Once Upon A Table

Enter the Dragon: Sat 3rd March

2012-02-26T00:49:00.003-08:00

We're back!! Our next secret supper dinner will be 'Enter the dragon' Sat 3rd March.

We sold out in 40 mins. Thanks for your support foodie friends!

The night will be inspired by magical and delicious dragon themed dishes.

The cost will be $550 per head and will include cocktail, 2 starters, 2 mains, dessert and our beer guru friend Jeff will match a few boutique small brew beers.

Here's a sneak peak of some of the dishes on the menu.

'Smoking Dragon cocktail' inspired from the latest movie Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

'Kiss the Dragon buns'...five spice fatty pork belly slider buns

'Lily Mother's Dragon Fire'...a sizzling Sichuan beef chilli dish

'Puff the magic Dragon egg'...a dark chocolate egg with a magical suprise inside

Looking fwd to it!

Once Upon A Table

EATING INDIA

2011-11-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Argha's lip smackin' Calcutta chicken roll street snack

We will take you on a off-the-beaten track journey through the diverse gastronomic regions of India

Get you taste buds tingling with the spices and flavours of India, matched with gourmet beers.

EATING INDIA: Brought to you by Once Upon A Table. Experience the richness and diversity of Indian cuisine - from our Grandmother's recipes and age-old family traditions, to contemporary twists inspired by Michelin Star restaurants.

From melt-in-the mouth meat dishes cooked slowly for 72 hours to quick, lip-smacking street food churned out on a hot pan. Let us take you on a culinary journey of India, with dishes from different regions of the country, each dish laced with memories and deep personal connections of our OUAT chefs and each matching beer carefully chosen by our Beer Sommelier.

'EATING INDIA' will be on Saturday 19th November 7pm at a secret home location revealed the day before the event. Cost: $680 for a 6 course tasting menu including cocktail and 3 paired beers.

BOOKINGS open this Thursday 10th November 11am sharp. Book by emailing us at onceuponatable@gmail.com. First come first served. Set your alarm clocks as our last 'Twisted Tapas Tales' dinner sold out in 5 mins!

Have a sneak peak at the menu below

TO START

Mumbai Margarita - Tequila, lime, mango nectar, elderflower, with a little cayenne pepper kick

Tomato Rasam Shooters with gunpowder crackers - Sweet, sour and peppery tomato soup spiked with cumin, mustard seeds and cilantro

Vegetable Haryali Kabab - Green Vegetable kabab with spinach, cloves, cinnamon

THE MAIN EVENT

Calcutta Chicken Roll DIY -From the streets of Calcutta: spicy chicken cubes with onions and green chillies, rolled in fried egg-dipped paratha lacha bread. Assembled at the table.

Paired Beer : India Pale Ale

Patra ni Macchi -Parsi style fish steamed in banana leaves with coconut and coriander

Paired Beer: Japanese fishing-village Wheat Beer

Shorshe Chana -Fresh cottage cheese spiked with mustard

Palate Cleanser: Flavoured Lassi Shots

72 hour Pork Vindaloo with Indian Old Monk Rum- Goan style pork marinated in vinegar and slow cooked in rum, garlic and chillies and flambéed at the table.

Paired Beer : Brown Ale or Belgian farmhouse ale

On the side
~Cold eggplant yoghurt salad
~Rice trio : plain, lemon, cumin
~Chargrilled tomato chutney
~Mint Yoghurt Chutney

SWEET FINISH

Tricolor Kulfi: pomegranate & orange, pistachio, almonds - Indian ice-cream

Darjeeling Tea OR Indian Monsoon Malabar Coffee

If you haven't already, become our friend on facebook www.facebook.com/onceupontablehk

See you soon. Once Upon A Table team

Twisted Tapas Tales

2011-10-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Modern spins and travel inspired variations of Catalan flavours was the spirit behind Twisted Tapas Tales, our most recent secret gathering.

Our 16 guests were warmly welcomed into the brightly decorated casa of our hosts Ben & Kerri with a refreshing Sangria Blanco - an Asian spin of nasi pear and lychee meddled with white wine and softly topped with cava. As people got acquainted we served nibbles of warm homemade pan con tomate (bread with fresh tomato) and Jamon Iberico - yes, we managed to get the real deal!

First up, the lighter tapas. These plates were paired with an exquisite 2006 Letras, Rioja Alavesa. Enter the deconstructed Spanish omelet - or the 21st Century Spanish Omelett. A beautiful combination of caramelised onion topped in a martini glass with an egg sabayon and potato foam. Carpassion Peruvian Tiraditos left guests intrigued with layers of texture and unusual flavour combinations of wafer thin raw salmon, drizzled with passion fruit and lemon syrup finished with fine filo pastry crisps.

The menu took a turn to the slightly heavier dishes with Calamares Rellenos con Morcilla - tender baby squid stuffed with a hearty blood sausage. Following the more traditional but equally moreish Gambas al Ajilo. These flavours beautifully balanced with a 2007 Cathar Crianza, Ribera del Duero.

Onto the more travel-inspired creations we hit Barcelona and Bombay in a combination of Pani Puri con Patatas Bravas and then headed to New York for Fatty Lollipops - delectable skewers of grilled watermelon and pork belly. Guests were delighted to discover an unusual wine in the 2005 Morayama, Priorat - a surprisingly smooth red which worked beautifully to enhance the richness of these flavours.

Our last round of tapas was more meaty as we served a perfectly seared bife of sirloin drizzled with a fresh Chimmichurri and toasted almonds, and a homely Chorizo and Garbanzo bean stew.

The final sweet highlight of the evening was the home-made Churros con Chocolate Naranja - the churros perfectly light and crispy served with a rich, warm chocolate sauce.

This was one fabulous fiesta - an ambitious menu of 14 tapas plates each a surprise in itself served with rare Spanish wines courtesy of Platinum Wines.

Check out the photographs below!

Our hosts Kerri & Ben hide behind the homemade menu-fans

Beautiful handmade decorations made by Kerri. Welcome bags for guests - each containing everything needed to devour the feast!

Bags of fun

What's on the menu?

Argha preparing the Iberico and sampling it's deliciousness

And this was just for starters....

Ready to welcome our guests

Just before guests arrive, Angie pulls her warm bread out of the oven ....yum!

The fiesta is underway as guest take their seats

Busy in the kitchen

21st Century Spanish Omelette - egg sabayon, potato foam and caramalised onion

Peruvian Carpassion - wafer thin salmon drizzled with passionfruit and lemon syrup served with filo crisps

Calamares Ruenos con Morcilla - baby squid stuffed with blood sausage

Ensalada Naranja Acettuna - Refreshing orange and black olive salad served with a fresh cumin and orange dressing and cilantro

Barcelona meets Bombay in pani puri stuffed with patatas bravas

The best gambas al ajilo this side of Barcelona!

Sampling the vino

Elisa serves the New York Fatty Lollipops - grilled pork and watermelon skewers

Perfectly seared sirloin topped with zingy chimmichuri and toasted almonds

A hearty chorizo and garbanzo bean stew flavoured with pimento rojo (fleshy red peppers)

Churros a la Angie

Churros orgasmico! Served alongside a chocolate-orange pot

Bravo! Once Upon A Table

Twisted Tapas Tales

2011-09-27T18:36:00.001-07:00

Join us for authentic Catalan flavours with modern spins and travel-inspired variations in Twisted Tapas Tales, to be held at a secret venue on Saturday the 8th of October.

