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at the
Caravelle Hotel
Ho Chi Minh City - Vietnam |
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Extraordinary
January - 2007 |
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5 Stars
& 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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In a surreal setting of mid-20th century Saigon
surrounded by dated photos of the city's highlights, we sat sipping an aperitif
with the GM of the Caravelle Hotel, Guido A.J. Gydé. The photos on the
wall were somehow reminiscent of how little Saigon has changed over the years
if you compared it to the view from the window tables of Lam Son Square and the
myriad of motor bikes and bicycles weaving in and out like columns of ants. GM
Gydé, new to the Caravelle but not new to the business of people
pleasing, promised us a delightful dining experience and escorted us into the
capable hands of the Restaurant Manager and the Executive Chef for a first hand
look at this special cuisine performance.
My mind was set for the event
to begin and I relished the unique aftermath of the 'amuse bouche' and
canapés served to us while we were still at the bar. That being our
first experience with Executive Chef Timo Reuss's talents, it seemed to
accredit his already high standing in the competitive world of creative
cuisine. The imaginative displays of three small bowls filled with Salmon
Tartar, Cream Cheese Pralines and Mango Duck were set atop a
'picture-frame' tray displaying old photos of Saigon. This was followed by a
most delicate melt-in-your-mouth
Black
Angus Beef Carpaccio with Ginger and Black Bean Dressing drizzled lightly
with white truffle oil and served atop micro greens and roast onion chips. A
great opening act!! |
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| As we were seated in the main
dining room next to the window overlooking the business center of Ho Chi Minh
City (Saigon), we were immediately handed lightly perfumed cold towels to
refresh ourselves reminding us of the sub-tropical location of the city.
Executive Chef Reuss has made it his mission of building a capable cooking team
by training them to compete at the level of the international community. It was
obvious to us by the unique cuisine being presented at this dinner that Chef
Reuss was achieving his goals rapidly. |
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| Our first course was Japanese Toro Tuna Loin
prepared with a fresh duck liver and sweet chili sauce with orange topico egg
roes. A very special South African Uitkyk Sauvignon Blanc created the
connection with a dry, lively but smooth tropical fruit flavor going full tilt
over the palate. The bamboo style chopsticks were for the brave of heart and
not my fumbling hands, so I opted for western silverware. Next up was the
unusual seafood combination of New Zealand Green Mussel, French fine de
Claire Oyster, Vietnamese Red Lobster Tail, Giant US Scallop and Red Snapper
Filet. It was refreshing to see that the preparations of seafood, which is
held in reverence in Vietnam, displayed the same careful arrangements of their
time-honored recipes. Also served was a Miso Crusted Norwegian Salmon with
Arborio risotto and Szechwan chili paste. This proved to be an outstanding
blending of cultures combining north and south Europe with the orient added for
spice. A powerful spicy flavor from the chilies demanded a powerful wine in the
form of a complex Portuguese red Esporao Reserve. This wine with its
'port-like' flavor merges old-world finesse with new-world style and succeeds
by adding a healthy dose of cabernet sauvignon to its indigenous grapes
varietal. The next entrée of Australian Lamb Shank braised with anis
cinnamon and Asian spices, cherry tomatoes, snow peas, ear mushrooms and
sweet potato chips caused us to remark about the deft handling of such a
delicate meat. Chef Reuss is intent on placing his restaurant in an
international environment staying true to his mantra of blending Vietnamese
traditions with upscale preparations and food pairings. It is refreshing to
bear witness to Executive Chef Reuss's creative efforts of setting himself up
as a shining diamond in the fresh upstart cuisine world of Vietnamese cooking.
A fine bottle of Campo Viejo Gran Reserve from Rioja, Spain made from a
special selection of Tempranillo grapes produced a tawny colored wine with
aromas of vanilla, cinnamon and cloves leading to a smooth rounded oak-like
finish. Finally now there was the Lemongrass infused panna cotta on
raspberry lime compote and ginger bread crisp presented for dessert. A
Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut was offered as a pairing and started out
lean and focused, displaying citrus, mineral and yeast nuances. An expansion on
the palate showed length, depth and a hazelnut finish. |
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| Award-Hand-Out: Asian Reflections at the Caravelle Hotel, Ho Chi Minh
City - Vietnam |
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| This was a delightful way to finish off an evening of
dining pleasure and cultural understanding of the Vietnamese view of food
fusion as presented by Asian Reflections Restaurant led by Executive Chef Timo
Reuss and his dedicated friendly and professional team. |
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by
Thorsten & Simone Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2007 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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