Roasted pigeon and foie gras. Photo provided to China Daily |
Pigeon is delicate, and it takes a good chef to cook it well, especially since it can be easily overdone or undercooked. The bird is a tasty morsel, but it is hard to find good pigeon, even in the best Cantonese restaurants.
At the China World Summit Wing's Grill 79, new chef Guven Uyanik surprises with his roasted pigeon with foie gras, an unusual offering on his degustation menu.
"Timing is very important," says the Canadian chef of Turkish origin. "I personally love pigeon. I tried it for the first time at 12 years old. I have always come out with good result with it."
Some other highlights of the new chef's menu are ravioli of langoustine, duet of Australian beef, and "deconstructed" Baileys cheesecake.
These dishes look deceptively simple, but there is a great amount of effort behind each.
The duet of beef, for example, has an interesting contrast in taste. The grilled sirloin is firm, while the braised short rib is very tender. The plum juice was a recipe inspired by the chef's grandmother, and the side dish of mashed tomatoes is hand-stirred vigorously before being passed through a fine sieve.