We've created 14 taster dishes for the event with highlights such as quail egg croquettas topped with iberico, the 21st Century Spanish omlet, seared sirloin topped with chimmichiri and toasted almonds, and gazpacho surprises. We've tapped into our local contacts to make sure our supplies of the best chorizo and jamon are plentiful!

The meal will be paired with 4 carefully chosen wines which will be fully explored by Elisa, our sommelier. We'll kick off the evening at 7.30pm with a welcome cocktail - something twisted and tasty!

RSVP on Wednesday the 28th of October by emailing onceuponatable@gmail.com between 3-4pm.

TWISTED TAPAS TALES - MENU

ON THE TABLE

Pan Con Tomate

Homemade Catalan-style bread rubbed with garlicky tomato, drizzled with rosemary- infused olive oil

Jamon Iberico Bellota

Platter of aged Iberico ham from free-range acorn-fed pigs

Tamarah Montaditos

Canapes of cheese-stuffed dates

WELCOME DRINK

White sangria with Asian fruit, topped with sparkling Cava

LOS MARISCOS

Gambas Al Ajillo

Garlicky shrimps sizzling in olive oil

Salmon Ceviche

Wafer thin salmon ceviche with tangy passion fruit dressing and crispy wonton bits

Catalan Surf & Turf

Grilled squid stuffed with sausage

VERDURA

Orange and black olive salad topped with red onion, and a cumin, paprika and fresh cilantro dressing

Barcelona and Bombay

Patatas bravas and panipuri

Gazpacho Tubes

Shots of gazpacho surprise

Escalivada

Grilled vegetables with drizzle of olive oil and sea salt

Twenty-first Century Spanish Omelette

Egg yolk, potato foam, caramelized onions

Quail Egg Croquettas topped with Iberico

CARNE

Seared sirloin topped with chimichurri and toasted almonds

New York style pork belly and watermelon skewers

Boqueria Market chorizo and garbanzo bean stew with red peppers

CHURROS CHURROS CHURROS

A variety of churros twists and surprises

Coffee

Cost per head: $640

It's Riesling Time Photos - A Riesling Revelation

2011-08-13T21:47:00.000-07:00

Our latest Once Upon A Table event, 'It's Riesling Time' was inspired by our Once Upon A Table novice sommelier Elisa. She wanted to share with our guests how diverse one type of wine made from one single grape could be have so many different styles from sweet, dry, light, full-bodied, minerally, or crisp and fruity. Hence, Riesling is known as the foodie lovers among chefs as it can pair with almost any dish. The menu planning was fun as Elisa chose the wines first and we then paired the food.

It was an eye opening Riesling revelation for our guests, many who have only tasted the more common sweet German Rieslings. The Clare Valley Riesling was really refreshing and had a lovely spring flower aroma, tart citrusy and peach flavors that matched perfectly with the spicy grilled Mexican fish tacos with mango salsa.

The Alsace Riesling and the Riesling Chicken liver pate and chargrilled gingerbread was moreish...we had guests sneaking into the kitchen scavenging for the remaining pate and gingerbread. We take that as a compliment!

But perhaps the most interesting Riesling was the German Winery Bretz, Riesling Ice Wine. This is one of the sweetest wines in the world and can be only be made where there are hard frosts as the grapes are collected and crushed in the winter whilst the grapes are frozen at -7 degrees. This very sweet, fruity wine paired perfectly with a strong blue cheese platter. Try it at home!

Special thanks to Stephanie who kindly hosted the event at her gorgeous home and gigantic kitchen. Also thanks to Dan who took some fabulous photos and broke his 6 month blogging dry spell to write a nice review about our homely secret supper club in his michelin star blog 3starbackpacker.com.

Check out the wine list here if you want to buy them

Elegant Elisa pouring the first Riesling tasting

Argha's fresh Scallop Crudo with Edamame, Orange zest and Mint Oil

Paired with a chilled glass of Chilean Riesling (Photos Courtesy of Dan)

Sofia's sweet smile with the sweet mango salsa

Fresh fish of the day - Mexican spiced grilled fish tacos with mango salsa

We could have drunk quite a few glasses of this Clare Valley Riesling...mmmm

Angie and Argha plating up the chicken liver pate and gingerbread

(Photo Courtesy of Dan)

The guests loved the Alsace Riesling served with Riesling Chicken liver pate with

caramelized onions on chargrilled gingerbread. Click to get the recipe.

'Delicious! I could eat an entire bowl of this pate with a spoon' said one satisfied guest.

(photo courtesy of Dan)

Elisa and our guest Yi

The Sweet German Ice Wine made from frozen grapes - Try it out!

(photo courtesy of Dan)

Blue Cheese Selection with Shreya's homemade beetroot jam and ginger pineapple jam

Mmmmmmmm ...love strong stinky blue cheese

(photo courtesy of Dan)

Riesling Popsicles getting ready to pop out

To finish, a cool summer dessert...Pear and Riesling Popsicles with fresh mint

(photo courtesy of Dan)

Lovely guests Delphine, Ed, Stephanie with Elisa

Our guest Karen who loved our last Beer tasting event so much she had to come to

our Riesling tasting too!

Our guests Yeeman and Andrew chilling out with popsicles

Guest Yalun and Gracious host Stephanie

Guests: Yi and Cecilia

Spiced Gingerbread Cake

2011-08-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

I made this lovely, simple spiced gingerbread cake loaf to serve with the Riesling Chicken Liver pate at our last event 'It's Riesling Time'. The warming ginger, cinnamon, clove spices and orange zest complement very well with the rich, velvety meaty flavors and textures of the pate. We like to serve warm chunky chargrilled gingerbread slices with a big dollop of pate and caramelized red onions.

The recipe is slightly adapted from Joy of Baking, one of my favorite websites for cakes, desserts etc.

GINGERBREAD CAKE LOAF

2 cups of four

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (nothing beats freshly ground cinnamon quills but you can also use pre-ground cinnamon)

2 teaspoons of ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

1/2 cup of 115 grams of unsalted butter

1/2 cup of light brown soft sugar

2 large eggs room temperature

zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup of golden syrup (put vegetable oil in cup to prevent sticking)

1 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 180C or 350F. Line 13cm x 31 cm loaf tin with baking paper.

2. Sift the dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves together and mix. Sifting will help with the raising and will also help prevent lumps in the cake mix.

3. Use mixer to beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat after each one. Add orange zest, golden syrup and combine.

4. Add dry ingredients & milk, alternating between wet and dry ingredients, ending with dry ingredients. Beat until just combined (don't overwork it).

5. Pour batter into loaf tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40-45 mins. Try to resist opening the oven until the last 10-15 mins to check. Insert a clean toothpick to check if it is done. If it comes out sticky, wait another 5 mins. If it is clean, it is ready. Cool completely before taking out of the tin. You can keep the loaf in the fridge for a few days or clingfilm and freeze in for 1-2 weeks.

6. Before serving slice the loaf into 1 inch slices. Butter a griddle pan on medium heat, then add the slices, making nice griddle marks on both sides. Serve the warm chargrilled gingerbread with a big dollop of Riesling Chicken Liver Pate and some caramelized red onions.

Enjoy with a lovely chilled glass of Riesling!

Sofia's spiced riesling liver pate

2011-08-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

This recipe came together through a lot of experimenting. After reading about 10 liver pate recipes I took the bits that sounded most interesting and had a go. I must admit I had to test it out twice before getting the final pate just right.

If you're in Hong Kong, buying chicken livers is a real mission. You'd think they'd be readily available at any wet market. After going to a couple of chicken stalls and asking for "gaai gon" I eventually got lucky with about 100grams of livers for HK$10. Unfortunately these were mixed with other innards - heart, anyone? In the end I went to City Super where you can buy 100grams for HK$17. They are imported from France, and look as clean as liver can.

