chinese cooking, all the dishes flowed out at the same
time. So, off came the corks from my bottles of Heinrich Gabarinza 2006
(Austria), a red Zweigelt blend from Burgenland, right next to
Hungary's vast Continental plain. Followed quickly by Cavallotto Barolo
vigna Vignolo 1990 (Italy), a well-aged Riserva Barolo from a
traditionalist winery run by young family members.
There was Sayur Manis (sweet vegetables) simply sauteed in whole garlic
bulbs and fragrant oil. This vegetable is one of many that is native to
Borneo. Then, from the sea, we called for deep-fried mackerel fish head
slathered in piquant sauce of chilies, red onions, ginger slivers and
chunks of soyabean cake (tofu). Another plate of Japanese-styled
egg tofu was stir-fried with minced pork and young onion shoots.
All five diners piled on the food on steamed rice and lapped up the
wines together with the food. Pleasant conversation flowed with excited
ease like old friends denying the fact that they have just been
introduced less then 10 minutes ago.
Then, I remembered that our last wine was still in the shop's fridge.
Out it came, nice and cool, Morgadio Albarino 2006 (Spain), a fragrant
white, inland from the Atlantic coast. Its crispness cleansed the
palate after the heavy soya sauces and helped all to finish their meals
without the greasiness that would have weighed in the belly.
A photo for the album and voting for the favourite wine of the evening.
This is despite the fact that 5 persons just consumed 4 whole bottles
of wine, this evening! The winner with all hands down was the Heinrich
Gabarinza 2006, incidentally, a 92-point Falstaff rated wine!
Definitely, there will be more of these dinners to come ................ and soon. Cheers!!!
Return to Main
Page