Below is a summary of what I did. I'd recommend you have a play around with the ingredients as you go along, try different types of alcohol, different herbs, and spices! - good luck

You will need:

1 Kilogram of chicken livers - enough for 2 big bowls of pate

1 Liter of milk

2 Glasses of riesling - I used a lovely riesling from Alsace

A dash of port wine

2 Red onions chopped fine

2 Cloves of garlic chopped fine

1 Bunch of fresh thyme

1 Block of butter

3 Bay leaves

3 Cloves

Mustard - I used dijon

Dry sage

Maldon salt

Pepper

This is what I did:

Soak your chicken livers in the milk for about 24 hours. Make sure that you cover them. This does 2 things. It tenderises the livers and it also helps remove toxins. When you're ready to get cooking, take the livers out of the milk and pat dry. Cut out any grizzly looking bits.

Gently heat the wine in a saucepan with the cloves and bay leaves. Let it simmer until the wine reduces by to about a third of it's original quantity. Add a dash of port into this mixture too if you fancy. When the mixture has reduced nicely turn off the heat.

Melt about 3 tablespoons of butter over a low heat.

Fry up the onions and garlic until soft.

Add the chicken livers and a lot of salt and pepper and about 3 tablespoons of the fresh thyme leaves. Sprinkle generously with some dry sage.

Cook gently until the chicken livers are soft and tender and still red inside. You do not want to overcook them otherwise they go hard and grey and lose their colour and flavour.

Just before they are cooked add the wine mixture (remove the cloves and bay leaves) and give it a good couple of stirs.

Turn the heat off.

Now cut about half the block of butter up into chunks.

Put the liver mixture and the butter into a bowl. Be careful about how much liquid goes in. I drained some of the liquid off, but left some of it in. You just need to use your eye for this - you don't want it too soupy.

Season again with salt and pepper and add in about 2 - 3 tablespoons of mustard. You want to over season it because when it sets it loses flavour.

Using a hand blender, blend the mixture. You can go as chunky or smooth as you like. You can also add in a bit of cream to this mixture for more richness.

When your mixture is nice and smooth, then pour into a ramekin or a nice bowl.

Put to one side.

Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. As it comes to boil scoop off the foam that rises to the top so that you get clarified butter. Now pour this on top of your pate.

Let this cool for about 10 minutes and then pop into the fridge.

You can add some thyme leaves to the clarified butter to give it some flavour if you like. This layer will set on top of the pate and keep it fresher for longer. You can keep this in the fridge for about 1 week. If you "open" the seal then use within 3 days. You can also freeze the pate in the fridge for about 1 month.

To serve you can throw some pickles, or caramalised onion onto a board, along with some olives and fresh leaves. Serve on chargrilled gingerbread (see our recipe) for a bit of decadence, or on crusty bread.

Enjoy with a glass of reisling or ice wine.

It's Riesling Time: Sat July 30

2011-07-18T02:33:00.000-07:00

Forget the stereotype sweet Rieslings you might have tasted before and come discover why Riesling is known as the 'food lovers wine'. Riesling has incredible food pairing versatility and can match with almost any dish...even the more challenging spicy Asian, Mexican or Morrocan dishes.

For the next event, Elisa our Once Upon A Table novice sommelier will guide you through 5 different Rieslings tastings ranging from a range of styles from sweet, dry, semi-dry, light, full-bodied, or wonderfully crisp, citrusy and fruity.

We will be pairing the Riesling with small delicious food dishes that work well with the diverse flavors and characters of the wine. We hope it will be a Riesling Revelation for you. Here is a sneak peak at the menu (note: some items may be adapted slightly).

Welcome drink - Lychee Bellini

Chilean Riesling, San Antonio Leyda or Bio Bio

Char-grilled Scallops served with edamame, grapefruit zest and mint oil

Australian Riesling, Clare Valley

Grilled fish with tacos with mango salsa, salsa verde and crunchy red cabbage

French Riesling, Alsace

Chicken Riesling liver pate with caramelized onions and currents served on warm char-grilled homemade gingerbread

German Riesling, Rheingau or Mosel

Cheeses plate with homemade pineapple and green apple jam

For Dessert, Riesling Pear Ice Popsicles

'It's Riesling Time' will be held Sat 30 July 4:30-8:30pm.

Secret home venue to be revealed the day before.

Total costs per guest $480.

Bookings will be open this Thursday 21 July - 12- 3pm.

Email us at onceuponatable@gmail.com

We have only 12 spaces. First come, first served. Be quick as we tend to sell out quickly.

Bon Appetit!

Once Upon A Table team

Brewilicious photos - a beer tasting extravaganza

2011-07-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

Our guests Will and Kai Chin admire the golden, honey colors of the beer

What better way to spend a lazy hot Saturday in Hong Kong than sampling cold, refreshing and uniquely flavoured craft brewed beers with 16 lovely Once Upon A Table guests.

For Brewilicious we collaborated with Jeff Boda, beer guru from Foreign Devil beers who curated and showcased the 6 craft brewed beers. Guests were welcomed with a 'Michelda', a refreshing Mexican beer cocktail made with chilled beer, lots of ice, a few drops of Tabasco sauce and a wedge of lime.

Jeff started the tasting in a tiny Japanese fishing village, where they brew a complex blonde ale with tart citrus notes. It was then on to Belgium for something a bit darker, with a hint of caramel, from the local Trappist monks. We finished our journey in America with a Rogue Chocolate Stout, made with real chocolate and accompanied by home made Twix. Jeff had one last adventure for our guests, perhaps the most surprising been many of them had ever tasted, a 15 year old aged Samuel Adams Triple Bock with the smoothness of Port.

The tasty plates of food we matched to the flavour of the beers, were gobbled up hungrily.

Special thanks to one of our guests Andrew who generously opened up his home in Sheung Wan as the Brewilicious secret venue.

Thanks also to our awesome guests!

Menu Message in a Bottle

Lovely guests Karen and Yeeman

To complement the refreshing North Coast Blue Star Wheat Ale,

Shreya made warm roast fennel and gouda cheese tarts

Jeff the beer guru passionately sharing his love and respect for craft brews

Guests chilling out and savoring the full flavors of the beers

Check out the beautiful golden, honey colors

Angie's Whitefish Sashimi Bruschetta with coriander, red onion and lime juice...very moreish

Topping up again

Beautiful beer labels

What better to pair a crisp, malty amber ale beer than ale marinated chicken. yum Argha!

We think the Trappist Belgium beer making would have enjoyed kicking back with some strong cheeses, homemade strawberry jam, homemade pineapple jam with ginger and homemade paprika crackers.

The lovely ladies guests - Jana, Fu Ting and Agatha

Thank you from the Once Upon A Table Team - Argha, Shreya, Angie

The ultimate sweet tooth fix - Homemade Twix bars with crunchy shortbread,

chewy sweet caramel and milk chocolate

To finish a 15 year vintage beer that tastes like a port or sherry!!

Shreya's Easy Peasy & Moreish Artichoke Dip Recipe

2011-07-04T06:23:00.000-07:00

Prepping the artichoke dip

A bit of a cheat but super easy - canned artichokes

Shreya's Artichoke dip was a highly requested recipe from our 'Explore the Spice Route' guests in May. The recipe is super easy but very tasty indeed! We served this with warm thin homemade fennel flatbreads. Yum!

RECIPE FOR ARTICHOKE DIP

1 can or artichoke drained and chopped roughly (available at any big welcome supermarket)

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup grated parmesan

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons of fresh grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder

2 pinches of paprika

Mix all ingredients together in an oven proof dish and bake for 30 mins at 180C til it sets well and looks slightly golden brown on top. Let it stand for 5 mins before serving. Sprinkle with a with pinches of paprika for a bit of color.

Brewlicious: Beer tasting afternoon with Jeff the beer guru

2011-06-12T03:27:00.000-07:00

This month we are pleased to bring you 'BREWILICIOUS' - a Once Upon A Table mini-event in collaboration with Foreign Devil beers importers.

This beer tasting event is for people who like good beer AND even for those who think they don't like beer. This will change your mind.

The afternoon includes the tasting of 6 artisanal beers and 5 small food plates, finishing with something sweet. The beer selection is curated by Jeff Boda, ex Beer Critic of The Chicago Tribune and Owner of Foreign Devil Beer Importers. Experience a range of remarkable craft brews each with a distinct character, flavour, aftertaste and it's own tale.

We will kick off with a refreshing wheat ale and a fruit-infused Japanese Summer ale. We then move onto a robust amber ale before sampling an intoxicating Belgian trappist ale. Finally we will sample a chocolate stout and then round off the tasting with a 15 year old digestif.

Each beer will be matched with delectable small plates of food that complement the beers, but don't distract.

Note: Don't expect any Heineken, Carlsberg or Budweiser!

Date: Saturday 25 June, 1-4pm

Venue: Secret venue to be revealed day before

RSVP: Bookings open Wednesday 15 June - 10am.

Spaces limited, first come first served.

Cost: $480 per person

Below - the full details of the craft brews and dishes we will serve up:

North Coast Blue Star Wheat Ale

Paired with Slow Roasted Fennel Tarts with thyme, lemon and goats cheese

Baird Shizuoka Summer Mikan Ale

Paired with White Fish Sashimi Bruschetta

Baird Red Rose Amber Ale

Paired with Hot and Smoky Cajun Chicken

Chimay Blue Trappist Ale

Paired with aged cheese, homemade crackers and fig paste

Rogue Chocolate Stout

Paired with homemade Twix - shortbread biscuit, caramel, covered in thin chocolate

Digestif: 15 year old Sam Adams Triple Bock

Bring your own cigars if you wish

Explore the Spice Route

2011-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Last Saturday we held our secret supper club on a balmy warm evening on the terrace of a HK resident overlooking Kennedy town harbor and Kowloon in the far distance. We had 16 lovely new guests join us on the 'Explore the Spice Route' evening. We were also joined by Jeff a.k.a the beer guru from Foreign Devil Beers who is an ex-beer critic for Chicago Times. Check out his awesome boutique beer recommendations at Foreign Devil Beers. We also had Stefan Irvine, a lovely and talented photographer who kindly took pics of us madly rushing around cooking and of the magical evening (check out his website here).

Special thanks to our friend April for volunteering to help us cook and serve for 12 hours!!

Sofia our other Once Upon A Table Chef has just recently popped out her first newborn baby and was missed.

'Explore the Spice Route' was a fabulous theme as we discovered magical and fascinating stories about the origins and mythology of exotic spices from the far corners of the globe. Did you know nutmeg originates from the 'Spice Islands' of Maluki and has long been believed to impart magical powers from sexual performance to protection against evil? Or that Sage originates from the Latin word 'to be saved' and linked to eternal life? Cumin on the other hand originates from the Nile Valley in Egypt and was commonly used for mummifications.

We finished the night with the most precious and expensive spice of them all: Saffron which is actually worth more than its weight in gold. Its golden color is associated with enlightenment, wisdom, anti-aging and aphrodisiacs and has been around since 50,000 BC!! Alexander the Great even used to bathe in saffron to treat his wounds.

We kick-started the night with Elisa's zingy, dry Martini's with fresh ginger, lime and coriander ice-cubes. Very refreshing and strong!!! ha ha

A Warm Welcome from the Once Upon A Table Team

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Decorating the table with a myriad of spices and colors - cloves, black cardomon, cinnamon sticks, dried chilli, panchphoron, whole nutmegs, sumac, Za'atar, coriander seeds
(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Dressing the Baklava with rose petals and crushed pistachios
(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)
A magical night with a magical view of Hong Kong
(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)
Jeff the beer guru from Foreign Devil Beer was somewhat tipsy from his all day junk trip and was very very talkative and very very enthusiastic to imparts his incredible knowledge of boutique beers and their unique flavors to our guests. He talked for 15 mins non-stop..ha ha!
(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Two delicious beers recommended by Jeff. Numazu Lager from Baird Brewery from a fishing village in Japan perfectly complemented the Fresh, crunchy Turkish salad with pomegranate molasses, sumac and walnuts.

Whilst the Juniper Pale Ale from Rogue Ales, Newport, USA, a clean crisp pale ale with lots of floral and hops flavor went down a treat with the aromatic Prawn Bengali 5 Spice coconut curry.

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Shreya working her magic, cracking open the oven baked coconut

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Viola!! You had to be there to smell the incredible aromas of coconut and Panchphoron spice (which includes fenugreek, nigella seed, cumin, onion seeds, and fennel seeds)

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Mmmm Sherya's prawn curry with Panchphoron spice was sooo delicious...luckily for me there was one coconut curry left for me to have as leftovers for the week!!

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

INTERMISSION: Spice tasting with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Olive oils -

Za'atar, Lemon Zest, Pepperoncino

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Elisa uncorks the wine uncorked and ready to serve with the Boeuf - wine and dish both from the same region Burgundy, France.

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Deliciously rich and pungent Boeuf Bourguignon made with 2 bottles of wine and Indian 5 spice...yummo

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Chatty and happy guests enjoy the meal and meeting new friends

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

A mini break with a sweet and refreshing watermelon granita with a crunchy sugar crystallized sage leaf

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Lip tingling spicy cumin Xinjiang BBQ New Zealand Lamb (My dad's recipe) served with homemade

spring onion pancakes.

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

To finish a flaky syrupy Persian baklava with ground cardomon and saffron infused Rosewater and Orange Zest syrup (if you look closely you can see a few saffron threads and orange zest)

(Photos Courtesy of Stefan Irvine)

Thanks to our lovely guests for making it a lovely and memorable evening.

We are thinking of having a cook-in (informal, social cooking class) end of June before another full dinner in July. So pass our details to your friends if you think they might be interested.

Menu to our next event: Explore the Spice Route 28 May

2011-05-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Explore the Spice Route Menu

Brought to you by Once Upon A Table

Sat 28 May 7pm at a Secret Location

GINGER

Lime Martini with fresh ginger, soda and coriander ice cubes

NUTMEG, PAPRIKA & FENNEL

Artichoke dip with nutmeg, sour cream and parmesen

Smoky Babaganoush with paprika and toasted walnuts

Warm Homemade Fennel Flat breads

SUMAC

Turkish Gurvadagi Salad with fresh tomatoes, parsley, crunchy walnuts, pomegranate molasses and sumac

Paired with crisp, hoppy European style Namuzu lager from Baird Brewery, Japan

PANCHPHORON (INDIAN 5 SPICE BLEND)

Prawns steamed inside a tender coconut with panchphoron

Paired with malty, yeasty Juniper Pale Ale from Rogue Ales, Newport, USA

OLIVE OIL AND SPICE TASTING

Middle Eastern Olive Oil with Za'tar

Italian Olive Oil with paprika and pepperoncino

MUSTARD

Boeuf Bourguignon with Indian Spice Mash and Dijon Mustard

Paired with 2009 Jean Foillard, Morgan (AC) Cote Du Py

SAGE

Seasonal watermelon and sage granita to refresh the palate

CUMIN

New Zealand lamb chargrilled Xinjiang style with cumin served with cool cucumber and spring onion pancake

Paired with 2008 Domaine des Dimanche, Coteaux du Vendomois

SAFFRON

Persian baklava spice with cardamon and drizzled with safforn infused rosewater syrup

Served with fresh mint tea or coffee

2011-05-23T20:35:00.000-07:00

MENU - Explore the Spice Route

Brought to you by ONCE UPON A TABLE . sat 28 may 7pm.

Ginger

Lime Martini with fresh ginger, soda and coriander ice cubes

Nutmeg, Paprika and Fennel

Artichoke Dip with Nutmeg, sour cream and cheese

Smoky Babaganoush with Paprika and walnut

Warm homemade Fennel flat breads

Sumac

Turkish Gurvadagi Salad with fresh tomatoes, parsley, crunchy walnuts, pomegranate molasses & sumac

Paired with crisp, hoppy European style Numazu Lager from Baird Brewery , Japan

Panchphoron ( Indian 5 spice blend)

Prawns steamed inside a tender coconut with Indian 5 spice

Paired with malty, yeasty Juniper Pale Ale from Rogue Ales, Newport, USA

Olive Oil and Spice Tasting

middle eastern Olive Oil with Za’tar

italian olive oils with Paprika and peperoncino

Mustard

Boeuf Bourguignon with an Indian spice mash and dijon mustard

Paired with 2009 Jean Foillard, Morgon (AC),Côte du Py

Sage

Seasonal watermelon and sage granita to refresh the palate

Cumin

New Zealand lamb Chargrilled Xinjiang Style with cumin, served with cool cucumber and spring onion pancakes

Paired with 2008 Domaine des Dimanche, Coteaux du Vendomois

Saffron.

Persian Baklava spiced with cardamom and drizzled with saffron infused rosewater syrup

Served with fresh mint tea or coffee

Explore the Spice Route

2011-05-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Once Upon A Table’s next secret gathering takes a journey along the Silk Road’s Spice Route. We’ve scoured the globe for exotic spices that unearth the richness of this trade through their intriguing tales and flavours.

Join us on Saturday the 28th of May for Explore the Spice Route - an evening of story telling, discovery and surprise as we share a 7 course sensorial menu paired that has been carefully with a selection of wines and artisinal beers.

Cost per head $550 – includes 7 courses with wine and artisinal beer to match

To RSVP please email onceuponatable@gmail.com on the 12th of May between 12noon and 3pm. The first 14 guests to reply will be invited.

(please do not RSVP before this date/time - we need to keep our guest list fair!)

Menu details to be revealed shortly

Around the World in 8 Wines

2011-04-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Our most recent secret gathering - Around the World in 8 Wines - was experimental in many ways, which made it stand out for us. And judging from the feedback, our guests loved it too. We partnered with The Kitchen Nomads and Fred Lam a genius photographer (check out some of Fred's pro pics below) which we thoroughly enjoyed. We tried a new venue - a spacious, converted warehouse right at the end of the Island Line in Chai Wan. And we focused the evening on wines from uncommon parts of the world which we then paired with an eclectic mix of delicious food. We were fortunate enough to have Africa2Asia sponsor a sensational South African Delheim Pinotage and S&D German Wines donate undiscovered "boutique wines" from Germany.

Elisa once again captivated guests as she took them on a journey to unusual wine regions, giving them the opportunity to experiment and discover new variations of classics. Who knew, for example, that a Rose could be gold coloured or that a Pinotage is exclusively produced in South Africa? Check out the pics below to get a feel for the fabulous night it was!

An early start as we prepare for the evening ahead

Magic hands, kneading away

Wrapping up the home-made ricotta in roast veg deliciousness Little details... (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Last minute timing review - one guest described this as "German prescision"!

The table is set, and we're nearly ready... (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

The "Passport" we created for each guest included detailed tasting notes on each of the wines that were served as well as the menu we created to match with the wine - a nice little memento (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

The finishing touches (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Elisa recaps her notes before guests arrive (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Getting ready to lay out the home-made bread. A German seed load, French baguette and Italian focaccia (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Cocktail preparation before our guests check in (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

After checking in, guests mingle and warm up in the "Sky Lounge" as the sun sets over Victoria Harbour

A Cubano daiquiri with fresh lime and home-made Columbian plantain chips topped with guacamole and shavings of black truffle set the tone for a sensational evening. Tip* if you cannot get black truffle a bit of truffle pate on top of freshly made guacamole is simply divine! (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Our lovely guests engrossed in their "passports"

Elisa tells guests about this white wine from the Argentinian region of Torrontes

Our first course, a zingy Thai salad being plated

A David Thompson inspired spicy Thai salad with chargrilled seafood (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Local seabass ceviche topped with zesty pomello segments, mini BBQ corn cobs and a salty homemade ricotta finished with paprika and lime (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

48 Hour - slow cooked mutton skewers marinated with coriander, ginger, chilli (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Our guest, Silvia exploring her passport!

Plating the home-made ricotta & roast vegetable parcels

Icy- fresh, home-made rock melon granita enhanced with a French pineau to cleanse the palate ready to be served

Guests taking a breather

Chocolate & cardamom mouse, topped with home-made hazelnut praline served alongside home-made rosemary & honey ice-cream finished with a home-made berry jam

Finishing the meal with a selection of French cheese ....

Once Upon A Table with the Kitchen Nomads - what a great team we made! (photograph courtesy of Fred Lam)

Around The World in 8 Wines - Menu

2011-03-20T19:07:00.001-07:00

Discover 8 wines from 8 regions around the world and enjoy a global 8 course menu prepared to elevate and enhance the quality of the wine. We’ve partnered with the Kitchen Nomads so the evening is set to be a world-extravaganza, so pack your bags and get ready to go!

Saturday 2nd of April 2011

Check In @ 17h30 in the Sky Lounge for Sundowners
Cubano daiquiri with fresh lime
Homemade Columbian plantain chips with guacamole and shavings of black truffle

Take Off….

The Whites – A Tour of Latin America

Argentina - Torrontes
Food Pairing: A David Thompson inspired spicy Thai salad with chargrilled seafood

Chile - Sauvignon Gris
Food Pairing: Local seabass ceviche topped with zesty pomello segments, mini BBQ corn cobs and a salty homemade ricotta finished with paprika and lime

The Roses – A Taste of Europe

Germany - Pinot Noir Rose
Food Pairing: 48 Hours - slow cooked mutton skewers marinated with coriander, ginger, chilli

France - Pero Longo Rose
Food Pairing: A triptych of homemade ricotta balls wrapped in grilled ribboned vegetables topped with toasted pinenuts

Breathe & Cleanse
Fresh melon granita enhanced with a French pineau to cleanse the palate

The Reds – From the South of Italy to South Africa

Italy - Gaglioppo
Food Pairing: Vitello tonnato - chilled veal slices served with an anchovy and tuna sauce

South Africa - Pinotage
Food Pairing: Cheese Discovery

A Smooth Landing

Coffee

Chocolate cardamom mousse served with a homemade ice-cream flavour surprise

Cost per head: $650

This includes 8 wine tastings that will be explained as well as 8 global dishes and a whole lot of surprises!

Around The World in 8 Wines

2011-03-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

Once Upon A Table’s next secret gathering reignites the glamour of travel as we take you on a journey of discovery and adventure in Around the World in 8 Wines.

Your captain for the evening is our own sommelier, Elisa. She will guide you on this journey, explaining the background of the regions and the intricacies behind each wine to be discovered. Expect to travel across the globe from Argentina to Chile, Germany to France, Italy to South Africa.

Around the World in 8 Wines takes off on Saturday the 2^nd of April, 2011.

Check in promptly at 5.30pm and then join us in The Sky Lounge for sun downers, nibbles and flight details before we take off.

Spaces are limited to 14 Explorers. If you’d like to join us ticket booking opens on Monday the 21^st of March between 12noon and 3pm. The first 14 people to email us will be guaranteed a seat on board. – Watch this space for a reminder of when to email!

Cost for an Around The World Ticket is HK$650. This includes 8 wine tastings that will be explained as well as 8 global dishes and a whole lot of surprises!

Let There Be Brunch!

2011-03-07T04:36:00.001-08:00

Our 5th secret gathering, Let There Be Brunch was a huge success! Guests were welcomed in from the grey wet weather with slippers, the morning paper and a feast that lasted way into the afternoon. Highlights included home-baked corn mufins, vodka, dill and beetroot cured gravalax, homemade baguette (they sure beat shop bought!), an unusual but delicious cocktail entitled "Diamonds & Dust"- muddled strawberry's topped with prosecco and sprinkled with bacon dust, baked eggs served Greek & Spanish style, delectable French Toast , heavenly cinamon swirls and "Strawberry Kisses" to finish. Check out the photographs below!

The table is set and we're ready to welcome guests

Let there be Brunch!
Preparing the ramekins for baked eggs 2 ways - Spanish style, with piperade and jamon & Greek style with spinach and feta

Guests tucking in

Vodka, dill & beetroot cured gravalax

Angie worked her magic in the bread department - she managed to rustle up these beauties...

Homemade baguettes baked to perfection, ready to slice

Angie slicing away at the freshest French baguette this side of France :)

Delicious homebaked corn muffins

Morning Glory smoothie shots

Smoothie mama

Busy in the kitchen

Argha spicing up the guacamole

Glasses prepped for Diamonds & Dust

Sprinkling on the dust

The Brunch Club

Cinamon Swirls from heaven - so moreish our guests couldn't get enough of them.

Graeme proudly showing off his fluffy slices of French Toast covered in maple syrup and fresh fruit...yum!

Each guest received a little jar of Gran-Oh-La at the end of brunch ...a little Monday morning treat.
Post Brunch debrief....the team finally grabbing a bite to eat!

Click below for details of "Let There Be Brunch"

2011-01-30T01:43:00.000-08:00

Once Upon A Table featured in Time Out (HK)!

2011-01-30T01:35:00.000-08:00

We're thrilled to be featured in Hong Kong's Time Out Magazine.

For the full article click here!

Let There Be Brunch! Sunday, 13 February, 2011

2011-01-19T23:15:00.000-08:00

Details to follow soon!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2011-01-08T18:53:00.001-08:00

'Twas the Night Before Christmas - Once Upon A Table's 5th secret supper was a celebration of all things festive and Christmassy....

Santa's helpers making and decorating gingerbread men the night before

Cute gingerbread men ready to be packed into gift bags

Marinating the pork loin

Angie working her filo pastry magic

Getting ready to set the table

Menu & decor

The festive table

Canapes good to go. The homemade gravalax cured in sea salt and fresh dill was sublime...

The most delicious cocktail in the world. Prosecco infused with a homemade spiced cardamon & orange syrup

Quaffing the delicious Christmas cocktails...

Cheers!

Cristina & Ange

Elisa explains what guests can expect from the vino she's carefully selected

Getting ready to serve the pork with the caramalised pears & apples

Elisa appreciation after doing a fab job as our sommelier for the evening

The filo pastry cooked to perfection in a scrumptious appfel strudel

Homemade melamakarona - Greek cinamon, clove and honey Christmas biscuits

Feasting

Santa's helpers taking a rest :)

Appreciating the hundreds of handmade snowflakes

Merry Christmas! Here's to a delicious 2011...

'Twas the nigh before Christmas - Menu

2010-12-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Once Upon A Table will celebrate Christmas. Here's the menu:

Welcome
Spiced Pear Prosecco

Canapes:

Nordic cerviche crostini

Parma ham & fig

Tomato & basil crostini

Starter

Butternut & apple soup with crispy sage

Main
Slow roasted pork loin enveloped in caraway and mustard

Calvados caramelized pears

Roast potatoes served with rosemary sour cream

Green beans

Desssert

Austrian Apple Strudel with Cream or semi-freddo
•Coffee and Melomakarona - Greek honey & spice Christmas biscuits

Cost: $380 (without matched wines) , $520 (including generous glasses or matched wines)

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

2010-11-25T17:13:00.000-08:00

'Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house,

Delectable aromas were wafting to arouse

The appetites of guests invited to share

Once Upon A Table’s Christmas fare!

On the 11th of December festivities take place

So please come and join us – a smile on your face!

We’ll clink glasses at 7 ‘o Clock

Ties for the men, ladies a frock!

The venue is a secret, tightly concealed

Only the night before shall it be revealed.

Wine, food and merriment what a night it will be!

So do come and join us under the Christmas tree

As Christmas is for relaxing to reduce the fuss,

We’re asking for “Santa’s helpers” to cook with us

If you’d like to join the cooking team

Drop us a note – that would be supreme!

Our first mention in the HK press

2010-11-24T15:35:00.000-08:00

Foodie Magazine HK has kindly mentioned Once Upon A Table!

Check it out :)

Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia!

2010-11-11T17:34:00.000-08:00

The day began with pasta making...

Mama Angie transforming dough into pasta!

Ollie the octopus thawing nicely...

Ollie the octopus now tenderised and chopped up, ready to be dressed.

Shreya preparing the aubergine...

Sofia prepping the beans ...

The "chefs" just before the guests arrive!

Campari on the terrace lit with dancing candle light.

The table is set, the magic begins...

The beautiful Song collection of dinnerware donated to us for the night by Latitude21

Guests take their seats, ready to eat!

What's on the menu?

Antipasti of tender squid dressed in lemon, olive oil, anchovy and capers served alongside marinated peppers.

Homemade limoncello, crisp and zesty, clears the palate and prepares the belly for more!

Elisa captures the attention of guests with her descriptions of the wines matched with each meal.

Alla Norma with homemade fetuccini, topped with salted ricotta and pecorino shavings.

Rich, flavourful Osso Bucco ready to be platted and sprinkled with zesty gremolata.

Delicate, homemade semifreddo topped with salted roast-nut praline & balsamic marinated strawberries.

If I imagine the quintessential Italian table I can hear the rhythmic sing-song of banter amongst friends, their laughter rising over the clink of wine-filled glasses. I can smell an array of delectable aromas that subtly shift throughout the evening every time a new dish is laid on the candlelit table. The guests become animated and cheer as each course arrives, and the mama smiles in her kitchen, satisfied at their appreciation. I can taste the fresh, intense flavours in every bite, flavours imbued with the Italian countryside – the just-torn herbs, the squeeze of sun-ripened lemons, the warmth of baked grains smothered in golden olive oil. The air is filled with a natural generosity and passion: passion for the sharing of food and good times – passion for life.

Recreating the true magic of the Italian table can be a little challenging. It often comes off as contrived, especially when you’re 8,000 miles away from the heart of Italy and you fill the table with veritable strangers. But we like challenges! So, for Once Upon A Table’s third secret supper, Mamma Mia, we sought to transport guests to an authentic Italian tavola by recreating recipes from our off-the-beaten-track adventures in Italy. Recipes for meals that once captured our imaginations and left our taste buds enticed.

In the hours before the guests arrived, the apartment we’d hijacked felt like a real mama’s kitchen. Angie – a true Italian mama (in her heart) – kneaded solidly for 3 hours and then magically transformed balls of pasta dough into incredible threads of delectable eggy-fresh fettuccine. Shreya, (in between reducing fresh tomatoes and pan-frying sliced aubergine to a juicy crispness) grated ginger and shelled pistachios to go into our homemade biscotti. Argha, meanwhile, created a zesty dressing for Ollie the octopus whom he had gently simmered to succulent tenderness for over 3 hours the night before – periodically making sure his homemade limoncello was just cold enough. And I patiently stirred the Osso Bucco, wooing the richest of flavours from its depths.

Somehow, by 7.30pm the kitchen had transformed into an Italian casa. The table was beautifully set with crisp linen and jars of fresh-cut flowers, and the terrace was alive with dancing candles ready to welcome our 15 guests.

An aperitivo of Campari with freshly-squeezed orange juice and soda kicked off the night as guests got acquainted on the terrace overlooking one of Hong Kong’s magnificent city views.

With appetites piqued we asked our guests to take their seats at the cosy table. Jesse and Julie of Latitude 21 then introduced their “Song” collection of dinnerware which guests would be dining off for the evening. The fascinating story behind the design and hand-craft of this collection is underpinned by passion and love, aptly matching our Italian theme.

And then the food came… but not without the wine, of course. Our dear friend Elisa, who is in finance by day, but ponders wines of the world by night, was our elected sommelier for the evening. Each dish was matched with a carefully selected Italian wine, and Elisa captivated guests with her descriptions and anecdotes of the grapes, as well as the flavours and aromas that they could expect.

A Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene, DOCG millesimé 2007 accompanied the Antipasto di mare: Insalata Di Polpos – a zesty antipasto of tender baby octopus & pepperoncino served with three choices of extra virgin olive oil & homemade rosemary focaccia.

For Primi, guests were whisked to Sicily for Pasta Alla Norma. Here the homemade fettucini was brought to life by a sensual tomato-eggplant sauce dolloped with salted ricotta cheese and pecorino shavings. To enhance the flavours of this dish Elisa selected a Soave Classico, 2007, Antonio Fattori DOC. This counterbalanced the strong aroma of the fried aubergines, leaving a fresh but medium-intense palate in the mouth.

From the bottom of the boot we travelled north to Milano for Secondi where the Osso Bucco was served. Shanks of veal slow-cooked to a rich intensity were lightly dressed with a fresh gremolata of parsley and lemon-zest. We encouraged our guests to eat this the traditional way, sucking out the marrow from the bones. From the kitchen we smiled as we heard the slurping goodness across the table. To match the intense flavour of this dish, Elisa selected a Lagrein, Cantine Terlano, 2008 DOC – an elegant, full-bodied wine.

Our satiated guests welcomed the Digestivo of homemade limoncello – a distinctive, lemony liquor with crisp, smooth flavours known to clear the palate and prepare the belly for the grand finale!

At last, Dolci was served – delicately sweet, homemade semifreddo flavoured with salted hazelnut and roast almond praline. Velvety smooth and surprisingly light, this divine dessert rounded off the meal beautifully.

After a few more glasses of wine and seconds of the semifreddo, coffee was served. As a final “thank you” each guest was given a little bag of homemade biscotti in two flavours – ginger and pistachio, and orange – so that they could continue their Italian adventure at home.

A few guests lingered after caffé, and it was great to mingle with them and hear some of their feedback:

“Dinner was wonderful, thank you so much for inviting me. I thought the atmosphere was so convivial, and the food was particularly unique as we were able to taste Italian home cooking. I really felt like we were transported to an Italian kitchen.”

“The wine pairings made the food very special and went excellently together. I really enjoyed meeting some great people at the dinner party.”

“Mamma Mia, the 3rd supper club so far and my first, was exceptional. The ambience, from the moment I stepped through the door till the secret surprise as I was leaving at around midnight, made up a very memorable evening. I loved the attention to detail, not only with the 6-course meal, but also with the decor. In short it was brilliant, amazing and very yum!"

“It was a fab evening and we absolutely loved it!”

“The food was incredible and I cannot stop thinking about that squid salad and antipasti... wowowowowow. Everything was outstanding. Loved the music too, and I think the group dynamic was awesome.”

So Mama Mia has bid us arrivederci, but next on the table is: ‘Twas the Night before Christmas’ on the 11th of December!

Watch this space…

Once Upon A Table
xxx

Mama Mia! Inspired by off-the-beaten-track adventures in Italy

2010-10-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

It’s no secret that a trip to Italy is a sensorial adventure that will delight the palate and leave your mind filled with evocative memories. Once Upon A Table’s 3rd secret supper: ‘Mama Mia' takes inspiration from our own personal travels to this sun-drenched land. We’ve reflected on our most memorable journeys selecting recipes that once captured our imaginations and left our taste buds enticed. From Isola Stromboli off Sicily to the pastel coloured villages of Cinque Terre, Liguria to the mountains of Lombardy, Milan we will recreate off-the-beaten-track recipes that will leave you as captivated as they left us.

In true Italian style we look forward reliving our experiences with you through generous sharing platters, good conversation and a carefully selected wine menu that will bring out the flavour of each dish.

Join us on Saturday 6th of November at 7.30pm where we will share a 5 course experience of the flavours, aromas and sounds of our Italy.

Cost per head: $540 – This includes a 5 course menu served with generous glasses of wine which has been carefully matched by Elisa, our Italian friend and sommelier (see below for menu).

To be invited please email Sofia at onceuponatable@gmail.com by the 12th of October with a short description of one of your favourite meals from your travels. We will select 12 guests based on the best descriptions. We will confirm the guest list on the 14th of October by 8pm.

As always the secret venue will be revealed the night before via email & text message.

Buon appetito!

Mam Mia! Menu
Apertif
Campari
Campari with soda & freshly squeezed orange juice

Antipasto
Antipasto di mare: Insalalata Di Polpos
Antipasto of the sea: A salad of baby octopus, potatoes & peperoncino served with 3 choices of extra virgin olive oil alongside roast vegetables & homemade foccacia
Matched with: Prosecco di Valdobbiadene - Zardetto (millesimé 2009)

Primi
Pasta alla Norma fatta in casa
Homemade Pasta alla Norma (freshly made on the day)
Matched with: Soave 2007

Secondi
Osso Bucco con patate e fagioli
Osso Bucco with smashed potatoes & tender green beans
Matched with: Lagrein 2007

Limoncello fatto in casa
Homemade limoncello

Dolci
Semifreddo alle nocciole e mandorle
Semifreddo with salted hazelnut & almond praline

Caffè e biscotti a due gusti: pistachi e zenzero, arancia e cioccolato
Coffee with biscotti of two flavors: pistachio & ginger, orange & dark chocolate

Una sorpresa alla fine
A final surprise

Passionately Pairing People & Flavours

2010-09-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

10 singles, 7 courses of lovingly prepared food, 3 passionate cooks, 12 bottles of vino, and 1 long table in a secret venue.

These were the ingredients for Once Upon A Table’s second event: Passionately Paired.

“Passionately Paired” was inspired by a book my good friend Matt gave me for my birthday called the “Flavour Thesaurus” . The book cleverly works through 99 flavours grouping them into unique pairings and combinations each described in a quirky write up. It’s a great read.

The food for the evening was prepared by a trio of ladies united by their passion to cook, eat, laugh, talk and share ideas.

To add a twist to the theme we decided not to limit pairing to flavours and textures, but to include people pairing too. We therefore only invited singles to the secret supper – 5 eligible guys and 5 gorgeous gals. A bit of a chemistry experiment perhaps, but fun.

The secret dinner was held in the gorgeous home of a very dear friend who generously gave up his space for a day and night so that we could do our thing.

Upon arrival guests were welcomed with prosecco and pomegranate cocktails in the living room of the apartment. One guest told me that this was a brilliant way to “warm everyone up, and get them feeling relaxed”. To be honest, the 3 cooks needed “warming up” too –we were not sure how the pairing of people part was going to work out!

But the bubbly helped and the canapés were snapped up: Asparagus parcels wrapped in salty prosciutto, drizzled with a sweet balsamic glaze, pungent gorgonzola paired with caramelised red-onion, fig slivers and walnut crostini, watermelon dipped in honey and homemade dukkah, and dates enveloped in bacon (a twist on pigs in blankets).

After the chit chat we invited our guests to the dinner table for the first course – a cold pea soup flavoured subtly with a splash of fresh lemon and garlic served with chunky homemade croutons.

To ensure that the guys and girls all got to speak to one another we asked the gents to move to the next seat on their left after each course. They all politely agreed and did as they were told.

After the first round of musical chairs we served Shreya’s refreshing salad of rocket, caramelised beetroot and fresh goat’s cheese dressed in a tangy mustard vinaigrette.

Before the main dish tiny glasses of homemade lemon, lime and mint sorbet were served to guests giving them a moment to refresh and take a breather (in hindsight perhaps a bit too much food?!)

And then the main dish – fresh summer cherry & port sauce over duck breasts served on a bed of herbed polenta alongside braised bok-choi.

Looking across the table as everyone was tucking in was encouraging. We didn’t expect the conversation to flow so easily. People genuinely felt at home. Of course the wine helped, but more importantly the surrounding comforts - being in a real home (albeit a complete stranger’s to our guests), eating genuine, unadulterated home-made food and chatting with likeminded souls gives this type of evening an unmatched ambiance that you cannot buy in a restaurant, bar or club.

The three of us cooks eventually joined guests at the table for the final highlight of the evening: Toni’s dark cocoa torte topped with a dollop of homemade chocolate mousse, almond ice cream and raspberry coulis. This was the perfect way to round off the meal and to ensure guests were not left unsatisfied!

In the wee ours of the morning we handed guests their gifts - jars filled with Sofia's home made Dukkah. New friends left the apartment to continue the merriment…apparently they all got home at 3am.

The evening left us feeling warm, happy and rewarded. We’re looking forward to the 3^rd Once Upon a Table secret supper in October – so watch this space!

Getting ready...

Drink break

The table is set.

What's dinner without fleurs!?

Guests mingling in the lounge area

Watermelon dipped in honey & home made dukkah

Iranian dates wrapped in bacon

Caramelised onion, pungent gorgonzola, delicate fig and walnut topped on home made crostini

The fresh, summer cherry and port sauce

Spicy rocket, sweet beets and goat's cheese salad

The canard served on home made herbed polenta draped in the cherry port sauce

Dinner conversation

Chocolate deliciousness

Hanging out with our guest, Elisa

Chocolate torte topped with chocolate mouse, alongside almond ice-cream & raspberry coulis

Secretsupper #2: Passionately Paired

2010-08-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing better than a perfect pairing. Like Bonnie & Clyde, warm toast and butter, sunshine and ice-cream; some things are better together.

Once Upon A Table’s second secret supper - “Passionately Paired” - invites 10 single Hong Kongers - 5 gents & 5 ladies - to indulge in a 5 course feast. Each dish couples complimentary flavours that will tickle your taste buds and unleash your inner flirt. Click here for menu.

As always, the evening will be hosted in an intimate apartment. But that’s a secret we’ll reveal the night before via sms.

Merriment will begin on Saturday the 28th of August at 19h30 .

Cost per head $450, please bring your own alcohol.

If you would like to join us, please drop an email to onceuponatable@gmail.com

Space is limited so hurry!

Passionately Paired Menu

2010-08-18T22:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome drink
Something deliciously & sparkly

Canapes
Baby asparagus enveloped in prosciutto
Homemade dukkah & honey tipped watermelon
Fig slivers with a kiss of walnut & gorgonzola
Dates wrapped in organic bacon

A little surprise

Refresher
Homemade lemon, lime & peppermint sorbet

Mains
Duck breast draped in fresh, summer cherry & port sauce served with braised greens & herbed polenta

Dessert
Rich chocolate torte caressed in a raspberry drizzle

Cost per head: $450, please bring your own vino

Unfortunately we cannot cater to specific dietary requirements

Sensational First Night

2010-06-06T01:32:00.000-07:00

Last night we launched Once Upon A Table with our first event - A Tale of Two Cities...

The table setting - each placemat was a different city map

The team - looking thrilled (and relieved); Toni changing dessert in HK with her Pavlova

Making the Patatas Bravas which were served in Pani Puris - marrying Barcelona & Bombay; Calcutta salmon served on August Table crockery

Roast lamb, vine tomatoes and zesty asparagus for mains - passion food celebrating Patras & Johannesburg (the meal my parents used to make)

Hanging out with guests (Elisa); Ingrid, our guest loving chef Argha

The evening was personal, warm and so much fun. We had 15 mouths to feed in total and managed to make sure everyone left feeling happy and full.

Cherry from August Table came to talk to us about the story behind the designs of her beautiful crockery (we used Cherry's plates to serve most courses last night as the city maps tied in brilliantly with the theme). It was great to get a local artist involved - something we'd like to do more of.

The secret location was a private apartment in Sheung Wan - which lent itself to the intimate ambiance. Most people were stangers to one another but when you looked over at the table it felt like these people had known eachother for years. The vibe was great. So great that I left feeling completely energised and managed to stay out (at another party) until 5am - very unlike me!

We are already planning our next event - to be held early August. So watch this space!

Once Upon A Table

xxx

Once Upon A Table presents: A Tale of Two Cities

2010-05-12T20:12:00.000-07:00

A Tale of Two Cities captures what lies at the heart of Hong Kong – an intense merging of people from different backgrounds, cultures, languages, countries and cities who have one thing in common: they like to eat.

Hong Kong’s first secret supper club, Once Upon A Table, will host A Tale of Two Cities
on the 5 June, 2010 at 7.30pm.
Dinner will be served at a private apartment in the heart of Sheung Wan.

Here, 4 Hong Kongers will introduce you to a feast that narrates their story of the two cities that have influenced the way they cook, share and experience food.
Click here for the menu

To be invited, please send a photograph or tell us in one sentence what "A Tale of Two Cities" means to you by replying to this email address: onceuponatable@gmail.com

The first 10 responses received will be invited. If you are successful, you will be notified immediately. Apartment address will be sent to you via text message the night before the supper so make sure you send us your mobile number too.

Cost per head: $380 / BYOB

A Tale Of Two Cities - The Menu

2010-05-12T20:01:00.001-07:00

SHHHHHH! It's a secret

2010-05-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

Once Upon A Table is Hong Kong’s first secret Supper Club held bi-monthly at a secret location. Our aim is to put homecooking back on the menu, served up in the homes of Hong Kongers - no matter how big or small.

Each event centers around a theme that tells a story through the menu and atmosphere.

Each course is a collaborative effort delivered by ordinary Hong Kong citizens. We are not professional chefs, but rather people who like to create, cook, dream, entertain and eat.

Bon Appetit!